PHOTOGRAPHIC THREADS: camera queries, any photo tech stuff!

[Susan]

Gene, are you happy with your Canon S3 IS?  I have just purchased the S5 IS, and am impressed with the super macro so far and the video.  I have found that the rechargeables are great if used regularly. It always helps to have a spare set of non-rechargeables if away.  Last year I was in Prague and taking photos of a lovely garden.  Batteries expired, so changed to my recently charged set of batteries which lasted only a short time.  It was then pointed out that our hotel room had a card to turn on the lights, so when I left it with the battery charger plugged in, the power had turned off and consequently the batteries had not charged even though they had been in almost all day. Apart from that the batteries last much longer than those bought in a pack.

Susan

[Gene Mirro]

Susan, the S3 IS works fine for me. 

If your batteries are running low, there are two things you can do to maximize battery life: 
1.  shut off the LCD display, and use the viewfinder only.  The LCD display uses a lot of electrical current.
2.  minimize lens adjustments.  The lens is driven by an electric motor that takes a lot of current.

[Maggi Young]

Gene, photgraphic half-wit here... what do you mean by "minimising lens adjustments" , please?

[mark smyth]

zooming in and out, silly! - I hope

[Susan]

Thanks for that.  I knew that the LCD display used battery but had forgotten about the zoom.

Cheers,

Susan

[Maggi Young]

Really? But that's a bit hard, isn't it? I mean, how can you adjust the picture if you don't zoom....

[Susan]

You can still use it but don't keep your finger on the automatic zoom function as it can take a lot of battery power if it is zooming in and out.  Using the manual focus function would probably not be as power consuming either.

Susan

[David Pilling]

Really? But that's a bit hard, isn't it? I mean, how can you adjust the picture if you don't zoom....

KRYTEN: Now then, uh, my optical system doesn't appear to have a zoom
  function.
LISTER: No, human eyes don't have a zoom.
KRYTEN: Well then, how do you bring a small object into sharp focus?
LISTER: Well, you just move your head closer to the object.

[Maggi Young]

Ahem.. a bit like this eh?     

Father Ted to Dougal....
Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These (pointing to plastic cows on table) are very small; those (pointing out of the window) are far away...

[Len Rhind]

I do not have a digital SLR, yet. One of the things that bothers me about my digital pocket cameras is the amount of time it takes to store the image before it is ready to take another one. I would like to ask those DSLR owners that are also birders, if this has ever been a problem for them with the newest generation of cameras? (No offense to plant photographers, but plant subjects seldom require quick multiple shots.)
Thanks, Len

[mark smyth]

Len my pocket Canon Ixus 900Ti takes a photo in .3 second

Shutter Lag Comparison Table
http://www.cameras.co.uk/html/shutter-lag-comparisons.cfm

[mark smyth]

My friend Annette Cutts uses a Canon 30D for her bird photography
http://www.psiloswildlifephotography.co.uk/

[ian mcenery]

Len the problem with compacts is the shutter delay which can be very irritating even with my Canon G7 which is supposed to be state of the art is still useless for quick shots of moving targets like my grandchildren. My Nikon D70 SLR has no shutter delay which you or I could measure except when recharging flash and will take 3.5 shots per second in continuos mode for several seconds before pausing to write the files

[carolesmith]

I do not have a digital SLR, yet. One of the things that bothers me about my digital pocket cameras is the amount of time it takes to store the image before it is ready to take another one. I would like to ask those DSLR owners that are also birders, if this has ever been a problem for them with the newest generation of cameras? (No offense to plant photographers, but plant subjects seldom require quick multiple shots.)
Thanks, Len

There are several factors even with the modern Digital SLR's that effect the speed you can take pictures, the shutter lag is the least of the problems.  Issue number one is the camera's buffer (the camera stores information whilst it is writing to the card).  The buffer is dependent on the image quality you are using, camera RAW being the best to shoot in (as long as you have the relevant software to deal with it).  The nikon D200 for example has a buffer of 21 shots before it runs out, in reality I have tested the camera with a 2gb card which allows 109 shots in RAW mode, and not reached the end of the buffer (109 shots in a row without stopping at 4.5 frames per second).  The second issue is the type of card you are using, sandisk are the best around, and within their range of cards there are different write speeds... you need to check the fastest speed the camera can write at and buy the card accordingly.  Cost is obviously a big issue and the more you can spend the better the features, saying that the D200 is now available for around £600 (body only) it was £1200 two years ago.

PS. I am Caroles son, home for Christmas.  I lecture in Photography at Blackpool and the Fylde College.

[Maggi Young]

Greetings to you, Carole's son and, indeed to Carole! Great to have your input here.
And Merry Christmas, of course!