The most important additions to the camera outfit are the extra lenses. If you have always used a standard lens on your camera, you may not find it easy to decide which would be the best lens to buy next. Obviously, you want to start with the one that will be the most versatile for your type of photography. As a first buy, most photographers choose a wide angle lens (28mm) or a telephoto lens (135mm). If you like taking scenic landscape pictures or you want to include a wide area without having to step back with the camera too much, then a wide- angle lens is a good choice. Read the rest of this entry »
Exposure meters indicate light intensity and are designed to help you get a correct exposure every time you take a photograph. When a light reading is taken the meter indicates the correct adjustments needed to the camera aperture and shutter speed settings. This sounds simple, as indeed it is, but not all subjects can be treated in a straightforward way. How would you tackle a backlit subject, a snow scene or subjects in deep shadow, for example? In such situations your exposure meter can well mislead you into giving the wrong exposure. ‘Correct‘ exposures are a matter of interpreting meter readings and applying them to the subject in hand. Read the rest of this entry »
The angle of view, or the amount of a scene taken in by the lens, is governed by the focal length of the lens: for example, a short focal length will give a wide angle or view. So you can photograph different parts of the view just by changing lenses–as shown in the three pictures on the right. The girl and the camera stay in the same position for each photograph, showing that subject and background enlarge equally as the angle of view narrows. Read the rest of this entry »
Different types of cameras use different methods to focus their lenses, but with the common aim of providing the photographer with a sharp image on the film.
Focusing is either done by guessing or actually measuring the camera-to subject distance using a rangefinder. The lens is then set manually to the correct distance, or in some cameras the range finder is coupled to the focusing mechanism. In other focusing systems the image is seen through a ground-glass screen and the lens moved until the image is sharp. Read the rest of this entry »
