camera settings

[pcray1231]

I've got no ability to use filters. Not an SLR. Pretty advanced for a P&S but still a P&S with a fixed lens.

Canon SX20 IS

 

[troutbert]

Taking photos when the light is really good will solve a lot of the problems. At mid-day, the light is often a harsh glare beating straight down. It's just not very good for photography. Especially along streams, where you have both deep shade from trees and bright light reflecting off the water and light colored rocks. It's very contrasty and the camera can't capture the full range, as was stated earlier.

There's often a period in the morning and then another period towards dusk when "everything is illuminated." You get a softer, warmer light coming in from the side, which makes the landscape glow. Take lots of pictures during those times.

 

[gfen]

pcray1231 wrote:
I've got no ability to use filters. Not an SLR. Pretty advanced for a P&S but still a P&S with a fixed lens.

There's always a way... So it has no threading or bayonet lugs? Finding the appropriate step-up ring and pressfitting works (I used to do this on a Yashicamat TLR I had that used bayonet lugs) or a generic universal screw-adjust set (I used the Cokin gels with one of these for all of my LF lenses, most of which either had no threading or were too big for me to buy filters, ever try to find a filter for something like this?).

But, its a moot point. Outside of polarizers, and occasional Y3 for B&W, filters are specialist or crutches. Like HDR.

Troutbert, photographers call that the "golden hour." The work around for that is using proper fill flash to help fill in the shadows so you can adjust your zones and reduce the range you're supposed to expose for. However, you're on your own with flash, coz I never understood it, and your PnS cameras aren't exactly brimming with flash technology and options anyways.

 

[pcray1231]

Actually, you're right. They sell an adapter pretty cheap which allows you to put filters on.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220551754375&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WXI6&GUID=3a038c1f1190a0aad382ee62ffe531e3&itemid=220551754375&ff4=263602_263622

I'm stuck with the lens, though, non-removable. For flash, it does have a hot shoe in addition to a decent (and adjustable) built in flash, so lots of options there.

 

[salmonoid]

pcray1231 wrote:
I'm just learning my new camera (Canon SX-20). It's technically a point and shoot, but it has the option of a lot of manual controls like an SLR. What it lacks, compared to SLR, is RAW capability and you can't use filters, plus the lens doesn't grab quite as much light (but still way more than a regular point and shoot). Since I've only had it a month or so and am still studying higher level photography, take the following for what its worth.

You can pick up RAW format on Canon cameras if you use the CHDK firmware. It's relatively simple to load, it doesn't overwrite existing firmware, and adds a ton of extra features that are available but not directly accessible to the user, because Canon chose not to code them in. I've found it useful on my PnS cameras.

 

[pcray1231]

Ok, so I saw the weaknesses of the "advanced P&S" route as lacking RAW and the lacking the ability to use filters. Thanks to this thread, I found out I can do both. lol.

Thanks. Probably won't use it for now, but who knows down the road.