Ask a Photographer Thread!

[Manny Naber]

Can you explain what the basic settings and adjustments do, and the scenerios that you would use different values and why... for example


What does iso do....when would you adjust?

What does shutter speed do? when would you adjust? The question about how to get the racecar to look like it's moving was on point for me.... Was Echonova's problem too fast of a shutter speed? or too slow?

[.blank cd]

Can you explain what the basic settings and adjustments do, and the scenerios that you would use different values and why... for example


What does iso do....when would you adjust?

ISO is equivalent to film speed. In digital cameras, its a measurement of the sensitivity of the sensor. I use a lower ISO in situations where I have enough light, and when Im sitting on a tripod at night, higher ISO when I need the most light possible, like when Im handheld in a dim lit room, or at night with fast lenses wide open handheld. As you increase the ISO, the sensor becomes more sensitive to light, but after a certain point it starts getting grainy. The higher end cameras have more sensitive sensors.

What does shutter speed do? when would you adjust? The question about how to get the racecar to look like it's moving was on point for me.... Was Echonova's problem too fast of a shutter speed? or too slow?

Shutter speed is the speed in which your sensor shutter opens and closes. For example, 1/250 is 1/250th of a second. You use a higher speed to stop action or movement, like in sports; or to let less light in (given a constant aperture value)

Aperture value is how wide open your aperture blades are when the shutter is pressed. A good analogy would be the black part in the middle of your eye. The wider open it is, the lower the aperture value. Tighter its closed, lower. When you look at something, all that light information is coming through a single point in your eye, when your eyes dilate, like in the dark, its trying to let more light in.

[Manny Naber]

ISO is equivalent to film speed. In digital cameras, its a measurement of the sensitivity of the sensor. I use a lower ISO in situations where I have enough light, and when Im sitting on a tripod at night, higher ISO when I need the most light possible, like when Im handheld in a dim lit room, or at night with fast lenses wide open handheld. As you increase the ISO, the sensor becomes more sensitive to light, but after a certain point it starts getting grainy. The higher end cameras have more sensitive sensors.

Shutter speed is the speed in which your sensor shutter opens and closes. For example, 1/250 is 1/250th of a second. You use a higher speed to stop action or movement, like in sports; or to let less light in (given a constant aperture value)

Aperture value is how wide open your aperture blades are when the shutter is pressed. A good analogy would be the black part in the middle of your eye. The wider open it is, the lower the aperture value. Tighter its closed, lower. When you look at something, all that light information is coming through a single point in your eye, when your eyes dilate, like in the dark, its trying to let more light in.

Awesome, thank you for that.

What are your opinions of my camera? It's a Canon EOS Rebel XSI 450D. I got it for $250 with a 18-55

[Echonova]

Can you explain what the basic settings and adjustments do, and the scenerios that you would use different values and why... for example


What does iso do....when would you adjust?

What does shutter speed do? when would you adjust? The question about how to get the racecar to look like it's moving was on point for me.... Was Echonova's problem too fast of a shutter speed? or too slow?

Change Settings on Your Digital Camera - For Dummies

I may be wrong, but I think my settings were too fast. Hence the wheels looking like they were not moving. I just always left the camera on auto, but I've been playing around with the settings ever since I got back from the gym. Think I got the most very basic knowledge possible on how to change the settings and what they do now (the above listed sight also has a cheat sheet for specifically my wife's camera model), but before I just treated it like a point-n-shoot.