Image Stabilisation Technique — Remedy for Blur-free Photos
March 31, 2009
Vibration is one of the worst enemy a photographer might encounter with. This usually occurs when the shutter speed and the telephoto doesn't mix well. The result is a blurred image. Occurrence of blurred images due to vibrations or camera shakes can be avoided by using a tripod while shooting. However it isn't possible to carry a tripod everywhere you go; this was taken into consideration by camera manufacturers and they introduced a new image stabilisation technique that will correct these vibrations while shooting itself.
Image Stabilisation (IS) is a type of technique that is used in digital cameras as well as in camcorders. This technique is used to stabilise an image for a clearer photo. Initially, when this technology was introduced, it was only incorporated in high end cameras due to the high cost involved. Now with the advancements of technology and price reductions,it has been expanded to almost all types cameras. If you are shooting at a subject that is very far then there is bound to be distortion. In fact the farther the image, more is the distortion caused. It is very important to control this as even a slight amount of fluctuation in the image can cause loss of a lot of memorable events.
Types: - There two major types of image stabilisation techniques; one is the Optical IS and the other is the Digital IS.
In Optical IS, the sensors are situated in the lens, in order to detect the horizontal and vertical movement. This lens is later stabilised for the blur effects caused for obtaining a clear picture. All this happens almost simultaneously while the camera shakes occur. It also takes care of fluctuation that happens while the photographer is shooting. The lens moves in the opposite direction as compared to the camera to compensate for the fluctuation. This technique is mainly used in digital and still cameras.
In case of Digital IS, the process is a lot different. It does not deal with the lens section of the camera, but controls the frame. While shooting the Digital IS technique ensures that a larger portion of the frame is shot. Then while there is fluctuation, the frame is moved little in order to correct the blur caused. This technique is primarily used in video cameras and camcorders.
You may be a professional photographer or an amateur one, you may definitely need to deal with shaky images. In such cases the Image Stabilisation Technique serves as a blessing. The other commonly known methods of reducing vibrations and fluctuations are using a tripod, a monopod, or just rest the camera on a flat surface. You can also increase the stability of the camera by using the self timer or remote option.
UK Price of Canon EOS 500D Confirmed
March 31, 2009
The UK price for Canon's fresh attempt in the digital SLR market, Canon EOS 500D Digital Camera, has been confirmed by the digital camera giant. In the UK the camera will come as a couple of kits; the price of one that comes with an f/3.5-5.6 18-55 mm IS lens would be GBP 969.99, as the second kit that includes an f/3 5-5.6 18-200 IS lens would be priced GBP 1399.99.
However, the UK pricing of for the 500D that comes with a sensor resolution of 15.1MP, apart from the capability of capturing 20 frames per second, Full HD videos, might trigger a controversy, for the same is availed in the US at a body only price of $799.99, according to the US press reports.
The camera that would target the photography enthusiast according to the manufacturer, boasts of a CMOS imaging sensor that is sized according to the new APS-C standard. This best digital camera that can trigger off a burst shooting rate of 3.4 frames a second comes adorned by a 3” LCD of a resolution of 920,000 pixels.
Meanwhile, the team leader of photo products team at the planning division of Canon Europe Mike Owen said that the 500D had been designed from the ground up. Owen also said that since the maximum size of files for video recording was 4GB, it allowed a slightly longer movie clips of the full HD kind that exceeded 12 minutes.
Canon 500D DSLR, very much like the other EOS models of Canon, would accommodate on board an EOS built-in cleaning system of Canon exclusively. It would also offer an image processor of Digic 4 type.
Face Detection Technology for the Perfect Group and Individual Portraits
March 30, 2009
Lets say you are at a wedding party and taking snaps of family and friends. Suddenly you find that the background effects are more clear as compared to the people in your photos. You don't need the background, you need your friends and relatives to be in focus. This can be done by using the Face Detection technology that has been incorporated in most of the modern compact digital cameras. Face detection is in fact a computer based technology that generally determines the locations and sizes of a human face in a digital image. It only detects the facial expressions and contours and ignores everything else in the background. This technology has been designed to automatically recognise faces within a given frame. This feature adjusts the autofocus in order to deliver sharp image while the exposure is adjusted to ensure that the frame is clear and precise.
Working Process: -
Basically Face Detection technology is a special form of the pattern detection technology. This feature uses an algorithm to locate the faces and to provide you with the preview on the camera's LCD screen. Using this feature is very simple. All you need to do is activate this function when you are out to shoot portraits. The camera first composes the photo and displays it on the LCD screen with the faces highlighted, and then flashes a green signal. This green light is an indication that the camera has adjusted the settings and is ready to capture the correct photo. One thing you need to remember is to turn off this feature while shooting landscapes or sports events. For these cases there are other shooting modes provided in the camera.
Advantages: -
This technology has proved to be handy while taking a portrait snap of multiple people or groups of persons. It also works effectively when the subjects are located away from the centre. With this technology incorporated in most of the digital cameras these days you need not have to worry about manually adjusting the exposure and contrast features. The camera does it automatically when you activate this functionality. Also it greatly increases your chances of getting perfect photos.
Limitations: -
One thing that we need to remember is that Face Detection technology is not fool-proof. It definitely cannot compensate for terrible lighting conditions nor can it adjust the focus or exposure for people situated very far away. Thus it is very important to know the basic laws of exposure and contrast compensation. While the camera is adjusting the internal settings, you may lose out on some interesting moment. Also you cannot keep the feature activated while shooting all types of photos such as nature, landscape, sports etc. For such instances there are other scenic modes provided by the camera manufacturers.
Conclusion: -
Though there are limitations to the Face Detection technology, it is still a boon for beginners and users of compact cameras for crisp and clear pictures. It helps in preserving those most important family get-together and wedding moments. It also makes the whole photographic experience a hassle-free and a memorable one.
Nikon Coolpix S230 Digital Camera
March 29, 2009
Nikon has launched the Nikon Coolpix S230 Digital Camera, which is an ultra compact photographic equipment packed with a lots of wonderful features. The Nikon Coolpix S230 10MP Digital Camera has a picture resolution of 10 mega-pixels; a higher image resolution can deliver superior quality images. This digital camera measures 91 x 57 x 20 mm and weighs just about 115 grams. The images can be previewed as well as viewed on the camera's 3-inch LCD display that has a screen resolution of 230K pixels. This camera is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that has a total battery life of 160 shots. SD memory cards can be used to increase the camera's 44MB internal memory. A high-Speed USB interface is provided for connecting the camera to a computer.
The Nikon Coolpix S230 Digital Camera has a 3x Zoom NIKKOR lens that offers an optical zoom of 3x. This indicates that there will not be any distortion to the image when it is magnified up-to 3 times its original size. The camera's digital magnification factor is 4x. It has a focal length that ranges between 6.3-18.9mm. This range is equal to 35-105mm on a 35mm equivalent camera. The normal focus range starts at 60cm while the macro focus range starts at just 10cm. This indicates that you can use the macro mode of this camera to shoot images as close as 10cm with precision. The light sensitivity factor determines the sharpness and clarity of the images under various light conditions. In this portable digital camera the ISO ranges between ISO80 and ISO2000. Video and movies can be recorded at the rate of 30 frames per second, at a maximum video resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. A video-out port enables you to watch the photos and videos on your television.
The Nikon Coolpix S230 Compact Digital Camera comes with Motion Detection technology; that tracks moving subjects and adjusts the shutter speed and ISO to compensate for the subject movement, thus delivering a perfect snap. In case of any kind of camera shakes, the Electronic VR Image Stabilisation technique corrects it resulting in sharper and clearer images. The Scene Selector automatically recognises the scenic conditions and corrects the camera settings accordingly. Nikon has incorporated the Smart Portrait System that includes a Face Priority and Smile mode along with in-camera red-eye correction and blink detection technology. Additionally Nikon's D-Lighting checks and adjusts the contrast, saturation and exposure settings for a true-to-life photo. This smart camera is available in 5 different attractive colours.
Nikon Coolpix S220 Digital Camera
March 28, 2009
Nikon has added another compact camera to its Coolpix series; Nikon Coolpix S220 Digital Camera; which comes with lots of interesting functions to deliver the finest shots. The Nikon Coolpix S220 10MP Digital Camera comes with a picture resolution of 10 mega-pixels for superior quality images. It measures 89.5 x 55.5 x 18 mm and weighs about 100 grams. It has an internal memory of 44MB which can be increased using SD or SDHC memory cards. Images can be previewed on the camera's 2.5-inch LCD display that comes with a screen resolution of 150k pixels. It runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that has a total battery life of 180 shots.
Nikon Coolpix S220 Digital Camera comes with 3x Zoom-NIKKOR lens. An optical zoom of 3x indicates that the images can be enlarged to 3 times its original size without any distortion. The digital zoom offered by this camera is 4x. While using digital zoom there may be loss of image clarity. The macro focus range starts at 10cm and the normal focus range starts at 60cm. The focal length of this camera ranges between 6.3-18.9mm, which is equal to 35 to 105mm on a 35mm equivalent camera. The ISO sensitivity ranges between ISO 80 and ISO 2000. The light sensitivity determines the sharpness of the image in low light conditions. You can shoot video at the rate of 30 frames per second using this camera.
The blur caused due to camera shakes is automatically corrected by the Electronic VR image stabilization technique provided by the Nikon Coolpix S220 Compact Digital Camera. For detecting the physical movements and capturing them precisely this camera offers a Motion Detection technology. The Food Mode is provided for adjusting the white balance in order to obtain desired colour tones. A Smart Portrait System is a combination of the Face Priority, Smile and Blink detection functions that delivers superior results. The Scene Selector mode is useful for beginners; it senses the situation and detects the correct scene accordingly. Nikon's D-Lighting adjusts the contrast and exposure settings for optimal results. You can select images and store it in your favourites folder to play it as a slideshow. An auto sort option categorises the images in the respective folders automatically.
Packed with so many interesting functions; this portable digital camera brings along a USB cable, an AV cable, a strap, a rechargeable battery and battery charger and an instruction manual.
