Entries tagged with “cameras” from O'Reilly Digital Media Blog

The metadata table in Derrick's book proves it's not about the camera you have, but the one you have with you. (And knowing what to do with the one you have with you.)

Have you ever forgotten to reset the ISO or white balance after a shoot, only to use your camera the next day with the wrong settings? I have. And to help us all remember how to be ready for the next session, I've posted this handy reference card that you should refer to "After Every Shoot".

The Canon G9 is incredibly compact, considering its pro features such as Raw, custom functions, 6X zoom lens, image stabilization, face detection, and FlexiZone AF focusing. At 12.1 megapixels, it has plenty of resolution for photo quality 13"x19" prints. And the large 3" LCD makes composition and viewing a pleasure -- all of this for less than $499 US. Is...

My Dad says he told a group of his friends that he just bought a $25,000 computer. Understand that these friends were a bunch of computer scientists. Everyone thought my father had bought some really macho heavy digital iron. Completing the punch line, my dear father said, describing his Toyota Prius, "and it even came with a steering wheel and...

Most of us have camera phones. A few of us use them. I have a practical application for your smartphone that's bound to help you at least once: Use your camera phone to photograph your parking locations in a gigantic garages so you don't lose your car. I started doing this a while back, and suddenly became enamored with...

What has a flexible rubberized tube, like a short version of the hose you find on a vacuum cleaner, and a piece of optical glass at the end? Why, my Lensbaby, of course: a specialized interchangeable lens that fits Nikons, Canons, and other dSLRs. The point of this somewhat bizarre but dearly beloved piece of photo gear? To allow a...

Get the most out of your Sony Alpha DSLR A100 with this essential manual designed for shooters of every skill level. Sony Alpha DSLR A100: A Better Manual is a PDF so you can read it on your computer or PDA. It is laid out on an 8.5 x 11-inch "page" so if you want to print it, you won't...

No matter how good your camera is, no matter how pretty you are, no matter how great your script, it's the audio that will make or break your video podcast. We can suffer through bad lighting, a poorly scripted joke, an ugly background, etc. But if we can't hear or understand you, you're podcast is going in the trash.

While I was packing for my recent trip to Ireland, I mentioned to Derrick Story that I had three fully charged (proprietary) batteries ready for my Canon point-and-shoot. When he asked if I'd packed my charger, I said I thought that three batteries should be enough, but he insisted I take it. (His words, I believe were, "Wrongo.") I'm writing...

What's the appreciable difference between 1/4000 and 1/8000 shutter speeds?