Digital Photography Techniques

I've been given a Canon PowerShot A620 which has a macro mode,
making it possible to take pictures of text that's clear enough to
be useful. I've tried this with a few things at home, but I'm
fairly certain (okay, hoping) that people here have some advice on
how to best use this feature when doing research.

Dennis Lee Bieber...

7MP... You may not need macro mode... Back up and use the zoom to
fill the LCD panel.

With ~3000x2300 resolution, you have ~270DPI on an 11x8.5 page.
"NLQ" on printers in the mid-80s was a mere 180DPI, and
letter-quality laser printers were 300DPI.

Macro, on these cameras, typically means focusing under 7-12
inches. Using wide-angle and macro means getting so close you get
distortion -- the corners of a "page" (say) will look smaller than
the center. Say 7 inches for example.

From camera to center of page is 7". From center to corner is:
sqrt((11 / 2) ^ 2 + (8.5 / 2) ^ 2) => 6.9" making camera to corner:
sqrt(7 ^ 2 + 6.9 ^2) => 9.8". The corner is 40% further away from
the camera, so the text near the corner will also look like it is
40% further away.

OTOH; if the telephoto end of the zoom lets you back up to,
say 20" for the same coverage, you get: sqrt(20 ^ 2 + 6.9 ^ 2) =>
21.2, or a mere 5% distance increase.

Also, can anyone recommend a tripod that is rock solid stable in
order to eliminate camera shake when taking pictures in macro mode?

Dennis Lee Bieber...

What's your budget? (Actually if it is just document pages you
intend to work with, a "copy stand" might be better). None of my
tripods is really rated for the types of cameras I put on them, and
mine are in the $100 range.

Prices have come down some... I paid more like $120 for a U112
15-years ago.

However, of more use -- use the self-timer (or a remote; does
the A620 have infra-red capability).

John Nichols...

Hi Dennis, good to see you again.

I don't have a set budget on the tripod issue. I own a ProMaster
mini-tripod. I used that as a test on document I have, and didn't
feel that it was all that steady. However, I'm going to try what
you suggest with the zoom, and see what kind of results that gives
me.

Dennis Lee Bieber...

With self-timer or remote, indoors should be okay (wind is
another matter, when outdoors).

I still have my first tripod, from 1971... It looks like a
typical table-top model (6-8" legs, ball-head). I showed it to
someone at a photo store once, and they wanted to buy it. Not the
most stable, but those legs extend to make it a waist level tripod.

The Slik U112 I own is nice in that it has a reversible column --
the tilt/pan head unscrews, and can be mounted on the bottom of the
column. Also short enough to bungie onto the seat of my Vespa without
being a danger to others

I also have a more recent tripod that was on sale at $70 --
again, not the most stable, but the column extends enough to put the
camera over my head. Useful for getting over the crowd with a video
camera.

I am not sure if it has infra red capability (for what I assume you
mean is remote operation), I'm finding both the Basic and Advanced
manuals singularly unhelpful in regards to my questions.

Dennis Lee Bieber...

Yes, I did mean for a remote. I have a Canon G2 (really
obsolete, only 4MP and the G6 is 7MP) came with an IR remote, that
could even control the zoom. Strangely, while my Canon EOS 10s
(film, 1990 period) had an IR remote, my EOS 20d requires a wired
remote (at $$$ -- the 10s also had a built-in interval timer, the
20d needs the fancy remote for that function).

[You may notice that I seem to be a Canon fan: A-1, EOS 10s, G2, EOS
20d, and an Optima-40 video; though I do have my father's old (1955)
Agfa Karat rangefinder, a 1970 Mamiya/Sekor 528TL, and a Polaroid]

I'll have to check the Adorama Camera link out, I've purchased

Dennis Lee Bieber...

I'd just done a quick search for tripods, may be other
places to shop...

several astronomy items from them over the last two years via
Amazon.com, and have so far been very pleased.

Right now I've got things like my mother's will, marriage licenses
of other relatives, etc., that are really two big for my Canon
scanner that I'd like to photograph and put in my database. I also
figure that if I can get proficient at working with what I already
have this way then I'll be more confident of getting good results
out in the field.

Another thing I'd like is a really good up-to-date (i.e. published
within the last year) book on digital photography. Then I wouldn't

Dennis Lee Bieber...

If it's been published, it's out of date

Most any fairly recent digital camera book should be
applicable, if one can get past the "high resolution models have
3MP"

Mastering Digital Photography, 2nd Ed. (David, D. Busch,
2006, Thomson Course Technology) may be of interest (he also has an
SLR specific version -- Mastering Digital SLR Photography -- which
is thinner, and maybe older). Don't let the title fool you, it's
classed as "beginner to intermediate".

have to pester people here. :)

"John Nichols"

Dennis Lee Bieber...

Tv is "TimeValue" -> aka Shutter Priority Automation (you
set the desired shutter speed, the camera picks the best aperture
for the correct exposure).

You want the self timer. Look for a symbol like a stop-
watch dial. (circle with a pointer) Typically that will give you
a 10-second delay between press and exposure.

Jim Elbrecht...

Digital Photography might be the only frontier changing faster than
computer technology. The basics, however are still covered by the
same techniques as 35mm photography.

But for some pointers to current 'good books' and a wealth of other
info - be sure to subscribe to rec.photo.digital.

"John Nichols"

Lesley Robertson...

No, leave it on auto but with the flash off. Somewhere on one of
the menus (sorry, the camera's at work and I'm not) there's a mode
feature that brings up a couple of little clocks at the bottom of
the screen. The symbol on the left is instant, then there's a clock
with a 2 and one with a 10 - these are 2 and 10 second delays,
choose them with the arrow keys.

Lesley Robertson

"Lesley Robertson"

Lesley Robertson...

OK, I've got my hands on my work Powershot (which is a A85, but
Canon's fairly conservative about symbols so it shouldn't matter).
There's a button labelled FUNC (also has a curious symbol like a bit
of paper going into a bin. Push that in photo-taking mode and it
offers you all sorts of opportunities including DRIVE MODE, which is
what I was talking about above.

Lesley Robertson

"Lesley Robertson"

John Nichols...

Aha! Thanks!

Dale H. Cook...

Can the camera take a cable release, or does it have a timed
release? With either of those you don't need an extra-stable tripod.

Dale H. Cook; Member, NEHGS and MA Society of Mayflower Descendants;

Hugh Watkins...

i do a lot with a cell phone cam in poor light

the trick is to breathe out and relax and be still

Hugh W

Plymouth Co. MA Coordinator for the USGenWeb Project

"Dale H. Cook"