Two Good Hints

It was an event at the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House and Kodak was involved.

Learn with Ken: Cameras, Workflow, Photoshop

Here’s what’s next if you enjoy learning from Ken… These classes are great—you don’t have to leave the office, just use the ‘net and take an hour to update your skills.

Through the Eli Research Audio Educator system, I’m teaching 3 classes:

Digital Camera Class (What to buy, what features matter, how to save money… everything for buying and understanding the important features of digital cameras)
Wednesday, September 19, 2007 **Next Wednesday!
11:00 am ET
Info and signup HERE

(We’ll cover important tips… like taking your lens cap off

Digital Workflow Class (What to do with all of those photos you have! Find them fast, keep it simple and safe with backups, etc)
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
11:00 am ET
Info and signup HERE

Next Step in Photoshop (The distilled tips I have for working on photos)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
1 pm ET
e-mail me for info… it’s not online yet.

•••Discount for Clients•••
I was able to get the Audio Educator folks to give my clients a $20 discount.
Please contact me if you are a client and I’ll send you the code.

Also, the prices are per location—you use a speakerphone for the audio and then watch on the internet… so if you have several people attending, or your whole office, it’s a pretty good deal. And I do a Q&A at the end, so you can ask your questions live.

Please shout with questions!

Canon Sports Shooting Tips

Canon has done a nice job of giving some tips on shooting sports. I know people always ask me about things like this and it’s a great summary if you need to do that kind of thing. Check it out HERE

I tell young shooters that getting good at sports helps you with all photos, since learning the perfect moment in a game is really no different than the perfect moment when a portrait subject smiles, or an award is given, or news action is happening.

Here are some recent fun sports shots I did for RIT’s team. They are doing a huge banner with the senior photo below.

Which Camera for Clients to Buy? Ken’s Thoughts 9/07

John Walker @ Boces #1 asked last night which camera was best for his needs today. John does PR photos for smaller publications and the web for schools.

There is a real crossover today of the compact, ‘all in one’ snapshot-style cameras, and the larger SLR style cameras (you know, the ones where you can changes lenses). The top of the compact cameras cost nearly the same as the bottom of the SLR world… so which to choose?

Compact Advantages:
• Can be a bit cheaper
• Smaller
• Can be easier to use if you pass it off to someone else
• The newest ones have much more understandable settings and menus
• See live preview of your shot in the big LCD viewfinder

SLR (single-lens reflex) Advantages:
• More flexible
• More accessory options
• Built-in flash is usually stronger and better light quality than the compacts
• Add lenses over time
• Lenses can be higher quality if you can afford them (one key is that you can get a nice F2.8 or F4 lens that does NOT get super-dark like F8 when you zoom in
• Ready to add a nice big flash
• Top Quality: Even at the same ‘Megapixel’ amount, the larger camera has a much nicer, larger CCD inside to take the photo… result, better quality, better high ISO, etc
• Better ISO control- shoot in lower light, control it yourself easily
• Advanced settings are easier to find
• You’ll look cooler Well, seriously, it is important to look like you know what you are doing in many situations.

Some recommendations:
My favorite compact camera is my Nikon S10
for around $300
Love that swivel, big preview LCD and image quality.
Canon have the S3-5 line for around $300-400

For SLRs:
Canon & Nikon have offerings in the $700-800 price range. Since I just switched to the Canon, I’ll note the Canon Rebel XTi is very popular and comes with a lens and pop-up flash.

If you shoot a lot and want a camera that can take it, consider the Nikon D200 or the new D300, with lens and pop-up flash for around $1800.

Don’t forget the accessories you’ll really need:
• A ‘Real’ flash for groups and better light control (like the bounce-flash I’m always telling you to do)
• A big camera card- 1-2 gigs is good and a Lexar 2 Gig is only $40 at Amazon
• Extra camera battery
• NiMH AA’s for your Flash
• an Apple Gift Card to Ken for being so nice and helping

The model numbers and prices listed about will go out-of-date fast, but the principles won’t. Research the newest models and prices via my links HERE

Hope that helps!

Canon Focuses

Quick update on my switch from Nikon to the Canon 5D.

Big View HERE
Just got done with a Geva show and two major things I noticed:

High ISO rocks!
It was wonderful to shoot most of the show (a VERY dark Sherlock Holmes mystery) at 800 and 1600 ISO, instead of thinking that 500 was OK on my Nikon D200 and really not liking ISO 800 on that camera. The Nikon would get mushy at high ISO, as well as the noise. The Canon gets less noisy, but more importantly, the subject stays solid looking, not mushy.
Also, my 2 D200’s both had big dead pixels at all ISOs and much worse at 800.

The Canon Focuses!
Man, I blamed myself for years with the Nikon, and had ‘backfocus’ problems… but the new camera shows me that the Nikon was just crummy at focussing.

So I’m very happy.

I will complain about Canon things in some post too, so stay tuned for the down sides…

Switched from Nikon to Canon

I’ll get more in detail on this someday, but I’ve just switched from my Nikon cameras to Canon after 20 years.
Funny thing is back then I was shooting Canon and switched to Nikon when autofocus first started!
And waay before that… can anyone say ‘Yashika?! in High School.

So why did I switch and what do I think so far, everyone asks:
• I shoot lots of theatre, and so Canon is undisputedly better at high ISO (I just did a Geva shoot and didn’t hesitate to use 1600)
• I’ve had some repair issues with Nikon’s Pro Service and my most recent two cameras had manufacture flaws that bugged me (dead pixels on the CCD)
• I was ready to replace my long lens with a zoom version, since I’d need that more with my current PR shooting and I was drooling over the Image Stabilization that I could get (Nikon makes that too… but when I compared both, I liked the build of the Canon better)
• The lens that kept being repaired poorly broke one last time! So I need to replace my other key lens, and after paying $1500 for it and then another $900+ in repairs, I was ready to switch
• The Canon doesn’t seem to have the focusing problems that the Nikon’s I’ve owned do (I’ve had D1, D1X and D200s)…It’s a relief to just have a shot be in focus most of the time

The folks at Rowe Photo here in Rochester NY let me try everything out and my associate Ron loaned me his top-of-the-line Canon for a few shoots (Big Thanks Ron!!)… and the key was, the files were just plain better based on what I shoot and how I shoot (Both companies are fine, and your mileage may vary, but I really was impressed with the Canon).

Sorry this is so text heavy, but since folks were asking, that’s a start to the answer.

I bought a Canon 5D and it comes in a nice kit now. Total outlay around $8000… relief when photos are sharp and low grain at high ISO… Priceless

Next, I’ll bust on the Canon a bit.

cheers,
Ken