Introduction to the Canon 30D

to the Canon 30D Digital SLR Take great pictures with your Canon 30D! All you need is this training DVD and about 110 minutes, and you'll have the knowledge and the confidence to create the images you want. The topics are arranged in chapters, so you can move at your own pace, and return later to individual subjects. Cut weeks or months off your learning curve. This DVD not only gets you up and running with confidence, it explains what the engineers had in mind when they designed the outside dials and controls. You'll come back to this video again and again. Running Time: 108 minutes Topics include: Be Prepared (To Get the Shot) Shutter Priority Aperture Priority/Depth of Field Depth of Field Preview Picture Styles AF Modes Metering and Bracketing White Balance/Color Temperature ISO Using Playback to get Great Images Understanding Histograms Exposure Compensation Flash Overview Using Physical Filter s Lens Selection Custom Functions Programmable Buttons RAW Files Composition Data Photo Professional Software And much more! The Canon 30D is a powerful piece of equipment. A solid understanding of its features and controls can really unleash its potential. Once you learn how the camera's components work together, you'll have all the tools y
Customer Review: INTRODUCTION TO THE CANON 30D REVIEW
I'M very happy with the introduction to the canon 30d video DVD. I will recommended to beginners and intermediate photographers.
Customer Review: Introduction to Canon 30D
A very, very well produced video for an amature like me. I am very pleased with this product!

Many photographers spend ages looking for inspiration for a subject to photograph. However with sports photography this changes to being very technically adept and trying to capture the decisive moment that shows the effort and emotion that goes into the physical struggle to be first past the line and the beating or peers. The 12 guidelines here will help you improve your sports photography.

1. Get a long lens

You will need a telephoto lens for most events, a 400mm focal length lens is common amongst most professional photographers. Try to get a lens with the largest aperture possible to get the most light into the camera. You can buy lenses that can cost the same amount as a new car, buy one that suits your budget or consider renting one for the event.

2. Use a camera with a good frame rate.

For most events you will want a camera with a good frame burst rate so when the moment you wish to capture arrives you just hold the shutter release down and take a sequence of pictures. The difference of just half a second can be incredible. If you take a high jumper for example the time between leaving the ground and landing the other side of the bar can be less than a second. By having a high frame rate you should be able to catch the image where the jumper arches their back over the bar.

3. Think about location.

Firstly, get accreditation so you are able to wander round the ground. But make sure you are aware you can and cant go. Certain events, especially the throwing events such as hammer, discus, shot and javelin will have certain safety requirements that you must be aware of for your own and others safety. Being hit by a javelin is one sure way of spoiling the rest of your days photography. If in doubt follow the other professionals arround, but remember the photographers etiquette of not standing in front of another photographer. There are certain places that are common to stand, such as the track towards the end of the 100m or about 10m back from the sand for the long jump. If you are looking for more creative rather than commercial work you will no doubt want to think about other locations.

4. Go fast for shutter speeds.

Remember you are catching action shots of things moving rather quickly. You will therefore need a fast shutter speed to capture the moment so it produces a sharp image. Typically think of using a speed of at least 1/320th of a second. Certain events where there is a large amount of movement will need faster shutter speeds.

5. ISO speed

Use the minimum iso speed that allows you to use the shutter speed you need with the maximum aperture you have. Unless its a day where clouds are moving quickly in front of the sun changing the exposure conditions consider putting the camera to manual. ASA 400 is probably the slowest film speed setting, with 800 and 1000 iso fairly common.

6. Focus

If you camera has a servo mode focusing mode then set the camera to that, especially for track events. Otherwise consider prefocusing at a certain point and taking the picture at the appropriate moment. In automatic focusing mode try tracking the target prior to taking the picture to allow the camera time to focus rather than just pressing the shutter release then waiting until the lens focuses before the photograph is taken.

7. Get a monopod

As you are using a long lens the slightest camera movement is exaggerated. Monopods will enable you to steady the camera to help prevent camera shake blur. Most people will have a tripod however these tend to be impracticable.

8. If In Doubt - Shoot

It costs nothing to take a digital picture unlike traditional film. If in doubt take the picture, you can always discard the images later but you just might get the photograph of the match.

9. Respect the Officials and Athletes

The event you are photographing is for the athletes not for you. Show the athletes the respect they deserve and also obey any instructions the officials might have. You want to build up a reputation as an amiable photographer that helps publicize the event, not someone who is a pain in the &*().

10. Make Sure You Have

Spare batteries, memory cards, lens cleaning material, clothing and equipment if it starts to rain or sun block for you if it is hot and sunny and lots of business cards. The list really is endless, but remember also that you will have to carry the equipment around with you.

11. Know who is competing

It helps if you are familiar with the subject you are shooting. If you are keen on athletics you will probably know who the stars are and who is likely to be worthy of photographing. Knowing who is likely to cross the line first makes life a lot easier by positioning yourself at the appropriate location. Most track and field events are undertaken at the same time so you can't cover both the field events and the track events. get a program from the event organiser showing the times and participants in the events.

12. Expect the Unexpected

Have your wits about you. Be prepared to rapidly change what you are shooting, the expression on someones face when they realise they have broken a record, the hurdler who catches a hurdle with their foot and goes flying, the discus thrower who trips and falls out of the circle. You will find that there is so much going on that you won't be able to take everything in. The crowd however is good at alerting you to something significant is happening.

Using these 12 guidelines you will find that your success rate in capturing the moment are greatly improved and hopefully with that your enjoyment and possibly profit.

Paul Klein lives and works in Loughborough, Leicestershire. For examples of photographs of track and field events check the Loughborough University International Athletics.

Canon D20

Why Buy an Olympus Evolt E510 Digital SLR Camera?

Is an SLR camera really worth the extra money? I know I've taken some pretty amazing photographs using just a simple, cheap point and shoot camera. I'm sure everyone has. Sometimes it's just a matter of being at the right place, and recognizing a moment that would make a memorable photo. So, is buying a camera like the Olympus E510 SLR really necessary? Maybe. It's true that a good tool in the hands of a competent artist can create great art, but lets carefully examine that tool before jumping to any conclusions.

In photography, dynamic range is defined as a cameras ability to capture all the bright and dark areas of a subject or scene. In other words, if there are dimly lit areas of a picture, and very brightly lit areas of the same picture, a camera with good dynamic range should be able to reproduce both very accurately. Unfortunately, the Olympus E510 struggles in the area of dynamic range. Of course, what your taking pictures of will determine if dynamic range is a big consideration for you in your camera purchase. Landscape photography with it's unpredictable and diverse play of light demands a great deal of dynamic range from a camera, whereas portraits shot in a studio environment with controlled lighting do not.

Even though the E510 is a SLR camera, and allows for a lot of manual tweaking of it's setting, it also comes with several auto settings. Default settings for macro, landscape, action and sports are all included. This is nice if your a first time SLR user, as many Olympus E510 purchaser will be. The problem however is the calibration of the auto settings seems to wander to the dark side. New purchasers taking their first few photos with the auto settings, may end up thinking there is something wrong with their camera. If you do buy a E510, be sure to learn how to make manual adjustments early on to get the best pictures possible.

The entry level SLR market is competitive no doubt. Manufacturers try to entice customers to their brand with a good entry level SLR, with the hopes they'll be spending lots down the road on lenses, peripherals, and upgrades. Unfortunately, Olympus seems to have comprised on build quality with the E510 to compete here. Buttons and controls don't seem durable or instill confidence that they will still be in place after several hundred presses. The lens that comes with the Evolt seems uneven in it's movement, and has a tendency to stick.

There are other items of concern with the E510 Evolt, but I think you get the idea. There are a multitude of contenders in the entry level SLR category, to consider, and the E510 is one of them. It just may not be final best choice for some photographers. What it really comes down to, is how you want to take pictures and which camera that allows you to do that best.

Gardening Gift