Here's the link to the newest Printable document running through ISO. I hope it helps people get their head around the basics of it!
ISO Helpsheet
Tuesday 31 January 2012
Sunday 29 January 2012
CHDK
So I am now uploading the Canon Hack Development Kit video.
It's important to check your camera firmware version before installing the hack as you want to make sure that the hack is the right one for your camera. I mention how to do this in the video.
The hack unlocks many MANY things including an override on shutter speed as well as shooting in RAW and a battery life indicator which is very handy!
There are so many things that I didn't cover the whole menu, I just did a demo on how to install it onto the camera. I will do a more in depth review of the hack kit when I have looked through the menu thoroughly.
Here are a couple of links relating to websites I mention in the video.
CardTricks - http://savedonthe.net/download/78/CardTricks-144-SFX.mht
Firmware Versions - http://mighty-hoernsche.de/
Card Tricks is a program you can download to PC that allows you to change your SD card to support the hack. The second link lets you download the hack once you have found out the firmware version of your camera.
Let me know how you get on with the CHDK. I think I have only just touched the surface of a very VERY deep pool!
It's important to check your camera firmware version before installing the hack as you want to make sure that the hack is the right one for your camera. I mention how to do this in the video.
The hack unlocks many MANY things including an override on shutter speed as well as shooting in RAW and a battery life indicator which is very handy!
There are so many things that I didn't cover the whole menu, I just did a demo on how to install it onto the camera. I will do a more in depth review of the hack kit when I have looked through the menu thoroughly.
Here are a couple of links relating to websites I mention in the video.
CardTricks - http://savedonthe.net/download/78/CardTricks-144-SFX.mht
Firmware Versions - http://mighty-hoernsche.de/
Card Tricks is a program you can download to PC that allows you to change your SD card to support the hack. The second link lets you download the hack once you have found out the firmware version of your camera.
Let me know how you get on with the CHDK. I think I have only just touched the surface of a very VERY deep pool!
Saturday 28 January 2012
Printable Documents
Would this sort of thing help if I made some of these??
I made a demo printable tutorial but if it's too rambled/too difficult to understand or in general, just not of any interest to anyone, I won't make them.
Let me know thoughts :)
C1 and C2 Functions
So the newest video is up about using the Custom settings C1 and C2.
This allows you to save certain settings to these options to have quick access to particular image set-up you enjoy using. The example I use is when taking pictures of the moon. You can pick your options such as your ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture, as well as telling the camera the amount of zoom you would like and whether you want to use options such as self timer.
You will see that, when using the camera in other options, if you are using an option like self timer, this will switch off once the camera has been turned off or when you change from one function to another. This will not reset if you save it as part of your custom setting. Perhaps you want to set your camera for light writing, which is often best done with a self timer if you are doing the light writing yourself. It would be handy to be able to just switch on C1 or C2 and have all of your set-up including the self timer there and ready to go.
That is why the Custom functions are so handy. You can tell it what to remember and it will go back to exactly the same settings.
Another example is if you are doing time lapse or stop motion animation. It's best to keep your options the same in case you need to go back to your project at a later date and you want the images to look consistent. By having your settings set to a custom function - your images wont suffer from changes such as differences in zoom because the custom function will take you back to the settings you used previously.
To set the custom functions to the buttons - set up the shot you like and then press the Menu button. In the first tab, choose the very last option which is "Save Settings" and choose whether you want to save it to C1 or C2. Then you can switch to that option and it will remain on those settings until you save over it again.
This allows you to save certain settings to these options to have quick access to particular image set-up you enjoy using. The example I use is when taking pictures of the moon. You can pick your options such as your ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture, as well as telling the camera the amount of zoom you would like and whether you want to use options such as self timer.
You will see that, when using the camera in other options, if you are using an option like self timer, this will switch off once the camera has been turned off or when you change from one function to another. This will not reset if you save it as part of your custom setting. Perhaps you want to set your camera for light writing, which is often best done with a self timer if you are doing the light writing yourself. It would be handy to be able to just switch on C1 or C2 and have all of your set-up including the self timer there and ready to go.
That is why the Custom functions are so handy. You can tell it what to remember and it will go back to exactly the same settings.
Another example is if you are doing time lapse or stop motion animation. It's best to keep your options the same in case you need to go back to your project at a later date and you want the images to look consistent. By having your settings set to a custom function - your images wont suffer from changes such as differences in zoom because the custom function will take you back to the settings you used previously.
To set the custom functions to the buttons - set up the shot you like and then press the Menu button. In the first tab, choose the very last option which is "Save Settings" and choose whether you want to save it to C1 or C2. Then you can switch to that option and it will remain on those settings until you save over it again.
Thursday 26 January 2012
Good old London!
Here's some pics I took on last Saturday in London. I did some long exposure shots in the evening on the fountains in Trafalgar Square which came out quite nicely so I was happy with those and just some more to look at :)
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Wednesday 25 January 2012
Bokeh and Upcoming Videos.
Hello All!
I have been updating Facebook and completely abandoned my blog so apologies for that. A million portals to communicate through - shan't complain though, it's all good fun!
So... Last night I began work on Bokeh. I have had several people asking about how to do it on the SX40 and in all honesty, I have never done it on an SLR so the concept is completely new to me. Having said that, that may help a little as I can have a fresh perspective on the way to do Bokeh without prior confusion from doing it on an SLR. I dunno, but in the end, I've almost nailed it so hopefully I can get that on a video in the near future.
1 - Av, Tv, C1 and C2 options (that will cover all of the top wheel settings)
2 - Bokeh
3 - CDHK (Give me some time to work on that one - I will prob do it on the weekend)
4 - Watermarking (My version of it anyway)
5 - Portraits (Once I can bribe a model of some sort)
Let me know if you think any of these are pointless or if you have any other suggestions for other videos.
I'll also try and upload some pictures I took in London last Saturday as I had a play with long exposure in Trafalgar Square which was great as they had the fountains lit up which gave it a nice colour.
Keep snapping!
I have been updating Facebook and completely abandoned my blog so apologies for that. A million portals to communicate through - shan't complain though, it's all good fun!
So... Last night I began work on Bokeh. I have had several people asking about how to do it on the SX40 and in all honesty, I have never done it on an SLR so the concept is completely new to me. Having said that, that may help a little as I can have a fresh perspective on the way to do Bokeh without prior confusion from doing it on an SLR. I dunno, but in the end, I've almost nailed it so hopefully I can get that on a video in the near future.
So here's the lineup for the next few videos:
1 - Av, Tv, C1 and C2 options (that will cover all of the top wheel settings)
2 - Bokeh
3 - CDHK (Give me some time to work on that one - I will prob do it on the weekend)
4 - Watermarking (My version of it anyway)
5 - Portraits (Once I can bribe a model of some sort)
Let me know if you think any of these are pointless or if you have any other suggestions for other videos.
I'll also try and upload some pictures I took in London last Saturday as I had a play with long exposure in Trafalgar Square which was great as they had the fountains lit up which gave it a nice colour.
Keep snapping!
Friday 20 January 2012
Macro Photography
Oki so on its slow and steady way comes the next video I made tonight. It covers macro photography which, once you start you wont be able to stop!!
It's great to be able to see the detail of items in your photos... the main challenge is getting close enough without casting a shadow over your items.
So the three main things to think about when using the Powershot SX40 for macro photography:
1 - Keep your lens fully retracted without using any zoom at all. The camera cannot do macro photography if the zoom is in use.
2 - Make sure that you have pressed the left button on the back wheel and selected Macro Focus (the flower icon) to enhance the cameras ability to focus on items close up.
3 - Try and get in a position where you and your camera don't cast a shadow or block the light.
If you can use manual settings, it will help you control your image more successfully if the lighting isn't ideal.
So here's a look at the sort of things macro photography can give us.
Lots of pics here :)
It's great to be able to see the detail of items in your photos... the main challenge is getting close enough without casting a shadow over your items.
So the three main things to think about when using the Powershot SX40 for macro photography:
1 - Keep your lens fully retracted without using any zoom at all. The camera cannot do macro photography if the zoom is in use.
2 - Make sure that you have pressed the left button on the back wheel and selected Macro Focus (the flower icon) to enhance the cameras ability to focus on items close up.
3 - Try and get in a position where you and your camera don't cast a shadow or block the light.
If you can use manual settings, it will help you control your image more successfully if the lighting isn't ideal.
So here's a look at the sort of things macro photography can give us.
Lots of pics here :)
Using the Hotshoe
So the next video on its way covers the process of attaching the camera strap which appears to be something that a lot of people can't get their head around (understandably :) ) and the revealing of the hot-shoe and its attachments.
The hot-shoe is great for attaching extras such as lights and flash guns which can enhance the picture taking/video making process and result. Light is often a problem and its wonderful to have the option of a hot-shoe to attach a little bit of help!
I don't go into too much detail with regards to the functions of the flash gun as it isn't something everyone will own so I don't want to bore those who may not be interested.
Stay tuned to the end of the video as I also cover a quick access to change the built in flash level which is also something others may not use/know about. To access this, press and hold down the flash button on the top left of the camera and flash options will come up on the screen.
Happy snapping all and don't forget to join the Facebook page (fatdragon100) if you fancy chatting with other photography/SX40 fans :D
Ciao for now!
The hot-shoe is great for attaching extras such as lights and flash guns which can enhance the picture taking/video making process and result. Light is often a problem and its wonderful to have the option of a hot-shoe to attach a little bit of help!
I don't go into too much detail with regards to the functions of the flash gun as it isn't something everyone will own so I don't want to bore those who may not be interested.
Stay tuned to the end of the video as I also cover a quick access to change the built in flash level which is also something others may not use/know about. To access this, press and hold down the flash button on the top left of the camera and flash options will come up on the screen.
Happy snapping all and don't forget to join the Facebook page (fatdragon100) if you fancy chatting with other photography/SX40 fans :D
Ciao for now!
Wednesday 18 January 2012
Light Writing/Drawing! :)
So my next tutorial is on its way and it's all about light writing and light drawing. It's a fun thing to do but I am no pro so here's a look at what I did tonight for the tutorial.
I'm sure that over time this gets easier and you get a better judgement of space and time but for me it's just a bit of fun. I have done this in the past, again just for fun but wanted to share with you how it's done. I hope you enjoy light writing if you haven't tried it before!
The Canon Powershot Sx40 HS only allows a 15sec shutter at the lowest so there is a time restriction. I am considering using the CHDK(Canon Hack Development Kit) in the future but wanted to demo this to those who may not use the software. The software will allow a longer shutter speed I believe.
Happy light writing!
Fat Dragon 100:
Flower:
Just dancing around the living room!:
Umbrella Man (haha!):
Man walking dog (haha!):
I know they're stupid but it's all good fun!
I'm sure that over time this gets easier and you get a better judgement of space and time but for me it's just a bit of fun. I have done this in the past, again just for fun but wanted to share with you how it's done. I hope you enjoy light writing if you haven't tried it before!
The Canon Powershot Sx40 HS only allows a 15sec shutter at the lowest so there is a time restriction. I am considering using the CHDK(Canon Hack Development Kit) in the future but wanted to demo this to those who may not use the software. The software will allow a longer shutter speed I believe.
Happy light writing!
Fat Dragon 100:
Flower:
Just dancing around the living room!:
Umbrella Man (haha!):
Man walking dog (haha!):
I know they're stupid but it's all good fun!
Facebook Page
If anyone is interested in seeing the images from my videos - or any others, I have started a Facebook page which you can find by searching fatdragon100. It's there for people to chat/share photography and ask questions if you'd like to. Come along!
https://www.facebook.com/FatDragon100
https://www.facebook.com/FatDragon100
Sunday 15 January 2012
Shortcut Button and Features
So the newest video that's in the process of uploading is regarding the shortcut button on the Canon Powershot SX40 HS.
The shortcut button is very very handy for getting quick access to functions without having to go through the main menu. The features you can assign to the button are:
1 - I-Contrast - Allows the camera to apply better contrast on images to define shapes and shades.
2 - White Balance - Quick access to change the light colour of your image
3 - Custom White Balance - Allows you to tell the camera what white should look like in the light you are shooting in.
4 - My Colors - Colour effects such as Black and White or Sepia
5 - Drive Mode - Switch between single shot or multi shot
6 - Flash Exposure/Output - Control the strength of your flash
7 - Light Metering - Tell your camera where to take it's source of light from to avoid under/over exposure
8 - Aspect Ratio - Change the size of your images
9 - Servo AF (Auto Focus) - Keep your focus on a moving subject with the shutter half pressed. Good for photographing kids and animals.
10 - Powered IS (Image Stabilisation) - Helps when taking videos at full zoom to keep it stable. Not needed when using a tripod.
11 - AF (Auto Focus) Lock - Tell your camera where you want to focus rather than focusing on the whole image.
12 - AE (Auto Exposure) Lock - Like light metering, control where your camera is taking exposure from and allow the camera to choose the appropriate shooting settings for you.
13 - Digital Tele-Converter - Quick zoom that is more stable than using the digital zoom but not necessarily as effective.
14 - Display Off - Quick Access to turn your display off in case you're not using the camera for a few minutes.
So that's a brief overview of what you can assign to this button. Check out the pictures to see the sort of effects!
Light Metering:
Auto Focus (AF) Lock
Custom White Balance
My Colors
The shortcut button is very very handy for getting quick access to functions without having to go through the main menu. The features you can assign to the button are:
1 - I-Contrast - Allows the camera to apply better contrast on images to define shapes and shades.
2 - White Balance - Quick access to change the light colour of your image
3 - Custom White Balance - Allows you to tell the camera what white should look like in the light you are shooting in.
4 - My Colors - Colour effects such as Black and White or Sepia
5 - Drive Mode - Switch between single shot or multi shot
6 - Flash Exposure/Output - Control the strength of your flash
7 - Light Metering - Tell your camera where to take it's source of light from to avoid under/over exposure
8 - Aspect Ratio - Change the size of your images
9 - Servo AF (Auto Focus) - Keep your focus on a moving subject with the shutter half pressed. Good for photographing kids and animals.
10 - Powered IS (Image Stabilisation) - Helps when taking videos at full zoom to keep it stable. Not needed when using a tripod.
11 - AF (Auto Focus) Lock - Tell your camera where you want to focus rather than focusing on the whole image.
12 - AE (Auto Exposure) Lock - Like light metering, control where your camera is taking exposure from and allow the camera to choose the appropriate shooting settings for you.
13 - Digital Tele-Converter - Quick zoom that is more stable than using the digital zoom but not necessarily as effective.
14 - Display Off - Quick Access to turn your display off in case you're not using the camera for a few minutes.
So that's a brief overview of what you can assign to this button. Check out the pictures to see the sort of effects!
Light Metering:
Auto Focus (AF) Lock
Custom White Balance
My Colors
Tuesday 10 January 2012
Hampton Court Panorama
This is a Panorama I took at Hampton Court Palace. Quickly put your mouse over the centre of the image before the spinning makes you sick!!
You can gradually move the mouse left and right to change the direction of the spin. You can also change the speed of the spin by moving it to the extreme right or left (although this is not a good look!)
I stitched and exported this file from software called ArcSoft Panorama Maker 6 which I used as a free trial. Pictures were taken on the Panorama mode on the Canon Powershot Sx40 HS.
The Powershot saved the pictures with a naming sequence so that the shots were easy to find and place in order.
Give it a go and let me know how that works out for you!
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