questions cum...share of views/pointers if possible...

[FireZ]

yo hi..was wondering...
under hot bright sunny day, how u guys justified whether the shot is gd through the LCD screen when u can't c probably e result due to bright surrounding light (assuming the nearby shelter also kanna influence by e sunlight)...

also..how to check whether my White balance is correctly set?...coz i was shootin at arab street 2day wif e sunny sun....e pics it produced quite blue-sy...er...dun really knwo how to describe...jus dun find it rite lor.....(was using e settin of Daylight for WB, Picture sytle i use Faithful 2gether wif Evaluative metering..)..
then ar...i tot the higher e f stop..f8 +++..the picture of the background can b made sharper..rite?... i was using 18-55mm IS lens, 2gether wif AF on center spot...
but photos tend to b blur at the side...lol...

tried to google..but..can't really find an ans other than long long article which makes me confuse further more..

if possible....
mind share the ideal setting for WB under different situation, Picture style and metering..?!..

if it sounded like spoon feeding...then sorry in advance...jus tat...i dun find it easily understandable from webby leh...

cheers

 

[pro_FHM]

u may want to look at the histogram instead of just relying on the LCD.

u should read up on white balance: cool (blue) vs warm (orange).

shoot the same photo with the different pic style, then u will understand what effect each style tries to create. If u don't need the effect, just use normal style.

pic of background not sharp..... i think u are refering to depth of field. other factors such as the distance of your camera to the subject & background distance also plays a part.

 

[Rashkae]

yo hi..was wondering...
under hot bright sunny day, how u guys justified whether the shot is gd through the LCD screen when u can't c probably e result due to bright surrounding light (assuming the nearby shelter also kanna influence by e sunlight)...

also..how to check whether my White balance is correctly set?...coz i was shootin at arab street 2day wif e sunny sun....e pics it produced quite blue-sy...er...dun really knwo how to describe...jus dun find it rite lor.....(was using e settin of Daylight for WB, Picture sytle i use Faithful 2gether wif Evaluative metering..)..
then ar...i tot the higher e f stop..f8 +++..the picture of the background can b made sharper..rite?... i was using 18-55mm IS lens, 2gether wif AF on center spot...
but photos tend to b blur at the side...lol...

tried to google..but..can't really find an ans other than long long article which makes me confuse further more..

if possible....
mind share the ideal setting for WB under different situation, Picture style and metering..?!..

if it sounded like spoon feeding...then sorry in advance...jus tat...i dun find it easily understandable from webby leh...

cheers

I'll try to translate what you wrote...

I'm guessing when you say "how u guys justified whether the shot is gd through the LCD screen when u can't c probably e result " you mean "how do you guys check whether the shot is good through the LCD screen when you can't properly see the result". Well, that depends on the quality of your LCD screen too. Plus, you can check it by stepping into a shaded area, or shading your LCD screen with your hand.

If you don't know how to properly set your own white balance (it's in your manual, by the way) then just use Auto white balance. THERE IS NOT IDEAL SETTING THAT PEOPLE CAN JUST DICTATE FOR YOU, as every situation has different parameters.

As for your shot,were you at full 18mm? Then you just might be having edge softness on your lens.

 

[FireZ]

yo morning..thx for e responses....
i did check e manual..but...e way i set dun seem to b correct..e white balance like no different to me
as for e softness part..program can sharpen it rite?......i used 18mm wide open....hm...but i tot settin at f8 shdn't b much prob le?!?!...
as for histogram...lol...i tot is useless leh...coz i dunno wat thsoe graph tryin to bring across to me..
gosh...
perhaps i shd go library to borrow book if there is...
by my reading is terrible...saddist..

 

[night86mare]

perhaps i shd go library to borrow book if there is...
by my reading is terrible...saddist..

that will be the best path actually.

some people will tell you to go out and shoot, but that is like telling a new soldier to fight a war, with no knowledge whatsoever, not even theoretical. gain some idea of what you should be doing, and what you have to do, and then go out and try it. if there are still gaps in the understanding, and you do not understand what the book is going on about, quote what it says; what you interpreted it as, and ask here. if anything, at least you will have a slight inkling of what you are doing, which is better than going at it like a headless chicken.

reading is never easy, but if there is the interest and desire, i'm sure you can do it.

 

[catchlights]

yo hi..was wondering...
under hot bright sunny day, how u guys justified whether the shot is gd through the LCD screen when u can't c probably e result due to bright surrounding light (assuming the nearby shelter also kanna influence by e sunlight)...

also..how to check whether my White balance is correctly set?...coz i was shootin at arab street 2day wif e sunny sun....e pics it produced quite blue-sy...er...dun really knwo how to describe...jus dun find it rite lor.....(was using e settin of Daylight for WB, Picture sytle i use Faithful 2gether wif Evaluative metering..)..
then ar...i tot the higher e f stop..f8 +++..the picture of the background can b made sharper..rite?... i was using 18-55mm IS lens, 2gether wif AF on center spot...
but photos tend to b blur at the side...lol...

tried to google..but..can't really find an ans other than long long article which makes me confuse further more..

if possible....
mind share the ideal setting for WB under different situation, Picture style and metering..?!..

if it sounded like spoon feeding...then sorry in advance...jus tat...i dun find it easily understandable from webby leh...

cheers

base on your description without seeing the photo, my guess is altho it is sunny day, but you are shooting your subject under shade, and your subject could be rather small, so the Depth of Field is insufficient.

 

[giantcanopy]

Review the histogram, the LCD viewing may not be the most accurate.

Shooting wide open will produce thinner DOF, sharpening post processing will not give u the additional details out of nothing. Try stepping down at a smaller aperture e.g f8-11 and see. Again the aperture size depends on what you intend to get out of the picture.

As for white balance, why not try shoot test shoot in raw in various situations such as a sunny outdoor setting, under shade, in a room, and then adjust post processing their WB and appreciate the various colors you get at different WB settings.

gosh...
perhaps i shd go library to borrow book if there is...
by my reading is terrible...saddist..

Not reading up and having adequate knowledge and shoot is like sailing on unchatered waters; but only reading and not practising is like not even setting off from the dock to your destination.

Adapted from a commonly quoted phrase from my line of job.

Ryan

 

[Octarine]

if possible....
mind share the ideal setting for WB under different situation, Picture style and metering..?!..

If you follow night86mare's advice you'll see that your question for 'ideal settings' is understandable but useless. It just needs a small shift of your camera and (depending on the local conditions) the settings need to be changed (and your camera will do in Auto mode and Program modes).
Lawyers' most famous answer is also applicable here: "It depends." - on the actual conditions, your equipment (presets and capabilities) and finally your intention.
I recommend that you start slowly and focus on one detail at a time, e.g. White Balance. Watch the outcome after changing only this parameter. Next, change only aperture and watch the resulting changes. Accompanied with a good book and your camera manual you'll soon understand how things work and later you can make it work for you.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

To all DSLR newbies who ask the same types of questions every time, I suggest the following learning/experiment:

1) Mount camera on tripod (or something that doesn't move, if you don't have tripod)
2) Use 'M' mode.
3) Use manual focus and aim at a subject. Do not adjust the focus anymore.
4) For each shot you take, adjust only 1 parameter (e.g. ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed, White Balance)
For example, take one shot at 1/60s, then increase the shutter speed 1 increment and shoot again, then another increment, etc.
Similarly with aperture. 1 shot wide open (e.g. f/3.5, then 1 increment, then another... You get the idea.
5) Take MANY MANY shots of the exact same subject with all the different settings. Probably can take up to 20 or 30 shots.
Good to take a photo with some movement in it as well. I'd suggest photographing a bus-stop from across the road, for example. That way, there is some movement (people, road traffic, etc)
6) Go back, upload to PC. Review each shot with the exif data, so you can see how each setting change affects your photograph.

Also, I'm not trying to be elitist, but if you don't write at least proper sentences, it's very hard for people to understand what you're trying to ask.
We're not asking for an Oxford/Cambridge essay here, but surely GCE O Level standard english is within your abilities?

 

[FireZ]

to ZerocoolAstra: sorry to say tat...i'm not a person who is gd in phrasing my words...sorry abt tat ya..will try to do a better job..

hm..wondering..do u guys bring ur lappy out while shooting? as in...after shooting..transfer to lappy to c the result?!..

n regardin to post processing...er...i dunno how to use hence i didn't actually edit my photos...will spend time learning when time allows...

been a simple person who like to capture natural thingy....of coz...as time goes on..i'll try to learn here n der jus tat for e time being...my life has been stuck up wif NS...
hence e time for shootin is so limited

nevertheless... thx for all responses...i did take my time to read it slowly fore, i could understand..

cheers shooters!

 

[Octarine]

hm..wondering..do u guys bring ur lappy out while shooting? as in...after shooting..transfer to lappy to c the result?!..

Even if I had a laptop I wouldn't bring it out to shootings. Have enough weight to carry with camera bag, tripod and other stuffs. Secondly, a beach with salt water splashes, dust and sand is not the best place. Thirdly, sun shining at the screen doesn't make it easy to judge colours. Better to get more memory cards, they are cheaper then a laptop repair and weight is not an issue.

n regardin to post processing...er...i dunno how to use hence i didn't actually edit my photos...will spend time learning when time allows...

Actually, the camera does already a post-processing for you if you set the camera to write jpg files to the memory card. There are various settings where you can define the output: Saturation, Sharpening, Contrast, various Picture Styles (depending on brand and model), Quality settings, Size settings. All this defines how the camera converts the image from the sensor into an image file. If you are happy with that then just change the camera settings according your needs and that's it.
For everything else later you will need picture editors. Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom are well-known, others are Gimp (Open Source, GPL, royalty free) or Aperture. Mac users have already some editors on the system. For all of them you can find online tutorials or books. If you are completely new to it then maybe you better attend a beginners course. Information are also here in the forum.

 

[FireZ]

to Octarine: ya....perhaps i'll search more info on canon 450D to maximize e usuage of e post-processing first....as for the software u intro....ya...i shd learn it too after some times of shootin...hm.....too bad..time dun stop..argh...
anyway..
thx!!!
Oh btw...if ur got facebook n dun mind giving me feedback....do add me ya..
my email is QJM_1987@hotmail.com...
cheers!