Question for camera people - Pics in post #40

[jennielynn1970]

Hrm... basically that means I just don't know how to use it properly. Bad librarian, not reading the manuals!!

Guess I'll have time to do that now, being on sabbatical now, lol.

I'll have to check out that site and read up on abbreviations and such (ISO? I thought that was In Search Of... ).

I just picked up my mom and dad's camera. Oh my goodness. It's a mess!!! Talk about dirty!! My dad should be ashamed for the state it's in. I'm going to go to the one camera shop down here and see what they say about cleaning and refurbing it. My mom said if they'll take it in trade for something else, I can do whatever I want to. Wow.

[Catlady711]

I can't be sure what ISO stands for anymore without googling it, (been using the abbreviation too many years) but basically it would refer to the sensitivity of film (or in this case digital sensor) and the amount of grain (or noise as it's called in digital).

Here's a quick breakdown; Low ISO numbers mean less grain (noise), but low sensitivity to light. Higher ISO numbers mean more grain (noise), but high sensitivity to light.

Quick examples: (all hand holding, no tripod)

Bright sunlight, moving subject - ISO 50-100

Cloudy day, moving subject - ISO 100-200

Setting sun, moving subject - ISO 400-800

Indoors, moving subject - ISO 400-1600

If you have a tripod and a NON moving subject you can usually get away with lower ISO numbers just use a longer shutter speed.


This may sound a bit weird but I've had many people do this before and they've said it was helpful.... Post a couple pix you took that you think turned out bad, I should be able to kinda give you a rough idea what caused the problems, or what you can do in the future to prevent them if possible. If you have any details about the lighting, or settings (you can find those under properties or info when you right click your pictures usually), those might help narrow it down a bit more. I have a couple friends I help out by email and that's the only way I've figured out to do it since I'm not there when they take the pix. Up to you if you want to or not.

[Cinder & Smoke]

I can't be sure what ISO stands for anymore without googling it ...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -

ISO film speed scales

International Standard ISO 5800:1987 from the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines both an arithmetic scale
and a logarithmic scale for measuring color-negative film speed. Related standards
ISO 6:1993 and ISO 2240:2003 define scales for speeds
of black-and-white negative film and color reversal film.

In the ISO arithmetic scale, which corresponds to the older ASA scale, doubling
the speed of a film (that is, halving the amount of light that is necessary to expose the film)
implies doubling the numeric value that designates the film speed. In the ISO logarithmic scale,
which corresponds to the older DIN scale, doubling the speed of a film implies
adding 3° to the numeric value that designates the film speed.
For example, a film rated ISO 200/24° is twice as sensitive as a film rated ISO 100/21°.

To continue with a really *serious* technical discussion - go to >>>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_speed

/s/ Phred

[Catlady711]

Thanks Cinder, I had totally forgotten what it stood for. I was thinking International Standard something but couldn't remember what the O stood for. Although the way it's written technically it should have been IOS. LOL

Yeah, that whole ASA thing used to throw me off in the beginning until I got it figured out that it was the same as ISO.

OMGosh that site is 'serious', WOW. Talk about high tech wording and mathmatics!

Since many people I talk to about photography only know digital I found I have to simplify things. Actually ALOT of people I talk to about photography stuff are just people who just want to get good pictures but don't know why their pix don't come out good. I usually simplify it down so I don't confuse them with too many technical things they don't understand or aren't interested in anyways.

I've gotten into the habit of simplifying my 'tech speak' so much that when I'm around very serious photographers I'm sure they think I don't know which end to point at the subject and which end to look through. LOL

[jennielynn1970]

Phred's post had me wondering what it would have said in English, lol! Talk about more confused!

I'll do some reading of manual, I hope I can find them, this weekend. The weather is crappy today, all rainy and yucky, so I'm staying indoors. I'll go to the camera shop when it's not so icky outside. I hate traveling in this weather, especially when people drive like idiots (what is it about people being so darn in a hurry and not caring about how they drive any more???).

[Catlady711]

Phred's post had me wondering what it would have said in English, lol! Talk about more confused!

Yeah, the mathmatics involved in photography frequently confuse the heck out of me too, and once you add the science tech stuff I'm completely lost. But then again math is not my strong suit. I figure you don't have to know the why's of how something works, just so you know how to use it.

(what is it about people being so darn in a hurry and not caring about how they drive any more???).

That's called they're selfish and usually on the cell phone.