ShutterSight Photography Blog

Battle At F-Stop Ridge 2

2012-01-18T11:11:00.000-08:00

Here is the second battle of F-Stop Ridge. Found this on Youtube. It's for the photo geeks out there.

Eye Fi For All

2012-01-09T10:35:00.001-08:00

What if your SD camera card had a WiFi chip in it that let you wirelessly offload your photos to your computer. As this article says the company EyeFi has been doing this for a while. Now it may be coming to an SD card near you.

I can tell you that as a photographer, it would be nice to come home from a long day of photography, set my camera on the table and have it automatically offload my photos into Lightroom. Read the link to see more. Are you looking forward to this? What other applications for this technology can you imagine.
Wireless LAN SD standard aims to give every SD card that Eye-Fi flair

Is your new DSLR already obsolete?

2012-01-04T14:46:00.000-08:00

This Fuji X100 is an example of a 3rd-gen mirrorless camera.

That is actually a ridiculous question. Of coarse it isn't. But it soon may not be as supported as it once was. Unlike other technologies like computers and cellphones, as long as the mechanical parts still work and your sensor is good your camera will be good until it flat dies. Despite what camera manufacturers would like you to believe, you don't have to upgrade your camera with each new iteration. In fact, I am actually 4 years "behind" on my camera tech and I don't give a darn. However, a new age of photographic technology is here and you need to know what is coming before investing new equipment.

Read more »

Photo Nerd Warning.

2011-12-15T23:11:00.001-08:00

You might need to be a pretty big photo nerd to like this and think it is cool. I am and it.
Researchers turn a DSLR into hyperspectral camera using PVC and duct tape, MacGyver green with envy

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-20T12:46:00.001-07:00

Look at our little cutie! We wanted to get a baby photo of our little girl in her Halloween costume. If you would like to see more photos from our Fall family photo shoot click here. Don't forget to check out our other galleries at Shuttersight.com

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Podwys' Family Photos

2011-10-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

We love and specialize in family and children photography. We were very excited when we received the opportunity to photograph the Podwys family. They are very photogenic and were fun to work with.

The weather was perfect for a photo shoot. It was somewhat cloudy which turned the sky into a giant soft box. Clouds diffused the light and gave the it a nice soft look to it. This made photographing this family even better. We are very pleased with the results. We've posted a few of our favorite pictures on our website. You should click the link to check them out. Let us know in the comments below which ones are your favorite!

Why Digital Zoom is of the Devil!

2011-09-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, this post is why digital zoom is bad. Not just bad because it is a trick used by marketers to make the camera look better. No, digital zoom is bad because it takes your $150+ camera and turns it into a cheap $40 Chinese knock-off toy. I know that those are harsh words but here is a graphic illustrating the concept:

The first graphic represents your camera when you don't use digital zoom.

This represents all the pixels on your camera sensor

This second graphic represents what happens when you use your digital zoom to zoom in by 2x. The white space represents the number of pixels your camera has available after a 2x digital zoom.

With a 2x digital zoom 75% of your camera's pixels are not used. The ratio applies regardless of the number of pixels you have available. If you have a 10MP camera and you digitally zoom in 2x you effectively have a 2.5MP camera.

So, is zoom bad? No. There is a difference between optical zoom and digital zoom. Digital zoom crops your photo and throws information gathered by the sensor away. That is why the image on your LCD gets all "Pixelated" when you zoom in too far.

Optical zoom on the other hand utilizes the whole sensor and mechanically moves lenses around in order to enlarge the image. Optical zoom does degrade your image quality in various ways but the effect in most instances is marginal and there are ways to compensate for it. At the very least, you aren't throwing away pixels you paid for when you bought your camera. Your best bet when you buy your camera is to dive into the menus and turn digital zoom off. It's the first thing I do if I have it on my camera.

Questions? Post them in the comments below.

Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Being a Photographer

2011-09-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of 36 things I wish I knew when I started out as a photographer.

That I will be dissatisfied with 95% of all of my pictures.
That no matter how big my hard drive is, it isn't big enough.
It's not my camera/lens that's the problem, it's me.
Fill the frame with a simple subject.
Backup my backups.
I need to slow down and take my time.
Watch what's in the background. Lamp-posts aren't supposed to grow out of people's heads.
Pay attention to the entirety of the view-finder.
Don't cut off peoples feet.
Shooting down at someone is a great way to make them look slimmer.
Babies take a lot of time to photograph.
Fake it 'til I make it.
There is a right way and a wrong way to hold a camera.
Comparing myself to other photographers is a great way to make myself feel bad for no reason.
Photography is supposed to be fun and constantly criticizing my work without giving myself credit for my growth is dumb and counter-productive.
Running a photography business is 80% business, 15% post-processing/file management and 5% photography.
Taxes.
Keeping papers organized is critical.
Trust my instincts.
Get closer and then get closer.
At some point critical equipment will malfunction during a job, have backup equipment.
Never undervalue my time & work.
Geeking-out on gear isn't photography.
95% of all cameras and lenses are better than 99% of all photographers.
No matter how confusing it is at first, the exposure triangle is as logical as it is essential.
Reading about photography is not photography.
Nothing can substitute for hours spent actually taking photos.
Walking around with a camera around your neck is not photography.
Only buy at a retail store if it is cheaper than Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo.
Every camera has it's faults, regardless of how expensive it is.
Fan-boys (and girls) are obnoxious. Don't be one.
Every brand has its strengths and weaknesses.
Good lenses start at $450+.
You get what you pay for but you can sometimes find it cheaper elsewhere.
Only buy from reputable online stores.
All that matters is the final image.

Are there any other tips that you would have added to this list for yourself? If so, post in the comments below!

Unspoken Rules of Being a Photographer

2011-09-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Photography, like most other hobbies carries with it a certain social element. Inevitably, whether you prefer be a lone-wolf or part of a flock of photogs, you will find yourself in a situation where you and several other photographers are in the same area, trying to photograph the same subject. While this is not a list of how to be a photographer, it is a list on how not to be "that guy" (or gal) who everyone is grumbling in the forums about.

Watch where you are going:There is nothing more frustrating than having a once-in-a-lifetime shot, or even the shot you've been trying to get all day, ruined by some careless person walking into your frame.

If it's crowded and no one else is using a tripod, don't deploy yours:
Just because you've got a $600 Giotto doesn't mean anyone else wants to see it. When it's crowded, tripods take up valuable ground space. Not to mention that tripods can be tripping hazards.

Related to above: If it's crowded and your not using your deployed tripod, put it away:
Unless you are on professional assignment and you are using it to hold your 600mm f/4 bazooka in between shots, you will get no love your way when you waste space with an unused tripod.

Don't start a comparing cameras because you think yours is better:
There are a multitude of reasons why a photographer picked the camera that they did. All of which could be very valid. In the end, it is the images that are produced that count, not the specs of the photographic instrument. The best way to embarrass yourself is to start talking up your $2,500 camera to someone who is actually better than you but is shooting with a less expensive model or another brand. This is doubly true if you never take your camera out of Auto.

Don't give unsolicited advice:
Nobody likes a Know-It-All. While photography is about the learning experience, it is irritating when a random stranger walks up to you and starts telling you that you are doing it wrong, or even that you need to shoot the scene at such-and-such setting. If someone is interested in learning what you are doing and how you are doing it, they are already watching you and will likely ask.

Don't Pester the Professional:
This is especially true at weddings and events. These people are being paid to do a job and having to divert attention to you, lessens the value of the service that they are providing to their client. Weddings are especially fast-paced and require constant, complete concentration. If there is a question you are dying to ask, wait until the professional is taking a rare breather. Better yet, wait until after the event is over. All the other rules mentioned here apply four-fold when dealing with a professional at work. Let them do their job.

Follow the Golden Rule:
Most photographers are generous, friendly people that will be eager to help you out. Every once in a while, you will find a bad apple who makes the experience less than ideal. When photographers break the above rules, it is usually out of inexperience or ignorance. In the end, do your best to treat others the way you would want to be treated and be mindful of your surroundings.

These are just a few of the unspoken rules of being a photographer. Hopefully these can help you out. What other rules that you think I should have included on this list? Post your photographer tips in the comments below.

Photo Card

2011-08-24T21:31:00.001-07:00

Storytime Pink Baby Announcements

Birth announcements, Valentine's cards, & invitations by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Maternity & Baby Photos

2011-06-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

Maternity photography is new for us at ShutterSight. When Lynsye asked us to do her maternity photos, we took the opportunity to try something new. Her radiant, soon-to-be-mother glow shines through in these beautiful photos.

To make the whole experience even sweeter, we had the opportunity to photograph Lynsye's baby Oliver after he was born. He is one adorable baby.

We are very pleased with the results. Click on the links to view the maternity photos, as well as the photos of the beautiful baby boy. Which one is your favorite photo?

Photo(s) of the Week!

2011-03-07T17:15:00.000-08:00

Well, looks like it happened again, we couldn't decide on just one photo for this week and so you get...THREE!

As you can see we've only posted one photo here. You'll have to check out our Gallery to see the other two.

This is a view of beautiful
Silver Falls waterfall

These photos are from a recent trip we took to Silver Falls here in Oregon. Go to our Gallery, pick your favorite photo and let us know on our page on Facebook which one is your favorite! Maybe you can help us pick the best photo for this week!

What is the Best Camera to take Photos with?

2011-03-02T18:53:00.000-08:00

On the surface this may seem like the type of question that would ignite endless debates in Camera forums, among friends, family and fanboys (and fangirls). Canon vs Nikon, Sony vs Pentax, Olympus vs Panasonic, and on and on. In reality the question can be rather easily answered. The best camera to take pictures with is the one you have with you!

While the inner photographer in each of us yearns—even if only a little—for a big expensive ($2500+) camera, most of us don't have the money for one. Do not despair if you only have a pocket-sized camera available to you, chances are it is an excellent camera (even if you don't know it yet).

This palm tree photo was taken with
a 3mp pocket-sized digital camera

The downsides of owning a big camera is first and foremost, its bulk. Big cameras are heavy, and most people don't want to carry it around everywhere they go. What good is a camera if you don't have it with you? Also, buying a big expensive camera also means that you need to buy big expensive lenses. In fact, "good" lenses (those that have acceptable sharpness and color accuracy) start at $500+! That's not to say that there aren't significant benefits of using a big DSLR, but cameras are tools. And like tools they only work as well as the person wielding them.

Also, most people nowadays have a cellphone with a built-in camera and if your cellphone is a smartphone (like an iPhone or Android phone) its camera is excellent for most peoples needs. The photo on the left was taken with a 3mp pocket camera that is over 7 years old! Most smartphones cameras have better sensors with more megapixels and better photo processing than the ancient brick that took this photo.

So don't worry about not having a fancy camera with interchangeable lenses. Learn the camera you have. Learn to use all its functions. If you are only using the automatic or “easy” mode on your camera you are only scratching the surface of what your amazing little camera can do. Here is a list of ways that can help you become a better photographer. Most of those techniques can be accomplished with any camera, including your camera phone!

What's your favorite camera to use? Post in the comments below and let us know. Don't forget to share this article with your friends by clicking on the sharing links below!

Photo(s) of the Week

2011-02-27T08:04:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since we've done Photo of the Week. We are starting it up again!

This last week we had a whole 1.5 inches of snow in Forest Grove. Since we don't get much snow around here we decided to go out and take some pictures. We came back with some great photos but when it came time to picking a Photo of the Week, we couldn't decide. So we decided to give you two!

The birds in this photo make beautiful silhouettes on the water

The snow on the railroad track help emphasize the vanishing point

Please click on the link underneath the photos to get better, full screen views of these photos or click here!

For all of our Oregon friends, how did you spend your snow day? Also, everyone let us know which one of these photos is your favorite!

Eleven Things That Will Improve Your Photography Right Now

2011-02-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

Everyone who owns a camera wants to be able to take good photographs. Here is a list of eleven things that will improve your photography immediately!

1. Read your Camera's Manual
Most people never even crack their owners manual open after buying a camera. This manual will tell you all the nifty features and how to use them, many of which you might not even know about. It might even give you some tips on your photography. Every good photographer has to know their camera inside and out. Here's some motivation, did you know that if you've bought your pocket-sized camera within the last 4 years, it probably has a panorama mode?

2. Fill the Frame with a Simple Subject/Simplify your image
Whatever you are taking a picture of should fill your frame. Too much going on in a photograph distracts from your subject and weakens the image. Simplify the image and you'll have a strong photograph.

The frame has been simplified allowing

the viewer to plainly identify the subject

of the photograph

3. Learn the Rule of Thirds
Divide the the scene into thirds length-wise and again width-wise. The subject of the image should generally be placed at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines.

4. Learn to shoot in Aperture Priority and Shutter-Speed Priority modes.
If you camera has these modes, you are in luck! Most photographers shoot in these two modes. Aperture priority controls how much of the background is in focus. The smaller the "f" number the shallower the plane of focus. Shutter-speed priority controls motion. To freeze action, shoot with a higher shutter-speed. To blur motion slow down the shutter-speed.

5. Slow Down!
Most people don't take time to study the image in the frame. Slow down. If you go too fast you might miss details that could end up ruining your image, like a light pole or tree growing out of someone's head.

6. Zoom with Your Feet
Just because your camera has a zoom doesn't mean that you must use it. Try moving the camera itself closer to the subject instead. When you use the camera's zoom, you tend to flatten your image. If you move with your feet, perspectives and depth in the image is maintained and it can help the subject really pop!

7. Try a different perspective
Instead of photographing your subject straight on, try it from another angle. Instead of standing over a flower and pointing your camera down at it, try photographing across the petals. Better yet, try photographing from underneath the flower and have the beautiful blue sky as the background!

8. Learn the Exposure Triangle
This is related to number four. Photography is about give and take. There are three main things that the camera manipulates to make an image: the aperture, the shutter-speed and the sensitivity of the sensor, also known as ISO. Two can be fixed but one has to be manipulated to make a proper exposure. For instance, a photographer can choose the shutter-speed and the aperture but then the sensitivity has to change. The photographer can also set the aperture and sensitivity but then the shutter-speed has to change. It can be a daunting task to understanding the relationship but it is critical if you want to take your photography to the next level.

9. Take Lots of Photos...And Then Take More Photos.
Digital photography has made photography a hobby for the masses. Back in the days of film, every photograph cost 15 cents or more, forcing photographers to be more reluctant to press the shutter button. With digital photography it doesn't cost anything to take a photo. Like any learned skill, photography takes practice. Take lots of photos!

10. Don't Get Discouraged.
Photography is not something that can be instantly learned. You won't be a master overnight. Remember how daunting it was to drive in traffic for the first time? Now it's not so bad right? Same with photography. Just because your photos aren't turning out how you hoped doesn't mean that you bought the wrong camera, it might mean that you haven't taken time to learn it. Be patient with yourself. With instant gratification being the norm, it can be frustrating when things don't work exactly the way we want it to right away. Take time and learn the craft. As you do, you'll find far deeper gratification in knowing that you have a firm understanding of a wonderful hobby and skill. Every novice photographer doubts their skills or their camera at some point. Realize this is normal. Perseverance is the key to success when it comes to photography.

11. Don't Compare Yourself to Others.
The best way to be miserable as an artist is to compare your work to other artists work. You were born with your own style and aesthetic. Cultivate that and be unique. That's not to say that you can't learn from other peoples work, just realize that they are doing a style that they know best. Why have your work look like someone else's work? Stand out and make your work your own!

Hopefully these photography tips help and inspire you to nurture your inner shutterbug. What tips do you have to help improve your photography?

Hiring a Photographer vs. Hiring 'Uncle Bob'

2011-02-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

Think back to a time when you were half as old as you are now. A common realization among people as they age is that time really does seem to fly! When one reflects on the special moments in their life, they remember only bits and pieces...until they start looking at photos from that time. Once they see the photos, wonderful memories come back and they remember those times so much better. Photographs are important. Not just for our own nostalgia's sake but for those that come after us. It threads connections through time to future generations. For many people, the greater understanding of their heritage (aided by photographs) give them a sense of place and belonging. That is why it is so important to hire a photographer who you can best capture the special memories you want, the way you want to remember them.

When a situation presents itself where photography services are needed, many people are surprised at how much those services can cost. In an effort to save money, it is not uncommon to hire a family member--we'll call him Uncle Bob--to take the photos for them, just because he has a “fancy camera”. Often, those people are disappointed with the results, I wish we would have hired a “real” photographer to take our photos is a common refrain and one that we at ShutterSight Photography have heard during client consultations.

Before I continue I do not wish to insult all the “Uncle Bobs” out there. He may be a perfectly competent photographer. However, there are some things to consider when choosing between Uncle Bob and a Photographic service.

First and foremost, taking good photographs is a learned skill. Photography is so much more than just “Point-and-Shoot”. Photography is more than a firm understanding that light fall-off is calculated as an inverse square and that f/2.8 will make the background blurry. It is more than just having a good eye. Good photography takes more than a passion. It takes all these plus knowledge and experience.

When you hire a photographer you are hiring someone whose sole purpose at that event is to take photographs. Someone who does photography for business approaches the event very differently than Uncle Bob. For the photographer, their reputation is on the line every time they pull that camera up to their eye. Screwing up on a photography assignment could mean literally hundreds or thousand of dollars in future work lost. For Uncle Bob, if he misses the shot, he knows that you'll still love him in the end, despite your disappointment. Therefore he may not approach the event with the professionalism that he should. He could be distracted by guests who know him which may cause him to miss an important shot. He also may not notice small details that help bring back special memories, a flower-girls shoes, a special look from the bride or the placement of a couples hands for instance. There is also a sense of timing that is critical and only comes with experience.

When it comes to your special event, hiring a skilled photographer is important. Make sure you hire one that is competent, proven, and can capture your memories beautifully in a way that appeals to you.

The Best Places to buy Cameras, Lenses and Photography Equipment

2010-12-23T08:51:00.000-08:00

Are you suffering from Lens Buying Addiction (L.B.A.)? Do you yearn for that 50mm f/1.4 prime lens? Do you lust of for that 50-300mm or 70-300mm telephoto zoom? Do you ache for the supernal sharpness of the 70-200 f2.8 (or brand equivalent as in the 50-135mm for Pentax)? Or are you simply wanting to explore photographic possibilities beyond your 18-55mm kit lens that came with the camera you bought. If so, you are experiencing L.B.A.. Do not be alarmed. It is a normal part of your new found passion. Also know that you are not alone.If not, also do not worry. Someday you will be.

While we cannot heal your L.B.A. for you, we can help you mitigate some of the real world difficulties that are associated with it. Namely the cost of that new equipment you dream about.

The answers lies in where and when an item is purchased.

The where is easy. Anywhere but at the local camera store or the electronics department of your favorite retailer! This applies to lenses, batteries, memory cards, camera bodies, bags...everything camera related. While we highly recommend going to a camera store to play with and test out camera equipment, they are rarely the cheapest place to buy them regardless of the promotional sale going on.

Some personal favorite places to buy camera equipment are Amazon's SLR store, Adorama.com and B&H Photo. They have the best prices on camera equipment and are all reputable dealers. If you are willing to buy used equipment, KEH.com is also be a good place to check. Ebay may be worth a look but we must recommend caution, make sure you know what you are buying.

Why does camera equipment cost so much and is it worth the cost? Addressing lenses specifically, the answers are simple. Firstly, the honing, coating and polishing processes associated with producing high quality lens materials is time consuming and expensive. Most modern lenses actually have mini-computers within the lens to increase auto-focus speed and accuracy. If the lens is a Canon or a Nikon, and it has on-board image stabilization, this also adds to the cost of production. The added cost is a significant reason to consider Pentax, Olympus or Sony cameras instead of Canon and Nikon due to the shake reduction system being housed in the camera body for these brands, effectively making ALL lenses shake reduction lenses.

Secondly, is it worth it to spend the extra money for the lens? Generally speaking, yes. An $800 17-50mm f/2.8 will perform much better than the $75 18-55mm kit lens that came with the camera. That extra money can get you a fixed (meaning larger possible) aperture (for creamy smooth backgrounds and better low-light shooting capability), less color fringing when shooting highly contrasting scenes and faster auto-focus. Most importantly the lens will produce noticeably sharper images. Know that “Good quality” lenses actually start in the $400-$500 range. Anything below that is considered entry level. Some lenses can cost as much as $10,000 or more! Luckily most good lenses can be had for less than $1200.

Before you buy your lens check out Pbase.com. They have extensive galleries displaying images taken by various lenses and cameras. To do this, click on the search tab at the top of the page and then click search by camera. Click on the brand of equipment you are buying and then scroll down the list to the item you wish to see. They often display other useful data such as the aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings used to make that particular image.

The old adage “You get what you pay for” holds especially true for lenses. If you feel like you've hit a wall with your photography a new lens may be what you are looking for to jump start your drive. If you are looking for a new lens take a look at our article on lenses every photographer should have.

Lenses every DSLR photographer should own

2010-12-21T06:33:00.000-08:00

Every craft has its tools of the trade. A carpenter has knives and nails, a mechanic has wrenches and ratchets. Photographers have camera bodies and lenses.

This Pentax DA* 50-135 is an excellent medium zoom lens.

Serious photographers will likely spend more money on their lenses than any other part of their photographic “tool-set”. A camera body is mostly useless without a lens. This is why we have compiled a short list of lenses every photographer should have. These cover 90% of the photographic needs of people.

1. A Wide-Angle Zoom

Most entry-mid level camera bodies come with an 18-55 kit lens. These lenses cover the wide to normal fields of view and are great for most beginning photographers. A 17-50 f/2.8 (or brand equivalent) is the perfect replacement for your kit lens when you get really serious about your photography.

2. A Large Aperture Normal “Prime” Lens.

Prime lenses are lenses that have one focal length. In other words they do not zoom. The wide open aperture will give your photographs that creamy blurred background that makes portrait photos so appealing. The wide open aperture has the added benefit of letting in more light. This makes them great for indoor parties and scenarios where light availability is low and flash is undesirable.

A 50mm f/1.8 for Canon or Nikon can be had for less than $100. If you can spend a little extra money the 50mm f/1.4 can provide sharper images and a shallower depth of field. Every brand has it's equivalent in this range. Make sure you find out what yours is.

And finally...

3. A General Purpose Telephoto Lens

These lenses are often the 50-200, 50-300 or 70-300 lenses. They are great for taking pictures at a soccer game or the song bird outside your window. Some of them even include a macro function for taking close up photos of flowers, insects and small items. Watch out though, many do not have fixed apertures which reduces the amount of light available to the camera. This makes them generally difficult to use in indoor settings such as school plays or indoor basketball games.Not to mention that they can be large and unwieldy in confined areas.

If you can afford it or are serious about your photography, consider buying a 70-200 f2.8 (or brand equivalent). This is considered a “workhorse lens” for most professional photographers because its versatility, fixed aperture and stellar image quality.

Your camera brand offers multiple lenses. These are the lenses that ever photographer should own or strive to own. Find out which lenses are available for your camera brand and have fun!

Family Photos!

2010-12-14T16:40:00.000-08:00

Family photos are memories that can last a lifetime and even longer. The photos we took for the Brown family are a set that we know will be enjoyed for years to come. Long after the kids are grown up, this beautiful family will be able to look back and remember this time in their lives.

We encourage you to visit of the GALLERY we have posted from this photo shoot. We had a blast while taking these photos and were more than pleased with the result. Take a look and let us know on our FaceBook page which one was your favorite!

Thinking Beyond Canon and Nikon

2010-12-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

As with all hobbies, if enough time and energy is invested it won't be too long before one becomes known among friends and family as an “expert” on the subject. Photography is no different and on numerous occasions we have been approached and asked what cameras we use and which brands are the best. Canon or Nikon? For us the answer is neither.

First off, we would like to make it clear that Canon and Nikon are both good brands and one won't go wrong by choosing to purchase a camera from them. The same however, can be said about Pentax, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic.


The rugged 10-megapixel K200d features a weather-proof		chassis.

So what cameras do we use? Kenny uses a Pentax K200d and Ameeta is a master with her Olympus E-620. Why did we choose these cameras instead of the popular Canon and Nikon brands? The short answer is that one tends to get more bang-for-your-buck when going with the smaller brands. Features such as a fully articulated LCD, better low-light performance, improved ergonomics, weather proofing (very important in rainy Oregon), wireless flash sync are features that, at the time, were not available on Canon and Nikon cameras at that price class. One important feature, on-board, sensor-based shake reduction is not available at all on any Canon or Nikon camera body. Not even $5000-$8000 camera bodies from them. This feature was important to us. Whereas Canon and Nikon implement their shake reduction systems in their lenses (making IS and VR lenses heavier and more expensive) Pentax and Olympus host their systems in the camera body, effectively making every lens an image stabilized lens.

The 12-Megapixel E-620 sports an articulated LCD and wireless flash control

So should a person avoid Canon and Nikon cameras? Not necessarily. The main advantage that Canon and Nikon both hold over all camera brands is ubiquity. Canon and Nikon equipment can be found in every cameras store and everywhere online. The smaller brands require a bit more searching and equipment for them can often only be found online at retailers such as Adorama or Amazon.

No camera out there is a “perfect” camera. Every camera, even the $5000 models, has flaws. Every camera will require the user to have a firm grasp on photography basics(composition, exposure, timing) to get those stunning timeless photographs we all strive for. The bottom line is, when deciding on a camera to purchase, don't forget to look beyond Canon and Nikon.

Anna & Walker

2010-12-01T13:47:00.000-08:00

There is no decision more life-changing than when two people decide to bind their hearts together in marriage. Announcing their decision to their friends and family with engagement photos is wonderful, fun tradition. If an image can say 1000 words, these photographs should tell a story of their love and happiness.

We are honored that Anna and Walker chose us to take their engagement photos for them. These are images that will last for generations and will stand as a reminder of this joyful, exciting time in their lives! Please click HERE to view a selection of the photos that we took for them.

We're Back!

2010-11-15T20:10:00.000-08:00

We’ve been busy and we sure have a lot to update you on. First and foremost, if you haven’t had a chance to check out our newly re-designed website you’re in for a treat! As you can see, we’ve also revamped our blog. As part of our upgrades we’ve added a new and easy way to contact us. Clicking on the contact link at the bottom of our webpage will pull up an window that where you can easily send us an email without leaving the pages! There is also an email link on our About Us page. Just click on the email icon. We’ve also updated our services page with all of the new services we provide (look under the investments tab).

The biggest part of our re-design however is with out a doubt, our beautiful new interface. We’ve made things easier to read, more attractive to navigate and nicer to look at. One of the things that really excites us is our wonderful new slideshow format. Please check it out (it may take a few seconds to load the first time you watch it).

We’ve also added some great new features to our Facebook fan-page. We’ve added all of our services under the “Extended Info” tab. Also, if you are interested in scheduling an appointment with use check out the “Contact Us” tab. We’ve added a “Reviews” tab so you can let us know how we did! We’ve updated our photo galleries on our Facebook page as well.

We also want to thank all of our faithful readers. We trust you’ll forgive our short absence once you see our new website and all the new features we’ve added to our pages!

Pentax Announces NEW K-r DSLR!

2010-09-09T12:15:00.001-07:00

When looking to buy a new DSLR-style camera will only consider two brands, Canon and Nikon. This is unfortunate. There are other camera manufacturers out there that make highly competitive cameras and in many cases MORE competitive cameras than Canon and Nikon

On September 9th Pentax announced just such a camera—The Pentax K-r.

Some key features of this camera include:

Auto-Picture Mode: The K-r can automatically detect what kind of photo you are trying to take and will put the camera in the proper automatic shooting mode! Point the camera at your child and the camera automatically switches into portrait mode. Turn around and take a photo of the mountain and it switches into landscape mode without you having to push a button or turn a dial. Taking great photos couldn’t be easier!

12 Megapixels: This may not sound like a lot in today’s camera market but more pixels than this can actually be a BAD thing. Click here to find out why. Pentax has put the perfect number of pixels in this camera for great prints up to 30” x 40” or bigger!

Up to 25,600 ISO: What the heck is ISO? It means that the sensor is sensitive enough to take well-exposed photos in dim indoor settings without the harsh light of the pop-up flash. This would be great for indoor high school sports events, recitals and birthday parties.

Shoots 6 Frames per Second: Perfect for fast action sports and wildlife photography. If you hold down the shutter the camera will fire 6 shots within a second. This means you’ll never miss your child’s expression when he shoots that game winning goal!

In-Camera HDR: Ever have the problem of the sky being perfectly exposed and your subjects face is completely dark and silhouette? You’ll never have the problem again with HDR! The camera takes 3 shots and stitches them together for one perfectly exposed photo.

720p 30 frame-per-second video recording: The cinematic video quality will astound you when you shoot video through Pentax’s legendary lenses.

SAFOX XI Auto-focus: This is Pentax’s new auto focusing system. It’s been upgraded for faster auto-focus so you’ll never miss the shot!

Why should all DSLRs be black? Stand out of the pack and take your pick of Black, White, or Red camera bodies!

Excited yet? We sure are! Pentax has always been in the vanguard of camera industry innovation. The K-r is keeping with that fine tradition.

The K-r will be available sometime in October.

Pentax Website

Photo of the Week

2010-08-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

The Oregon International Airshow is a 23-year tradition in Oregon. Everyone in the Portland metro area knows it's here when they look up and can see the jets doing acrobatic maneuvers. Everyone really knows their here when they hear the sonic boom!

Watching those talented pilots flip and turn those jets the way they do is absolutely amazing.

We were lucky to be able to watch the jets for a little while. What a treat! We shot this beautiful photo while watching them. The combination of red, white, and blue trailing these powerful machines is enough to make any American's heart swell with patriotic pride. We hope you like this photo as much as we do!

To see a full size version of this photo please visit our gallery.

You Gotta Try This!

2010-08-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

Po'Boy

Poutine

It goes without saying that photography is a passion of ours. But, an even more adventurous passion of ours is eating new food! This time, we decided to try a unique "Portland" venue from the food carts in East Portland on Hawthorne Blvd! PRESTO! Photography + Food= Love <3.

The picture on the top is called a Po'boy, which is crispy fried shrimp, green onions and tangy sauce on a warm piece of french bread. Are you hungry yet?:)

The picture on the bottom is called Poutine; french-fries covered in a tangy gravy with fresh cheese curds. Talk about yummy!!

Both were absolutely delicious and you GOTTA try this!

Click here to see full size versions of the photos.

Photo of the Week: Nothing Like a Summer Day at the Beach!

2010-08-17T18:14:00.000-07:00

Boy haven't the past few days been HOT! When the mercury rises in the Willamette Valley, there is nothing like the cool relief of the Oregon coast. Fresh breezes, the calming lapping of the waves and the seemingly endless miles of sand just waiting to be walked...

Just looking at the photograph makes you feel cooler doesn't it? Since we can't always be at the beach...thank goodness for A/C! :)

Click here to view the full size version of this beautiful photo!

Hopefully you all are staying cool this summer. Leave your comments below and let us know how you all are beating the heat!

Photo of the week: Metro Cat

2010-08-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

We were enjoying the summer afternoon at the Bite of Oregon festival on the Portland Waterfront when we saw this cat. We first noticed it perched on the owners shoulder, sitting upright as the owner was walking around.

On our way back to the Max, we stopped at Pioneer Courthouse Square and noticed the cat and his owner talking to a bookseller. We decided to take a closer look and snapped this neat photo.

If you would like to see a larger version of this photo and view previous Photo's of the Week, please visit our Gallery.

What do you think about the cat? What fun summer experiences have you had?

Photo of the Week

2010-07-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

We would like to introduce a new addition to our blog...

Photo of the Week! We will be posting a new photo every week for the whole world to enjoy! If you would like to see a larger version of the Photo, please visit our Photo of the Week Gallery!

There are few things that say summer like the sounds of honey bees about their work. With their diligent efforts we are able to enjoy the fruits, flowers and vegetables that we enjoy during this warm season.

Let us know what you think of the photo in the comments below!

New Photos are Up!

2010-07-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

We're really excited about the photos we recently took of Felicity! She is such a beautiful, sweet little girl. Take a look at the gallery and let us know which one is your favorite!

Click HERE to visit the gallery.

REVIEW: smc Pentax DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 [IF] SDM (part1)

2010-07-20T21:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a video review of the very popular Pentax DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 lens. Part 2 will be posted soon, both here and on our YouTube Channel.

Felicity

2010-07-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

One of the things we love most about photographing babies and children is their purity. Felicity is just such a sweet little girl and we were delighted to have the opportunity to photograph her.

We will be posting a gallery with our top picks from our photo session with her shortly so stay tuned!

Summer Family Photos

2010-06-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

The beautiful Oregon summer has finally arrived! Here is one of our favorite photos from a recent family photo session. We spent a wonderful morning with the Olsen family capturing memories at Pacific University. It’s been fun to see how their family has grown!

Click HERE to see more wonderful images from this session.

Don’t forget to let us know which ones are your favorite in the comments below!

If you are looking for a fun way to capture your family memories this summer, please email us at ShutterSightPhotography@gmail.com. Openings are available.

VIDEO REVIEW

2010-06-14T15:33:00.001-07:00

Here is a video review of one of the primary lenses we use in our photography, the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/2 1:2 Macro. This is an excellent lens and we highly recommend this lens to anyone who has an Olympus 4/3 mount DSLR.

New photos are up!

2010-04-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

We've posted some of our favorite photos from our recent photo session with Rebecca & Carter. Click here or go to ShutterSightPhotography.com to go to our website to see our new photos. Let us know which ones are you favorite!

Carter & Rebecca

2010-04-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

Spring time is here! And we had the wonderful opportunity to take advantage of our beautiful weather here in Oregon at a photo shoot with Rebecca and her adorable son Carter.

Carter is one spunky kid, and his sunny disposition made this an especially fun photo session for us. He is full of energy and loves to search for “Aliens” hiding in the bushes!

Stay tuned during the next week. We will post an example gallery so you too can see some of the delightful memories we captured!

New photos are up!

2010-04-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

We've posted some of our favorite photos from our photo session of Ethan & his family. Click here to go to our webpage or go to ShutterSightPhotography.com to find them. Let us know which photos are you favorite in the comments below!

Ethan

2010-03-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

There is something about babies that makes everyone smile. Their laugh makes others laugh. We recently had the opportunity to photograph just such a baby along with his brother, sisters, mom and dad.

Ethan is a beautiful little boy, and we are grateful that we had the chance to photograph him and his family.

We will post some of our favorite photographs this week so stay tuned to our blog and Facebook page to find out when!

Lowepro Rezo 170AW Camera Bag

2010-02-17T08:35:00.001-08:00

While gear will not make a photographer better per se it can make life easier. Here is a video review of one of the photobags that we use.

Laura & Hayden

2009-12-30T12:34:00.000-08:00

Our most recent photo-shoot was that of Laura and Hayden. Both were wonderful subjects and we had a lot of fun shooting them. Hayden especially warmed right up to camera. He seemed very comfortable during the photo session.

As we went through the photos during our post-shoot editing, Ameeta and I remarked to each other several times that the love that exists between Laura and Hayden is plainly evident in these photos. There are few bonds as strong as the bond that exists between mother and child. We feel lucky that we were able to encapsulate that feeling for them! Thank you Laura and Hayden!

To see photos from their photo session, click here or visit our website at ShutterSightPhotography.com.

Jace's photos are up!

2009-12-14T20:24:00.000-08:00

Here are some of our favorite photos from our photo session with Jace! Click the link or go to ShutterSightPhotography.com to see this adorable little boy. Let us know which one is your favorite in the comments below!

Baby Jace

2009-12-13T10:50:00.001-08:00

Children grow up so quick. Perhaps that is why we love baby photos so much. Photos of babies and infants capture the innocence, curiosity and honesty of the very young. Not to mention that a good baby photo can be absolutely adorable.

We recently had the opportunity to take pictures of a super adorable, bubbly and happy baby named Jace. We got to take pictures of him in his monkey Halloween costume. He is the cutest monkey ever! To see his eyes light up while he was exploring and taste-testing the pumpkin was an absolute treat!

Some of the sweetest pictures we took of Jace were in his white blessing suit. During this set of photos, Jace fell asleep. It was so cute to capture his innocence as he slept.

We hope you enjoyed this short teaser about Jace. Come check our website in the next couple days to see Jace’s pictures.

WHAT CAMERA TO BUY PART 3: Brands and Models

2009-11-21T08:51:00.000-08:00

So now that you know what you are buying your camera for and you know some of the technical stuff on the camera it’s time to start shopping. This is by no means a comprehensive list of camera models. I have listed some of the most notable ones. That being said, that does not mean that a camera is not worth looking at just because I didn’t mention it. I have only posted cameras that I am familiar with and I have only selected a few from each price range. DPReview is an excellent resource for further research. I will post links to other camera review sites that I trust at the end of this post.

DSLRs (professional style, interchangeable lens cameras)
There are dozens of cameras in this category. I have listed a few. These cameras are for people who are more serious about their photography.

$2000+

Canon

5d Mark II

The cheapest “full-frame” Canon DSLR. This camera is professional quality and has tons of features. It is not a camera I would recommend for beginners. Season amateurs with the money would do well with this camera.

Nikon

D700

This is Nikon’s cheapest full-frame camera. This camera is renowned for its low-light capability. It is getting a little “old” however and is due to be updated within the next year or so. Unlike the Canon 5d Mark II, this camera does not shoot video.

D300/D300s

The D300 was recently updated to the 300s. The only major difference between the two is the addition of video. This is a popular camera among some professionals and serious amateurs. This camera has an APS-C sensor and is not “Full-Frame”

$1500-$2000

Canon

This is Canon’s newly released, top APS-C model. It has 18.1 MP. It has video capabilities as well. Reviews on this camera have been somewhat mixed but generally positive.

$1000-$1500

Nikon

D90

This is a very capable camera. If you are willing the learn this is a good camera for beginners. It is geared for intemediate and advanced users but beginners with this camera will do fine.

Pentax

One of the only cameras in this segment to have full weather-sealing when coupled with a weather sealed lens. It has several useful features, including video. It also has internal shake reduction. This is a semi-pro level camera.

Olympus

E-3

Olympus’ flagship camera. This camera is two years old and is due for replacement. Fully weather-sealed, it is a professional camera. Not a camera I would recommend to beginners.

$500-$1000

This is where most entry to midlevel DSLRs live. Because There are so many, I have had to narrow it down to a very few.

Canon

Rebel Series

Canon has 3 models in this series(Ti, XSi and the XS). All of them are geared towards amateurs with the Ti being the most featured and complex and the XS being for those who just stepped out of the Point and Shoot world. All of them are capable cameras.

Nikon

D5000/D3000

These are Nikon’s beginning cameras. The D3000 has an onboard guide mode to help you learn your camera.

Pentax

This camera has the best lowlight sensitivity for it’s segment and will likely win several awards over the 2010 product review year. It is easy to use, has onboard shake reduction and comes in several colors.

Olympus

E-620 à E450

Olympus has several models in this range from the 620 to the 450. The 620 is the most complex camera of the bunch. It is the smallest camera in the segment. Some of these models have onboard shake reduction.

EP1/EP2

These are not really point and shoots but are not DSLRs either. They live in a strange category right now. Because they can swap lenses like an DSLR and have large sensors, they’re image quality is on-par with many DSLRs. They cost $700+ but if you want a relatively compact camera but not a point and shoot these cameras are worth a look.

Point and Shoot Models

There are well over a hundred different Point and Shoot cameras on the market right now. I will just name a few. I didn’t name cameras from every brand. Please check for an extensive database on camera models.

Canon

Powershot SD1200IS

This camera can be had on Amazon.com for $175. It features onboard shake reduction and a 3x zoom.

Powershot A480

This is a cheap camera but it will get the job done. I’ve seen it on Amazon.com for under $100

Casio

Exlim EX-S5

This is an affordable, easy to use, slim camera from Casio that can be had for about $100.

Nikon

Coolpix L20

Nikons basic Point and Shoot for about $100.

Coolpix S230

These are a step up from the L20 and cost a little more. They can be had for under $150.

Olympus

Stylus Tough Series.

These are waterproof cameras from Olympus. The image quality isn’t the best but it is good enough for most people. Some of these models can capture movies underwater however. Olympus has several non-waterproof cameras as well.

This concludes our camera buying guide. If you have anymore questions please email us at shuttersightphotography@gmail.com or post in the comments below. Remember, you should visit several camera review sites to get an overall view of the camera models you are thinking of buying. Here is a list of a few sites that you should check out

DPreview.com

This is probably the premier Camera-Review website in the world. Check here first.

Cameralabs.com

Steves digicams

Imaging Resource

WHAT CAMERA TO BUY PART 2.2: CAMERA FEATURES EXPLAINED

2009-11-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

This is the last half of yesterday's post.

Every hobby or activity has it’s geeks. Those are the people that live, breath and obsess about their gear and their activity. Photography is no different. This portion of our guide is to help you make sense of some of the technical jargon. Most of these features listed below apply to both Point and Shoot (abbreviated PnS) cameras as well as more professional-style cameras with interchangeable lenses (abbreviated DSLR).

Optical Zoom: This is very different from Digital Zoom. Optical zoom is when there are actual mechanical elements within the camera that are moving. Optical zoom doesn’t degrade optical quality like digital zoom. A good indicator that your camera has switched from using an optical zoom to a digital zoom is the point where lens elements in the camera stop moving despite you continuing to zoom in. The image on your LCD screen will also begin to get blocky or pixalated. If your camera does have digital zoom, check and see if you can turn it off. Optical zoom is very different from Digital Zoom.

Digital Zoom: AVOID THIS LIKE THE PLAGUE! Do not use this feature if your camera has it. If it is the only zoom available on the camera you are looking at, put it down immediately and move to another model. Digital zoom is not a true zoom. This is the camera cropping your image and throwing away lots of data. It also horribly degrades the image quality. When zoomed, in you are reducing the megapixels of the image. If your camera is a 10 megapixel camera, using digital zoom can reduce the image to 3-5 megapixels depending on the digital zoom. That means that you may not be able to get the quality you had hoped for when you got to print the photo. If you really want that thing to be zoomed in beyond the optical zoom, do it on your computer. That way you can control it a little bit better. DIGITAL ZOOM IS BAD.

ISO: This is the sensitivity range of the sensor. In short, a lower ISO means the sensor needs more light (lower shutter speed/higher aperture) but the image will be cleaner. A higher ISO means less light is needed to obtain proper exposure but the photo will have more grain. PnS cameras rarely do very well in low-light/high ISO situations. They will generally be noisier at a given ISO setting than their DSLR counterparts. This is due to sensor size.

Shutter Speed: Shutter speed is measured in fractions of a second (1/4, 1/30, 1/250 etc.). If you plan on taking pictures of kids, pets, sports or anything else that moves fast you want a camera that can use a higher shutter speed. PnS camera models top out at 1/4000 at the high end ($500+) and most others are usually capable of somewhere between 1/1600-1/2000. A higher shutter speed has a tendency to freeze action.

TIP: To see this in action, find a fan and turn it on. Set your camera’s sensitivity as high as it goes and get as much light as you can on the fan. Use flash if you have to. If your camera lets you manually set the shutter speed set it as high as you can. If you get a fast enough shutter speed (around 1/1000 depending on the speed of the fan) the blades will appear motionless in the photo.

Aperture: This is the opening in the lens that light passes through. This is that little F/# thing that you see around the edge of the lens. The lower the number, f/2.8 for instance generally indicates a high quality lens. The smaller the number, larger the hole is that lets in light. If you can, when buying a PnS camera go for the camera with the smaller

f-number.

MegaPixels (MP): A digital image is made up of millions of tiny colored dots (pixels). Mega stands for million. Therefore a 10MP camera has roughly 10 million pixels. The more megapixels a camera has the larger the final image and the larger the file. If the largest you will ever print a picture is 11x14 inches, you don’t need more than 8MP. There is one more thing to consider. If a Point and Shoot camera has more than about 10 megapixels, then it will tend to fair a little worse in lower light. This is because the more pixels you cram onto a sensor, the smaller you have to make the pixels on the sensor. Smaller pixels can’t detect light as clearly as larger pixels.

Crop/Magnification Factor: This has to do with the size of the image sensor. Most digital cameras, including DSLRs have a sensor that is smaller than a frame of regular 35mm film. This means that a lens will appear to be “zoomed” in a little bit when it is on a DSLR. Because we shot with 35mm film for so long and we are used to seeing through lenses made for 35mm film, manufacturers have calculated the crop factor for the consumer. You generally only worry about sensor size if you are buying a DSLR.

Full-Frame: These sensors are as big as a 35mm frame of film. Cameras with these in them are very expensive ($2500+) and only go into the top professional models of a company’s lineup. There is no “crop-factor” on full frame cameras.

APS-C: This is the most common DSLR sensor size. The crop factor on these sensors is 1.5x. That means that a lens that says 100mm will look like just that on a film camera but will produce an image equivalent to 150mm lens on a DSLR.

NOTE: Canon DSLRs that are not full-frame have either at 1.3x or a 1.6x crop factor. That means a 100mm lens on a film camera will look like a 130mm or 160mm lens on the DSLR.

4/3 or Micro 4/3: These are used in Olympus and Panasonic DSLRs. They have a crop factor of 2x. Therefore a 100mm lens will look like a 200mm lens on these cameras.

RAW/JPEG: These are two different image file formats. All cameras are capable of shooting JPEG. That’s what most images are. When a camera takes a picture it compresses the image and applies certain qualities to the image in order to display it. The file sizes are smaller but during compression some of the data gets thrown away so you can’t edit it as much later on. RAW is all of the data captured by the sensor. This is what professionals shoot in. It allows the greatest latitude in editing. It is also results in significantly larger files. RAW must be converted to another file format (tif, jpeg etc) before it can be printed. Don’t worry about RAW unless you are very serious and willing to put in work on your computer editing the photo. Very few PnS cameras take RAW.

Next week: Brands and Camera's broken down by price.

WHAT CAMERA TO BUY PART 2.1: CAMERA FEATURES EXPLAINED

2009-11-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

Every hobby or activity has it’s geeks. Those are the people that live, breath and obsess about their gear and their activity. Photography is no different. This portion of our guide is to help you make sense of some of the technical jargon. Most of these features listed below apply to both Point and Shoot (abbreviated PnS) cameras as well as more professional-style cameras with interchangeable lenses (abbreviated DSLR). This is a long post so I'm breaking it up into two days.

Note: Aperture, shutter speed and ISO have a complicated relationship and will be discussed in length later. I have just briefly touched on them here.

Weather/Dust sealing: This is different than water-proofing. The camera body has extra sealing to protect the components inside from the rain or in dusty conditions. This is usually unavailable on lower end (sub $800) Digital SLRs. This is usually reserved for the top models in a companies line-up. It is very important to note that Weather/Dust sealing only works when a weather sealed lens is attached to the body. Sealing for lenses is also usually only reserved for the top tier of a company’s lens line-up.

Waterproofing: Exactly what it says. It is waterproof to an indicated depth. That means you can take pictures underwater. Generally you can only go 3-15 ft down with these. Much more than that and you’ll probably need a special housing to put the camera in.

Image Stabilization: Every company has some trademarked term for it. Canon and Olympus call it Image Stabilization (IS), Nikon calls it Vibration Reduction (VR), Pentax calls it Shake Reduction (SR) and Sony calls it Super SteadyShot. What it does is mechanically move elements within a lens or in the camera body to counter act the subtle shaking of your hands. No matter how steady you think you can be, you still introduce shake into the picture if your shutter speed is too slow. Stabilization is very useful in low light situations because the camera needs to use a slower shutter speed to get a proper exposure. The slower the shutter speed, the greater the chance that the picture will be blurry because of shake.

There are three ways that Image Stabilization can be implemented:

Lens Based: This is how Canon and Nikon do it for their DSLR lenses. There is actually a little servo in the lens that moves the lens elements inside to counteract your movement. However, not all lenses have this and those that do are heavier and significantly more expensive. On the plus side, you can see the effect of that stabilization through the viewfinder on the camera.

In-Body/Sensor Based: Olympus, Pentax and Sony use this method. With these, the image sensor in the camera body actually moves to counteract your shaking. This means that every lens that you use can be image stabilized. This makes it much lighter and cheaper. Because it is the sensor that is moving you can’t actually see the stabilization at work until after you take your shot. For shooters who are used to seeing image stabilization working through the viewfinder might get nervous using this. The vast majority people buying their first serious camera won’t know the difference.

Digital Image Stabilization: This is not really image stabilization. It is kind of cheating. It is also the cheapest to implement. Thus you will only see this on Point & Shoot (PnS) pocket digital cameras. What happens here, is the camera will make the sensor more sensitive so that it can use a faster shutter speed. By using a faster shutter speed, the appearance of blur from camera shake is reduced. The trade off is that the image quality will be lowered due to increased noise (those grainy, off-colored dots in digital pictures). It is often better than nothing but still not nearly as good as the first two methods.

Which system (of the first two) results in better image quality? Neither. Both have been shown time and time again to be equally as effective. Don’t believe me? Cameralabs did a great video comparison of the systems. We personally prefer the in-body stabilization. It keeps our costs down and makes our cameras lighter. It also means that my 30 year old, manual focus 50mm lens is image stabilized.

Dust Reduction: This also has various names depending on the manufacturer. All of these systems tend to work the same way. When Dust Reduction is activated, the camera will vibrate the sensor to knock the dust off of the sensor. Dust on a sensor will result in unsightly blurry black dots on your image.

TIP: To check for dust on your sensor, take a picture of a clear blue sky. Then on your computer check for any little blackish dots on the image. If you see any, then there is dirt on your lens or dust on your sensor and you should have it cleaned.

This concludes the first part of this post. Come back tomorrow to learn about Aperture, ISO, Shutter Speed, Megapixels and more.

What Camera Should You Buy? Part 1: Serious Questions

2009-11-07T16:30:00.000-08:00

WHAT CAMERA SHOULD YOU BUY PART 1: SERIOUS QUESTIONS

Consumer Digital Photography has come a long ways since the early 90’s when cameras like the Apple Quicktake 100 or the Kodak DCS420 brought solid state imaging to Consumers.

Nowadays, the most basic $79 Point-and-Shoot (abbreviated PnS) can shoot circles around these cameras, providing that the lens is of good quality and the photographer knows their stuff.

With all of the choices out there…what camera should you buy? Well, that’s like asking what car should you buy. It’s a big question with many facets. Just as the decision to buy a vehicle, buying the proper camera should be done AFTER considerable research and some serious, honest questions. This topic is very broad and far too long to write in a single blog post. I am going to need to split this into several parts and will post the parts on at least a weekly basis.

QUESTION 1: WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS AND HOW SERIOUS ARE YOU ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY?

This question should be answered before every other question out there. If all you will do is take some snapshots of the family and pets and you will never venture out of full auto, then just about any PnS camera will do and buying a big “professional style” camera (DSLR) will not necessarily yield you any better pictures. Your main considerations at that point will be budget vs acceptable image quality. If you would like to grow in photography skills and learn how to take control of camera settings then things become more complicated. I will be making a separate post later on about what features to look for when buying a camera.

QUESTION 2: WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET

Cameras, like cars, run the gamut of prices. And just like cars, you usually (not always) get what you pay for. I will post a list of cameras broken down by price bracket later on. This question by itself is big enough to be an entire blog post. Figure out what you can spend. Consider how much the accessories are going to cost as well. Memory cards, bags, lenses, tripods, flashes all cost good money. Granted you don’t have to buy everything at once or even at all depending on your needs.

QUESTION 3: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

This is usually the first question people ask. It should really be the 3^rd. People get so caught up in numbers (which really aren’t as important as marketers would like to make you think) that often they buy way more camera than they need. I’ve heard it said (this works for both lenses and cameras) that 99% of cameras are better than 98% of all photographers. However, you do want to buy a camera that actually fits your needs.

QUESTION 4: SIZE AND FEEL

This is a question that often gets overlooked. If the camera is too bulky or uncomfortable for you to use then you will not use it terribly often. What good is a camera that isn’t taking pictures? Before you buy a camera (this isn’t always possible) you should make a serious effort to hold and play with the camera. For example, my Pentax K200D fits my hand perfectly. For my wife however, my camera is too heavy and bulky for her to use for an extended period of time. That is one of the reasons we decided to have her use the Olympus E-620. The camera was very comfortable in her hands. I can use that camera, but with my big hands the camera feels small and awkward to hold. One of the other advantages of handling a camera before you buy it is the general feel of the camera. This is primarily a personal aesthetic, but handling a camera that feels like a toy will not inspire confidence in your gear. You need to be confident in your gear.

QUESTION 5: BRAND

This in most ways is the least important question. It matters more if you are buying an SLR than a PnS. Because of that, I am going to just talk about DSLRs for a moment. Canon and Nikon are the biggest brands in Digital SLR Cameras. Just because a camera is a Canon or Nikon doesn’t make it the best one on the market for your needs. Take a good look at the feature set. Also if you have a bunch of lenses from one camera brand when you were shooting film, that should be a factor in your decision. One of the reason I decided to buy Pentax for myself is because I already have some Pentax lenses. Buying a camera is a serious commitment. Lenses cost lots of money ($130 to $8000+ per lens) and lenses from one brand usually can’t fit on a camera from another brand. Don’t buy a camera unless you are certain you are willing to stick with that brand. Converting to another brand is very, very expensive.

Click here for Part 2.1

This concludes the Part 1 of my guide to buying a camera. Next week I will post on features to consider when buying a camera. Please post any questions you have in the comments below and I will try to answer them.

Olympus announces successor to it's insanely popular EP-1

2009-11-05T07:21:00.000-08:00

Today Olympus announced the EP-2. The EP-2 has several minor improvements over the EP-2. However, depending on the user, these improvements could be significant. Click here to go the DPReview.com website for more information.

First Video Review on Youtube

2009-11-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

I will be posting more video reviews as I am able. Please subscribe to the YouTube channel.

We are LIVE!

2009-10-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the ShutterSight Photography Blog! Here we will be posting ShutterSight news updates, photography tutorials, photography news updates, photography advice and other things photography related. To stay up-to-date with the most current updates and news please subscribe to this blog using the RSS feed. This will alert you when a new item has been posted. If you are new to RSS and don’t know what it is please click "What is RSS" in the links on the right.

We are so excited to announce the official launch of our ShutterSight Photography website. We are photographers who live for the next image. Our love of life and nature inspires us to capture the ephemeral moment and share our vision with the world. Please visit our website so we can share that vision with you. You can click here or click Shuttersight Photography Home on the right navigation bar to visit our brand new website.

ShutterSight Photography currently provides Portrait and Engagement photographic services. We also sell prints of our other photographic work. Our goal is to deliver outstanding customer service at a competitive price. We know that economic times are difficult and we can custom tailor our packages to suite your individual needs.

You can purchase prints directly through our website. We sell prints from tiny wallet sizes to massive 24 x 36 inch prints. We also offer prints on several different papers as well as prints on heavy-duty mounted canvas or rolled canvas.

We invite you to visit our new website. Shuttersight Photography.

Just about there!

2009-10-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

We are within a day or two of launching our main site and officially launching this blog! We appreciate your patience.

Website Coming Soon!

2009-10-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

We are so very close to our big launch of our main website!