The Gray Card in Digital Photography

When taking digital photographs, a grey card can be an essential accessory in creating white balance and getting precise representation of colour. A digital camera will record the colour of light very accurately. The eye and brain are extremely adaptable to variations; digital is not, it records what is there. Something might look white to us, but if it has a colour cast, that will show on the digital file.

By using a grey card, the camera can be set to a true white balance, resulting in a more accurate recording of all the colours. This is particularly important when there is mixed light from different sources. There might be a mixture of daylight and tungsten and even a bit of fluorescent thrown in.

A grey card is a piece of card which is grey. These days, they are often made of a more durable material than card but they will be a neutral grey. The older photographic grey cards are not suitable because they are not neutral enough. They were used for judging exposure rather than judging a white balance and colour neutrality.

Photographic grey cards have a reflective surface of 18%. Digital grey cards usually have a reflective surface of 18% or 25%. That doesn't matter; what does matter is their accuracy, they must be neutral grey.

The grey card is put into the image so that the light falling on the subject also falls on the grey card. The white balance reading is taken from the card. The photograph should be taken in Raw and not as a JPEG in camera.

Short of using a proper copying bench with flash or tungsten lighting, then the best way to photograph a painting is outside. Choose a bright day with diffused light, and be out of direct sunlight. The only way to make an accurate white balance is to use a grey card.

The sample on the left uses a card with a true white, an 18% grey and a black. Setting the image to these tones will give as accurate interpretation of the colours as possible. Without a grey card there is no chance of getting the colours of the paints looking like the originals.

Where lighting conditions are completely controllable, such in a studio, a grey card is still an essential gadget. Exposure and colour balance need to be consistent in every image. Relying on the camera's automatic reading of the conditions means that when the subject is changed, the readings will change. With a grey card, the digital photographer can take a specific reading from a single target point and the resulting settings for the white balance will be good for all the images in that lighting, even when the subject matter is changed.

Two objects might look the same colour in one type of light, but can look different colours in a different light source. For example, a matching scarf and handbag might look different colours in a second type of light. This is due to the amount of ultra-violet light the objects absorb and reflect. Using the grey card can help minimize the problems here.

The Cube takes the grey card to a more precise level. The six sides of the cube are black white and grey; but it also has other features.

A Cube is particularly useful in a studio environment.

• The top chrome ball will catch specular highlights which is an extreme highlight containing no detail.
• The white face is the brightest highlight still retaining useful detail.
• The grey face is an 18% grey for setting mid-tone neutrality and colour temperature.
• The black face is for the shadow, still retaining some shadow detail.
• The black hole, referred to as the Black Trap, is an absolute black and is used as a reference point for the black face.

Read More..

Photo Tips - Digital SLR

Digital SLR is the abbreviation for Digital single lens reflex camera. Aperture, shutter and image sensor works together for the operation to complete. The operation happens repeatedly over a time and takes only milliseconds for the operation to complete. There is a mirror which reflects the luminosity coming through the fixed lens upwards at ninety degree angle. SLR is frequently selected by qualified still photographers for the reason that allows a precise sample of framing close to the instant of publicity. Gains popularity because it permits the customer to decide from a multiplicity of exchangeable lenses. A large amount of those furthermore encompasses a purpose that allows correct preview of intensity of field. The expression in general refers to cameras that bear a resemblance to 35mm format cameras.

The major disparity between this brand and an ordinary digital point and shoot camera is nothing but a reflex design scheme. This scheme characteristically exposes the feeler continuously to the light anticipated by the lens. This allows the camera's screen to be used for electronic viewfinder. The cross-section usually the side view of the visual mechanism of an SLR shows how the light bypasses through the lens congregation. Characteristically makes use of a phase detection auto focus system. This technique of focus is very speedy and consequences in a smaller amount of focus "searching". It requires the integration of an extraordinary sensor into the optical pathway and so it is used in single lens reflex designs. Digital cameras that make use of the chief sensor to generate an existing preview on the LCD or electronic viewfinder require to bring into play the slower contrast method of auto focus. The electronic view finders in other cameras may cause eye strains, but in the case of digital SLR it doesn't happen. The correct representation to facilitate the image will be open to the elements for the reason that its light is routed directly from the lens itself. In comparison with some of the low cost cameras that offer a visual viewfinder, the design has the benefit of avoiding parallax error. Another advantage is that its ability to provide a brighter show in little light situation.

The majority of the admission level uses a pent mirror as an alternative to the conventional pent prism. The pent mirror plan is poised regularly of synthetic and is lighter and inexpensive to produce. On the other hand the image in the viewfinder is frequently mysterious to understand and see. Image sensors used in Digital SLR come in a variety of dimensions. The size of the image sensors is extremely large sometimes and the sensors are larger than many other cameras that are available in the market.

Read More..

Don't Buy a Minolta SLR Camera Before Reading This

The Minolta XD-7 is known as the first auto SLR camera which brought full multimode for users. It brought end to the problem of having to choose between aperture preferred or shutter-speed preferred because you could choose either. It was said that the camera was a replica in comparison to the Canon A-1, although most said the Canon offered more than the XD-7.

The camera was always generally a mid-priced camera. Minolta was one of the first cameras to kick start the multimode automation in SLR cameras, alongside Canon. The multimode future was being stressed a lot by manufacturers and advertisers, and customers did not understand. Most people nowadays claim the automation did/does not benefit the user of the camera. Many people feel that they are not as user friendly compared to the simple SLR cameras made previously. Users were getting confused at the idea of the automation feature. Many preferred a simple "point and shoot cameras", rather having to learn how to use the complicated auto SLR cameras. Soon, Minolta came up with a solution for this. In 1981, they released a midrange SLR camera. It had consumers shocked and excited because the camera went back to the basics, where user friendliness was the priority. The camera was a big seller, and it was one of the most successful cameras of the time.

The camera is known for bringing an exciting atmosphere to the somewhat boring photography market during that time In the 80's. It set a trend for many cameras to come, as it was easy to use, user friendly, with no strings attached. The camera also had a "fun" feature to it, in which it had three exposure control modes. Many users like this because it was quite basic. The system used by the camera (called MPS), works on a basic focus and shoot. The shutter and aperture speed are set over a wide range automatically, while viewfinder readout speeds being set simultaneously. The system used was made to be able to keep the fastest speeds as light dims, and would beep so the photos do not turn out blurry (if the camera was not still).

Many people call it one of the best cameras made. As said before, it set a trend, and without the XD-7, many of the features we have nowadays would not be as advanced as they are. The XD-7 was a revolutionary camera.

Getting the perfect Minolta camera, is never an easy thing, especially with the way digital technology is constantly changing. Fortunately, there are plenty of helpful websites online, that can narrow down your search and help you find the Minolta camera with all the features important to you

Read More..