After taking some really great pictures with the D70, I made up my mind to "upgrade" to it's big brother, the D200.
It was not an easy decision to make. The D70 served me well, and there wasn't anything lacking in it as far as my needs are concerned. Shooting in RAW mode, I could extract every last bit of detail from the images that it brilliantly captured. Most importantly, the D200 is not cheap and represents a significant investment at $1340 + shipping.
But after getting comfortable with the D70, I felt I could use some of the pro features that the D200 brings to the table. Here are some of the reasons that I decided to upgrade. The values in bracket represent comparison with the D70.
- 10.2 megapixel sensor (6mp)
- Faster shooting at 5fps (3fps)
- Faster focusing with Multi-CAM 1000 (Multi-cam 900)
- Rugged Magnesium alloy body (plastic)
- Wider ISO range from 100-3200 (200-1600)
- Auto bracketing upto 9 shots (3)
- Ability to shoot RAW+JPEG fine (RAW+JPEG basic)
- Mirror lockup (Not available)
There are dozens of tiny improvements which makes the D200 a very superior piece of technology. And I wanted some of it!
It is probibitively expensive to buy it from the local dealer. He listed KD 570/- (after discount). That is just ridiculous as the on-line price from Amazon works out to KD 390/-. I decided to place my order with Amazon and the D200 is now on it's way.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tools of the Trade
In an earlier post, a friend asked me to post about my photographic equipment. Well, here it is.
Besides my trusty D70, these are the list of lenses, that I have collected over the period:
a) AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D. This has got to be my most favourite lens. It is so sharp and fast, that I hardly need to do any sharpening in post-processing. On a film camera, this would be a "normal" lens, but on my D70 (with it's 1.5 crop factor), this lens translates to a moderate telephoto of 75mm. Excellent for portrait work. This lens is currently the best buy from Nikon.
b) Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 ED AF-D. At around $800, this lens is not cheap, and at 2.85lb, definitely not something you can hang around your neck (unless you have a very thick neck). But it is a fast lens (f2.8), that is great for low light photography, and sports.
c) Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM. The fastest lens in my arsenal at f1.4. Great for low-light photography. It is also what photographers call a "normal" lens, because when mounted on the D70, it translates to 45mm. Great for general photography.
d) Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 HSM. Super-wide angle lens that I love for outdoor photography.
e) Nikon AF 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G. This is a great general purpose lens that I use a lot. I had purchased this along with the D70, and I must have taken atleast 80% of my photos using this lens.
f) Speedlights. As you can see, I have 3 external flashes. The main one that I mount on the camera is the SB-800. I use the other 2 flashes whenever I am doing portrait work. Simply place them on each side of the subject and I have an instant studio!. They work using wireless signals, so I can place them anywhere in the room to create creative lighting.
Besides my trusty D70, these are the list of lenses, that I have collected over the period:
a) AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D. This has got to be my most favourite lens. It is so sharp and fast, that I hardly need to do any sharpening in post-processing. On a film camera, this would be a "normal" lens, but on my D70 (with it's 1.5 crop factor), this lens translates to a moderate telephoto of 75mm. Excellent for portrait work. This lens is currently the best buy from Nikon.
b) Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 ED AF-D. At around $800, this lens is not cheap, and at 2.85lb, definitely not something you can hang around your neck (unless you have a very thick neck). But it is a fast lens (f2.8), that is great for low light photography, and sports.
c) Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM. The fastest lens in my arsenal at f1.4. Great for low-light photography. It is also what photographers call a "normal" lens, because when mounted on the D70, it translates to 45mm. Great for general photography.
d) Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 HSM. Super-wide angle lens that I love for outdoor photography.
e) Nikon AF 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G. This is a great general purpose lens that I use a lot. I had purchased this along with the D70, and I must have taken atleast 80% of my photos using this lens.
f) Speedlights. As you can see, I have 3 external flashes. The main one that I mount on the camera is the SB-800. I use the other 2 flashes whenever I am doing portrait work. Simply place them on each side of the subject and I have an instant studio!. They work using wireless signals, so I can place them anywhere in the room to create creative lighting.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Copyright infringement
I had an interesting experience of finding my photo being used without permission on a local Arabic daily newspaper, Al-Qabas.
One of my photography friend Q8e, found my picture while reading the newspaper, and sent me a Flickr e-mail mentioning the page number where the picture was published. He also took an interesting photo of the infringement and posted it here.
I posted the news about the infringement on a very popular Kuwait forum, and the forum admin immediately posted it on his even more popular blog, www.248am.com.
Needless the say, the reaction has been very interesting. I even received an email from another magazine editor denouncing this blantant violation of intellectual property rights.
I have sent an e-mail to Al-Qabas, but have yet to receive any reply.
One of my photography friend Q8e, found my picture while reading the newspaper, and sent me a Flickr e-mail mentioning the page number where the picture was published. He also took an interesting photo of the infringement and posted it here.
I posted the news about the infringement on a very popular Kuwait forum, and the forum admin immediately posted it on his even more popular blog, www.248am.com.
Needless the say, the reaction has been very interesting. I even received an email from another magazine editor denouncing this blantant violation of intellectual property rights.
I have sent an e-mail to Al-Qabas, but have yet to receive any reply.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Canon Powershot S2 IS
During my recent trip to Goa, I took along a Powershot S2 as a gift for my brother. I have always recommended this camera for beginners and I thought it would be an ideal gift for him as he loves photography.
I was truly impressed with the performance of this camera and ended up using it on many occasions instead of my D70. It's 12x optical zoom with image stabilization actually works and the shutter lag is hardly noticeable.
It's a great camera for general use. I would'nt use it for night time photography (too much noise) - but for daytime, it is truly amazing.
I was truly impressed with the performance of this camera and ended up using it on many occasions instead of my D70. It's 12x optical zoom with image stabilization actually works and the shutter lag is hardly noticeable.
It's a great camera for general use. I would'nt use it for night time photography (too much noise) - but for daytime, it is truly amazing.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
A Refreshing Break
Just returned from a short break from Goa (India). My brothers run a very successful business with everything from fine dining, river cruises, beach shacks and even Ayurvedic massages (www.bettysgoa.com). Needless to say, I was pampered to the extreme, with exotic foods and drinks and plenty of leisure activities. I think my kids enjoyed the most playing with their cousins, and having a blast at the beaches.
Here are some of the pictures I have posted to my Flickr account.
Here are some of the pictures I have posted to my Flickr account.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
National Day Celebrations
Feb 25th and 26th are the National Day/Liberation day holidays for Kuwait. Last year, the celebrations were cancelled due to the passing of the Amir of Kuwait.
This year, all the buildings are lit up with the colors of Kuwait flag and it looks like it's going to be one heck of a party. Too bad I am going to miss it, as I am travelling to India for a short break.
I did manage to shoot some late night long exposures
This year, all the buildings are lit up with the colors of Kuwait flag and it looks like it's going to be one heck of a party. Too bad I am going to miss it, as I am travelling to India for a short break.
I did manage to shoot some late night long exposures
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Photographing Sunsets...
One of the challenges of photographing sunsets is to get your metering right. To ensure this, you should point your camera straight at the sun so that the camera will get the right exposure. (WARNING: Be careful!!. If you are using an optical viewfinder, make sure the sun is not too bright as it could damage your eyes).
However, I don't like to keep the sun in the center as it creates an unappealing composition, and prefer to use the Rule of Thirds for my sunset shots.
To ensure that you get the correct exposure AND the right composition, follow these steps.
1. Point you camera straight at the sun.
2. Press the shutter release half-way to lock the focus and the exposure. (Professional cameras allow you to lock the focus separately from the exposure - but that's another story).
3. Recompose your image without letting go of the shutter release button.
4. Once you've got the right composition, press the shutter the rest of the way down to capture the final image.
Here are some of my Kuwait Sunset Pictures.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Beautiful Days
So last week, I was snoozing at home when I saw these brilliant cloud formations and not a speckle of dust or haze in sight. I jumped out of my bed and told my wife that I will be out for the evening and that she had to figure out how to spend the evening with the kids without me. Angel that she is, she agreed.
I quickly got in my car and drove to some of my favourite places. Every photo that I took was a keeper (and I must have shot over 100 pictures).
Here are some of the better ones that I posted to Flickr.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
More on the Sigma 12-24 lens.
I was very surprised to get a call from the Managing Director of Marina Waves - a very friendly lady. She had seen some of my Marina pictures and wanted to congratulate me and invite me for a party.
I went over and found lots of music and lights. I checked with the security guy and found that the party was for a new restaurant that was opening up. I could see a live band and lots of activity.
Unfortunately, I had a dinner engagement at 8 p.m., so I decided not to go inside.
I used the opportunity of flashing lights to take some pictures with the Sigma 12-24 wide angle lens.
I must admit I am falling in love with this lens.
I went over and found lots of music and lights. I checked with the security guy and found that the party was for a new restaurant that was opening up. I could see a live band and lots of activity.
Unfortunately, I had a dinner engagement at 8 p.m., so I decided not to go inside.
I used the opportunity of flashing lights to take some pictures with the Sigma 12-24 wide angle lens.
I must admit I am falling in love with this lens.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
How wide is 12mm?
Short answer: Very wide!
I recently acquired the Sigma 12-24 wide angle lens. I was in two minds whether to pick up the newer 10-20 (which is wider) but is designed only for DX sensors. On the other hand the 12-24 will work fine with a full-frame sensor or even a film camera.
But my main reason for choosing the 12-24 over the wider counterpart was that the 12-24 feels solid and professional, while the 10-20 looks like a flimsy affair.
On my Nikon D70 (with it's 1.5 crop factor), the 12-24 translates into 18-36mm. So my question should really be "How wide is 18mm?".
Even at 18mm, the lens is very wide. It is like a whole new world opening up. Till now, I have been constrained by the lack of wide angle lens in my arsenal.
Now I am looking forward to creating some dramatic looking panaromic shots.
I recently acquired the Sigma 12-24 wide angle lens. I was in two minds whether to pick up the newer 10-20 (which is wider) but is designed only for DX sensors. On the other hand the 12-24 will work fine with a full-frame sensor or even a film camera.
But my main reason for choosing the 12-24 over the wider counterpart was that the 12-24 feels solid and professional, while the 10-20 looks like a flimsy affair.
On my Nikon D70 (with it's 1.5 crop factor), the 12-24 translates into 18-36mm. So my question should really be "How wide is 18mm?".
Even at 18mm, the lens is very wide. It is like a whole new world opening up. Till now, I have been constrained by the lack of wide angle lens in my arsenal.
Now I am looking forward to creating some dramatic looking panaromic shots.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Camera advice
I recently received an email from a friend.
"Hi Cajie
How have you been? Hope you had a great time in Dubai. I love the place, even though traffic is horrible.
I have a question. I know you don't care much about P&S camera's but after seeing your results with your Casio, Iam going to ask nonetheless. My sister needs to buy one. She's moved on from a Nikon Coolpix 2200. She now wants a new one. She's concerned about size and megapixels (she won't listen to me!! ) Could you please recommend one?
Oh and how about the new Nikon D40?. I was thinking of getting into amateur DSLR myself. What say?"
Hello,
Yup, I enjoyed my time in Dubai. Connected with a very good friend who took me around. Now I am thinking of going back in Dec or Jan with my family. I have been to Dubai couple of times before but always for short business trips and never got time to look around.
Well, I am okay with P&S cameras because they serve a specific purpose and I always carry my Casio in my pocket because sometimes a photo oportunity turns up and it is better to take an average photo than no photo at all. And especially for ladies, they will want something that slips easily in their purse.
There is no specific P&S that is good. Just choose something that feels right in your hand. Current specs that will cost you in the 100 KD range ($300) is
- 6 megapixel
- 30fps video capture
- 2.5inch lcd monitor
- 3x to 4x optical zoom.
Panasonic has some interesting models that feature "Mega OIS" (optical image stabilization). If you can find a slim model that features OIS feature, I would advise to go for it - and you can pay around 20% premium for this feature.
As for the D40, before I left for Dubai, I had heard of the rumours and I see that they plan to release it in December. It is same as D50 minus some features - but the picture quality will be the same.
I would rather advise to go for a D50 with a 18-200 VR lens, and you will have an unbeatable photo-taking machine
"Hi Cajie
How have you been? Hope you had a great time in Dubai. I love the place, even though traffic is horrible.
I have a question. I know you don't care much about P&S camera's but after seeing your results with your Casio, Iam going to ask nonetheless. My sister needs to buy one. She's moved on from a Nikon Coolpix 2200. She now wants a new one. She's concerned about size and megapixels (she won't listen to me!! ) Could you please recommend one?
Oh and how about the new Nikon D40?. I was thinking of getting into amateur DSLR myself. What say?"
Hello,
Yup, I enjoyed my time in Dubai. Connected with a very good friend who took me around. Now I am thinking of going back in Dec or Jan with my family. I have been to Dubai couple of times before but always for short business trips and never got time to look around.
Well, I am okay with P&S cameras because they serve a specific purpose and I always carry my Casio in my pocket because sometimes a photo oportunity turns up and it is better to take an average photo than no photo at all. And especially for ladies, they will want something that slips easily in their purse.
There is no specific P&S that is good. Just choose something that feels right in your hand. Current specs that will cost you in the 100 KD range ($300) is
- 6 megapixel
- 30fps video capture
- 2.5inch lcd monitor
- 3x to 4x optical zoom.
Panasonic has some interesting models that feature "Mega OIS" (optical image stabilization). If you can find a slim model that features OIS feature, I would advise to go for it - and you can pay around 20% premium for this feature.
As for the D40, before I left for Dubai, I had heard of the rumours and I see that they plan to release it in December. It is same as D50 minus some features - but the picture quality will be the same.
I would rather advise to go for a D50 with a 18-200 VR lens, and you will have an unbeatable photo-taking machine
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Photography in Dubai
I went for a business trip (Gitex 2006) and was in 2 minds whether to take my Nikon dSLR along. In the end, I decided to travel light and did not carry the big camera. Instead, I took along with me a Casio EX-Z600 - my pocket point & shoot.
I regretted the decision because there are so many amazing structures that look great at night.
I was doubtful whether the Casio was up to the task of taking decent night time shots. After fiddling around the menu, I found that the best results could be obtained by setting the camera in "Night Scene" mode and placing the camera on some sturdy surface and using the self-timer mode to ensure that the shutter release does not cause a blur.
On the bright side, I found a great offer for a 12-24mm Sigma lens. When I compared the price on Amazon, I found that I got it cheaper than Amazon!.
Next time, I am taking the d70 and all my wide-angle lenses.
I regretted the decision because there are so many amazing structures that look great at night.
I was doubtful whether the Casio was up to the task of taking decent night time shots. After fiddling around the menu, I found that the best results could be obtained by setting the camera in "Night Scene" mode and placing the camera on some sturdy surface and using the self-timer mode to ensure that the shutter release does not cause a blur.
On the bright side, I found a great offer for a 12-24mm Sigma lens. When I compared the price on Amazon, I found that I got it cheaper than Amazon!.
Next time, I am taking the d70 and all my wide-angle lenses.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Panning Technique
Panning is a great way of showing subjects in motion, and to emphasize the movement of the subject. Regardless of how good you are, panning is always a hit-and-miss and you can expect some of the shots to come blurry. However, if you keep trying and follow a few simple guidelines, you should be rewarded with some great action shots.
1. Position yourself in such a way that the subject will pass directly in front of you.
2. Use a camera that supports manual focusing. If you shoot in auto-focus mode, the camera will take time acquiring focus and you will lose the shot or the focus will not be correct (unless you are using a high end professional camera). Also if you are using a small point & shoot camera, focusing is not such an issue because their tiny sensors mean the entire scene is in focus.
On the other hand, for a dSLR, the best thing to do is manually set the focus where you expect the subject to be. In this example, I focused as the drivers were passing me by, and made sure that they appeared sharp and not out-of-focus.
3. Next, you need to set you camera to shutter priority and select a slow shutter speed. A shutter speed of 1/15th to 1/30th of a second works best in these situations.
4. As the subject approaches you, follow the subject with the camera. When the subject is where the focus point is, click on the shutter button - BUT CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE SUBJECT!.
This is the key for great panning shots. As you click the shutter button, keep the camera following the subject. This way, the subject remains sharp, while the rest of the background gets blurred.
5. Practice, Practice!.
1. Position yourself in such a way that the subject will pass directly in front of you.
2. Use a camera that supports manual focusing. If you shoot in auto-focus mode, the camera will take time acquiring focus and you will lose the shot or the focus will not be correct (unless you are using a high end professional camera). Also if you are using a small point & shoot camera, focusing is not such an issue because their tiny sensors mean the entire scene is in focus.
On the other hand, for a dSLR, the best thing to do is manually set the focus where you expect the subject to be. In this example, I focused as the drivers were passing me by, and made sure that they appeared sharp and not out-of-focus.
3. Next, you need to set you camera to shutter priority and select a slow shutter speed. A shutter speed of 1/15th to 1/30th of a second works best in these situations.
4. As the subject approaches you, follow the subject with the camera. When the subject is where the focus point is, click on the shutter button - BUT CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE SUBJECT!.
This is the key for great panning shots. As you click the shutter button, keep the camera following the subject. This way, the subject remains sharp, while the rest of the background gets blurred.
5. Practice, Practice!.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Kuwait Scientific Center
The Kuwait Scientific Center (KSR) is a great place to observe a world that most of us will not get to see otherwise. It has one of the largest aquarium tanks in the middle east, plus various other smaller tanks that host a variety of sea life.
KSR is located on the Gulf Road, just after the Sultan Center, Salmiya.
For a photographer (with the right equipment), it presents a great opportunity to take pictures of an underwater world. Flash is pretty useless here (and is actually prohibited as it disturbs the fish), but that does not stop all the excited visitors from happily clicking away with their point & shoot cameras, and then wondering why their photos are not coming properly. Of course, a flash will reflect off the glass resulting in over-exposed pictures, and the picture will have a big blob of light in the middle, where the fish is supposed to be.
What you really need is a camera that can operate at high ISO, and a fast lens. When I say fast lens, I mean "really really fast"!. For this picture, I used the 50mm F1.8 prime lens, with the ISO bumped upto 1000, and the lens opened wide to its maximum aperture of 1.8.
The Nikon D70 is not a stellar performer in handling noise once the ISO goes beyond 800. I had to use Neat Image Pro to reduce to noise and apply some post-processing in Photo shop to bring out the details in this picture.
My ideal combination for shooting here would be...
A Nikon D200 with a 85mm 1.4 lens. Alas, I can afford neither at this present moment.
KSR is located on the Gulf Road, just after the Sultan Center, Salmiya.
For a photographer (with the right equipment), it presents a great opportunity to take pictures of an underwater world. Flash is pretty useless here (and is actually prohibited as it disturbs the fish), but that does not stop all the excited visitors from happily clicking away with their point & shoot cameras, and then wondering why their photos are not coming properly. Of course, a flash will reflect off the glass resulting in over-exposed pictures, and the picture will have a big blob of light in the middle, where the fish is supposed to be.
What you really need is a camera that can operate at high ISO, and a fast lens. When I say fast lens, I mean "really really fast"!. For this picture, I used the 50mm F1.8 prime lens, with the ISO bumped upto 1000, and the lens opened wide to its maximum aperture of 1.8.
The Nikon D70 is not a stellar performer in handling noise once the ISO goes beyond 800. I had to use Neat Image Pro to reduce to noise and apply some post-processing in Photo shop to bring out the details in this picture.
My ideal combination for shooting here would be...
A Nikon D200 with a 85mm 1.4 lens. Alas, I can afford neither at this present moment.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Portrait Photography
Last week, my wife wanted to renew her passport so she went to the nearby studio to take some passport-sized photos. The results came out quite unflattering. Over-exposed face, distorted perspective, wrong pose etc. etc. I would have posted the sample photo taken by the studio but I fear for my life :)Anyway, I suggested that I take the studio shot as I have the basic equipment required to take portrait photos, plus a photo printer to do the printing and a photo cutter to make it look like a professional job.
This is the first time I have attempted an actual portrait photo so I wanted to make a good job of it. I setup my blue backdrop and arranged the 2 wireless flash units on each side pointing upwards so that they will bounce off the white ceiling giving an even distribution of light. The Nikon D70 was setup with it's master flash covered with a flash diffuser pointing straight at the subject (that's my wife), but with the power reduced to eliminate over-exposure.
I fitted the camera with the superb 50mm 1.8 lens opened to it's optimum optical performance of F8. The shutter speed was manually set to 125th of a second, and the 3 flashes took care of providing the sufficient light to make this work.
The resulting photo was slightly photoshopped with some healing brush and some minor adjustments. I think I will stick to home-made portraits for the family in future.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Brazilians In Kuwait
I have not had many opportunities to use my Nikon 80-200 F2.8 lens. The football match between Kuwait & Brazil was a good chance for me to try out it's low-light capabilities.
I had previously tried photographing night-time football matches with the cheaper 70-300 lens, and had never found any photos acceptable. The lens was so slow (F5.6 at the tele end), that it made focusing virtually impossible, and the resulting images were soft and blurry.
The new lens is a stellar performer. Even without AF-S, the focusing is very fast. I mounted it on a monopod and set the ISO to 1000. The images (though a bit noisy) are tack sharp and very usable.
This lens (for approx $800) is currently the best value for money from Nikon (apart from the 50mm F1.8 - which, at $90, is the deal of the century).
I had previously tried photographing night-time football matches with the cheaper 70-300 lens, and had never found any photos acceptable. The lens was so slow (F5.6 at the tele end), that it made focusing virtually impossible, and the resulting images were soft and blurry.
The new lens is a stellar performer. Even without AF-S, the focusing is very fast. I mounted it on a monopod and set the ISO to 1000. The images (though a bit noisy) are tack sharp and very usable.
This lens (for approx $800) is currently the best value for money from Nikon (apart from the 50mm F1.8 - which, at $90, is the deal of the century).
Friday, September 29, 2006
Product Photography
We are surrounded by product photos everwhere we go. Glossy advertisements hawk all kinds of products accompanied by beautiful pictures. You really need a studio environment for product photography. The key is to control the amount of light so that it is evenly spread - something you cannot do with normal lighting or a normal flash.However, you can achieve reasonably good results at home with some creativity, and optionally - some good flash units.
I own a Nikon D70 - which is blessed by Nikon, with their CLS (Creative Lighting System). This amazingly flexible system allows you to control multiple flashes in wireless mode - and control the flash output of each flash unit independently. I have 2 SB-600 flash units, and 1 SB-800. The SB-800 acts as a "master" flash and can wirelessly control the other 2 flashes. You can find more information about the CLS system here.
I decided to use this setup to do some product photography. The first requirement for this type of work is a "light box". If you have the time and effort, you can create your own light box. I purchased mine from a local camera store. Depending on the type of products you want to photograph, you can purchase different sizes. The one used in this project is the smallest available - and is suitable for photographing small objects like mobile phones, small cameras, toys etc. The light box comes with different backgrounds that you can use depending on the type of product you are shooting. I use white background for dark objects, and vice-versa.
The light box was setup on a table, with the 2 SB-600 units on either side mounted on tripod stands. The camera was mounted with the SB-800 unit and set to "master mode". After setting up the appropriate background cloth, I place the product inside the lightbox, and then close it completely. The lightbox comes with a small slit in front to push the lens inside. Takes a little bit of trial and error to setup the correct flash output to get decent pictures. That's the great thing about digital photography. I cannot imagine doing something like this with film-based cameras!Of course, it is not mandatory to have flash units. You can achieve similar results by placing the light box in bright (and direct) sunlight. It will be hot work - and not as flexible as using the system shown above, but the results will certainly be good enough that people will ask you "How did you do that?"
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Geo-Tagging with Flickr
Geo-Tagging allows photographers to embed the details of the physical location (latitude/longtitude) from where the photo is taken. This information is usually recorded as EXIF (Exchangeable Image File) data inside the photograph.
How is geo-tagging useful?. Well, in the first place, you will be able to identify the exact location each photo was taken. Imagine being able to go back to the exact same location after 20 years and compare the scene from the original photograph. For historians, it can provide vital information on changing environment.
Most professional digital cameras can link to an external GPS unit and automatically embed the location information everytime a photo is taken.
But what about normal digital cameras that cannot record this information?. One low-tech solution is to use a stand-along GPS unit such as the SONY GPS-CS1. Just make sure the date and time on the camera is synchronized with the GPS unit and the included software will then scan your images to match the date/time with the coordinates recorded by the GPS unit.
If you have your own GPS unit, you could also record geo-tags in your images manually using an EXIF editor tool such as the Opanda Exif Editor.
But this article is not about all of the above. It is about how href="http://www.flickr.com/">Flickr has come out with a cool way of embedding geo-tags inside your photos - and the good thing is that you don't need any hardware or software to do it!
By integrating Yahoo! maps inside the Flickr photostream, users can zoom into the map to identify the spot at which the photo was taken - and simply drop the photo at that location.
Flickr automatically reads the physical coordinates and embeds them inside your photograph. Once you have geo-tagged all your photos, you can view a global map showing the locations where each photo was taken. Pretty cool!.
I have just started geo-tagging my photos. You can see an example here.
Now for the not so cool part. Yahoo! maps are'nt the best in the world (At least when compared to Google maps). Yahoo! maps are pretty detailed for the U.S. region, but fall short when it comes to the rest of the world. It would have been really cool if Flickr had integrated their
service with Google maps, but I guess that would be asking too much since Flickr is owned by Yahoo!. I only hope Yahoo! updates it's maps to be on a similar level as Google.
Secondly, Geo-tagging using satellite maps can be, at most, a task in approximation (however detailed the maps may be or may become in future). It can never replace a direct interface between the camera and a GPS unit. But in the absence of a GPS interface, it is the next best thing.
Go ahead and try it out.
How is geo-tagging useful?. Well, in the first place, you will be able to identify the exact location each photo was taken. Imagine being able to go back to the exact same location after 20 years and compare the scene from the original photograph. For historians, it can provide vital information on changing environment.
Most professional digital cameras can link to an external GPS unit and automatically embed the location information everytime a photo is taken.
But what about normal digital cameras that cannot record this information?. One low-tech solution is to use a stand-along GPS unit such as the SONY GPS-CS1. Just make sure the date and time on the camera is synchronized with the GPS unit and the included software will then scan your images to match the date/time with the coordinates recorded by the GPS unit.
If you have your own GPS unit, you could also record geo-tags in your images manually using an EXIF editor tool such as the Opanda Exif Editor.
But this article is not about all of the above. It is about how href="http://www.flickr.com/">Flickr has come out with a cool way of embedding geo-tags inside your photos - and the good thing is that you don't need any hardware or software to do it!
By integrating Yahoo! maps inside the Flickr photostream, users can zoom into the map to identify the spot at which the photo was taken - and simply drop the photo at that location.
Flickr automatically reads the physical coordinates and embeds them inside your photograph. Once you have geo-tagged all your photos, you can view a global map showing the locations where each photo was taken. Pretty cool!.
I have just started geo-tagging my photos. You can see an example here.
Now for the not so cool part. Yahoo! maps are'nt the best in the world (At least when compared to Google maps). Yahoo! maps are pretty detailed for the U.S. region, but fall short when it comes to the rest of the world. It would have been really cool if Flickr had integrated their
service with Google maps, but I guess that would be asking too much since Flickr is owned by Yahoo!. I only hope Yahoo! updates it's maps to be on a similar level as Google.
Secondly, Geo-tagging using satellite maps can be, at most, a task in approximation (however detailed the maps may be or may become in future). It can never replace a direct interface between the camera and a GPS unit. But in the absence of a GPS interface, it is the next best thing.
Go ahead and try it out.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Nikkor 80-200 F2.8
I got hold of this superb lens last month - but did not get much opportunity to use it until now. When you hold this lens in your hands, you immediately realize that this is some serious glass.
It weights in at 2.84 lb. So even if you don't get good pictures with it, you will at least build your upper body strength carrying this beast around.
This week, I got my first opportunity to use this lens. The occasion being the Independence day celebrations at the Indian Embassy. The lens was perfectly suited for the occasion. The zoom range meant that I could take portraits such as this.
At the same time, the wide aperture allowed me to throw background out of focus. Even when the lens is kept wide open at F2.8, it is beautifully sharp.
At $900, this is not a cheap lens, but at the same time, it is the best bargain Nikon has on offer for this range. The other alternative is the 70-200 AF-S VR which costs almost twice as much (approx. $1700). Optically, both lenses are about the same. The more expensive version provides faster and silent focusing, and the VR (Vibration reduction) features means that you can shoot hand-held, which is very difficult with my lens. My solution is to use a $70 Manfrotto monopod, which gets the job done.
Rating: Highly Recommended.
It weights in at 2.84 lb. So even if you don't get good pictures with it, you will at least build your upper body strength carrying this beast around.
This week, I got my first opportunity to use this lens. The occasion being the Independence day celebrations at the Indian Embassy. The lens was perfectly suited for the occasion. The zoom range meant that I could take portraits such as this.
At the same time, the wide aperture allowed me to throw background out of focus. Even when the lens is kept wide open at F2.8, it is beautifully sharp.
At $900, this is not a cheap lens, but at the same time, it is the best bargain Nikon has on offer for this range. The other alternative is the 70-200 AF-S VR which costs almost twice as much (approx. $1700). Optically, both lenses are about the same. The more expensive version provides faster and silent focusing, and the VR (Vibration reduction) features means that you can shoot hand-held, which is very difficult with my lens. My solution is to use a $70 Manfrotto monopod, which gets the job done.
Rating: Highly Recommended.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Photographers right's in Kuwait
Photographing public places in Kuwait is always a tricky thing. There are no laws (that I am aware of), that can prevent someone from taking a picture of a public building.
Even Saudi Arabia loosened it's tight grip on photography recently - allowing public buildings to be photographed.
I generally don't have any problems while photographing public places. However, on a few occasions, I have had people come up to me and question me why I am taking pictures. Few months back, while photographing this building, a woman walked up to me and wanted me to stop taking the picture because she thought that she and her friends - who were sitting nearby - might get included in the shot. I quickly took the pictures anyway, before she reached me.
This week, I was photographing the National Assembly building. I setup my tripod and the camera and started taking some long exposures. A Kuwaiti guy walks up to me and wants to know why I am taking picture of this particular building - and whether I am a presss photographer. Unfortunately for me, I don't know much Arabic and all I could communicate was that I am taking the pictures for personal use. He seemed to become suspicious and it looked like he wanted to call the cops or something. Luckily for me, my wife and kids were around, and when they walked up to me, he seemed to lose interest.
Moral of the story: When taking pictures of public places in Kuwait, it's good to have your family nearby as insurance !
Even Saudi Arabia loosened it's tight grip on photography recently - allowing public buildings to be photographed.
I generally don't have any problems while photographing public places. However, on a few occasions, I have had people come up to me and question me why I am taking pictures. Few months back, while photographing this building, a woman walked up to me and wanted me to stop taking the picture because she thought that she and her friends - who were sitting nearby - might get included in the shot. I quickly took the pictures anyway, before she reached me.
This week, I was photographing the National Assembly building. I setup my tripod and the camera and started taking some long exposures. A Kuwaiti guy walks up to me and wants to know why I am taking picture of this particular building - and whether I am a presss photographer. Unfortunately for me, I don't know much Arabic and all I could communicate was that I am taking the pictures for personal use. He seemed to become suspicious and it looked like he wanted to call the cops or something. Luckily for me, my wife and kids were around, and when they walked up to me, he seemed to lose interest.
Moral of the story: When taking pictures of public places in Kuwait, it's good to have your family nearby as insurance !
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