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Program mode - This allows you to use your SLR like a
very high quality point and shoot. It lets the camera make all the
decisions for you. In most situations the camera will be able to
choose the settings to give you a picture that is technically
"good"; in focus and properly exposed. But program
mode will rarely give you "great" photos. Great photos
still require the photographer to make creative decisions.
Aperture/Shutter priority modes - These modes allow you
to take more control over the image without worrying about
exposure. Changing the shutter speed determines whether that
soccer goalie is frozen in mid air or if her hands and feet are
blurred. Which is more desirable depends on whether you're trying
to show critical detail or convey a sense of motion. Lens aperture
determines depth of field in an image.
People get confused about this but it's a simple
concept. Think of that soccer goalie. If that image was
taken by a pro the goalie is probably very sharp and the background is
blurred. This makes the player stand out against the
background. Now think of a beautiful landscape. That image
is tack sharp from the foreground all the way into the picture.
You can control how much, or how little, of the image is in focus by how
you set the lens aperture.
Custom modes/Vari Programs - Most consumer cameras and some advanced
amateur cameras have custom modes. Custom modes are variations of
program mode that allow you to say "freeze action", or
"I'm taking portraits" and the camera will adjust itself to
expose for those situations automatically - with varying degrees of
success.
Reset button - With so many
features on new
cameras it's not unusual for people to get confused about what they've
set and what they haven't. Most cameras give you a way to get
back to the original factory settings. The only question is how
easy is it to get there? The XTsi we reviewed last month had a
reset button right on top. Great for beginners, but we thought it
was kind of a pain for advanced users since it was so easy to hit.
When all else fails, take the batteries out for 10 minutes. This
will usually reset the camera.
Built in Flash - Most consumer and advanced amateur
cameras have a built in flash. These small flash units aren't particularly
strong, they throw just enough light for fill flash at parties or for impromptu
portraits. These cameras also offer varying degrees of support for more
powerful add-on flash units. The assumption with pro cameras is that a pro
wouldn't deign to use the feeble flash power of a built in flash and that a pro
will have invested in a more powerful unit. Frankly, even though I have a
top of the line flash, I like the convenience of a built-in flash for those
candid moments.
TTL Metering - Virtually all cameras today have TTL
metering, which means that the camera measures the amount of light that is
coming Through The Lens (TTL) or in some cases the amount of light that is
actually reaching the film. Despite all the claims and counter claims
you'll find that all cameras can and will give you accurate exposure under most
conditions. The difference comes under demanding conditions such as very
low light or situations with great variations in the amount of light in
different parts of the scene. As a general rule, advanced amateur and pro
cameras will handle difficult lighting conditions better than consumer
cameras. However, the casual photographer isn't as likely
to put great demands on the camera's metering system.
Multi-Segment or Matrix Metering - Every
manufacturer offers multi-segment metering on all of their current autofocus
SLRs (all current manual focus SLRs offer center weighted
metering). Nikon refers to their multi-segment metering as matrix
metering. Multi-segment metering breaks the image up into sections and
determines correct exposure by comparing readings from each section of
the matrix against a stored database of images to determine the correct
exposure. This is a VERY simplified explanation and the details
differ with each camera model. The important thing to note is that
modern multi-segment metering is very accurate - even on entry level models.
Spot/Center Weighted Metering - Spot metering allows you
to pick a small part of the scene and tell the camera to only take a meter
reading from that spot. Imagine a person in a dark room with a single ray
of light falling on their face. Spot metering allows you to tell the
camera to only consider their face when metering. Center weighted metering
draws a big circle in the center of the image and primarily considers that area for
exposure. Center weighted metering has really become superfluous with today's
multi-segment meters but it is still preferred by some folks who've used it extensively
in the past.
Focus Tracking - Every manufacturer has a version of
focus tracking. It allows the camera to maintain focus while you follow a
moving object. Some systems are even able to maintain lock if the subject
moves behind a stationary object - picking the subject up again on the other
side.
Exposure compensation & bracketing - Exposure
compensation allows you to choose to over or under expose a single shot.
Bracketing allows you to automatically shoot above and below the camera's
suggested exposure by a set value. Some pro cameras allow you to shoot
more than one frame above, and more than one frame below the suggested
reading. Bracketing is particularly useful in low light shooting.
Flash compensation & bracketing - the same as
compensation & bracketing but applied to the strength of the flash's
output. Allows you to experiment with what levels of flash look most
natural.
Advanced Flash control - Only an issue with advanced and pro
cameras. Today's external flash units are very sophisticated. They
can be used alone, with other flashes, or in concert with studio flash and
lighting. The best cameras allow you to control all aspects of your flash
setup from the camera. Those that don't, require you to set each individual
flash by hand for these types of setups.
Viewfinder coverage and diopter adjustment - tells you if
you see everything that is going onto the film. Most consumer and amateur
cameras only show you about 90% of what actually goes onto the film. This
makes up for the part of the image that is hidden behind the matting if you're
framing the picture. Pro cameras typically show 100% of what is going onto
the film to give the pro complete control with no guesswork. Diopter
adjustment allows you to compensate in the viewfinder if your eyes are less than
perfect so the image will always appear sharp in the viewfinder - even if
your eyes aren't.
Shutter speed - What is the fastest shutter speed your
camera is capable of? Manual student cameras and consumer cameras usually
have a top speed of 1/1000th to 1/2000th of a second. Advanced amateur
cameras usually top out at around 1/4000th. Pro cameras are currently in
the 1/8000th to 1/10,000th of a second range. Frankly unless you're doing
a lot of high speed work you'll rarely (if ever) shoot above 1/2000th of a
second. If you need really fast shutter speeds you'll know it. At
the other end of the spectrum it's nice to have a camera that can do long
exposures for nightscapes. Many cameras will support shutter speeds longer
than their slowest marked speed if left in program or night scene modes. Virtually
all cameras have a "bulb" setting which allows you to keep the shutter
open as long as the shutter button (or cable release is pressed).
Film advance - How many pictures per second can your
camera take? Fast frame rates are especially useful for sporting
events. For example; we've all seen series of images of a batter's swing as
he contacts the ball. Fast frame rates allow you to take similar
images. Expect a rate in the one frame per second range for consumer
cameras, 2.5 to 4 frames per second for amateur cameras, and 8 frames per second
and up for pro cameras.
DX Range and ISO compensation - Don't worry about DX
range. Today's SLRs will handle pretty much any film speed you want to
throw at them unless you're getting into something really exotic. More
useful is ISO compensation. It's not unusual for experienced photographers
to set the film speed for slides 1/3rd of a stop under it's rated speed (i.e..
setting the camera for ISO 80, when the film's rated speed is ISO 64).
This gives more saturated colors in the final image. The same effect can
be achieved by rating negative film 1/3rd to 1/2 stop faster than it's rated
speed. Not all cameras offer this option, particularly consumer
cameras. This is because consumer shooters aren't likely to want to use
this feature as their primary concern is usually ease of use.
Depth of field preview - A rare function these days but a
great learning tool. Depth of field preview allows you to preview what
parts of the image will be sharp before you press the shutter.
Variable focus points - Many advanced and pro cameras,
and even some consumer cameras allow you to pick a spot other than the center of
the image as the point of focus. The spot that you've picked usually glows
in the viewfinder to let you know what spot you're using. Canon has a
unique system that watches your eye to determine what part of the viewfinder
you're looking at, and automatically sets the focus there.
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