Experimenting with a new camera

[uncbob]

Wish this site allowed bigger pictures or the ability to click on the image to get bigger pictures

[richg]

Wish this site allowed bigger pictures or the ability to click on the image to get bigger pictures

Not a problem. Download the photo to your PC and use a photo editing program to make the photo larger. I do that a lot.
I use an application called Gimp, a free download to handle photos.

http://wisedownloads.com/Go/gimp/?subid=gimp%20free%20download&source=bing_gimp-search-gimp-us_11

I have used it for about six years. Though I use the LInux version, my stepson uses it in his Windows PC.

Rich

[uncbob]

Does it make it larger if the original picture as uploaded was not larger

[richg]

Does it make it larger if the original picture as uploaded was not larger

Yes it does, that is what I meant my making it larger with a photo editing application like Gimp.
Your PC no doubt has a simple photo application that will do some enlarging.
Up to a point though, you will lose resolution so you have to play around with the application.
Download the photo. Put the pointer over the file name and right click. I think your PC will say, Open and might show one or two applications in your PC that handles photos.
Be adventurous. I am almost 71 and still looking for challenges like this.

Rich

[uncbob]

Well on the MRR site you can click on the pic to get the Original size that was uploaded
That is what I want and meant
Not trying to enlarge a pic that was small to begin with

[blwfish]

Jon, how far down will your lens go?  F-8 is still considered a somewhat wide opening; I have lenses on my old 35mm cameras that go down to F-22.  

The sensor has an impact on this too.  Smaller sensors effectively create more depth of field.  (Not literally, but effectively.)  Most point-and-shoots use tiny sensors that ensure that one doesn't need to stop down nearly as far to attain deep DOF; moreover diffraction softens the image if you do stop down, so the builders typically don't even allow much stopping down.

[blwfish]

This discussion will help me buy a new Nikon. My two year old Nikon S6000 somehow ened up with a tiny scratch of the lens. I think once or twice the lens cover did not shut all the way and sometning in the bag put a scratch on the lens. I doubt any camera shops take care of this anymore, at least for inexpensive digital cameras.

If it is indeed a tiny scratch, it almost certainly won't have any real impact on the output.  Scratches have to be pretty enormous to have material change on the resulting negative or file.

[on30gn15]

Rich, all digital cameras leave data on the file. If you want to view it, first you need to save the picture to your HD, then right click on the file, chose "Properties", select the "Details" tab, then scroll down until you reach the "Camera", and there you are!
It's a great tool to use when you seen a great picture and am curious about the camera and the settings used.

This is what that looks like
And if you hit the F19 key it'll even tell you what you had for breakfast three weeks ago last Tuesday.

[jonathan]

Thanks for the illustration.  Sometimes the tech part scares me a bit, 'cause I'm getting older no doubt.  Sometimes I'm really wowed by what can be done.

BTW the 232 page manual is all english.  Camera came with a CD with the other languages available.  Lots of reading to do...

Regards,

Jonathan

[on30gn15]

Sometimes I'm really wowed by what can be done.

BTW the 232 page manual is all english. 

Got a little Canon SX, ISX, or something, 110 in fall 2009 among other things bought, including Bachmann trains  with some disability settlement money and I still don't know everything it can do. And yeah, it's got about that size manual --> even with the text in something like 3 point type 

These digital cameras are a blast, though - this joker has already had something like 9300 images and videos run through it.

[ebtnut]

I finally dove deeply into the digital realm.  I've been using several point-and-shoots for the past several years, but have kept my old Nikon 2020 35mm camera for "serious" work.  The small digital cameras have some advantages - because most of them have very wide-angle lenses with realtively small effective f-stops, you can do some very nice model pics with them.  The down-side for me is trying to do action photos of the real thing out in the field.  Trying to see your subject on those screens in bright daylight will try your soul.  That coupled with the fact that some of them have a shutter delay (the shutter doesn't click precisely when you push the button) and it can be tough.  Just bought a Nikon 3000 digital single-lens reflex from a camera store bankruptcy sale (30% off) that solves most of those issues.  One thing it doesn't do is videos, but I can live with that.

[richg]

This discussion will help me buy a new Nikon. My two year old Nikon S6000 somehow ened up with a tiny scratch of the lens. I think once or twice the lens cover did not shut all the way and sometning in the bag put a scratch on the lens. I doubt any camera shops take care of this anymore, at least for inexpensive digital cameras.

If it is indeed a tiny scratch, it almost certainly won't have any real impact on the output.  Scratches have to be pretty enormous to have material change on the resulting negative or file.

The scratch is nearly in the center of the lens. It slightly blurs whatever is at the spot. It is noticeable. Sort of like blurring you see in a TV video where the persons face is blurred but not quite that much. I have to make sure what I am taking a picture of is not in that spot. I can see the slight blur in the camera screen is why I mentioned looking for a new camera. Videos not really an issue.

Rich

[blwfish]

Perhaps the tiny sensor is "helping" to make it visible, in effect by having great depth of field. 

[ebtnut]

Story from the old days that might apply here.  The old Nikon 2020 I mentioned above has an autofocus feature.  Soon after I got it I was out taking train pics.  I had real nice shot lined up near a grade crossing.  As the train approached, I put the camera up to my eye.  The autofocus suddenly decided that I was supposed be taking a pic of a bit of a weed about 3 feet in front of me - good-bye pic!  Maybe the focus sensor is trying to focus on that scratch.

[richg]

Story from the old days that might apply here.  The old Nikon 2020 I mentioned above has an autofocus feature.  Soon after I got it I was out taking train pics.  I had real nice shot lined up near a grade crossing.  As the train approached, I put the camera up to my eye.  The autofocus suddenly decided that I was supposed be taking a pic of a bit of a weed about 3 feet in front of me - good-bye pic!  Maybe the focus sensor is trying to focus on that scratch.

Thanks to both about the auto focus. I will look into that.

Rich