Here’s a quick video tutorial exploring the topic of focal length of lenses for portrait photography.

Portrait Photography Tips

I think it’s important to emphasise (as they do at the end of the video) that there are times when it’s good to shoot with a wide angle lens – but there are also some real benefits of longer focal lengths.

The lens being used in the video is a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS – one of my own favourite lenses also not only because of the focal length but how fast it is.

Earlier in the week on Twitter I asked those following the DPS twitter account what point and shoot digital camera they’d buy if they had to buy one today as a secondary camera to their DSLR.

Quite a few people responded but one camera was mentioned again and again (by over 25% of those who responded) – the Canon Powershot G11.

Interestingly the camera is yet to be released (it’s due to ship any day now from Amazon) and so the responses are soley based upon specifications and the reputation of its predecessor the G10.

You can see the full list of suggested point and shoot cameras here.

What point and shoot camera would you buy if you had to get one today?

Released earlier this year, the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM is a mouthful to say but a true pleasure to work with.  I begrudgingly write this review because it means I have to send the test lens back to Sigma….

…and I really don’t want to!

I had the task of testing this lens on a recent trip through the Gulf Islands in British Columbia, Canada and would like to relate my findings ‘in the real world’.

But first, some of stats for those that thrive on numbers.

This lens has 13 elements in 10 groups.  If that doesn’t wow you, then maybe the fact that it has seven diaphragm blades will!  It weighs in at just over a lb/half kilo (18.3oz or 520g) and is 3.4″x3.5″ (87.3mmx88.2mm) small.  It uses an 82mm filter and comes with a petal-type hood.  Minimum focus distance is 9.4″/24cm and the field of view is an astounding 63.8-102.4 degrees.

Oh!  And to decipher the lens’ name:

• 10-20mm – This lens zooms from 10-20mm.  That’s the easy one.
• f/3.5 – This lens has a maximum aperture of 3.5 across the entire zoom range.
• EX – Sigma has a special external coating showing its superior build.
• DC – This is a lens intended for digital cameras with an APS-C size sensor.
• HSM – Hyper-Sonic Motor.  While not silent, this motor is quieter than a standard zoom motor.

All of these stats can be had on Sigma’s website.  I hope I didn’t bore those of your not into stats.  If you’re still reading, let’s take a look at some photos!  WARNING: Images are 15MP large.  Clicking on each picture will download a full sized image.  All images are copyrighted by Hidden Creek Photography.

I found the Nikon D5000 to be a most interesting camera with an impressive feature list. It sits between base-level and top notch models, so it should have wide appeal.

Nikon D5000 Features

The camera uses a DX-sized 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor and 12-bit analog-to-digital conversion, backed up by Nikon’s EXPEED image processing system. The same sensor is found in the Nikon D90: 23.6×15.8mm and producing an effective picture angle of 1.5x, so an 18-55m kit lens equates (in 35 SLR terms) to a 27-83mm zoom.

These days there are many good options available for RAW conversion software. Photoshop has Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe also has Lightroom and Apple’s offering of Aperture being a few popular choices. However the professional photographers software of choice for many years has been Capture One which is made by PhaseOne who you may recognise from also making top end digital backs for medium format cameras. So it would make sense for the same manufacturer to also make a top end piece of software to accompany it’s hardware.

I have been a Lightroom user for many years and was more than happy with the level of control I had over my imagery. There is one fundamental function missing though. Tethering. What is tethering? Rather than recording your imagery to your memory card in your camera, you connect your camera to your computer and the images record directly to your computer via a piece of software. The Pro version of Capture One combines the Raw processing work flow with the ability to tether.

Shooting Tethered

A majority of photographers will head out with their camera kit, armed with a bag full of memory cards and take their photos and when they get home download their images to their computer and view them from there. LCD screens are getting bigger, brighter and more accurate these days, but still for critical work, apart from looking at your histogram to make sure you aren’t blowing out the highlights or bogging in the shadows it’s not a fail-safe option. Some may say that digital photography and shooting in RAW has made photographers a little lazy as most imagery can be altered or fixed easily in RAW processing. We’ll leave that can of worms closed for now though.