This is my review of the book.

When I saw the word “masterclass”, images of Masterchef Australia immediately flooded my mind. Why? It’s because at the end of the week, the judges give a cooking masterclass to all the contestants.  So that word whetted my appetite and I tell you, I am not disappointed.

The book covers every conceivable style and subject on photography. From sports photography to photo journalism, the book teaches something about a particular style and subject.  The book is not technical so for those of you who are looking for a book full of f/stops, apertures and Kelvin calculations, then this book is not for you. Rather, the book teaches techniques on how to visualize a shot, compose it then create it – much like the masterclass of that famous cooking completion that I mentioned earlier. Mind you, it’s not just Tom Ang who shares techniques but a whole lot of famous photographers – 20 of them in fact.

Basically, the book has the following flow: introduction to style and subject, tutorial of techniques, image analysis, a photo assignment (yes, you read it right) and behind the scenes. Intros of style and subject express how Tom Ang “sees” or feels about the subject – and is full of interesting quotes. For example, in sports photography, Tom Ang says that “it takes focus…to maintain a hair-trigger responsiveness to catch a crucial moment, which could occur without warning and be over in a second.” If you think of it, there is truth to this statement. Every intro on a style and subject has these “quotes” that will make you stop and think. What I also like about the intro section it that it enumerates key moments for the style and subject. For example, I didn’t know that a Brit took the first underwater photo (of a seaweed) off the waters of Weymouth, England in 1856.

The tutorials section is also full of interesting quotes and the best one I liked states that “the photographer’s most powerful tool is restless vision, and the more restless, the better.” If you think if it, there is truth to this because a “restless vision” is our drive and passion to improve – to see things in a different angle or perspective that hasn’t been tried before. Tutorial sections are full of concise but very informative knowledge on what variables should a photographer consider for a shot, how to interpret those variables and how to make them work to create the “perfect” photo. As there is no tongue-twisting technical jargon and brain-crunching technical formulas to wrap one’s head around, the techniques are pretty easy to understand and to follow.

I’ve a modest collection of photography books (not that those helped me to improve in anyway) and this book is the first book on photography I have that devotes a couple of pages for image analysis for each and every style and subject. The way the image for analysis is presented is that the image is divided using the rule of thirds, so there are nine sections and four crucial sections are selected for analysis.  I think this is brilliant because it allows the reader to “wander” around the image, visually absorb the composition then read how four crucial sections of the frame made the photo a success. To be honest though, I wish that there would have been “more meat” for each analysis as it would leave the reader wanting for more. However, I think that the brevity of the analysis is one of the beauties of this book – it makes me think.

Every time I finish a section and I start a new one, there’s one part of the new section I look forward to reading: the assignment. Each style and subject has a couple of pages where the reader gets the “chance” to practice what he/she had read on the intro and tutorial pages. The assignments are short, simple and direct. Every assignment has a brief on the task that needs to be done and some tips on how one can choose to approach assignment. It doesn’t spoon feed but lets the reader have a nice bite to chew on. Again, very much like Masterchef wherein a contestant gets to look at the dish, taste it, listen to tips on how the dish is created then cook the dish based on the contestant’s interpretation on how the dish was constructed.  As an added treat for each assignment section, there’s an accompanying photo from a “must see master”. The “must see master” is a photographer internationally known for the images he/she produces for the style and subject being taught. As the images from these masters are brilliant, it will definitely give the reader a “kick start” on how to approach the assignment and inspiration on how to complete it.

Now there’s the “behind the scenes” section. As I had mentioned earlier, works of 20 of the most accomplished photographers in the world are featured on this book and I believe that a lot of content on the tutorial sections are contributions of these photographers. For every style and subject, there is a featured photo by one of these photographers and “behind the scenes” shows how these photographers arrived at the photo, a timeline of the series of actions that the photographer took to create the photo in-focus. I think the approach to have a “behind the scenes” section in a book like this is a delight because I got to read about and see (through accompanying photos) how each photographer worked to create and make the shot. It gave me more appreciation on the importance of legwork and doing one’s homework before each shoot. While this section doesn’t directly give tips, it will help the reader come-up with several methods on how he/she thinks the photographer came up with the shot i.e. again, helping the reader think.

Is this the best book on the subject of photography I’ve ever read? Well no because of two reasons: one, I haven’t read every book about photography and two, the word “best” is highly subjective. However, this book is one of the better books on photography that I own and liked and is definitely work my few hundred quid. Is this book for everybody? I think it is but if you’re a tech geek who’s into f/stop and aperture number crunching or a product fan-boy who only reads photography books if your favorite camera brand is featured, this book might not be for you.

So who is this book for? I think this book is for those of us who like to be guided but also like to figure/discover things on our own and for those of us who believe that knowing technical stuff is only a third of the battle and that the other 2/3 is about vision and creativity.

Highly recommend read!

Let me get this out first: I’ve no brand bias. I don’t care which brand it is as long as the product suits the requirements. Some of my friends think that, because I use gear from a well known brand, my recommendation tend to suit that brand but that’s just pure hogwash. Anyway, enough about me and let’s get this thing started.

Tip #1: Answer the Perennial Questions

I always ask these three questions to would-be 1^st time DSLR owners:

• Why do you need one?
• What can a DSLR do for you that your P & S can can’t?
• How often would you use it?

I think that, for the would-be 1^st time owner, it is important to answer these three questions. Allow me to explain a bit (based on experience with friends).

When I ask the first question, a lot of my friends don’t have any solid answer. Some of them even haven’t thought of this idea. My analogy for this is buying a shoe. Suppose that you’re a not so athletic type but has a pair of good sneaks. One day, you decide to want to get a pair of high-end basketball shoes. Thing is, you don’t play basketball. So, what do you need it for? Sure, it might look good on you but is that it? Just for looks? Let’s apply this logic (however flawed it may be) to a DSLR. If you’re just buying a DSLR for looks then you’d miss out on the chance to learn what the DSLR can offer you. I’ve several friends who have upgraded to DSLRs but either doesn’t use them (just wanted to own one – nothing bad with this though) or just acts as an over-sized bling around the neck. Sure it looks good but looking good with one will not translate to better pictures.

When I ask the 2^nd question, the answer that I often get is this: “I need a DSLR to take better pictures”. For me, this is like saying that high-end Air Jordan’s will make one a better ball player. It doesn’t equate. I even get the answer “Because DSLRs now offer HD movie mode”. Good point but the follow-up questions that I usually throw are “How often do you shoot movies?” “How often do you need HD for your movie?” and “Do you even have a TV that is fully HD?” I think you know where I’m getting at so, for this question, I’ll stop right here.

Finally, there’s the 3^rd question. This is a good question to ask I think because when I ask it, I never could get a straight answer.  Some would answer “only during special occasions” or “only when my family and/or I travel”. Let’s take on the 1^st one: only during special occasions. My usual follow-up questions are “How often do these occasions occur?” and “When you shoot during these special occasions, where do you often place yourself to take a photo?” If the answer to the 1^st follow-up Q is “once or twice a year” then maybe you don’t need a DSLR as it would be just gathering dust somewhere. Now, of the answer is “more than 5x a year” then maybe you need one. Then again, there’s that question “why do you need one?” I think you get my point.

If you find yourself shooting at short distances (10ft or less), then I think the “lowly” P & S cam might be more than suffice – provided that your P & S cam has more than 4x zoom. Now, if it’s greater than 10ft, then maybe there is a need for a DSLR but there are P & S cameras in the market today that have 10-15x optical zoom yet cost half than a DSLR but can produce the same image quality that a DSLR can.

Now for the question “only when my family and/or I travel”. Here’s another set of questions: “how often would you go on travel and if you do travel, do you prefer to travel light or would you not mind carrying an extra bag for the DSLR?” If you always prefer to travel light with only a small suitcase and a small carry-on bag, then lugging around an extra bag with camera stuff might not be for you. If you’re planning to bring a camera with you on every travel you make, then it might be practical to bring a smaller, lighter camera. Depending on where you travel, a DSLR can be a magnet for thieves.

Bottom line for this first tip: define and quantify your need.

Tip #2: Do Your Homework

The DSLR market is large so there are many DSLRs that are available for the 1^st time owner – from the “budget DSLR” to the very high end.  One of the things I recommend any 1^st time DSLR buyer would do is read-up on what is available on the market. Reading up will provide answers to all of the following questions:

• Which system suits my (identified) needs best?
• Which system I am familiar or comfortable working with?
• Which system or camera line fits my budget?
• Which system or line has the right availability of lenses and accessories that I would want/need?
• What do my friends or family members use?
• Which vendor offers the best overall deal for me?
• (Since looks always come into play) Which camera model will look good around my neck?

Not doing your homework prior to any purchase of a gadget as “expensive” as a DSLR is tantamount to not being properly informed of what you’re getting into. There are people who just buy on gut feel, right out of the bat. Nothing wrong with this though but often than not, this is a hit-and-miss kind of deal i.e. you might not get what you really needed and wanted. It’s best to get familiarized on what is out there for you, how much it costs, who are the reliable vendors out there and what do your friends and/or family commonly have in use. Information like these would be invaluable as it will give you the information you need to make an intelligent and practical purchase. If there is a piece of information that either gets you stumped or totally don’t know, then don’t be afraid to ask questions from people who you know can provide answers to your questions.

Get as much information as you can and get well rounded on your research. Don’t be swayed by “brand loyalists” or fan-boys that have not used the brand they swear their lives to extensively. If there are users or photographers preferring a specific brand, it is because these folks have used that brand extensively and are experienced enough to have a particular “bias” towards that brand based on their usage – not yours. So don’t get caught up in the brand war.

Bottom line for this second tip: it is best to be well informed that to be sorry later.

 Tip # 3: Buy and Forget

As my buddy, David Tong, would say “buy it then forget”. I know a couple of people who, after buying their 1^st DSLR, immediately regret the purchase because of any or all of the following reasons:

• Saw a person somewhere that has a “better looking camera”
• Met a person that says his/her (the new owner) camera sucks and he/she should have bought this or that
• Read somewhere that a newer model is coming soon so it would have been better to wait
• Isn’t exactly what I wanted or imagined it to be

Here’s the thing: there would always be people with better and/or more expensive gear. You needs are different from that persons needs. Your reason for buying the camera is different from the reason why that person bought his/her camera. Your budget was different from his/hers. My advice: stop comparing because if you do, you’ll never stop comparing and will always end-up dissatisfied with what you purchased.

Here’s another thing: there would always be a newer model coming out.  If you regret your 1^st DSLR purchase because a new model is coming out, then you’ll probably regret purchasing those undies of yours because there would be a “new and better, more comfortable” model” that would be out soon.  If you will have the mentality “I’ll wait for the new one before I purchase”, then you’d wind up not getting anything because you’ll always keep waiting. If you have done your homework and did it properly, go make that purchase then move on forward. If you’re not happy with the purchase, then why did you purchase it in the first place? So stop regretting and stop comparing.

Bottom line for this tip: the best camera for you is the camera you are best happy with.

At the end of the day, the DSLR is just a tool – and you’re only good as much as how you know how to properly use the tool and know its capacities and limitations. Getting that 1^st DSLR should not be a pain in the arse as others would think. It’s actually quite simple just as long as you’ve done your homework and you are properly informed. David has an excellent article on the same topic so I recommend that you check it out as well.

Learn how to use what your DSLR can offer, learn how photography works, learn the art of composition and learn all about light (photography is, after all, about light).  If you learn all of these and use what you learn properly, then you’ll produce brilliant photos that would make people go “Wow!” and think that you probably own an expensive DSLR with all the bells and whistles. And I think this is what you want to achieve in the end.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Related post: Beginner’s DSLR 101 – Accessorizing your New DSLR – What to (possibly) Buy Next 

Canon and Sony spear head the march and 2011 is no exception. At the beginning of the year, both Canon and Sony announced that they will release several new camera models to the market. March 2011 saw the release of the Canon Powershot A1200 while Sony released its Cybershot W510 to the market this month (May). This is my quick and dirty review of these two cameras.

Both cameras fall into the “entry level” category as a no thrill, no frill P&S camera targeted for the casual user who doesn’t want to fidget with a maze of settings and just wants to take pictures. I think both Canon and Sony target first time camera owners as the market for these two models – first time owners who don’t want to spend a lot of money yet want camera that produces good images and is easy to use. As far as price goes, these to cameras are relatively inexpensive. The Canon Powershot A1200 retails for about US$ 106 – 115 while the Sony Cybershot W510 retails for about US$ 95 – 110. If I compare these cameras to a basic Swiss army knife, it does what it is supposed to do – cut and a few other tricks but not much else.

Build

Canon Powershot A1200

The Canon feels like a plastic toy without the batteries. Insert the batteries, the A1200 feels like a “proper camera” i.e. small with a solid feel but light enough to carry around. The matte silver finish expounds the plasticky feel and look of the camera. I think that in terms of look, the A1200 would have been much better if Canon did a brushed metal finish instead of matte silver. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that the A1200 is ugly because it’s not. It would just look much better if the finish was different.

The buttons (for adjusting settings) are placed at the back of the camera. I find the arrangement of the buttons kind of cramped and could be a challenge for users who have large hands/fingers. The triangle-shaped on/off button as well as the shutter button are placed on top of the camera. The buttons don’t bulge out but are easy enough to depress. The camera has no grip. The battery compartment at the right side of the camera makes for the grip and does a good job at it. With the grip and the nice placement of the shutter button, one hand shooting should be easy. There as one time I had the camera on for more than 10 minutes when I noticed that the “grip” was getting warm. I thought it was a defect but Canon said that it is not and that this “behavior” is normal.

Sony Cybershot W510

The Sony is sleek and is in matte black (although there are several colors available). This finish sort of gives a visual illusion that the camera is not made from plastic. Unlike the A1200, the W510 relatively feels the same – in spite of its size, the camera has a surprisingly good solid feel. The W510 is narrower and thinner compared to the A1200 so putting the camera inside the breast or pants pocket won’t produce much of a bulge. I think the ladies would like the size of this camera is it can fit inside a small purse. Like the Canon A1200, the buttons are found at the back. Placement of the buttons are quite evenly spaced although the small sizes of each button is a bit of a downer as it kind of makes the buttons difficult to press. The on/off button and shutter button are flush on top of the camera. Easy enough to access and to press but could be a bit if a challenge for users with big fingers.

The camera has no resemblance of a grip so holding it with one hand while shooting would be quite difficult as the shutter button is placed near the top-right side corner. I tried several times but the camera had a tendency to slip from my hands. As I have said, I have small hands so I could just imagine the experience for users who have big hands or long fingers. The camera is definitely for a two-handed operation.

Features

Canon Powershot A1200

One thing that caught my immediate attention when I was unpacking the Canon was that it has a Mode button. With the mode button, users can easily switch from the eight modes (Program, Live, Auto, Easy, Scene, Effects, Discreet and Movie Mode) available with just a turn of a dial – no deep menus to fiddle with. With practice, one can switch from one mode to another without taking his/her eyes away from the LCD screen. Not is all fun and games though. I found out that the mode dial produced a very audible “click” sound every time I turn the dial and is louder than the click sound I get from the mode dial of my DSLR. It’s nearly as loud as me snapping my fingers. Frankly, it’s kind of annoying.

Startup time was pretty quick. Less than 2 seconds. Additionally, configuring the system parameters of the camera didn’t take long as it took me less than 2 minutes before I had everything set to go.

If you’re into effects, then this camera might make you happy. You can choose from six effects available: Fish Eye, Miniature, Toy Camera, Monochrome, Super Vivid and Poster. What I liked best was the Miniature effect what I liked least and found totally useless was the fish eye effect. The fish eye effect mimics the images you can get if you used fish eye lenses but in my opinion, the A1200 doesn’t do a good of a job with it. The inclusion of the Monochrome effect is kind a of a puzzle for me as I got the same “effect” when I chose the B & W setting under the My Colors mode.

When I was testing out the metering modes, I was pleasantly surprised that this relatively inexpensive camera has Metering mode. Among the metering modes available (Evaluative, CWA and Spot), Spot metering is the most accurate.

The A1200 has a mode called “Easy Mode”. It’s the “true blue point and shoot mode” for this camera. Except for the capability to turn the flash on or off, the user practically has to sit back, relax, do a half-press and let the camera do the work – kind of similar to Auto (green) mode. The difference between the Easy mode and the Auto Mode is that, in Auto Mode, AF tracking can be turned on or off while there is no AF tracking in easy mode.

The Canon A1200 has an optical viewfinder and I wish they hadn’t put it in because the viewfinder is kind of useless. It’s just a small hole on top of the camera and doesn’t display any info like aperture or shutter speed. It offers the user 90-95% of the scene but the image, if viewed from the viewfinder, is kind of distorted and has a “fish eye” feel to it. Those being said, however, I have to give props to Canon for adding a small peephole to this camera.

One neat feature of the Canon A1200 is subject tracking. Available only in Auto mode, the camera will “intelligently track” possible subjects from the scene then adjust the AF depending on the location of the subject. Quite useful for shooting mobile subjects like pets or kids. The tracking system can, at times, be fooled. For example, I was tracking my dog while it was circling around my feet. When it came close to my feet, the camera started to track my left foot instead of my dog.

Portrait photography enthusiasts would love this camera because the A1200 has a “Face Select mode”. If turned on (Face Detect), this mode will immediately track if there is a face or faces on the scene and will adjust AF to where the face is positioned on the scene.

The LCD display on the Canon A1200 is about 2.7” and offers crisp, sharp and vivid detail. Depending in the shooting mode chosen, the scene info like aperture and shutter speed will be shown on screen. What isn’t shown on screen is the amount of juice left in the batteries. The only time it showed information about battery life is when my batter was running low on power. Additionally, the LCD doesn’t do well if used under direct sunlight as the display tends to be washed out.

Distortion Test using ISO 12233 chart

The camera doesn’t use proprietary batteries. Instead, it uses 2x AA batteries – alkaline, Ni-Mh or Li-On.  Canon says that the camera can squeeze about 450 shots before juice runs out. When I tested the camera, I used it in a way “ordinary” users would use the camera e.g. intermittently turn power on/off, switch modes, view the image after ever take, etc. And because of this, I only managed to squeeze out 428 shots out of the batteries. Pretty decent number, if you ask me. There is a built-in flash on this camera. The flash is quite small but fairly powerful for its size. Effective range is about 2 meters. Storage media used is a Secure Digital (SD) card. The A1200 also has burst mode (while in P mode) and performs a decent 3.5fps.

Self-portrait fans would like the A1200 because this camera has smile detection and a Smile shutter. Set from the Scene mode, the camera will trip the shutter (provided that the smile shutter is turned on) if smile is detected. For Smile detection to be effective, the user has to compose the scene then turn on the smile shutter. Otherwise, the camera will just snap away when it detects a smile. Not all bad though as the resulting images will turn out to be candid ones.

Let me get back to the buttons. As I said, I tried to simulate what ordinary users would do – and that involved pressing a lot of buttons. I found out that when I press many buttons in quick succession, the camera hangs. Now, I don’t know if that is product defect or not but it is an annoying glitch as I had to remove the batteries a couple times just to reboot the camera

Sony Cybershot W510

When I was unpacking the camera, I was silently wishing it had Carl Zeiss optics but unfortunately, it did not. Come to think about it, expecting a Carl Zeiss lens on a US$ 90 camera is unrealistic.

The W510 generally has three shooting modes: still, movie and panoramic assist. Now, the panoramic assist is interesting as it will automatically stitch scenes taken in one sweeping motion into a panorama photo – pretty neat. Landscape photo buffs would surely enjoy this feature. It’s also great for that group shot when a group is just too big to fit in one frame.

For still shoots, available modes are Intelligent, Program, Scene and Steady Shot. The iMode (Intelligent) is interesting as it adjusts the camera settings depending on how the camera interprets the scene. For example, if the camera interprets the scene as more of a close-up shot, then it will adjust shutter and aperture to Macro mode. If the camera interprets the scene as primarily backlit, then it will adjust exposure settings accordingly. So, the camera kind of does the thinking for you. However, the iMode system can be fooled. For example, you’re shooting in a predominantly backlit scene but by chance moved a bit closer to your subject than you intended to. With this example, the iMode automatically switches to Macro mode and the resulting image would be more of a silhouette.

One interesting feature of this camera is its Soft Snap mode. Found under the Scene menu, soft snap imitates bokeh i.e. sharp subject, blurred background. Does the W510 do a good job about it? Well, not really I think (bokeh is not that blurred and creamy) but users who want that “sharp foreground, blurred background” look will appreciate this feature. Another interesting feature I found under Scene menu is the Gourmet mode. Foodies who like to take photos of food for their blog will find this feature useful as the W510 will adjust exposure, color and sharpness so that the resulting image will look tempting enough to eat. A bit of warning though – when in Gourmet mode, the flash fires full blast and tends to make the scene overly bright

Like the Canon A1200, the W510 offers an “Easy mode” for users who just want to shoot photos without tinkering with too many settings. It’s no frills, no thrills shooting – just point the camera then shoot. Unfortunately, the system is not without kinks and I found all the images that I shot without flash to be blurred. With the A1200, the image quality taken with Easy mode was better.

Sharpness test

When I was tinkering with the Scene mode, I found out that the W510 has two modes for twilight and three modes for Fluorescent WB. The first twilight mode is for Twilight Portrait shots while the other is for plain Twilight. Now, I don’t really get the difference between the two for two reasons: 1.) both will require the use of a tripod or some other device to keep the camera steady for the user to make a decent shot and 2.) In terms of overall image quality, there is was no real difference. Well, there is if do an A3-A4 print of the image taken using Twilight Portrait because the face(s) on the portrait will appear a bit sharper than a similar scene taken using plain Twilight. Otherwise, there is not much of a noticeable difference between the two.

Like the A1200, the W50 also has Smile detection and a smile shutter. Compared to the A1200 however, the W510 offers three smile settings: big smile, normal smile and slight smile. Now depending on the smile modes chosen, the camera will trip the shutter (provided that the smile shutter is turned on) if a big, normal or slight smile is detected. For Smile detection to be effective, the user has to compose the scene then turn on the smile shutter. Otherwise, the camera will just snap away when it detects a smile. Not all bad though as the resulting images will turn out to be candid ones.

The W510 inherited something from its DSLR siblings – a Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO). Actually, I was quite surprised that this little thing has DRO. What DRO does is that it automatically adjusts the contrast of images to avoid details in bright or dark highlights. DRO is particularly effective when shooting backlit portraits or any scene with a dramatic contrast between background and foreground lighting. By default, DRO is turned off.

Compared to the Canon A1200, the W510 does not shoot HD movies but in spite of it, the quality of video is fairly decent – good enough for a YouTube post. The W510 has a tiny flash that is a bit underpowered compared to the A1200. Effective range is about 1.5 to 2 meters but at 2 meters, it is stretching it a bit. The unit has a tiny speaker placed at the bottom of the camera and the quality of audio is fairly decent for its size.

Image Quality

Canon Powershot A1200

Image quality of the A1200 is not stellar but it is pretty impressive for a camera in its class. Each shot I took was crisp and clear, with the colors to near accurate. Canon digital cameras have the reputation of producing vibrant colors and the A1200 is no exception. Colors were well balanced most of the time and the level of brightness is up there with most of its competitors in its class.

Sharpness is a bit of an issue as most of the images were a bit soft – especially at the edges. This is a non-issue if one prints no larger than 4R but printing in A4 or larger; the softness becomes visible but not overly annoying. While I saw no visible vignetting on the images, distortion is visible for all images taken at the shortest focal length (approx. 28mm) but the distortion tapers off starting at about 58mm and is not visible at the longest focal length (approx. 112mm).

For portraits, the images taken outdoors were quite good. The resulting photos had that boost of brightness that gave the images some sort of extra lift and quality. Focusing is on the money. Not all is good, though, as I found the cheeks of my subjects were too pink on the heavy side. Indoors with flash, the colors were a bit off the mark and the flash was centered smack on the face and is accentuated by colors being washed out from the shot. Without flash, the level of detail was quite impressive. Noise levels are kept low and the general color of the photo, as well as the spread of lighting, was better than the portrait taken with flash.

For an inexpensive camera, the level of detail in macro shots is quite good. The image could have been sharper but for a budget P&S, it is not bad.

Sony Cybershot W510

For a US$ 95 camera, the image quality of the W510 is pretty good. Colors are well balanced but not as vibrant as the A1200. However, I noticed oversaturation in some colors especially with the hues of blue and red. While the color quality is not as good as that of the A1200, this camera beats the Canon in terms of sharpness. As with the A1200, barrel distortion is a problem at the 26mm end and is quite pronounced.

Compared to the images taken by the A1200, resulting photos from the W510 were not soft and are a bit sharper compared to the Canon. However, this camera suffers from visible noise at high ISOs and does not control noise as well as the A1200.  Images also suffer from overexposure if taken in bright situations, especially brightly backlit images. Ironically though, this camera shines in bright sunny and well lit conditions.

For portraits, the images taken outdoors were quite good. Focusing is accurate but not quite on the money as the A1200. However, I had no too pink cheeks to complain about. As with the A1200, indoor portraits with flash were off the mark – colors were off and the flash fired smack center on the face, washing away any detail. Without flash, the level of detail was quite impressive and the quality of lighting was much better.

Macro shots produced very good images and for an inexpensive camera, the W510 performed well.

Conclusion

Many people scoff at low cost, low budget cameras because they think images produced by these cameras are crap. While it may be true for some camera makes and models, I can say that the images produced by the Canon Powershot A1200 and by the Sony Cybershot W510 are not crap. For their price, I was kind of impressed by their overall image quality. While quality of the images may not win in competitions, I’d say they are more than good enough for the average Joe – and Jane – who just want a camera that is simple to use yet take good vacation and family photos without denting the pocket. Both cameras are easy to operate (practically a no brainer) and I think provide good overall value for the money. Sure, there are better P & S cameras out there but for a sub-US$ 100 camera, I can’t ask anything more with these two models.

If I had to choose among the two, I’d go with the Canon Powershot A1200. While the images are soft compared to the Sony Cybershot W510 the overall balance of very good image quality, accurate colors, noise control and available features are more than enough to cover that flaw and a couple of others.

Miscellaneous Images

I had a template printed before so I scrounged inside my document storage to look for it. Being a quick and dirty project, I didn’t want to spend too much time making the diffuser. I should be able to complete it an hour and half, tops. I used the following materials that I found from my daughter’s stuff:

• One translucent PVC folder
• One black PVC folder
• Silver craft paper
• Double stick tape

I first traced the template on the PVC folder and since the material was translucent enough, drawing was easy. I drew using a grease pencil because a lead-based pencil would require a bit more work (repeating the lines) because the lead won’t easily leave the marks that I need on the material.

Next, I cut out the shape of my diffuser then I proceeded to make four trapezoids: two silver and two black. The silver trapezoids will go inside the diffuser to bounce the light from the flash head. The black trapezoids will go on the outside of the diffuser – sort of to give it a nice look. I used double adhesive tapes to attach the four trapezoidal shapes.

Once I got everything attached to my base material, I proceeded to bend the diffuser into the shape I want. After bending the thing, I excitedly got my flash out of my dry box and proceeded to attach my diffuser to the flash head. What do you know?  In my haste, I forgot to devise a way to attach the diffuser to the flash had. So into my daughter’s bedroom back I went to find an elastic hair band. I found one that was covered with some kind of soft cloth. With band in hand, I proceeded to attach the diffuser to the flash head.

N0w, I need to test it. As I was the only one in the house, I had no choice but to use my old, trusty “model” – my daughter’s teddy. So, here’s proof of the pudding:

All in all, I think my little DIY softbox diffuser works and I had fun making it. Took me just a little over an hour and a half to finish. If my wife sees it, she’s gonna say that I should have just bought one and it would have been better looking than this one. True, but doing DIY with minimal to no cost is better and is more fun.

I can’t wait to get it out on the field and use it.

When I was still hunting for my first macro lens, I tested several lenses (Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8, Sigma 70mm f/2.8 and Tamron 90m f/2.8) and while I was quite happy with the test results, there was a nagging doubt in the back of my head that prevented me from getting one. That is until a good buddy of mine (David Tong) pointed me in the right direction: the Tamron SP 60mm macro direction. And when I got the lens and fired off a few test shots then looked at the resulting images, I immediately knew that I got what I was looking for.

Build Quality and AF

The Tamron 60mm is the fastest macro lens currently in the market. Aperture wise, it beats its competitors hands down. The lens has an excellent feel. Build quality is very good. It’s a little bit longer than a 50mm lens but shorter than the Tamron 90mm and I like it like that i.e. I get the versatility of a 50mm and the function of a full macro lens. The Auto Focus works quite fast, although the non-ultrasonic motor is kind of noisy so this lens might not be good for insect macro photography as the noise might scare the critters away. The AF/MF switch can be found on the side of the lens. This lens has IF so the there is constant physical length. Additionally, the front element doesn’t rotate so a CPL can be attached to the front element. One neat feature of this lens is that it has FTM (full time manual) focusing and with FTM, the AF can be overridden for some accurate focusing.

Image Quality

The lens produces excellent images. Tack sharp from all apertures (f/2 – f/22). It’s as sharp as the Canon and Nikkor lenses that cost much more so in terms of IQ:cost, Tamron has a winner here. Just like the Tamron 90mm macro, optics is very good although this lens has IF and the 90mm doesn’t. The lens performs excellent as a macro lens or as a portrait lens (see sample images at the end of the page)

Although the lens shows a slight amount of barrel distortion, it is too minimal to have an impact on the overall IQ. As the lens is for APS-C cameras, there is slight vignetting wide open. Stopping down to f/2.8 solves the problem. Vignetting will practically disappear from f/4 upwards. If there are two gripes that I have with this lens it would be these: (1) there is visible CA and (2) Tamron’s VC is absent. The CA is practically a non-issue as it can be easily corrected during post processing.

If you’re into creamy bokeh, then this lens will not disappoint you. As one Internet-based camera review site would say, this lens is bokehlicious. Thanks to the excellent optics of this lens, circles that this lens produces on bokeh is perfectly round, not octagonal or hexagonal. Perfect for portraits!

Conclusion

Overall, this is a winner of a lens. Brilliantly sharp images each and every time. It has superior optical performance and delivers the goods at all apertures. It’s very light and compact so it’s a good “alternate” lens for a 50mm. If you’re into portrait photography and/or macro photography and want your images brilliantly sharp all the time, then this lens is for you.

Highly recommended!

Sample Images

Test macro shots

Just to show you how sharp the image is, I cropped a section of the above photo for reference:

The leaf below is just a half-height bigger than a thumb tack.

Test Portrait Shots

When I was trying out the lens for portraits, I had no live subject around so I had to settle with my daughter”s teddy bear. Still, the resulting images were fantastic.

Many first time DSLR owners who are new to the hobby of photography or new to the hobby of keeping up with the trend of having one around their neck often times struggle on which to buy next.  There are some who would advise to replace the kit lens immediately and while this is a valid advice, I think 1st-time DSLR owners who are new to photography should first hone their skills using the kit lens and exhaust all the creative possibilities using that lens. If you are, however, a (would-be) 1st time owner or is just thinking of getting a DSLR but is having issues on how to go about selecting one that’s “best” for you, then then perhaps a post on this blog might help you in making your decision.

Accessorizing shouldn’t be a big problem. It’s easy enough to do just as look as you think things through and stick with the basics first. Assuming that you have just bought your 1st DSLR (let’s say an entry level model), what might you want to consider buying afterwards? Here’s my list (in no particular order):

Spare Batteries

Canon NB2L Battery. Image courtesy of www.canon-digital-camera-battery.co.uk

The last thing you want is for your batts to die in the middle of taking that perfect shot so this should be a no-brainer, right? Well, not always. The mindset of new DLSR owners (at least the serveral I know personally) new to photography is to buy a new lens to replace the kit but they fail to neglect the importance of having spare batteries. What good would a new-fangled lens do if in the middle of that important shoot, your camera runs out of juice. Store-up not only on one single battery – get a couple. As batteries of DSLRs are becoming relatively inexpensiv (thanks to 3rd party manufacturers), buying a couple extra should not be that heavy on the pocket.

Spare Memory Cards

Sandisk 4GB Ultra 200X compact flash. Image courtesy of www.mymemory.uk

Another thing you don’t want to happen is for your storage space to run out. Imagine this: your in the midst of your dream vacation out there where the road is less travled, you get to a real nice spot with plenty of photographic opportunities but when it’s time for you to shoot, you realize three things: 1.) your memory card is full, 2.) you don’t have a laptop with you so 3.) you can’t erase any of the images. Like batteries, memory cards today are not as expensive, say, 3-4 years ago and with the proliferation of memory cards (from the ridiculously cheap to the uber expensive) getting a couple of extra pieces should not hurt your pocket that badly.

Flash

Nissin Di622 flash (Canon mount)

If you really itching to buy a (non-lens gadget), then consider getting a flash first. No, not a flash disk – a flash strobe that you attach to the hotshoe of your new DSLR. Trust me when I tell you that your (nearly) despised kit lens can work wonders if coupled with a decent flash unit. While I can write stuff on why getting a flash important as your first gadget purchase instead of a fancy lens, read this excellent article by my good buddy David Tong.

55-250mm Telephoto (If you’re really aching for another lens)

Canon 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

I’m assuming two things here: you got the full kit for that entry level DSLR of yours so you probably have an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens and the camera is a  Canon. If you’re absolutely bent on getting a 2nd lens, why don’t you check out a 55-250mm (from your brand) to complement the kit lens? The 55-250mm lens is a great (inexpensive) lens to satisfy your itch for a telephoto. This lens has a 35mm focal range equivalent of 88-400mm so it can give you plenty to play with as you improve your skills. I own one of these so I can attest for the quality of images it can produce. This is not a high-end L lens but unless you’re determined to do a lot of telephoto shooting and you plan to use every resuliting image to earn money, then this lens will do more than fine. If you want a bit more information on the 55-250mm telephoto, then perhaps an early blog entryof mine might be of help to you. Now if you don’t have a Canon system but, say, a nifty Nikon then you might want to consider the nifty Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR.

UV Filter

Tiffen UV filter. Image courtesy of www.tiffen.com

I think a UV filter is a must to have. Not only can it arguably improve the quality of your photos by blocking out UV light but it also helps to protect the front element of your glass – the last thing you want to experience is bang the front element with a table corner and damage the glass. Replacing a UV filter is way more inexpensive than replacing the lens. Just remember, though, to remove your UV filter when shooting indoors.

A Decent Tripod

Some may argue about my inclusion of a tripod on this list but I think a tripod is a good after-DLSR-purchase buy. As you get familiarized with your lens, you’ll soon find yourself shooting with

Benro C1691TB0 SLR tripod. Image courtesy of www.benrousa.com

slow shutter speeds and unless your hands are as rock-steady as The Thing’s, then hand tremor will find itself in the resulting photo. A tripod can make a huge difference in the overall quality and sharpness of your photograph as it will enable you to shoot steadily in low light or achieve a greater depth of field. Additionally, a tripod would be useful in shooting situations like self-portrait and action photography. If you would like to know more informaition on how to select a tripod, maybe a previous blog entry of mine might be of use.

Camera Bag

Tamrac 5545 Adventure. Image courtesy of www.tamrac.com

Okay, let’s assume you got all the stuff that I mentioned above so the next buy you might want to do is with a camera bag. Sure, the kit usually comes with a bag but that is usually too small to fit extra batteries, memory cards, a flash and filters. There are lots of camera bags out in the market – from inexpensive (China) bags to name brands so you will absolutely find a camera bag to suit your needs. While you can use any type of bag (even a garbage bag if you want) a camera bag offers what a “non-camera bag” doesn’t: suitable and specific protection for your gear. If you want to know more about choosing the right camera bag, check an earlier post that I have.

Training

Take some classes. While I know there is a plethoria of free photography lessons on the Internet, nothing beats person-to-person instructions. Taking basic photography lessons will help you start to appreciate the art of photography so that youre passion for the craft will increase. When do you take lessons, do your homework – look for reputable instructors or photography classes. Since there is an abundance of informaiton about photography on the Internet, there are a lot of enterprising persons who just copy the information then call themselves photographers or photography instructors. The last thing you want to end up with is a guy who just has a camera and PowerPoint slides copied from the Internet who calls himself a bonafine photography instructors.

If there’s one other thing I’d advise you to “get”, it would be get out there and have fun with photography! Photography is such an interesting hobby that it will not only allow you to express your creative side but will allow you to see things like you’d never seen them before.

Until next time!

The Comprehensive Camera Flash Buying Guide by David Tong

Happy reading!

Not All the Apples are Bad

Not all used/2nd camera  lenses are not worth buying. You can ask any serious photography hobbyist – there is a plethora of used/2nd hand D/SLR lenses out there on the market that are in very good condition. Sure, there are lenses being sold used that are, well, crap but from my buying experience, the good ones far outweigh the bad ones. Just check eBay and you’ll find plenty of used/2nd hand lenses from decades gone by that are in pristine condition and that can be used on modern DLSRs with the help of an adapter. I do recognize, however, that there are a lot of bogus sellers out there that are passing crappy lenses as good ones. This is where time spent on research comes in handy. the online market sells busted lenses but their sellers usually tag them as that – busted, and that the lens is good only for parts.

Used is Cheap

This is true most of the time. Used/2nd hand lenses are cheaper that brand new ones. A lot of hobbyists with a limited purchasing budget often go for used/2nd hand lenses. Me, for instance. Most of the lenses I had in the parts were used gear and none of those didn’t disappoint. I only changed them when I had the money to buy new ones. Not all photography hobbyists have a wad of cash lying around somewhere ready to be spent if a new, spanking lens comes out. Personally, when I bang a used/2nd hand lens I seem to have less guilt compared to when I bang a spanking brand new lens. Its probably psychological but it gives me some sort of comfort. Kind of like entering a demolition derby – I’d rather use an old car than use a new one. However,  I don’t condone not taking care of equipment even if it used as used equipment will still get a good price on the market if taken care of properly.

Shopping for Use/2nd Hand Lenses

As I had mentioned on the preceding paragraph, I purchase used/2nd hand camera lenses and is not ashamed to say it. So, I’d like to share some personal tips on how I look for and select used/2nd hand camera lenses:

Do Your Homework - Nothing beats solid research. As I said, the online camera market is not bereft of used/2nd hand lenses that are in pristine condition. One just has to have the patience to look for it. Once I get some leads, read-up on the advert written and if the seller has an email address, I send him/her an email. I ask her any question that I think will help me to make any decision. If the seller responds, I don’t just trust his/her word – I usually ask some more questions. After all, I’m spending money on that thing (if ever), even if it’s used. If a seller doesn’t reply, I usually move on. I’m not afraid to ask technical questions as I can usually gauge if the seller is bogus or not depending on how he/she answers his question.

Inspect the Merchandise - Most of the purchases I have made are local so I usually have the pleasure of meeting up with the seller to inspect the merchandise. During meet-ups, I thoroughly inspect the lens. The first think I check is the optics. I don’t care if the body has a number of dings as these are just cosmetic “glitches”. The optics (glass) is key because bad glass gives bad photos. I check for scratches, blotches and traces of fungi. Believe or not, I sometimes bring a magnifying glass just to satisfy my urge to check. If you’re new to this hobby and is reading this blog entry of mine because you’re in the market for a used lens, fungi is bad and you can tell if the glass has been infected with fungi if you see spider-web like traces on the glass. If I see any trace of fungi, I just politely thank the seller for the time and cancel the purchase.  What are blotches? I don’t exactly know what are the technical causes of this but from what I know, the usual cause is bad lens coating i.e. “protective” coating of  the lens being damaged. Be careful of these blotches as these will affect the quality of your photos.

Test the Merchandise - After a through look-over, I test the lens. Without mounting the lens on my camera body, I test the focusing mechanism, the zoom mechanism and if present, I flip the AF/MF switch several times. If I feel any sort of resistance or if I hear any sort of “grinding sound”, I don’t make the purchase. After that, I mount the lens on my camera body and test the heck out of the lens. All aperture settings, all focal length settings, AF to MF and vice-versa you name it – I most often than not test it. If time and location permits, I test the lens on different sorts of lighting conditions. If I really want to be picky and if the seller doesn’t mind, I sometimes download the images I shot using the lens on my laptop then inspect the resulting images. If I see any consistent “mark”, blotch or pigmentation on the photos that I took, I don’t purchase the lens.

Haggle - Okay, most of us are not comfortable doing this but I recommend you try to haggle in a “gentlemanly manner” that not is offensive to the seller. The worst thing that can happen is the seller would say no. If the seller says yes, then you’re in luck. Haggling is an art-form (I believe) and during the haggling process, don’t be a cheapskate and ask for half the price that the seller is asking for. After all, if that happens to you, I’ll bet you’ll be miffed.

Pay Up Immediately – As a seller of used/2nd hand items myself, I get pissed of when I do the meet and it turns out  that the buyer has no cash on hand and that he/she has to find the nearest ATM to get cash. Be courteous: have the money ready when you do the meet-up then be a gentleman (or lady) about it and pay-up once the deal is set.

Final Words

Don’t believe in everything you read about used/2nd hand camera lenses and for that matter, used camera bodies as well. There are lots of 2nd hand goodies out there for the budget-strapped photographer. One just has to do thorough research then ask the right questions. Keep in mind though that buying used/2nd hand items is a balancing act of trust and risk – just like riding a taxi cab along the streets of any busy street in the world.

Happy shooting!

The school year is about to start here (today actually) so last weekend, I helped my kid clean out the small cabinet inside her room that she uses to store stuff for school. As I grabbed and threw stuff into the garbage bin, I got hold of a near-intact white plastic folder then an unused roll of white packing tape. I had wanted to do a DIY project for quite some time and when I saw those two items, it kinda came natural in my head for me to build a diffuser.

So a plan came inside my head of what it would look like. Importantly, the diffuser should be completed in 30-mins as I kinda wanted that challenge – and I had to finish whatever I wanted done with those items before dinner.

Step 1

Cut pattern (used an torn manila folder)

The plastic material was trash but since I had only one shot at it, I had to create a template first using (you guessed it) trash. I found a torn piece of manila folder so I decided to draw my template on that. My design was simple: square diffuser with four sides and a flap, to which I’ll use the white packing tape to fasten everything together. With that crude design in mind, I drew the template on the piece of board then proceeded to cut the shape out. By the way, I didn’t just draw then cut – I measured my strobe (Nissin Di622) first before I cut the board.

Step 2

Plastic material cut in the shape of the pattern

With the cut pattern in hand, I traced the outlines of the pattern on the plastic material using the dull tip of a scissor that I was to throw away later. Satisfied with the outlines, I cut the plastic using the scissor. Since the plastic folder was soft, going through it was very easy. The plastic material wasn’t clean (had some ink spots on it) so I decided to wash it with some strong detergent. After my cutting and washing, my trash diffuser began to take shape.

Step 3

The finished product

Now that I got my plastic material cut out, it was time to fasten it using the white packing tape. I cut strips to my desired lengths then proceeded to construct my diffuser. I don’t know about you but I kind of don’t like working with flimsy packing tapes as it tends to “disfigure” if I fasten it improperly. Good thing I had a whole roll. After a few short minutes of fastening, my boxy trash diffuser was now finished. Time to see if it fits my flash unit.

The Fit and Sample Shots

It does fit! Whaddaya know! It looks boxy and, yes, unprofessional but what do I expect from a 30-min quickie project? Coulda done better but with the kind of dinner that I would be having, half of my mind was on other things. Anyway, I decided to give it a go.

My near-dead batteries tapered any excitement I had of testing my trash diffuser to the hilt. As the meter was practically shouting “Your battery is dead, you dolt!” I just had a couple of shots before my battery went dead. I was kind of surprised with the results. My “real” diffuser balances the light (I’m preaching to the choir here) and evens out everything. Using my trash diffuser, I sorta got a warm image. The picture on the left was taken without the trash diffuser on. The resulting image was, well, cold. But with my trash diffuser attached, the resulting image was surprisingly warm. Since the plastic material was kind of 10% transparent, shadows were not eliminated or highly toned down but compared to the first image, there is a noticeable “toning down” of the shadow resulting from a flash fired at full power.

Without diffuser

With diffuser

Would I keep the diffuser? Probably not as it will just add to the clutter we have at home. However, this quickie of a project was fun to do and it kinda reinforced my belief that I don’t need to get expensive things all the time to get results I want.

Happy shooting.

Generic tripod from China

“Hey Nic! I’ve got two questions for you: what do I look for in a tripod and, when I get one, should I always bring it?” I’ve been asked these two questions as of late (by some of my friends) so for today’s entry, I’ll try and answer the first question. As for bringing the tripod or not, it’s really up to the user.

Selecting a Tripod

Let me tackle this first because you can’t bring something you don’t have. At best, choosing the right tripod is a compromise. At times, it is a conundrum. No matter how much research you do or no matter how many meters of legwork you did to check out every tripod on every camera store near you, you’re not quite sure if you have made the right choice. Even if you bought one and have been using it for quite some time, there is this tendency to buy another one. Why? Because you’re not sure you made the right choice.

There are lots – and I mean lots – of tripods out there. From name brands to generic models, there is a slew of choices for today’s hobbyist. But how do you choose which is right? Then again, is there such a thing as the right brand or the right model? The answer for both questions is no. So, stop second guessing if the purchase you want to make is right. So what do you look for in tripod? Allow me to share my thoughts (based on personal experience hunting for the right tripod):

Brand – Let’s get this off the plate. Most people are brand concious and people choose the most known brands. Safe way to go and I would recommend going for branded models if you have the money (Yes, most brand models are expensive). But if you’re a cheapskate like I am, generic brands will do just fine. See photo on this post? That’s a generic tripod. Made in China. Cost me less than $12 but it is as sturdy as my branded tripod (a Velbon). What do I like about my generic tripod? It doesn’t attract attention and is lighter than my Velbon but is as sturdy (personally proven and tested). You got the money to burn? If yes, go ahead and get a fancy model from name brands like Giotto, Manfrotto, Slyk and Velbon.

Stability – Obviously, the tripod you pick should be stable. The tripod should be stable enough so that it doesn’t wobble when a sudden gust of wind hits it or you accidentally nip the assembly on the side while you’re rushing to complete your shoot. When testing for stability, extend the tripod at its full height then apply pressure on top. Don’t be a sissy – apply real pressure (but don’t break it). If you see the legs bend, forget about it. If not, give it one point. Now, mount your camera (with lens+ flash) on it then give it a nice bump on the side. If the assembly tips over after a small bump, forget about it. Note: when you do the bump thing, make sure you or somebody is in front/side to catch the camera in case it falls.

Construction – Tripods are constructed with lots of different material. Some tripods are made of composite plastic, some are  made from light aluminum while some are made from carbon fiber. There are some who will say that plastic tripods are a no-no and I’ll agree to this argument – if the camera to be mounted is a DSLR. But if the camera you’re mounting is a small P&S, a plastic tripod would do nicely because the load on the tripod will not be as heavy as a DSLR with all the bells and whistles. Plastic tripods have a place in the photography world. These are for weekend photographers who just like to have one so that they can do self-portraits with their camera while on vacation or on a weekend picnic with the family. I have one (well, I have two but the other one does not count because it was a gift) and I have many uses for it (including mounting my slave flashes). On the other hand, I’ve see people mount palm-sized P&S cameras on huge tripods. Personally, I think it’s silly but hey, to each is own.

Compared to aluminum tripods, carbon fiber tripods have the best weight to stability ratio. If you shoot most of the time in either cold (freezing conditions) or in humid conditions where your hands sweat a lot, carbon fibre tripods would be easier to hold. Unfortunately, carbon fiber tripods are expensive but are really durable. So if you can afford one, go ahead – you won’t regret the investment that you will be making.

Center Column Travel - Basically, tripods have two center-column types: smooth and geared. The geared type has a crank on one side and it basically allows you to raise or lower the center column by turning the gear. For the smooth type, you just hold the center column to raise (pull up) or lower (push down) the column. Does one have the advantage over the other? Frankly, I think none but the geared version does let you raise or lower the center column with one hand.

Legs – There are two types of tripod legs: tubular or grooved (some term it as channeled). Tubular models are almost always heavier, almost always sturdier and almost always have the longest lifespan. So, I recommend you go for models with tubular legs. Although, my plastic tripods have grooved legs but they work just fine. All boils down on the application intended. Don’t choose a tripod that has legs with more than four sections as the more sections the legs have, the less stable the tripod is. The sections of the legs are adjusted with locks and there are two kinds of locks: screw twist locks and clamp-lever locks. Tripods screw twist locks on the leg sections offer good strength and stability, but it takes more time to setup or breakdown. Screw twist locks are also subject to over-tightening. Clamp-lever locks are generally easy to setup and to breakdown. It also offers the most trouble-free operation and is arguably more durable. Which is better? Personal decision of yours since there are a number of pros and cons for each type.

Height -There are three things to consider on tripod height: 1) the maximum height, 2) the minimum height and 3) the folder height. Ideally, the tripod you choose should have a maximum height that is either at exact eye level or near-eye level. You – and your back – will definitely regret if you you are constantly bending or or lowering your upper body to shoot. At minimum height, the tripod should allow you to shoot at near ground level. Some models even allow you to shoot at ground level i.e. less than a foot off the ground. As a personal rule of thumb when choosing a tripod, the minimum shooting height I look for should be less than or equal to 36 inches. Folded height is this: the size/height of the tripod that allows you to stow, to pack or to carry the tripod easily.

Boot – Tripod boots come in two varieties: indoor and outdoor. Tripods for indoor use have rubber boots at the end of each leg while tripods for outdoor use have spiked boots. Some tripod models combine indoor and outdoor boot: for outdoor use, simply unscrew the rubber boot to expose the spikes.

Head – There are two types of tripod heads: fixed and ball head. Most, if not all, inexpensive tripods have fixed heads while semi-professional to professional tripods have ball heads. Some models  (like my generic tripod) have the ball heads fixed on the center column while other models have removable ball heads, in which you need to purchase the ball head separately. Some will say that fixed heads are for “cheap amateurs”. I beg to disagree as this type definitely has its uses. For one, you can use the fixed head tripods for your slave strobes. Which is better? Again, it depends on the application.

If you’re just a weekend shooter, ball head types might be overkill. On the other hand, if you are into wildlife or outdoors photography, then the ball head type is definitel for you. For strobists, ball head types can offer a “creative range”  in terms of angling your strobe. By the way, the head of a tripod is the part where you’ll actually mount/attach your camera. When inspecting the heads, check out the quick release plate (the part of the head that you will screw on the camera). It should be tight enough on the head when clamped yet easy enough to remove from the head when you need to.

Final Words

What to buy? ‘Can’t tell you because it depends on two things: your intended application and your personal preference (e.g. price, brand, etc.). Just choose a tripod that is sturdy, easy to use, light enough to carry around and is durable. However, durability is subjective. Even a carbon fibre tripod will not last it’s intended lifetime you don’t take care of it and you don’t use it properly. One last thing, a tripod won’t help your photography one bit if you just keep it inside your garage most of the time.

Happy shooting.