Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with camera

What do you mean you don't sell film in the camera store?

whoaali — Sat, 11 May 2013 17:06:04 -0800

I'm giving up the ghost and making the switch from film to digital. Help me buy my first DSLR! I've been using the same Nikon F60 since I was a senior in high school (class of '00 woo!). Back in the day I was a quasi-serious amateur photographer and shot exclusively on film. Now that I've moved to DC and no longer have access to a dark room, shooting on film is leaving me with piles of undeveloped film that I can only develop through a mail order service that does a pretty crap job with the prints. Not to mention buying film is getting more and more difficult. While I know a lot about film and photography in general, I'm a total newbie when it comes to digital.

I have a digital point and shoot that I use when I don't want to lug around a big SLR, but that's it. Reluctantly I think the time has come for me to embrace digital and buy a DSLR, but I have no idea where to begin or what I want.

So here are my basic requirements:

- Good quality camera that will last me a long time.
- Images of a high enough quality that I could make decently large prints if I wanted.
- No lag between shots. I hate this with my point and shoot. I want the photo to be taken when I press the button, not 15 seconds later.
- It would be great if I could use my Nikon lenses, but I'm guessing that's a no go since they are almost 15 years old?
- I don't want to spend a fortune, but I'm willing to spend what needs to spent for the right camera.
- I like Nikon, but I've heard Canon is actually better now? No idea.

More than anything I need advice about things I don't even know to think about. So please give me your recommendations!

Is it possible to fix this camera?

villafoyager — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:32:40 -0800

Can I find a replacement part for this Canon A2000 or repair it some other way? I have a point-and-shoot camera (Canon PowerShot A2000 IS) that's a few years old and it still works fine except for one problem. There battery door can't perfectly shut because the piece of plastic that was the latch chipped away (hard to see, but here, its the little nub that's sticking out) when I dropped it. So when the battery door closes its sits loose enough that the contacts aren't completely touching (see here), and so the camera doesn't turn on. The MacGyver solution has been some tape, but (a) this doesn't last and (b) has to be re-applied every time the batteries are replaced.

I'd like to actually fix it for real. So I think I need a replacement for the front half of the body, since that is where the latch is. Haven't had much luck searching for the part or a store that might carry it.

Any ideas where I can find this part? Or alternatively, any suggestions for creative (cheap) ways to fix it that's better than tape? It would need to be able to hold the door to the body pretty snugly.

Can you get a good camera with a functional phone (not vice versa)?

richb — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 04:48:02 -0800

I'd like a quality compact camera which can make calls and send and receive text messages, rather than a phone with a poor camera attached. Does anyone make that? I have done some searching, and I have found lots of people with the same question, but no good solutions.

(Perhaps I am wrong in thinking that a mid range compact camera like a CoolPix is actually better than the camera on a high end phone like an iPhone?)

Blue screen of darkness?

Bruce H. — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:16:49 -0800

Why do so many of the pictures I see on Craigslist look like they were shot through three layers of blue saran wrap? I occasionally see pictures that are too red or too green, but lots and lots of pictures that are too blue and too dark.

Best budget camera lens for travel

lockstitch — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:29:00 -0800

What is the best lens for a trip to Europe, for a Canon Rebel XS, that is budget-friendly? I'm looking for a lens that will give me a good range of wide shots (buildings, landscapes, etc) as well as the nice details in closer shots. I would ideally like to carry only one lens with me, since I'm traveling light and don't really want to change out lenses all the time. I have the default 18-55mm lens that came with the camera body, but I have trouble with getting crisp shots with it. I've been recommended to look at the 50mm f/ 1.8 lens, but is that going to be too restrictive as a fixed focal length?

I was also recommended to look at the 24-105mm f/4 but that baby is pricey!

I'm really limited budget-wise, so I am hoping for something under $300. I could possibly stretch to $500 if it was really the perfect lens, but I'd prefer not to.

I've seen several similar threads on here, but most of the answers I've seen have been for much higher-priced lens kits.

Low-cost automated / automatic camera movement / slider?

audio — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:10:51 -0800

I've decided to start posting my music on youtube... performed live. I'm looking to improve the cinematography with an automated slider / jib that could produce a movement like this on its own: Does anyone know how I can do this on a budget?

Help me find the perfect backpack for my travels

arniec — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:08:30 -0800

I need a backpack that can hold a 15" laptop and also have a great area for a DSLR camera, flash, and a couple of lenses. Do you have suggestions? I travel quite a bit for business where I will be doing professional photography that needs to be uploaded quickly. My travel equipment is usually 3 or 4 DSLR bodies and between 4 and 10 lenses of various lengths.

I have a rolling cart that I use to carry all this camera equipment on the plane, but when I get into the field I take with me just what I need for that day. For that I would like a useful backpack.

Ideally I'd like the backpack to double as a TSA-friendly laptop container. That way I can use the backpack as my second carry-on while flying (though it would have no camera, just laptop, copious chargers, etc.) then when I get to the destination the backpack would have some storage PLUS being safe and secure carrying for my DSLR quipment.

A place to attach a monopod and carry a bottle of water on the backpack is a plus.

I do need it to meet carry-on requirements for international travel but beyond that I'd like it to be large as possible,

I DID see previous questions from 2007 and 2009 but as that was before those awesome TSA unzip-and-flip backpacks that would make security so much easier. My googling and Amazon searches are coming up short, so can you help?

Time-lapse camera automation

antonymous — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:17:01 -0800

What's the easiest way to set up a time-lapse camera that takes a picture at regular intervals over the course of many months (and possibly years)? I just moved into a new office building, and a new one is being built across the street that will be over 20 stories tall. This building will take awhile to complete, and I think a time-lapse would be cool to put together. I have a pretty good vantage point to take photos from, but I don't know what I'll need! I'm willing to buy a cheap digital camera and a tripod (suggestions welcome), but don't know how to automate this process so it will just take photos at a given interval.

So I'm looking for suggestions on equipment to buy (on the cheap side of things - I don't have a set budget but I'd prefer not to spend more than a couple hundred bucks max), the frequency of pictures I should be taking for this project, the software I should use to put this all together (I have access to both OSX and Windows 7) and anything that I may be forgetting. I also have a Raspberri Pi if making use of that makes anything easier. Thanks!

Perhaps a tinfoil hat would help?

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:40:11 -0800

I need to determine how much radiation a head-mounted camera is giving off, and I don't know where to start. I study language acquisition and am planning a study in which we put a head-mounted cameras on a child's head for several hours a week, hopefully for several years, just following them in their normal life. The goal is to get a much richer set of data about what kind of linguistic and visual input children see over that time, and how that input relates to what they learn. I am on top of all of the scientific and ethical issues involved with doing a study of this sort, but one thing stumps me...

The camera. We are considering using this camera. It (or things like it) have been used in the few other studies that use head-mounted cameras on babies, but those generally are one-offs; there are no studies that have put a camera on a baby's head this often or for this long.

As a result, I want to really make sure that the camera isn't emitting any radiation that could, over the long term, be bad for the baby (especially since it will be worn on the head). I am pretty sure the device doesn't transmit (video is saved on a USB) so that is a major potential source of radiation that I can eliminate (I think).

I wrote to the support people for the camera but they said they don't know if it is emitting anything, and if so, what it is emitting. Now I'm kind of stuck. I googled around about EMF detectors, which led me down a rabbit's hole of lots of detectors (and lots of paranoid people) along with the realization that I don't even know what I'd be looking for or what a safe level is.

So, here are my questions:

1. Am I being overly paranoid? Do these kind of cameras emit anything at all?

2. If I were to get one of these EMF detectors, what radiation should I look for? What is a safe level?

3. Is there another way to find this out without buying one of these detectors?

4. If not, what kind of detector should I get? (Assume that I can pay for some reasonably-priced one through a grant, but spending more than a couple of hundred dollars will be difficult to justify unless I can give a solid argument of why I need that additional functionality).

5. Does anyone have suggestions for how I could make it safer to be worn on the head? (e.g., tinfoil hat / surrounding the camera with something / etc)

I would really appreciate anyone who can help in any way with this. I'm feeling pretty lost here, and most of me thinks that any radiation from this sort of camera will be totally dwarfed by what we are surrounded by every day... but I do want to do due diligence, given the potential stakes.

Anonymous because if this study does get run and published, people who found this question would be able to link my metafilter account to my name and I don't want that.

What video camera will meet my requirements?

yesster — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 13:40:34 -0800

I want to have a very lightweight camera that has no wires, but sends a video feed to an android device. I want to mount it on a telescoping pole for close-up inspection of stained glass windows. I do restoration and repair of stained glass for my living. So it would be great to be able to use a camera on a pole to do assessments onsite without ladders or scaffolding. I'm thinking battery operated. It would be handy if it had onboard storage, preferrably an SD card. But I really need to be able to watch a screen HERE while the camera is up THERE, and have no wires. I would prefer to purchase from amazon, but am open to other sellers. Also willing to consider other solutions entirely. Let's pretend cost is not a big factor.

Annotating pictures... while still in the camera. Is this possible?

thermonuclear.jive.turkey — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:40:53 -0800

Hi everyone, suppose I was at a family reunion BBQ or wedding reception, and I wanted to stroll around and take pictures of groups of people, many of whom I might be meeting after a long absence, or even for the first time. Now, I'm terrible with names, I forget them quickly unless I write them down. Is there a camera out there that will let me do this? I'm dreaming of some P&S camera with a touch screen that'll let me annotate the image (or a copy of the image) with text so I could enter in their names. (like I take a snapshot of Jane; then I immediately enter in 'jane smith' in the camera as some kind of image caption or tag.) Any advice?

Looking for a great travel camera.

BungaDunga — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 23:10:53 -0800

Looking for a compacter-than-DSLR camera to take traveling for a couple of months. I really like my Nikon D90 for its low-light and manual capabilities, but I don't think I'll enjoy bringing it around with me the whole time. I really want a camera that can handle low light and takes good video, without being as bulky as an SLR. I think the NEX-6 satisfies these requirements pretty well. Do I want a NEX-6? Or something else? I like the idea of a NEX-6 with the pancake 16mm prime; it would almost be pocketable. I've been shooting on my D90 with a 35mm prime and love it- but I have a feeling it would get to feel like a yoke around my neck after a while. I want to sacrifice at little as I can while still having something light enough to tote around at all times.

Should I sacrifice sensor space and get an RX100, instead? Or do something else entirely?

Where do I get universal 4x5 ground glass?

Brian Puccio — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 13:42:15 -0800

I've got this image of a piece of ground glass mounted in a standard 4x5 film holder. I've googled all sorts of things to try and describe what this is, but I cannot find where I can buy this. I've seen tons of pieces of ground glass that are for specific cameras, but that's not what I want. I want a piece of ground glass in (and sold with) a frame that makes it the exact size and thickness for putting into any sort of large format camera. Basically, what that picture shows. What is this and where do I buy it? Thanks!

How did they do the camera move in this old Cabaret Voiltaire video?

Ursula Hitler — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 22:33:13 -0800

Ever since I saw the video for Cabaret Voltaire's Sensoria a gazillion and nine years ago, I've wondered how they accomplished that freaky, vertiginous camera move. You see it at the beginning of the video, with lots of quick little inserted shots to break it up, but then it turns up again a few times later without any cuts. It seems like the camera is on an overhead track, but you never see a track as the camera is swooping around. Was it on some sort of a crane? The shot's wide enough that it would seem like you would see the crane off on one side or the other. (If you've never heard the song, plan to spend a good part of your work day tomorrow muttering, "Do right... Always work... Go to church.")

A question about DSLRs and taking my photography to the next level

jason's_planet — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 12:43:05 -0800

Do I have to own a DSLR to be a real photographer? I want to take my photography in a new direction. I've worked with point-and-shoots for several years now and been reasonably happy with the results. I'm wondering if the time is right to buy a DSLR. What does a DSLR offer me that a point-and-shoot does not? For that matter, what does a DSLR offer that the prosumer cameras cannot? And while I'm on the topic, are there some things I should be aware of as potential pitfalls as a new DSLR owner?

I'm wondering because a DSLR seems to be mandatory equipment for most of the halfway serious camera courses out there.

Many thanks in advance.

What camera should I take to Patagonia?

Serf — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:30:03 -0800

My girlfriend and I are leaving for a vacation in Chile in about a week. We'll be spending most of our time hiking and seeing glaciers and penguins in southern Patagonia, with a few days in Santiago at the end. I'd like to bring a compact, versatile, weatherproof camera with great image quality, 15-20x zoom, and good low-light performance -- but compromises must be made. What kind of camera should I take with me? My budget is $300-750. I'd like to get a new camera to document this vacation. I currently own a Casio EX-Z50 from 2005. I like that it's small and that it allows a lot of manual control. I don't like its mediocre image quality, abysmal low-light performance, fiddly menus, limited zoom, and lengthy buffer clearing period before I can turn the camera off and retract the lens.

I don't normally take a lot of pictures, but I do when I travel. I've heard that Patagonia can be very rainy even in the summer. We'll be spending about 4 days of the trip hiking the W route at Torres del Paine, without access to power for recharging batteries. My main priority is to get a camera that will be good for this trip, but as the price climbs above the bottom of my range, I'd also like to get a camera that I'll use other times. My non-travel pictures tend to be outdoors: hiking, cycling, skiing, walking around cities. I've never really been hiking or doing anything other than Taking Pictures with a camera larger than a point-and-shoot, so I don't know what that's like. I care only a little bit about video, and wouldn't be devastated if it were missing entirely.

I've been reading a lot of camera reviews, and I think I'm at the point where I know which one or two models I would consider in any given category. My problem is that I can't decide which category I want.

Low-end mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (Sony NEX-F3, etc.): more versatile than my other options, but I don't really have the budget for more than the kit lens right now. Maybe also a pancake lens, but that would really be pushing my budget. I would be worried about damaging these, and they don't really fit in a pocket without that pancake lens. I'm also not keen on carrying more weight than I have to while hiking. The upsides are better image quality at a given price than my other options and more versatility if I decide I want to drop more cash on photography in the future.
Point-and-shoots (Canon S100, etc.): basically my current camera, only better in every way (except for zoom, which would be about the same). If only out of familiarity, I wouldn't be as worried about damaging a camera like this as I would an interchangeable lens one, but I would still be nervous about shooting on a rainy day. Better image quality than weatherproof cameras or travel superzooms.
Weatherproof cameras (Olympus TG-1, etc.): I hear Patagonia can be very rainy and windy, even in summer. I really like the idea of not having to be concerned about keeping my camera safe, not knocking my camera pocket on a rock, not getting my camera dusty, keeping my camera in a waterproof case (or plastic bag), etc. On the other hand, I probably won't get top-notch photographic performance in any regard out of one of these cameras: they won't have the best sensors, the best controls, or the best optics. I only go diving about once every other year, and even then I don't know if I'd take a camera.
Travel superzooms (Canon SX260, etc.): I notice that when I'm traveling, I give up on a lot of shots because I can't get close enough with the lens on my Casio. I don't know exactly how many wild animals or other zoom-friendly subjects I should expect to see on this trip, but I'm pretty sure that a lens maxing out at 100mm is not going to get me every shot I'd like. Unfortunately, reviews say these cameras tend to be slow, have poor low-light performance, and often take a hit on image quality in general.

I'm leaning towards either a weatherproof camera or a travel superzoom right now, but even after reading a truckload of camera reviews and looking at a ton of sample images I don't have a good sense for just how much real, non-pixel-squinting image quality I'd be giving up by going with, say, the Olympus TG-1 instead of the Canon S100. I also don't know exactly how rainy I should expect the Patagonian summer to be, or how paranoid I need to be about water damage with cameras.

So help me get my priorities sorted out: what kind of camera do I want? Are there options I'm not considering that I should be? What camera did you really enjoy taking on your last possibly-rainy outdoor vacation? What's going to make me happy?

Can you explain to me this shadow-line phenomenon in a photo?

heyho — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:16:23 -0800

I feel like I understand a thing or two about light, but I can't figure out how/why this particular phenomenon happens. This photo I took shows a shadow line cast by my bank (on the right) that seems to just hang in the air. I can never see this with my eye, but it shows up in my photos sometimes, so far only when I'm shooting straight up.

What causes this? I mean, I fully understand that the bank building is blocking sunlight that would otherwise hit the nearby buildings, those cables, and everything on the ground, but why do I see a shadow that's not really cast on anything? This baffles me, as the light source is not coming from the direction of me, there was no visible smog, and it was a cool, crisp, bright, sunshiny October day.

I haven't tried to recreate it with any of my film cameras or a better digital because I'm sort of in an exclusive relationship with my little point & shoot at the moment, but I can't imagine this phenomenon is peculiar to this camera.

Getting started with Polaroid

kittensofthenight — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 11:12:32 -0800

What is the best film for a Polaroid 600 Business Edition? I found a Polaroid 600 Business Edition while throwing out used crap at work. I'm going on a trip in a couple of weeks (with my band to Germany!) and would love to take it with me to take extra special cheezy pictures. What film do I buy? Can you point me to a Polaroid Getting Started FAQ? I'm not a photographer and have only used digital cameras or disposable cameras for the past 10 years. Any essential tips that I need to know?

What is the best camera and lens system for street photography?

Tziv — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 13:57:52 -0800

I'm looking for the best quality portable camera and lens system for travel and street photography. My budget is between $8 and $10,000 for everything.

Five days with a DSLR. What to shoot?

cribcage — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 10:14:34 -0800

I am renting a DSLR camera for five days. If you were doing this, what would you shoot? I will have the camera for five days along with a 50mm lens and an intervalometer. Unfortunately, I won't have access to other lenses. I am located in Boston but can travel to Rhode Island, southern New Hampshire, and Cape Cod. I have limited ability to bother my family members, but the rental will include a weekend.

I am not a brand-new photographer. I am not concerned about issues like learning my way around the menus, nor with pixel-peeping or staging comparisons to equipment I already own. I'm looking at this as a "photographic vacation." Imagine you're a millionaire shopping for a summer home, so you rent a cottage somewhere to try out the area. What sort of things would you do, to get a feel for the area? That's how I'm thinking about this.

Thanks in advance for your ideas!

2nd Home Surveillance

flyingrock — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:22:13 -0800

I have been asked to set up an Internet-based surveillance camera at our weekend house. The catch? A somewhat limited DSL connection. Comments or suggestions for an easily set-up Internet surveillance system greatly appreciated. We have a vacation home that we mainly use on weekends. My family would like to be able to occasionally view live video from the house, both inside and out - probably requiring two separate cameras. I have looked at Dropcam and Foscam options on Amazon and, while generally well reviewed, both seem to have some downsides - Dropcam with requiring heavy bandwidth and Foscam in the setup.

The only Internet connection available is Shentel's DSL, which maxes out at 5 Mbps. It works relatively well for Internet browsing and occasional Netflix streaming, but I don't think it (or Shentel) will handle the 60-70+ GB monthly streaming per camera that some Dropcam users report.

Is there a simple and affordable Internet surveillance camera (or system) that is easy to set-up and monitor that doesn't require massive amounts of bandwidth?

Someday My Camera Will Be As Good as a Phone Camera

amicamentis — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 11:58:00 -0800

Is there an inexpensive point-and-shoot camera on the market that is comparable in quality to an iPhone camera? My current Canon Powershot SD1200 IS doesn't seem to match up with the photos that my boyfriend's iPhone takes. Those photos are clearer, crisper, and with better color tones. I'm jealous! Aside from getting an iPhone myself, what are some good, not-super-pricey alternatives?

Or, what should I be looking for a new camera that gives such a good result on the iPhone? I have an iPod touch but the camera does not seem to be the same.

Thanks!

14-42 is ... ok, I guess?

solotoro — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:43:34 -0800

I've decided it's time to upgrade from my Canon point and shoot. I'm going to get a Panasonic Lumix G5 DSLM. Now...what lenses should I get? I've decided it's time to be able to take better pictures; I'm doing all I can do with my point-and-shoot. I am comfortable with my decision on the body - it's got the right price and the right options for me, and I know the micro four-thirds mount allows me a pretty versatile selection of lenses without needing an adaptor like I would if I went with Canon's DSLM. But what I'm not sure about is what lenses I should get! Looking at Panasonic's shopping site and Amazon, it seems to typically ship with the 14-42 f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens. But I feel like getting that I wouldn't be moving away from point and shoot too much at all - I'd still be getting something designed to give pretty ok results in a variety of situations, a jack of all trades that is master of none. So instead, I think I'd rather buy just the body and then pick two, maybe three, lenses to kick off my foray into high(er)-quality optics. What should they be?

The two most typical kinds of shots I'd be likely to take are of friends and family, where I'd like a nice tight depth of field and a reasonably fast lens for some candids and/or indoor shots (but not necessarily action shots per se), and of scenery, since I tend to travel in pretty interesting places. A third possibility would be long-focus distance shots, since I am occasionally in a position where wildlife photography (especially of birds) could have a pretty fulfilling payoff.

So what do you think, hivemind? Are there lenses to fit the micro four-thirds mount that will be useful to someone who knows a reasonable amount of theory behind photography but has never wielded serious hardware before? What are they? My ideal budget would be <$500 per lens.

One last note - going to a shop and trying out lenses isn't an option where I live.

Looking for a cheap, interesting, funky, camera.

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 07:20:41 -0800

I’m looking for camera suggestions for a Christmas gift. Something interesting, funky, cheap. Not digital. For someone who is interested in photography, but knows nothing about it. I see a lot of funky cameras, including many Russian ones, on ebay. I’m looking for something interesting though, not just bad, and something that can’t be accidentally broken or is too difficult while learning.

Is film still viable, can you buy it and get it developed? Is there a kind of film I should avoid? I rarely take pictures of anything so I don’t know.

Looking for a weatherproof camera for a year of time-delayed photos

filthy light thief — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:32:54 -0800

I want to take a year of photos from my balcony to capture views as the day changes, and to make a time-lapse videos of the view. Is GoPro the best bet for an inexpensive, weather-durable camera for prolonged use in the Southwest high desert? There's a great view from my balcony, and I've taken a lot of photos of it, but I wanted to capture more and eventually make a video. I have a little point-and-shoot Canon camera, so CHDK is an option, except if the camera is outside there's the issue of rain, snow, and dust, if the heat and cold alone won't kill it. I could buy a weatherproof case, or I could stage the camera inside.

Unfortunately, there's only one window on the second story that opens onto the balcony side, and it's a sliding door to the master bedroom. While I could set up a tripod inside, there's still the issue of glare through the glass, not to mention the chance that the view could be blocked if we go out onto the balcony.

There are a few dedicated weatherproof timelapse "video" cameras, which take photos at intervals and make a video without user involvement, but I want to have individual photos, to be able to enjoy the individual "frames" and to be able to speed through the dull days by omitting photos that don't feature much change.

I recently found out that the GoPro has a "time lapse" option, but it sounds like I'd need to it up to run off of external power for a long-term shoot, which isn't a problem as long as it would be able to still be weatherproof.

I don't need anything super-compact like the GoPros, but the durability sounds great. Are there other options I've missed? Thanks!