Cameras and their Abilities

Post by **LovelyLadyLux** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:03 pm

Thought this topic was an excellent suggestion.

This is my dilemma. I do have a Nikon D40. That is 6mp. Good solid camera but nothing too fancy. I have a loaner Nikon D90 from a friend who wants to sell it as they never use it. I AM using it and it is wonderful wonderful wonderful! Photos sharp, crisp, clear etc and the D90 does have a video function too (which I am not sure I'd ever use)

Anyway - am not sure if the D90 is really that much better to warrant the cost. On the surface it is easy to see that photos are better however I don't know if my own limitations (once overcome) would actually give me equivalent photos with the D40? Thoughts?

And does anybody have any thoughts on the video abilities of a camera? In that should a video camera be just a video camera and an still camera be just a still camera? Are there downsides to a still camera having video capabilities too? When are too many gadgets on a camera too many gadgets?

Post by **Kevininabydos** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:22 pm

I have a Sony DVD handycam, it also takes pictures. I have a Fujifilm digital camera with a 10.7X zoom lens and 9.0 mega pixels, it also takes video. Do I use the extra functions? Yes, sometimes. Sometimes a photo is not enough and sometimes a video is too much, so with which ever of the two I have with me I have the option of a video or a photo. Camera with video option, why not!

Post by **Once bitten** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 1:53 am

I have recently upgraded from a D70s to a D90 and it is a vast improvement. Once you learn how to use it, it is quite simple, your skills will improve. The video system on it is very good, and with an 8gb. card it will hold a lot of pics. and video shots as well.

Post by **Grandad** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 9:48 am

LLL, my D5000 has a very similar spec to the D90. I also thought I would never use the video but having bought an HDMI cable to connect to the TV I am converted. (Sound is not brilliant)

In reviews, the video function is rated as good as, if not better than, handy cams, just has the limit of short duration movies. So Kevin, OB and I would concur that it is a good extra

My youngest grandchild is just 18 months old and if I use the video to record him doing something new the camera also automatically records a still frame......best of both worlds.

As for all the gadgets and gismos, I am still trying to get my head around them and constantly referring to the manual which never seems to explain things in simple easy to understand terms

Post by **LovelyLadyLux** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 4:54 pm

I've take about 30 seconds of video with the D90 as well as photos but when I downloaded the photos the "video" part didn't download OR I now can't find it.

On your D5000 Grandad do the videos download 'with' the photos? or do you have to download them in a separate or special way..??

Post by **Grandad** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 7:59 pm

Hadn't checked that before LLL because with the few clips that I had tried, I just replayed on the TV and then deleted because I was just testing and didn't need to keep them.

Have just this minute tried a short clip and downloaded with stills and all items downloaded and replayed on screen OK.

I have not loaded any Nikon software and find that the Fuji software from my previous camera gives the fastest download. (about 1.5 seconds per frame at maximum resolution which is quite fast) It also carries the EXIF info that PSP does not. (Maybe you have to specify that but I prefer Fuji for downloads)

If you have another program with which you can download why not try that...Never tried but I think you can download direct to Picasa.

Post by **Horus** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 10:36 pm

All digital cameras are seen by a computer as just another storage device or drive, so just as you would expect a memory stick or other device that you plug into your PC to be allocated a drive letter, your camera is no different.

You can simply plug in your camera and close down the Auto start software that will open up as your PC detects the camera.

Next go to ‘My Computer’ and look at all the available drives, your camera will usually be the last letter, so if you have ‘C’ (the computer hard drive) ‘E’ (your CD/DVD player) and possibly a memory stick plugged in (designated ‘F’) then your camera will be ‘G’ The main thing to remember is that the letters are not fixed and will move along in an alphabetic progression depending upon how many devices are plugged into your PC, so your camera could be ‘H’ today and ‘J’ tomorrow.

Once you have established which drive is your camera, perform a ‘double left’ mouse click and the camera contents should be visible. Often they show as folders with names like DCIM and MISC usually ‘double left’ clicking on the DCIM folder will show your pictures, but they may still be contained in another ‘Sub Folder’ if so just ‘double left’ click again.

All of your camera pictures should start to display as thumbnails, ‘double left’ clicking on any of these thumbnails should automatically open up a program on your computer that is capable of viewing the file. This will probably be Picassa if you have it installed.

If there are any video files on your camera they too should open up using another program on your PC.

If you wish to download your pictures directly into Picassa:

1. Plug your camera cable into your PC and turn it on.
2. At the camera software ‘auto start’ window do not proceed, just close the window down.
3. Start Picassa and go to the ‘File’ menu (top left)
4. On the drop down menu select the ‘import from’ option.
5. This should automatically detect the camera and assign a drive letter to it
6. You should see it described as ‘Removable Drive’ F,G,H etc.
7. It should load all the camera pictures as thumbnails.
8. There are two more boxes at the bottom of the screen, the one on the left ‘Import To’ is usually set as the default location for your pictures, so best left alone.
9. The other will ask you for a folder name, you must enter one, after you do another box will become visible that says ‘Import All’ click this and all your pictures will download into Picassa.
10. You may also specify not to download certain or duplicate pictures by checking a box.

Post by **Kiya** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 11:31 pm

When I'm uploading pics to computer I have the DCIM & MISC, my pics are always in the DCIM but nothing in MISC, what is the MISC for ??

Post by **LivinginLuxor** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:39 am

I''ve never really used any camera software to download pictures - I use a multi-card reader, which on my PC shows as a removable drive. Much faster, and with Picasa I see small previews as the photos load, so I can choose which ones to save.

Post by **Horus** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 10:04 am

I agree that the multi-card readers are a quick way of accessing your pictures, although they are accessed in the same way as any other device connected to your PC. The main difference being that they usually have their own designated drive letters as they are often built into the PC or laptop so it is quicker than having to access the camera card via the ‘My Computer’ as I described above, but if you do not have a card reader then my method works the same as a card reader.

Kiya wrote:

When I'm uploading pics to computer I have the DCIM & MISC, my pics are always in the DCIM but nothing in MISC, what is the MISC for ??

Your pictures will always be in the DCIM folder, usually inside of a sub folder.

There are lots of explanation for this acronym, here are a few:
DCIM Data Centre Infrastructure Management
DCIM Display Control Interface Module
DCIM Digital Camera Image Management
DCIM Digital Camera Internal Memory
It is actually, DCIM= Digital Camera IMages which is a Japanese standard.

The MISC folder is used by the camera to store certain information in so never delete it, but just forget about it.

Post by **Kiya** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 12:03 pm

I always use my card reader I bought along with camera much quicker than connecting camera.

MISC... now I know thanks Horus

just as well I did leave it

Post by **Once bitten** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 3:01 pm

I plug my camera straight into my P.C. and download with Adobe, it is very fast and I have a back up file in my Windows "My pictures".

Post by **Horus** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 3:45 pm

Once bitten wrote:I plug my camera straight into my P.C. and download with Adobe, it is very fast and I have a back up file in my Windows "My pictures".

This is another one of those “How long is a piece of string” questions.
It depends upon lots of factors such as the make of your camera, the bundled software it employs, which program it opens as the default if you do not use the camera software. It all comes down to the speed of your PC processor, if you have a fast machine then it makes no noticeable difference as to the reading source that it uses, but what is certain is that different cameras software will load at different rates depending upon the version and camera make. In my own case, my camera cables are always connected and it takes less time to just plug them in, rather than to remove and replace memory cards and my download is very fast.

Post by **Grandad** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:01 pm

Tried the Picasa option for downloading today and found it very easy to use and 'fast'. It also carried the EXIF info which was not the case with PSP.

On a different subject I have touched on this on another thread but would like to discuss it here which I think is the correct thread.

MULTI POINT FOCUSSING
My camera has 11 point MPF and I am finding that in a complex frame it often focusses on anything but the point I want in focus. I don't find the manual any help at all. I am therefore inclined to switch to centre focus so that I know I am in control.

Does anyone have and use MPF with success and if so any tips would be appreciated. In my case I am talking Nikon.

Post by **Kiya** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:41 pm

Grandad mine does the same & not focus on the point I would like & like yourself I switch to centre focus.
I've tried the continuous when shooting birds & such & still getting blurry pics......I'm not up to it yet fraid to say.

Post by **Horus** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:47 pm

I am not an expert on this Grandad but I believe that you have to scroll a wheel or some other interface such as a rocker switch on your camera to manually select the area you want to be the focal point for your picture. So I am assuming that when you are using this function several points will be displayed in the viewfinder (probably as boxes) from which to choose, in your case it will be 11 points or possibly less. If you choose the auto option it will probably choose the center of the frame, but not really sure.

Post by **LivinginLuxor** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:37 pm

As I said elsewhere, my camera has died. So, some kind person has offered to bring the new one out to me. It will be the Olympus E620, with the twin lens option. What amazes me is the price - between £699 and £499 - or rather the discrepancy between the various online stores for the same item!

Post by **Horus** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:50 pm

I know what you mean Stan, I have often saved upwards of a £100 on the same camera just by shopping around

but at £200 you are making a huge saving, camera looks nice too

Post by **LivinginLuxor** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 10:04 pm

I've always liked Olympus - I had an OM1 for many years. I like this package, because the camera is smaller than most DSLRs and the screen is tiltable - makes taking photos of ceilings much easier. And great fun for me to be on a learning curve again!

Post by **Grandad** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 10:27 pm

Glad you are returning to the SLR club Stan......I have just done the same and am still at the bottom of the learning curve.....they have changed so much since my last Minolta 7000 many years ago. I also have a tilting screen and I think it is very useful in many situations......My D5000 was £590 with two lenses so you have a real deal

Horus, thanks a lot for the pointers.....I must read the manual properly

There is a thumbwheel called a 'command dial' and also the navigator type thing called a 'Multi Selector'. I hadn't got the two sorted in my head, all plain sailing now.........I think

Thanks again........

PS. Don't go away anywhere, LLL, Kiya, Me and others need you around