Peter,

Arguably getting a large noise-free, or grain-free, image from a digital camera is easier and better than from an analogue (film) camera. First of all, keep in mind that as the size of an image increases the sharpness of the detail will be less pronounced, because with big pictures the viewer is meant to stand back to see it properly, thus reducing the need for pin-sharp images. However in the digital world there are a few things to remember. Number one, you get what you pay for. If you are looking for large tack sharp images it’s not going to happen with a £70 three-megapixel camera. Generally, the more megapixels the sharper the image will be. But it’s more than that. You have to factor in the quality of the sensor – is it full frame or half chip technology, how good are your lenses (a camera with a smaller number of megapixels but with a great lens will produce a better image than a camera with a lot of megapixels and an inferior lens), what kind of software are you running and how well do you know it, were the images shot at a high ISO setting or at night. It’s a combination of factors working together that will ultimately determine the quality of any image. And as for printing – home printing – it’s never cheap.

Still, manufacturers are now recognizing that photographers want to
control the whole process, from camera to printer, and are producing
good quality machines that meet even the rigorous demands of pros. How
reasonable this is in terms of price is totally up to the individual.

I own a Canon 350D and would like to buy a Macro to take pictures of flowers/insects and smaller objects. Please can you advise which lense would be most suitable for the purpose. I already own a 18-55mm and a 80-300mm. - Megha Shelat, Sutton

Megha,

Canon produces a few lenses with macro capabilities. The three I would recommend are the EF 100mm F/2.8, the EF-S 60mm F/2.8 and the MP-E65mm F/2.8. All three deal with close-up photography in slightly different
ways. The EF 100mm gives a little bit of telephoto distance so the photographer can stand back a little thus not interfering so much with a given scene. This is probably the best lens for general macro work. The EF-S 60mm is the newest in the line up and is proving to be an excellent lens for capturing little things. The MP-E65mm is small, light and the perfect lens for macro photography producing images five-times life size. Keep in mind though it is a manual focus lens.

With macro photography you may find you’ll need a dedicated light source – a ring flash. The Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX clips to the front of the lens and is fully adjustable giving the photographer control over the flash output.

I purchased a HP 612 digital camera about 3 years ago. I can never seem to take 'instant' photos. Most of the time it doesn't work when I want it to, battery charge seems cricial. Even on newly charged batterys I can never rely on taking a photo first instant click. I've now gone back to disposable cameras that take clear instant shots 100% of the time. Why does my digital camera not perform like a disposable? - Ray Mullins, Orpington, Kent

Ray,

Your complaint is the most common among owners of digital compact cameras. The problem you are experiencing is called shutter lag. Basically it takes the camera a second or two to take the picture after the shutter button is depressed. I know your camera is only three years old, but in the digital world that is ancient. The only reason why this ever occurred in the first place is because it was cheaper to produce small cameras with this serious oversight than to build them properly. Manufacturers are only now starting to wake up to this problem. Have a look at the Nikon Coolpix 7900, the Olympus MJU 810, the Ricoh GR Digital and the Leica D-Lux 2. All are around the 7-8 megapixel range and all are shutter lag free. Still, when shopping for a camera, no matter the brand, test before buying.


What book/course/manual/etc could you recommend for someone who has just bought their first digital camera (Canon 350D) but has only limited experience/knowledge of SLR cameras? - John, London

John,

I’m going to go out on a limb here. It is very difficult to learn photography from a book – just have a look at the owner’s manual that came with the camera. It is much better to attend a course where you will get hands on instruction from working pros. There are a variety of places to look for something suitable. Check out www.hotcourses.com for complete listings, alternatively you could have a look at www.wordsandpix.co.uk. Admittedly it is a course that I run with a colleague but I believe we offer a good product, especially for those people who are just beginning to get into photography.

When I try to e-mail a digital image it always appears in a HUGE format. Please can you advise how to manipulate images into a sensibe size for e-mailing. - Richard Baxter, Newark