Compact camera settings

I mentioned last week that from time to time I would post a few tips about using compact cameras.  I'm often asked just how I set up my own compact cameras, so here is a list of just how my little Canon Ixus 960IS is configured right now.

Please bear in mind that these settings suit me. They may not suit you. I know the camera well and I find it no problem to change things quickly when I need to - that is one of the keys to good camera craft... KNOW YOUR CAMERA!!! I cannot stress too much just how important this is.

Running down the Menu in the M (Manual) mode, my list goes like this...

CAMERA MENU SETTINGS

AF Frame - Centre

AF Frame size - Normal

Digital Zoom - Off

Slow Synchro  - Off

Red Eye - Off

Auto ISO Shift - Off

AF assist Bean - Off

Review - 2 secs

Review Info - Off

Auto Category - On

Display Overlay - Off

IS Mode - Shoot only

TOOL SETTINGS

Sound - Mute

Touch Icons - 0n

LCD Brightness - medium

File Numbering - continuous

Auto Rotate - Off

Lens retract - 1 minute

In the FUNCTION SET menu I set things up mostly like this...

M - Manual

Exposure Compensation -1/3 ( I find Canon cameras almost always over expose a bit.)

AWB ( although I regularly change this)

My Colours - Off

Centre Weighted exposure Mode

S - Superfine quality]

L - Large file 4000 x 3000 pixels.

So there you go... you will see that I turn off a lot of auto functions that are mostly unnecessary.

Give it a go 

Compact cameras - how to take control

Gordon Stockley, who bought my DVD some while ago, emailed me the other day…
“I have been meaning to write for some time to say thank you for sharing your skills and knowledge via the blog. I have been reading it avidly since you drew my attention to it in an email and I have learned an awful lot from it (as I also did from your DVD). Thanks once again.”

Gordon went on to say he thought it might be useful if I gave some tips on using compact cameras like the Ixus 960IS. I think this is a good idea and will post one or two ideas over the coming weeks.

The biggest problem with compacts – no matter how many megapixels they boasts, or how good their lens – is the limitations of exposure control. However, while you cannot choose your exact shutter speed or the precise aperture you want, there are ways of manipulating things to get somewhere near the results you want to achieve.

Frankly, the first thing I do with any of these compacts is to disable most of the unnecessary automatic function such as Face Recognition, and Auto ISO. Above all disable the AiAF and set the focus area to Centre. Then you will always know exactly where to focus by half-pressing the shutter. If someone could explain to me why I would want a camera to focus on what it wants to focus on and not what I want it to focus on, I will try to understand. I also set the exposure area to Centre Weighted.

The M (Manual) setting on the Ixus is not really manual at all, but is does give you a greater degree of control than the fully Auto or the Scene settings. In M you can, for instance use the AEL (Auto Exposure Lock) function. In other words, you can select an area of the scene from which to take your light reading – lock the exposure setting, then reframe and apply that exposure setting to your chosen composition. On the Ixus this is simple – just half-press the shutter and at the same time press the top of the multi-function ring on the back of the camera. AEL appears on the right hand side of the screen. The exposure is locked. To return to normal, just press the top of the multi-function ring again. AEL disappears.

The picture above is a good example of taking control of exposure and focus with a tricky subject.

The flower heads are in bright sunlight. The camera was set on M at ISO80. The background is very dark and a long way away. I first locked the exposure on a bright patch of light on the ground in front of the flowers. I then pointed the camera at an area at the base of the stems, half-pressed the shutter button and held it down to lock the focusing. I now had the exposure set and the focus locked.

Had I not done this, the camera’s auto focusing may have locked onto the distant background and the flower heads would have been out of focus. If I had not locked the exposure on a bright area, the camera’s auto exposure would have taken a light reading that included a lot of dark background – the flower heads would have been over exposed.

Using compact cameras

Following on from my comments about the amount of heavy kit photographers lug about with them these days, I thought I’d show you a couple of pictures taken during one of the recent photography holidays I ran in Menorca.

When I have students with me, my priority is always to offer them guidance and tuition – their pictures not mine. So I carry the absolute minimum kit. Of course, I need a camera to demonstrate how composition can be changed and how pictures can be made to happen, but you do not need fancy kit to do that.

One of the places we photograph in Menorca is a fish market. The photographers are always made welcome and they have a great time taking close-ups; the ladies who serve the fish; the customers, you name it.

The pictures shown here were taken to demonstrate to my group that you sometimes have to arrange things a little – in this case by moving the subjects into the right positions. They were taken in a matter of seconds with no fuss.

And the camera that captured these detailed close-up shots?

A little Canon Ixus 700.

Any photographer worth his or her salt will very quickly find the limitations of a compact digital. But within those limitations, they can produce excellent and striking images. Remember – it’s not the camera that makes the pictures. It’s the photographer.

How to photograph snow

Winter is well and truly upon us here in Scotland, with hard frosts and the threat of snow. When town and countryside is blanketed by snow, the world is transformed and pictures abound. So wrap up warmly and make full use of the opportunity.

The greatest problem presented by snow - apart from getting about and keeping both you and your camera warm - is exposure. Automatic metering systems want to average out all the tones, and this causes under exposure and dull, grey snow. Just as I explained when talking about photographing the coast where there is lots of reflected light.

The answer, once again, is to deliberately over expose. Maybe by anything from +0.5 to +2 times. Either by using the Exposure Compensation control, or literally setting a manual exposure that over exposes by this amount.

If you are photographing snow on a cloudy day, try to include something in your composition that adds contrast to all that white - see the picture above of the man walking past the railings on a snowy day. The black railings have added contrast and given an impression of depth within the image.

Keep you eyes open for contrasting colours that can catch the viewer’s attention. Red always works well against white snow – see the picture of the snow-covered boat. To add depth this time, I have included the snow laden branches of the tree.

Just in case you are thinking you need expensive SLRs to take pictures of snow, forget it. These pictures were taken on a Canon Ixus 700. Exhibition prints as large as 20"x16" have been printed.

Can I use a compact digital camera for landscape photography?

Michael Groom came up to Scotland from London for a day's tuition last week. He was determined to use his little Sony compact camera as he had no intentions of carrying a lot of kit around with him. Is it possible to get great landscape and seascape pictures with such simple kit? he asked.

Yes it is. In fact, my last exhibition was a series of landscape and people pictures taken entirely on my little Canon Ixus. Below is a short video of Michael at work - braving the elements on the Galloway coast. Take a look at the final shot (it's also shown here on the left) taken on a compact camera. I know that that image can be printed 20"x16" quite comfortably. Notice the beautiful light and that the timing has caught the waves just as they splash the rocks.

Remember - you must keep the ISO down to the slowest possible speed for the best quality. You must have a sound understanding of light, and your timing has to be spot on to capture waves like this.

I'll give you a few tips on how to do that very soon if you wish.

Meanwhile, I would be interested to know what you need most help with and what you would like to hear about.

Philip Dunn

http://www.photoactive.co.uk/