| Digital Photo Tips: Telephoto, Zoom and Macro Photography |
From "Digital Photography"
episode DPG-105 |
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There are a number of ways of expanding your photographic capabilities when using a digital camera. Some of the most important and useful creative tools include the use of telephoto, zoom and macro photography.
Telephoto Zoom vs. Digital Zoom
In telephoto photography, specialized lenses and adapters are used to allow the photographer to fill more of the frame with a distant subject. It allows the camera lens to function like a telescope, magnifying the object and making it appear much closer than it actually is. A zoom lens is a type of telephoto lens in which the amount of magnification is variable. It allows the photographer to select the amount of subject in the frame, "zooming" in and out by varying the amount of magnification. Many digital cameras come with a zoom capability built in. In fact, most incorporate two zoom functions: optical zoom and digital zoom.
Optical telephoto uses lens optics to magnify the image, making it look closer than it actually is. The optical magnification is achieved by using a lens with a greater focal length. The zooming function is enabled by using a lens with a variable focal length.
On some digital cameras, once you reach the limits of your optical zooming capability, you can still magnify your subject even more through the use of the digital-zoom feature. A digital zoom is not a lens, and it does not add focal length. This type of zooming simply enlarges a selected portion of the image digitally -- much like when you use a zoom feature on your computer to enlarge a portion of a picture on your monitor. The limitation of digital zoom is that, as the specified portion of the picture is enlarged, it loses sharpness. When you look closely at a picture shot using digital zoom, the image may appear pixelated (figure A).
A better option is to use a telephoto adapter -- a lens accessory that fits onto your camera's lens to expand its zooming capability by adding focal length.
An image shot with a telephoto adapter (figure B, bottom) is much sharper than one shot using digital zooming (figure B, top).
It's the same type of pixelation that appears if you take a digital picture and overenlarge it on your computer screen using your image software. Either way, the result is the same: a badly pixelated picture (figure C).
In Summary: If you have a choice between using digital zoom and a telephoto adapter to expand your zooming capability, use the telephoto adapter. Optical-telephoto enhancement will "bring you closer to your subject" without sacrificing image sharpness and clarity.
Macro Photography
Macro photography is the art of taking extreme close-up pictures showing detail on your subject that may not even be visible to the naked eye. The results can often be quite dramatic.
In our demonstration, Rick Sammon uses the built-in optical-zoom feature on his digital camera to compose a close-up shot of some flowers (figure D).
In digital photography, macro photography is made somewhat easier because of the LCD screen (figure E) that allows you to compose very tightly and know exactly what wil be included in the shot even at extreme close-up range.
To expand your macro photography capabilities, consider using a macro lens adapter. The macro adapter attaches to your camera lens (figure F), just as the telephoto adapter described in the previous section.
Where the telephoto adapter is like adding a telescope to your camera, the macro adapter is analogous to adding a magnifying glass. It allows you to optically "move in" extremely close to your subject. In our demonstration, Rick used the flash feature on his camera to freeze the action and a macro adapter to make a dramatic close-up photo (figure G).
In Summary: A macro lens adapter will allow you to take close-up photos with much greater detail and definition than with a standard optical zoom.
RESOURCES :
Kodak Information
Tips, techniques, tutorials and information on cameras and film.
To e-mail Kodak, click here.
To access Kodak's contact information, click here.
www.kodak.com
Kodak
Website: www.kodak.com
Rick Sammon, professional photographer
Web site: www.ricksammon.com
Learn more about photography with Rick Sammon's new e-book on CD. More than 100 tips and photographs from Rick's travels around the world.
And check out Rick's column on Kodak's site:
Web site: www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/magazine/tips/2001_10
Rick Sammon
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
Email: RickSammon@aol.com
Website: www.ricksammon.com
Special Thanks for DIY's Digital Photography workshop, episodes 101-105
Adobe Photoshop
Web site: www.adobe.com
PC Photo magazine
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Kodak
Web site: www.kodak.com
Epson America, Inc.
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Kinkos
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Ulead Cool 360
Web site: www.ulead.com
The Digital Wallet
Web site: www.mindsatwork.net
The L.A. County Arboretum
Web site: www.arboretum.org
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Systems
Buffalo, NY 14240-1034
Website: www.adobe.com
PC Photo magazine
Website: www.pcphotomag.com
Online version of the magazine devoted to digital photography and related technologies.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Digital Photography
Model: 002864235X
Author: Steven Greenberg
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Prentice Hall
Paramus, NJ 07652
Digital Photography For Dummies
Model: 0764506463
Author: Julie Adair King
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Hungry Minds, Inc.
Complete Digital Photography
Model: 1584500077
Author: Ben Long
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Charles River Media
Website: www.charlesriver.com/
50 Fast Digital Photo Techniques
Model: 0764535781
Author: Gregory Georges, Cris Rys
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Hungry Minds, Inc.
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