Canon vs Nikon? Which Camera to Buy?

Susan Brannon
Entry Level Camera's

For starters, I use the Nikon.  Why?  Through the years, I have seen tons of images from friends, online, at exhibitions and after a while I noticed that the quality of images that I liked and choices of lens's was from a Nikon.  In the end, that is all that I purchase.  The newer Digital camera's have a nice feature that you can interchange the lens (of certain type) from a Nikon or a Canon

So, who am I go write an article on a Canon vs Nikon camera?  Well, in my work, I have had many clients in my workshops that have Canon's and I have had to become familiar with them.  Don't get me wrong here, they are nice camera's and take wonderful images.  I think that in the end, it really depends on your "style" and taste. 

Both the digital SRL Nikon and Canon cameras are "user friendly" easy to navigate and quick with the shutter speeds.  I have noticed that each type of Nikon or Canon, has a different interface.  It sounds like I am talking about computer's and software, which in reality, that is what these digital camera's are.  So, if you are not tech savvy, trying to decide on what camera to use can be a bit challenging. 

If you walk into a real camera store, you know the ones that only sell cameras and the equipment that go with them, not the Targets or other retail stores, the salesperson will sound like me.  He or she will gear you towards the camera of their choice.  This is why I say that it is a matter of taste, in the end.

Okay, so in reference to my last article, "Photography: Getting Started: What Camera to Buy?"  I will go into some more detail.  I don't want to overwhelm a new photographer, so I like to make things as simple as possible.  Nikon and Canon are always in competition with each other, when one company comes out with a new camera, the other company announces a camera that is competitive.

What a Nikon D3100 offers:        What a Canon T3 (1100D) offers:
cost: $550                                                $500
Megapixels:  12.2                                     14.2
Stabilization: In lens                               In lens
Memory Card: SD/SDHC/SDXC           SD/SHC/SDXC
Max. Shutter Speed:  1/4000                    1/4000
Max. Photo Capture:  3 per sec.                3 per sec.
ISO Range:  100 to 6400                        100 to 12800
Movie Modes:  Quicktime MOV               H.264
              1280 x 720p(30fps)                   1920x1080p; 1280 x 720; 640x424
LCD:  Static 2.7in                                  Static 3in
Viewfinder: Pentamirror (95%)               Pentamirror (95%)
Autofocus:  9 point                                 11 point
Face Detect AF: No                               Yes
Sensor Dimensions: 22.2 x 14.8              23.6 x 15.7
                   (1.6x crop)                         (1.5x crop)
HDMI Port: Yes                                   Yes
Live View:  Yes                                      Yes
Built in Flash: Yes                                Yes
Compatible Lenses: All Canon EF        Nikon AF-I and AF-S
           and EF-S
Demensions: 5.1 x 3.9x 3.07 in              4.9 x 3.8 x 3.0 in
            129.5 x 99 x 76 mm                124 x 96 x 75 mm
Weight:  17.46 oz (495g)                      17.8oz (505g)

You will notice that there is not much of a difference in the camera's.  The one difference is the Rebel T3 and the Nikon D3100 is that the Nikon D3100 is NOT 100% backwards-compatible with older Nikon lenses -  while the Rebel T3 works well with large number of Canon and third party lenses.

You can look at the "image quality" by searching for image reviews and view the image differences and see which ones you may like best.  In the end, a lot will be decided on how you intend to use the camera, and how you plan to upgrade.



Related Articles:
Photography: Getting Started

Photography: Getting Started: What Camera to Buy?

Photography, Getting Started, What Camera to Buy
Susan Brannon
Buying a camera has nothing to do with a red Ferrari, but you can get "Ferrari" level cameras!  Photography can be one complicated hobby or career.  Lets look at the "art" of photography and forget about the career.  The first thing you will need to do is to decide on what camera to purchase.  To stay out of all the complicated and technical deciding factors, I will try to offer a simple process to help you to get on the right foot!

I want to offer my "advice" right away because photography and decision making can drive one crazy.  There is no need to go crazy here, take a breath, relax and enjoy the wonderful world of image making.  Most of you have already taking images with a point and shoot digital camera.  You may have received one as a gift as a child, or purchased one for that saved up holiday.  Now, you decided that you want to get a bit more serious about image taking.

• All you need is a light weight, SRL digital camera.  They are medium in cost around $500.00 to $1,000 (without the lens)  I recommend a 17-55mm lens to start with. You will want to buy a haze protective filter for your lens, maybe a tripod , a case, a way to clean your lens and your off! (some are listed at the bottom)

Okay, you can also buy cameras that come in "kits"  they include the camera, and the lens. (what I listed on the bottom)

Quickly on type of lens, and what you will want to do:  Id you think that you will want to get into Sports, Travel, culture, landscape and nature will require you to purchase another lens in addition to the 17-55mm lens.  You will want a 55-200mm.

My advice?  Start from the perspective as a hobby, because most likely if you really get into it, you will continue buying equipment for the rest of your life.  Photography is catchy, like a bug and once you get that bug, you will never be able to put it down.  You will want to try different lens, work with lighting, maybe try a different style or create your own dark room.  The possibilities are endless in photography.  Start small and grow later.  You do not have to purchase that $5,000 camera right off the bat.

Now that was not to difficult was it?  The world of camera selling has made camera buying much less complicated for beginners with their kits. I will add more details, on types of lens for what types of photography, for when you will want to explore viewing the world through different lens.  (This means that you will have to stop by later, or sign up for my email updates!)

I am also testing something new to add to some of the postings, for this article..and my first time, I added a few camera's that I found online for you to click and view. I want to see if it really works!??

Mark Focus Presents his work to Putney Swope

This shows you why photographers should not work for free.  Photographers- Please don't work for free you are killing us!

Framing Your Subject: Quick Tips

Susan Brannon
There are various ways to "frame your subject"  Framing can help to draw the eyes through the image towards the subject.
Look for Items:
Search for items you can frame your subject with.  Ask yourself if you can use a tree, a slope, or a window frame. These items can be used to "frame your subject" for added quality to your image and help to draw the viewers eye into the subject.  You can look at the geometrics of the area.  For example, is there a line of bushes that lead towards your subject?  These are lines that lead or draw towards your subject and can have a powerful impact on your images.

Making Use of the Rule of Thirds

Described in a prior article, I discussed the use of the rule of thirds. By breaking up your frame into 9 equal boxes, you can place your subject matter in a more interesting location within the image.
Balance Your Image Elements
Look around and see if you have secondary elements to balance your image with while using the rule of thirds.

Now, go out and try it!

Related lessons:

Tips on How to Use our Disposable Cameras

Documentary Photography Lesson 1

Documentary Photography Lesson 2

Street Photography Lesson 1

Street Photography and your Camera

Street Photography Tips

Holga Camera

F/16 Rule and Apertures

What is the difference between Street Photography and Documentary?
Four Easy Steps to Learn panning 

Tips for Night Photography

Aperture and f/16 Rule
Shutter Speed Basics
Bracketing

Rule of Thirds

Depth of Field

Photography Basics

Common Photography Terms

Focused Bracketing or Photo Stacking

Twitter Censorship

Susan Brannon
Is the censorship by Twitter connected to the recent SOPA/PIPA proposal?  It seems strange that once everyone blacked out and petitioned the SOPA deal, Twitter decided to censor tweets.  Who is to really decide what tweets are approved and which ones are not?

As we know, Twitter was a major resource for the gathering of thousands in the Arab Spring and a resource for thousands to keep people on the outside involved in the situation.

As a journalist, twitter is a main aspect for me to follow issues and concerns and I sure that it is the same for activists. So now what? Will I not be able to follow a tweet from Syria because, the U.S. government decides that I, an American should not know what it going on over there?  Will I not be allowed to really know what is going on over there?

I have been covering war, physically from the inside and I know that what makes it into mainstream news, is not really the reality many times over and over.  I can understand the global governments are concerned on the Arab Spring spreading onto other revolutions in different countries.  Well, it already has. 

What about our own 99% vs the 1% Wall Street Occupy sit ins?  I believe that this censorship should be scraped, done with and it should not have been a nano second of a thought or consideration for Twitter.  Here is why:

This takes away from our freedom of expression
The freedom of the right to assemble and organize
The freedom to communicate with those we want to communicate with from any border
Twitter is selling people out who need a place to have a voice
Twitter is committing social suicide
If censorship starts to happen, then we all loose.
Twitter is putting themselves in the place of the government's mercy.  Not run by them, but in the end will be run by the government.

Twitter said, "no plans to remove tweets unless it receives a request from government officials, companies or another outside party that believes the message is illegal."

Okay, so the government can tell us what, who and where we can speak. 
There will be a Twitter for Democratic countries and a Twitter for the other.

CIA sifts social media sites

SOPA & PIPA: No Thanks

Scientist photographed soul leaving the body in death 2nd part

Protest of SOPA PIPP please click here to sign

Today Through The Lens joins with other sites in a virtual strike to protest two proposed laws in the United States, called SOPA and the PROTECT IP Act. On January 24th, the U.S. Senate will vote on the PROTECT IP Act to censor the Internet, despite opposition from the vast majority of Americans.
Join us to protect our rights to free speech, privacy, and prosperity.
http://americancensorship.org/

WTF is SOPA ? aka The American Government trying to ruin the internet

Be a HERO and Help STOP SOPA Now!! I'll tell you How! This Video that M...

Fotoshop by Adobé (Adobe)

The Hidden World of Vivian Maier

Vivian Maier slideshow in HD

HDR Photojournalism?

Susan Brannon
15 January 2012

To my great sadness, I want to point out that The Washington Post printed a photograph on the front page that was in HDR format. This is clearly altering an image by combining several images into one. It is done to create a "sharper" and greater photographic moment than the reality of the subject. Many Landscape photographers use this technique and as a result there are many beautiful landscape images out there, but they are not real. For me, the HDR image looks a bit "surreal".

However, in photojournalism to alter an image is a great "phoo-pah" and the publishing of such an image on the front page of a newspaper (any newspaper) is like a slap in the face to me. Do the editors laugh at us while they make decisions to print such an image? They did say that the image was "composite". I am a true bread photojournalist who first shot with slides and mailed them in, then film and went to the press office, then in digital that I had to spend tons of my precious earnings on new equipment and continue to do so, in order to make the "news" in "real time".

This is a slap in our ethical code that I proudly stand by, of not altering any image for the news. Not a beep, not a color, no clipping, no cropping, and in RAW. That is the true art of a good photojournalist, to tell the story as it is, to reflect the reality and to record history as it happens.

For me, this is a sad day. Please read more about the image here: Poynter Institute

Beautiful Video of the Elderly

The Light of Day by Simon Biswas from FlakPhoto.com on Vimeo.

Dorothea Langue: A Bio

Susan Brannon

27 November 2011

Dorothea Langue: Documentary Photography or Photojournalism?

“One should really use the camera as though tomorrow you'd be stricken blind.”

“Pick a theme and work it to exhaustion... the subject must be something you truly love or truly hate.”

Dorothea Langue

Dorothea Langue is known for her work during the great depression era while working for the Farm Security.  She was a documentary and photojournalist photographer.  She was born on May 26, 1895 and dies October 11, 1965.  She studied photography at Columbia University and apprenticed in several New York photography studios, later she moved to San Francisco and opened a portrait studio.  During the depression, she went from her studio and watching the people in the street below her, to photographing the people in the street photographing the unemployed and homeless, “combing those who paid and those who did not”.  Later, she toured the field with her husband who was gathering economic data for the government. 

Many of the images she took became public domain because of her work for the Farm Security.  Some of her images were “off hours” and became copyrighted to her name.  Her images were to bolster support for the establishment of migrant camps.  

Dorothea used a 4 x 5 Graflex D camera for most of her shots. She felt that the camera, “Teaches people how to see without a camera” Langue worked a lot by using her instincts, “to find out later how right your instincts were, if you followed all the influences that were brought to bear on you while you were working in a region.…It did happen more than once that we unearthed and discovered what had been either neglected, or not known, in various parts of the country, things that no one else seemed to have observed in particular, yet things that were too important not to make a point of.”

In the 1940’s she documented the forced relocation of Japanese Americans to internment camps.  In the 1950’s and 1960’s she produced photographic essays on Ireland, Asia, Egypt and the post-war boom in California. 

Dorothea Langue interacted with her subjects, in order to capture a realistic, honest and truthful image.  Langue was a patient photographer, sticking around, talking to the people, asking them questions, “where are you from?” remaining there, and sitting on the ground with them.  She listened to the people that she photographed and tried to remember what they said so later when she went to her car, she could write down what they said.  She would use their quotes with the images captions, she liked “using the words that came directly from the people’s mouths”.  By the end of 1939 she had set the standard for photography captions.

While she was working for the government, they wanted images of a certain type, framing the subject to tell the story, while in the darkroom removing the “negatives” like brushing away a thumb, lightening some areas, darkening others and moving a cow skull to show evidence of a drought. 

Dorothea Langue had a somewhat mystical approach to the problem of authenticity. She believed that through her camera she could see into the psyches of her subjects, and that by penetrating beneath a surface she could get at a truth that was deeper, more truthful, than were facts available at first glance. Taken literally, her notion that she had a kind of X- ray vision seems to absurd, but is a way of saying something about the role of documentary photography.

The debate about authenticity and objectivity may never be solved. It continues today whether the subject is literature or history or journalism or photography. Unfortunately today many people continue to worry more about whether a photographer has asked a subject to take off his hat or look toward her child than about whether the photographer’s interpretation illuminates truths heretofore hidden. Some of this concern comes from a confusion of documentary photography with photojournalism, some from increased public awareness of how easily and undetectably images can be altered.

We need to get straight what documentary photography has been and is: overwhelmingly often an art form inspired by concern for social justice and eagerness to participate in social change. It aims to see and show beneath the common-sense assumptions that so often prevent us from seeing the actual relationships that create both human and ecological erosion.

Related Articles:
Comparative Essay: The Great Depression/The Current Crisis
Ansel Adams:  How Did He Do It?
Ansel Adams:  Georgia O'Keeffe and Orville Cox
Documentary Photography: Lesson 1
Documentary Photography: Lesson 2 Altering Images, How Far Can We Go?
Photojournalism Visual Lies
Street Photography Tips
What is the Difference Between Street Photography and Documentary Photography?
Ethics and Credibility

Scheimpflug theory

Susan Brannon
21 August 2011
You read in my previous article on Ansel Adams, that one of the two techniques he used was the Scheimpflug theory.  I will try to make this theory as simple as possible.

The Scheimpflug principle is a geometric rule that describes the orientation of the plane of focus of an optical system (such as a camera) when the lens plane is not parallel to the image plane.

Normally, the lens and image (film or sensor) planes of a camera are parallel, and the plane of focus (PoF) is parallel to the lens and image planes. If a planar subject (such as the side of a building) is also parallel to the image plane, it can coincide with the PoF, and the entire subject can be rendered sharply. If the subject plane is not parallel to the image plane, it will be in focus only along a line where it intersects the PoF. As in the image below.

With a normal camera, when the subject is not parallel to the image plane, only a small region is in focus.Image from Wikipedia.

 When an oblique tangent is extended from the image plane, and another is extended from the lens plane, they meet at a line through which the PoF also passes.

Rotation of the plane of focus

With this condition, a planar subject that is not parallel to the image plane can be completely in focus.

When the lens and image planes are not parallel, adjusting focus[1] rotates the PoF rather than displacing it along the lens axis. The axis of rotation is the intersection of the lens’s front focal plane and a plane through the center of the lens parallel to the image plane, as shown in Figure 3. As the image plane is moved from IP1 to IP2, the PoF rotates about the axis G from position PoF1 to position PoF2; the “Scheimpflug line” moves from position S1 to position S2. The axis of rotation has been given many different names: “counter axis” (Scheimpflug 1904), “hinge line” (Merklinger 1996), and “pivot point” (Wheeler).

There are a lot more of mathematical equations to this principle, too difficult for me to understand, which means, if I cannot understand the mathematics of the principle, how can I try to explain the equations to you?


The bottom line? 
A)   When the lens and the image planes are parallel, the depth of field extends between parallel planes on either side of the plane of focus.
B)   When the lens plane is not parallel to the image plane, the blur spots are ellipses rather than circles. 
So if the planes are not parallel, then you will get blur spots down the horizon.  This is the concept that Ansel Adams understood, that therefore he tilted his lens down, to parallel the image planes.  You can buy tilting lens for this occasion, or use your tripod.

To get into this further here are some great links: Checklist for view cameras, by Howard Bond
How to Focus the View Camera by, Q. Tuan Loung
 These articles are for large format photography.
 Here is a nice page titled the Scheimflug Principle photo stream

Okay, so normally this principle is for large format cameras. What about Digital?
Good news!  You can purchase a tilt lens for your digital camera.

This is what Nikon says, "Tilt/shift photography (specifically tilt/shift miniature faking) is a technique for making regular scenes look like miniatures. By artificially making the depth of field of a picture extremely shallow using a special lens, you can duplicate the effect of a macro lens, making the scene seem much smaller than it actually is, resulting in a really cool effect. You can also use the adjustable distortion to draw attention to specific parts of a picture, which is compelling for portrait photography." 
Here is a great example of the differences:

For a lesson on how to focus your tilt lens see this article.

Basic Information taken from Wikipedia

Ansel Adams: How did he do it?

Susan Brannon
19 August 2011

Ansel Adams - Joshua Tree 1942 - © 2009 The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust

Ansel Adams;  How did he do it?

Ansel Adams is known for his beautiful black and white nature images and for developing photography techniques in the development process of the images. 

His first camera was a Kodak No.1 Box Brownie. This camera was first rollfilm camera bearing the new brand name "Kodak", patented and introduced in 1888. It used Eastman stripping negative film. The Kodak No. 1 of 1889 resembled the Kodak, but featured a more sophisticated shutter.

I must mention however, that a good images does not come from the equipment and all the gadgets, it comes from inspiration.  Photography is an art, and your images must come from within.  Adams said, "The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it."

It is the camera that catches your imagination.  If you do not use your imagination, you will wind up with just another photograph.  Where does the word image come from?  It comes from the word "imagination". Not from lens, noise levels, sharpness, color balance.  Ansel Adams did not have PhotoShop to play around with.

Ansel Adams, went into the wilderness for months at a time.  He became inspired by what was around him.  He wanted to reflect his inspiration through his images and use his creativity.  He felt blogged down by all the commercial photography he felt forced to do for survivals sake. 

Adams made sharp images seventy years ago without worrying about how sharp his lenses were.  The lenses of the 1930's were much slower than they are today, about f/5.6.  The equipment you use, only helps to get the job done faster and easier.

What did Adams do?  He was eighteen years old taking a long trip into the wildreness, with a donkey, 100 pounds of gear and food, and a 30 pound sack of photographic equipment.  He lugged tri-pods, camera's, and portable darkrooms.

In 1915, he used his Box Brownie
In 1916 he used a Pocket Kodak and a 4x5 view
He used a Zeiss Millifles
a 6-1/2 x 8 1/2 glass plate camera
4 x 5 camera
Hassleblands
35mm (he called miniture)
Polaroid

Adams said, "If we had very heavy cameras we simply didn't go so far or take so many pictures. Knowing what I know now, any photographer worth his salt could make some beautiful things with pinhole cameras."

He like using a large format camera 8x10.  His favorite medium format camera was a 6x6.  For the last 20 years of his life, he used a Hasselblad medium format, which he created the famous "Mood and Half Dome" image.

In his portrait image, he is holding a Hasselblad 500 C/M

Ansel Adams - Saguaro Cactus, Sunrise, Arizona 1946

Other than being inspired an having large or medium format camera's what did he do?
Adams liked to control the depth of field, by adjusting the film plane and the lens, with the relationships of objects in the frame, with tilt and rise and fall movements.  Doing these things, he was able to alter the perspective to what he desired, controlling rise movements or increasing depth of field by making the lens standard tilt down.

Adams tilted the lens standard of his view camera in order to extend his depth of field, close to infinity.  1) by stopping his view camera down as far as he could and 2) using the camera's movements to take advantage of the Scheimpflug theory. (shift horizontally to make perfect parallel lines)

Typical digital lenses cannot achieve the same perspective as a view camera because of the physics involved.  When the film plan and the lens plane are rigid, we can have a measure of control over the depth of field and perspective, but we are limited.

You can tilt the camera, with a regular lens on it and the parallel lines converge.  Threes and other elements in the frame can look like they are falling backward.  This is the rise and fall movements.

You can purchase tilt lenses, but you will need to use your camera on total manual.  Forget the auto focus and sensors.  The tilting, stretches out the depth of field so you can frame easier without distortion.

Adams developed all his own film, using a small space in his parents home, and while in the field.  He first used matte and changed to glossy paper to increase the tonal values.  He spoke often about using the natural light and small apertures with long exposures.  Adams also suggested to "visualize" each image before taking it.  This means, taking your time, walking around looking at things from different points of view.

Adams, was a promoter of "pure photography" "Pure photography is defined as possessing no qualities of technique, composition or idea, derivative of any other art form.' Soft focus lenses were prohibited, but in Adams earlier work of the Monolith, he used a strong red filter to create a black sky.  Adams mounted a camera platform on the top of his station wagon, to get a better vantage point over the immediate foreground and a better angle for expansive backgrounds.  Most of his images from 1943 forward were made from the roof of his car.

Adams developed the "zone System" of controlling and relating exposure and development, enabling photographers to creatively visualize an image and produce a photograph that matched and expressed that visualization.

Ansel Adams Technical Books:
    * Making a Photograph, 1935.
    * Camera and Lens: The Creative Approach, 1948. ISBN 0-8212-0716-4
    * The Negative: Exposure and Development, 1948. ISBN 0-8212-0717-2
    * The Print: Contact Printing and Enlarging, 1950. ISBN 0-8212-0718-0
    * Natural Light Photography, 1952. ISBN 0-8212-0719-9
    * Artificial Light Photography, 1956. ISBN 0-8212-0720-2
    * Examples: The Making of 40 Photographs, 1983. ISBN 0-8212-1750-X
    * The Camera, 1995. ISBN 0-8212-2184-1
    * The Negative, 1995. ISBN 0-8212-2186-8
    * The Print, 1995. ISBN 0-8212-2187-6 (Wikipedia)

Kodak No.1 Box Brownie

Kodak No.1 Box Brownie

Susan Brannon
18 August 2011
The Kodak No.1 Box Brownie was Ansel Adams first camera.
This camera was first rollfilm camera bearing the new brand name "Kodak", patented and introduced in 1888. It used Eastman stripping negative film. The Kodak No. 1 of 1889 resembled the Kodak, but featured a more sophisticated shutter.  It was discontinued in 1916.

The cost? $1!

In use, the shutter was set by pulling a string; the camera was sighted by looking along a V-shape on the top of the camera. The shutter was tripped by pressing a button on the camera's side. After exposure, the key was used to wind the film to the next frame. The film moved past a shaft, rotating it, which caused a pointer visible on the top of the camera to rotate, so the photographer could be sure of advancing the correct amount of film.

Once one hundred pictures had been taken, the user sent the whole camera back to Kodak for film processing and reloading - at a cost of $10[1]. A hundred round negatives with a diameter of 65mm came from each roll of Eastman American Film. The round image was a design decision, partly as a way of ensuring that the photographer didn't have to hold the camera exactly level with the horizon, and partly to compensate for the poor image quality at the corners of the image. These first Kodak cameras were designed by George Eastman in collaboration with a cabinetmaker, Frank A. Brownell, who set up the production line at Eastman's factory. They are beautifully built, with box joints and strong leather covering.
Of course, those were the days when a photographer had to carry all kinds of equipment along with him and develop his own film.  I still like the medium format images the best for landscape, portraits and documentary photography.  I still like to develop my own film and yes, I have used the dodge technique that Adam's designed.  They sure do help the clouds come out fabulous!
Just for fun, I decided to look and see if I can find one of these boxes and how much are they now?
Well, I found one on E-Bay for 33 dollars, the person said that it was in "mint condition"
that was the only one that I found.  Here you can find the history and development of the Kodak cameras.
If you find one of these camera's at a garage sale, look to make sure that it does not leak light. The No.1 uses 620 film which may be hard to get, but if you go to a professional camera store they can find it for you.  You may be able to find the film online.  The images are soft with a nostalgic feel to it! They will not look like digital images.  Here is a link on how to use a Brownie Box!  Where to get manuals and more the brownie website.