Pictures
Posted by ledzepfan12 on Sep 08, 2008 · Member since Jan 2007 · 675 posts
What do you guys do to make your pictures turn out looking good? My digital camera sucks at taking any pictures I plan to put up here. I don't want to have use my camera phone, because if I just knew how I know I could take better pictures with my camera.
I have a 7.0 megapixel easy share kodiak digital camera.
What's wrong with the pics? Blurry, dark, etc.??
They come out all fuzzy and too bright even when the flash is off.
Have you tried using the different settings (landscape, outdoors, indoor-lowlighting, etc.)? Also try barely holding down the button to take the pic (but not all the way so you actually take it) before hand, this will focus your camera (usually will do some focusing thing on the screen) and then take the pic.
try the macro feature. it's meant to get the details of close ups if you're trying to take pics of your food.
You're not alone, ledzepfan. My pictures suck too, especially when I try to get a closeup. Same problems as you. I've tried different settings, different lighting. Hell, I've even taken the plates outside under sunlight to take the pictures and they still suck. I've come to the conclusion that I just have an el cheapo crappy camera. I hope you have better luck trying the different settings than I did.
Ahh, I see you use a Kodak. My mom has a Kodak digital camera and her pictures suck too. The color is all wrong. I will never ever own any other brand of point-and-shoot camera other than an Olympus. I have a Olympus 5 MP camera that is awesome.
A close up using the close up feature of a ladybug taken in Colorado Springs, CO while driving to the top of Pikes Peak:
And it does well for landscape pictures too. Here is a picture I took of my camping spot while on vacation in Big Bend National Park in Texas. The picture was taken early in the morning right after sunrise. I was tearing down the camping spot. Back country camping in Big Bend is awesome! I used the "landscape" feature on my camera. Now granted, it is not up to the Canon Rebel XTi DSLR quality, but for a cheap ($150 2 years ago) little point-and-shoot it does a pretty good job.
SQ, those are amazing pictures!
;)b
SQ! How are you doing??
My camera is a Fuji finepix F20. It's a fairly inexpensive (really inexpensive when compared to GOOD cameras), little camera....but it works ok for me. I have very little zooming capability, and sometimes it will repeatedly take blurry pictures....but I can work around these things ok. If it seems to be in blurry mode..I just turn it off and back on..and this seems to "fix" the issue..
I just put the food in some light..and shoot a picture of it........I don't really know anything about photography..so I guess I'm pretty proud of my li'l (CK) cam; it does it's job.
Isn't the megapixel supposed to be the good part about digital photography? I've only used a couple times in the three years I've had it, but it can't be a total piece of crap can it?
1. Experiment with different modes if you have them: I have a Canon PowerShot with a bunch of settings. I find that the "auto" mode overexposes the pictures. I prefer the "program" mode. It still does everything automatically, but the pictures turn out more crisp and better looking.
2. I'm not sure which model number you have, but the 7.0 megapixel Kodak EasyShare cameras that I looked at didn't have the macro feature. To get it in focus, take the picture from far away and crop it later. This is okay because you have to reduce the picture size anyway to upload it to VegWeb.
3. Take the pictures in sunlight whenever possible. Incadescent light makes food look yellow and shade drabs the color. I'd rather take the picture in natural light and increase the brightness later, rather than use a flash which washes out the image.
http://vegweb.com/recipephotos/albums/userpics/79716/thumb_Lemon_Caper_Spaghetti_Squash.jpg
Shade
http://vegweb.com/recipephotos/albums/userpics/79716/thumb_Breakfast_Scramble_15403.jpg
4. In general, pictures look darker online, so you want it a little overexposed anyway. I always increase the brightness on a picture before I upload it. If I increase the brightness by 30, I'll increase the contrast by 10, just to try and keep things balanced out.
hh which powershot do you have?
i have the powershot g6 (7 mp) and I actually am not that happy with it. I read such great reviews in Mac magazine, online, etc....and I think I got better pics with my 2 MP sony. I just cant seem to get it to do what i want-and i have taken several photo classes (years ago before digital).
I also bought a photoprinter that was supposed to be so great with archival inks, etc....and i hate that too >:( Epson R800.
now i have no money to replace either one.
I have a PowerShot S3 IS. What kinds of things are you looking to do with it? In what ways is it underperforming?
I don't have a photoprinter. I don't think the quality justifies the cost. I get pictures printed at a place like Target or Longs Drugs. Longs, in fact, often has enlargement specials (I think). The quality of the print is so much better with professional equipment. Also, you're not going to enlarge something over an 8x10 probably because the image quality would be noticably diminished, so getting a few enlargements when a store has a sale wouldn't cost more than buying paper and ink for a printer.
I am back! Thanks for the comments about the pictures, I love taking pictures. My dream camera is the Canon XTi DSLR, which costs about $500 body alone, then another $400 for a good lens. Then of course you need filters, more lenses, case, tripod, etc. If I won the lottery I would buy...
As far as Megapixels go, that is not the only thing to determine quality, in fact, it really doesn't determin quality at all. The more pixels you have, the more "sharp" the picture is, and the larger you can blow up the shot. My 5MP I can blow up pictures to 24 X 30 " (something like that) in size. I frame them, and hang them on my walls.
DSLR's (not point and shoots) have all these adjustments you can make to them, adjustable f-stop, you can hold the lense open for longer exposure (good for shots of the northern lights). F-stop determins the field of depth of the photo for up close pictures. ISO settings are important. What really determines the quality of a picture is the size of the sensor screen. For a digital camera to be up the same quality as a film camera, the sensor has to be at least the same size as film, for instance 35mm. The larger the sensor, the more expensive the camera, the better the quality. The sensor is the thing wich captures the photo. I read all about digital cameras, I love them, the way they work is so cool. I buy magazines and stuff and dream of the day when I can afford a good DSLR camera.
I read all about digital cameras, I love them, the way they work is so cool. I buy magazines and stuff and dream of the day when I can afford a good DSLR camera.
Me too :) It's on our "list of things we want when we have a baby." lol. Screw the basinette, I want a good camera!!
I have a Canon Powershot S50 now. It's 5 years old but still takes good pictures. The macro setting helps when photographing food, and so does natural light and a tripod (natural light helps it not be overexposed like a flash tends to make it, and the tripod helps the pictures not come out blurry when you're not using the flash)
I use my phone...its convenient and even if I had a great camera my pictures would still look crappy. I just don't take good pictures. VeganSapien should comment in this thread..her pics are beautiful.