Written on Dec 10th, 2008 by Dave Adams
auction, camera, eBay, grade, Information, Lens, Photography, rate, seller, Tips
Post Information and Notes
Top tips for buying DSLR camera lenses on Ebay and other auction sites
- Level:Beginner
- Tools:Internet
- Time:Hours
Like many photographers using a DSLR, I have a constant desire to buy better lenses for my camera. I’m often drawn to the back of photography magazines and manufacturer websites to look at the prices of the latest and more expensive professional grade lenses.
Unfortunately, my pockets aren’t that deep, so buying a pro-grade lens for my DSLR direct from a shop isn’t really possible, so my alternative source for these lenses is the second hand market and sites such as eBay. However, it can be a minefield trying to buy a lens second hand, so here are some tips to help you avoid some of the pitfalls.
1. Know the lenses you want to buy.
The first step in buying a lens on eBay (or any other auction website,) is to know what type of lens it is you want to buy. You don’t neccessarily need to know the exact model, but a shortlist of lenses in a particular focal length will help narrow down your search. You may want to look at all manufacturers, or you may want to stick to your camera brand, either way write out a list of lenses that you are potentially interested in.
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Written on Dec 1st, 2008 by Dave Adams
DSLR, Gorillapod, ISO, Lens, Low light, Photography, sensitivity, shake, Shutter Release, Shutter Speed, Stabilisation, Technique, Vibration
Post Information and Notes
How to prevent or minimise camera shake to get better, sharper photographs.
- Level:Beginner
- Tools:Camera, Tripod
- Time:N/A
Camera shake (unintended camera movement while taking a photograph,) can potentially ruin all your hard work in getting the perfect photograph. Camera shake can occur for a number of reasons - a heavy camera, a slow shutter speed and the forces of nature (especially wind) can all contribute to a photograph that is unintentionally blurry.
However, there are a few things you can do to minimise the chances of camera shake creeping into your photographic technique.
Use a tripod or other support
This is the obvious answer to reducing camera shake - use a tripod or other support, such as the Gorillapod (aff), to stop the camera moving. Add a remote shutter release and you don’t even need to touch the camera while taking the shot, which is the number one cause of camera shake.
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Written on Nov 27th, 2008 by Dave Adams
Black, colour, Courtyard, DSLR, film, In-camera, Lyme Park, Photography, Post Processing, Processing, White
Post Information and Notes
Black and White photography - create/convert in-camera or in post-processing.
- Level:Beginner
- Tools:Camera
- Time:N/A
Digital cameras often give you a choice of shooting in black and white or in colour. At one time, this choice was dictated by the film you loaded into your camera, meaning that you would have to shoot a whole roll of film before you could switch. With digital, you can quickly switch between black and white photography and colour photography simply by selecting the relevant option as and when appropriate.
However, before you jump in and select that black and white photography mode on your camera gives some consideration to what this will actually acheive.
In-camera vs Post-Processing
If you decide to produce black and white photos direct from your DSLR camera, you are conciously deciding that you are not interested in the colour aspects of the scene your are shooting. Is this correct? Are you sure that you will never want to see that image in full colour?
Lyme Park Courtyard in Black and White - converted in Photoshop
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