Fujifilm FinePix S9500/S9600

Clicking noises when zooming

2007-12-12T22:20:00.000-08:00

I have had my S9600 for a few months now and I am still getting used it. One thing that irritates me is a clicking noises that happen every time I zoom in or out. There are other wee noises too. Is this normal?

Also, I am not convinced my landscapes are in focus...can't make my mind up if the camera is faulty, I have the shakes, my PC screen is out of focus or my eyesight is bad.

The clicking noises are probably the drive motors auto-focusing the camera. It's normal.

My landscapes are fine. Check them out on another PC screen at your library or something.

The 3 metering modes on S9600

2007-12-12T22:14:00.000-08:00

Togglehead was almost correct in what he said above, except that the multi-mode uses automatic scene recognition to decide where in the scene it should use to set the exposure. Most modern cameras have this sort of mode now (Canon call it Evaluative Metering) and it is a little more sophistocated than just the middle x % of the frame. The Fuji splits the image into 256 zones to make it's decision.

The multi mode should be your default mode for most shooting purposes. If using spot, you should be careful to ensure you point the centre of the image on your subject, half press the shutter to focus and set exposure, and then recompose before fully pressing. Spot metering is not even included on many entry level DSLRs as it's not actually that good for general purpose shooting.

Also worth remembering that the spot mode using only the middle 3% of the frame so if someone is wearing a black suit and that just happens to be in the centre, the camera will assume the scene to be darker than it really is and will over expose the shot.

As for the use of these exposure settings in MANUAL mode, although they actual exposure is decided by the user, the camera still uses the exposure mode to compute what it thinks is the optimum, and uses this in displaying the over/under exposure bar at the bottom of the screen which appears only in the manual mode.

Trick for Better Photos - Be a picture director
Trick for Better Photos - Take some vertical pictu...
Trick for Better Photos - Lock the focus

Problems With S9500 Command Dial

2007-12-12T22:06:00.000-08:00

Hi there, I am in Australia and I would just like to share my experience with my s9500 command dial. I bought the camera in January of this year.

My command dial broke at my son's first birthday party, and I returned it on August the 8th to Fuji for repair. I was warned it would be a 2-3 week turn around.

A month went by without so much as a telephone call from Fuji advising its status. I called up in early September only to be told that they were waiting on parts that were going to arrive on Sep 12th.

Yesterday (19th) I got a call from them to say that the parts would not be arriving until September 26. This was frustrating, because I am going on holiday in October.

I asked them if they would be able to guarantee its return by Friday 29 as I obviously don't want to go on holiday without the camera. The operator was polite but told me he couldn't help me. He gave me an email address to send an email to.

I sent them an email yesterday asking if they could either return my camera by this date or provide a replacement or refund, and that it was really important to me that I had this camera for my holiday.

I got a call today from them to say no they wouldn't be providing a refund, and no they wouldn't be guaranteeing its return. In not so many words they told me that they appreciate my frustration but bad luck.

Anyone else had a better response from Fuji in Australia? If so - who did you speak to? The fact that I had the camera for 6 months and have now been without it for 2 months has left a really bad taste in my mouth I have to say....

What is Fujifilm
Taking better pictures in composition
The wicked fairy Jill Greenberg

XD Card Reader Problem and Two Cards Trick

2007-12-12T22:03:00.000-08:00

When you use Fujifilm Finepix DC, it seems to work fine, then put the card into a card reader that were told was compatable with the card (the fujifilm xD card). The card only downloads some of the pictrues then says the files are corrupt. The card was replaces without question by Curreys but the new one has done the same thing. When put the card back in the camera it then says "card not initialized".

You'd recommend doing this (losing all current photos of course.) Also try downloading directly from the camera and not using an external reader. The reader may be causing the problem. Ensure the reader/camera is directly connected to the PC, and not linked via USB extensions or hubs. The camera batteries will drain while using the USB socket. Just make sure they're reasonably charged before using the USB.

You can use both cards in the camera. I used to load my camera with two cards at the same time. A quick menu switch to go from one to the other. Although, I used to use the CF as my first card, set so in menu, so that when it was full I just pulled it out and the camera then defaulted to XD.

How to convert the RAW images into other formats
How to Duplicating Fuji Chrome Film look with RAW ...
The Noise Issue of Fuji Finepix S9600

Subject Distance Range Macro

2007-12-12T08:53:00.001-08:00

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxview/1490947618/

Digital Camera FinePix S9500 Ver1.02
Subject Distance Range: Macro
Sensing Method: One-chip colour area sensor

Relate Topics:

The Different Between Finepix S9500 And Finepix S9600

2007-12-11T19:24:00.000-08:00

The Fujifilm Finepix S9600 is an upgrade of the S9500 model that was first introduced back in 2005, a long time ago in the ever-changing world of digital cameras.

The new S9600 is still being heavily promoted as a better alternative to a digital SLR camera by Fujifilm, and it's not hard to see why by looking at the headline specifications. A 9 megapixel sensor, 28-300mm lens, RAW mode and full manual control are features in common with entry-level DSLRs that cost a lot more than the Fujifilm S9600.

The Fujifilm Finepix S9600 also has a lot of other DSLR-like features - completely manual zoom control and focusing ring on the lens, flash hotshoe, viewfinder and an ISO range of 80-1600. Fujifilm have really pulled out all the stops to make the S9600 as similar to a digital SLR as possible. But they haven't stopped there - this camera also offers features that are unique to compact digital cameras and which, the company hopes, will persuade buyers to choose the S9600.

There's a new 2 inch inch tilting LCD screen with an improved resolution of 235,000 pixels, integrated lens which avoids problems with dust getting onto the camera's sensor, and a 30fps, 640x480 movie mode. So does the Fujifilm Finepix S9600 have what it takes to really be a viable alternative to the digital SLR? Carry on reading to find out.

It’s never wise to alter a successful formula. So rather than reinvent the hugely successful S9500, the new S9600 sees the introduction instead of some carefully-chosen improvements. Improving LCD size, image sharpness and low light autofocus, the new camera acts as a definite upgrade to its predecessor.

How to convert the RAW images into other formats

2007-12-01T18:56:00.000-08:00

Question:

Over the last few weeks I've been experimenting with shooting in the RAW mode as I want to get as high quality images as possible. The problem is that I can't now convert the RAW images into anything viewable. Stupidly I've lost the CD that came with the camera, but I have downloaded the Finepix viewer software. However that won't convert any of my images for me (it comes up with an error message, something about queueing - I'll post it later if it will help).

Basically I wondered if anyone here can tell me if there's another way to convert the RAW images - i have photoshop CS but it says it can't open them... I'm sure i'm missing the obvious answer, so if anyone can help I'd be really grateful.

Answer:

You probably need to download the latest ACR plugin free from Adobe. It can definitely read the .RAF files. If you're using a Mac and CS1. Otherwise just go to the Photoshop downloads page for Windies or CS2.

And never mind about losing the Fuji software. It was crap, believe me, the biggest waste of a CD ever.

How to Duplicating Fuji Chrome Film look with RAW images

2007-12-01T18:50:00.000-08:00

Does anyone know how to duplicate the effect in Photoshop CS with their RAW plugin?

Take two identical shots of the kind of image you loved with chrome. One in Chrome JPG mode, one in raw mode. You will now have a reference for comparison.

Open the Chrome image and leave it open in the background (fairly small - it's the general colour balance you want to see, not the detail). Open the raw image with CS's ACR plugin, again in a smallish window, so you can see the Chrome image in the background.

Now get to work fiddling with ACR's sliders - I'd guess the ones you'd be using would be mainly saturation and contrast, but you may also want to wind up the greens in the Calibrate tab. When the image looks about like the Chrome one in the background, just have a look at the clipping points and make sure you haven't blown the highlights or clipped shadows to black (all too easy to do with the contrast slider!) You check the clipping points by option-clicking on the exposure (highlights) and shadows (shadows!) sliders. You're aiming to see just this side of nothing on each one (apart from specular highlights, which will be blown to hell anyway).

If the clip points are OK, save the settings as something descriptive like "Raw to Chrome", and bingo, they'll be there for you next time.

PS I always find the Fuji underdoes the shadows in raw mode, and I wind up shadows to 30% instead of default 5% without too many ill-effects. Gives a nice contrasty pic without the dangers of using the contrast slider. Just up the exposure a notch or two if it gets too dark (always watching the clipping point).

Original was quite flat; the shadows slider in particular brought out much more of the tabbiness she really has in that fur! I could have gone further on the saturation, but this is realistic - she has pale green eyes.

The Noise Issue of Fuji Finepix S9600

2007-12-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

Question:

I've been taking a few test shots with my new S9600 camera but am not impressed with the levels of noise. I'm wondering if I might have a faulty one. I've put some pics in my profile taken at various ISO settings. If any discerning S9600 people could take a look and comment on whether the noise levels are usual I's be very grateful.

Answer:

I too own a S9600, and although it looks like a DSLR, you have to remember that the sensor size is the same as that in a compact camera and therefore is going to be prone to more noise. The noise is exagerated what pictures are taken in low light.

The other thing that can make a difference is that Fuji's SuperCCD sensor is rotated 45 degrees and without going into a complex answer, this can lead to more noise (but also more detail especially if you shoot in the RAW mode and generate 17MP TIFF files).

In your test pictures, you have cropped a small part out of a much larger image. When a full image is printed at 6x4, 7x5 or 10x8 you should not really be able to see any noise as long as you stick with ISO 100 and 200 (400 is OK but noise starts becoming obvious on 10x8 prints). Avoid 1600 like the plauge and never use auto ISO. Also makesure you have not increased the sharpening setting in the menus. This exagerated noise even more. Use 'STD'.

Look at some of my pictures and those on the S9600 groups on here and you'll see that it can still be a cracking camera. If you still find noise a problem, you will need to upgrade to a DSLR.

What is Fujifilm

2007-11-29T17:28:00.001-08:00

Fujifilm Holdings Corporation or Fujifilm is a Japanese company known for its photographic film and cameras. Fujifilm is the world's largest photographic and imaging company. Fuji operates 223 subsidiary companies for research, manufacture and distribution of products with manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe and North America. They also produce computer media storage consumables, such as CD-Rs and recordable DVDs.

Fuji's camera film comes in distinctive green boxes and is sometimes rebranded as own-label film, such as President's Choice. Fuji products are distinct in their uniform containers. Fuji photographic films are considered along with, and often compete against, those produced by Kodak. Their products are sold in over 200 countries worldwide. Since 1982, Fuji is one of the main sponsors of the FIFA World Cup.

The company was the driving force behind the creation of Japan's first electronic computer, called FUJIC, completed in 1956.

Taking better pictures in composition

2007-11-05T05:58:00.000-08:00

Good composition is essential in photography. It allows you to convey messages and emotions through the images that you shoot. Fortunately, good photo composition is easy to achieve by following a few simple guidelines.

Rule of thirds

First, learn the "rule of thirds." As you look through your camera's viewfinder, imagine there are lines dividing the image into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, essentially dividing your image into nine equal-shaped blocks. Frame your subject at one of the intersection points instead of in the center of the viewfinder, as shown in the following illustration.

Now, with this said, many photographers make a very good living breaking this rule, but your photography will become much more interesting and visually stimulating if you use the rule of thirds when framing your subjects.

Framing

Careful framing of your subject can make a dramatic difference in your photos. Remember—every photo has a foreground and background, so use them together to add an interesting element to the shot.

Use foreground elements to frame your photo's subject. Architectural elements work well (windows, doorways, arches, and so on), but you can find any number of interesting elements to use for framing your photos. The important point here is the subject. It doesn't do much good to frame your subject with interesting elements if they overshadow the subject, making it difficult to determine what the subject is supposed to be.

Visual cropping

Crop your photos visually before you take them. Look into the corners of the viewfinder. Do you see things that shouldn't be there? You can remove, or crop, these elements from your photos simply by moving closer to your subject, zooming in on your subject, or moving your subject within the viewfinder. Try different angles. Look for anything that will diminish the impact of unwanted objects in your photos.

Angle of the view

Believe it or not, the best angle for a photo is not always upright and directly in front of the subject. Some of the most interesting photographs are those taken from a unique vantage point. Get down to the level of the flowers before taking the picture. Climb a tree to take a picture of a meadow. Always ask yourself if the photo would look better taken as a landscape or portrait shot. Experiment and try different perspectives. Look for angles that are interesting and demonstrate the mood and inspiration you're trying to capture.

Balance

Achieving good balance in your photographs requires the correct combination of colors, shapes, and areas of light and dark that complement one another. Achieving the right balance in your photos is easier than it appears. Think about your subject and capture it from an angle, viewpoint, or even time of day that focuses attention on the subject.

These simple guidelines should help you find your "camera's eye." The key is to experiment and have fun, and the resulting photos will wow anyone who sees them.

The wicked fairy Jill Greenberg

2007-11-04T10:55:00.000-08:00

Children are the best model, they lively and lovely, and they also the difficult model, they won't fall into photographer's command.

These photos are made by Jill Greenberg, who is a Canadian photographer, these photos are not only perfect composition but also good at emotional expression.

Miss Jill stripped these children naked (including her daughter), then she gave them lollipop everyone, when they were in the very act of lapping it, Miss Jill suddently carried away their lollipop by force.

Children all were crying and shed tears of sorrow, Miss Jill has left these emotional expression in her camera.

Somesone reviewed that she is an evil woman, but the greatest magazines of the world and the best brand companies were contacted with her and let her help them take photos.

Jill Greenberg's website (her photo studio) is:
http://www.manipulator.com/

Trick for Better Photos - Be a picture director

2007-11-04T03:30:00.000-08:00

Take control of your picture-taking and watch your pictures dramatically improve. Become a picture director, not just a passive picture-taker.

A picture director takes charge. A picture director picks the location: "Everybody go outside to the backyard." A picture director adds props: "Girls, put on your pink sunglasses." A picture director arranges people: "Now move in close, and lean toward the camera."

Most pictures won't be that involved, but you get the idea: Take charge of your pictures and win your own best picture awards.

Trick for Better Photos - Take some vertical pictures

2007-11-04T03:27:00.000-08:00

Is your camera vertically challenged? It is if you never turn it sideways to take a vertical picture. All sorts of things look better in a vertical picture. From a lighthouse near a cliff to the Eiffel Tower to your four-year-old niece jumping in a puddle. So next time out, make a conscious effort to turn your camera sideways and take some vertical pictures.

Trick for Better Photos - Lock the focus

2007-11-04T03:23:00.001-08:00

If your subject is not in the center of the picture, you need to lock the focus to create a sharp picture. Most auto-focus cameras focus on whatever is in the center of the picture. But to improve pictures, you will often want to move the subject away from the center of the picture.

If you don't want a blurred picture, you'll need to first lock the focus with the subject in the middle and then recompose the picture so the subject is away from the middle.

Usually you can lock the focus in three steps. First, center the subject and press and hold the shutter button halfway down. Second, reposition your camera (while still holding the shutter button) so the subject is away from the center. And third, finish by pressing the shutter button all the way down to take the picture.

Trick for Better Photos - Move it from the middle

2007-11-04T01:10:00.001-07:00

Center-stage is a great place for a performer to be. However, the middle of your picture is not the best place for your subject.

Bring your picture to life by simply moving your subject away from the middle of your picture. Start by playing tick-tack-toe with subject position.

Imagine a tick-tack-toe grid in your viewfinder. Now place your important subject at one of the intersections of lines.
You'll need to lock the focus if you have an auto-focus camera because most of them focus on whatever is in the center of the viewfinder.

Trick for Better Photos - Move in close

2007-11-04T01:05:00.001-07:00

If your subject is smaller than a car, take a step or two closer before taking the picture and zoom in on your subject. Your goal is to fill the picture area with the subject you are photographing. Up close you can reveal telling details, like a sprinkle of freckles or an arched eyebrow.

But don't get too close or your pictures will be blurry. The closest focusing distance for most cameras is about three feet, or about one step away from your camera. If you get closer than the closest focusing distance of your camera (see your manual to be sure), your pictures will be blurry.

Trick for Better Photos - Use a plain background

2007-11-04T00:55:00.001-07:00

Do you wish you were a better photographer?

Keep reading for some important picture-taking tips. Then grab your camera and start shooting your way to great pictures.

A plain background shows off the subject you are photographing. When you look through the camera viewfinder, force yourself to study the area surrounding your subject.

Make sure no poles grow from the head of your favorite niece and that no cars seem to dangle from her ears.

Trick for Better Photos - Look your subject in the eye

2007-11-04T00:43:00.000-07:00

Do you wish you were a better photographer? Look your subject in the eye is a good trick to do this.

Direct eye contact can be as engaging in a picture as it is in real life. When taking a picture of someone, hold the camera at the person's eye level to unleash the power of those magnetic gazes and mesmerizing smiles.

For children, that means stooping to their level. And your subject need not always stare at the camera.

All by itself that eye level angle will create a personal and inviting feeling that pulls you into the picture.

Fuji s9600 reviews by Owen Leon

2007-11-02T23:52:00.001-07:00

Love this camera. its kind of daunting if you are not used to manually operating your digital camera but you sure learn fast. And discovering all the hidden delights of this fuji upgrade is a joy in itself.

Its fast. Its responsive. Its colour redition are up there with many DLR i'm sure. I like it a lot. Read the manual well though then you will get the best out of this remarkable camera.

Now i have to state my only Gripe. Image Stablisation. Why none? i came from a Dimage Z5 which had that as standard. like most middle/high end digi cameras.

i just took it for granted that i no longer had to worry about unintenional blurred images. i just took set the manual controls and fired away. never thought about blurred pictures with that IS turned on.

It therefore came as a surprise to me when i first used the Fuji s9600 zoom and i had a couple of blurred pictures. i hadnt seen that for eons. So i had to learn a lot more and fast about ISO Shutter and Aperture settings.

I guess thats a good thing anyway. my pictures are all sharp now. But i do miss that image stablisation. Fuji when you upgrade this do add it !!

But i Highly RECOMMEND this beast.

Fuji s9600 reviews by James K

2007-11-02T23:46:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm... what more can be said on top of the reviews already given?

Well... this camera was an upgrade from a previous Fuji model, the S602Z, it in itself a damn good camera...

and since that model proved so good it was pretty much a cert to stick with Fuji!

However, the following features made the decision even easier:

1. Power Source... as with the S602Z, standard AA batteries/cells are used.... I have 'plenty' of these and they are CHEAP!!... 4x 2800mAh cells for about a fiver!!... compare that to some Li-ion pack on other cameras which could cost... what.... fifty, maybe?? (I normally carry 4 sets of batteries around... also useful for other photo equipment!)

2. Zoom... 10X optical- a must!!... I do 95% wildlife/nature photography so the focal length of the lens is most important

3. 10mp CCD... I know the CCD size is not the be all and end all but this large sensor does give other benefits other than just raw resolution.

4. Macro... as with the S602Z it is excellent and highly usable (get your 'subject' within 1cm of the lens!!)... surprisingly the macro is no better than the 602 (as far as I can tell?) but then thats still bloody good.

5. A Good Grip!... I don't have big hands but some of these cameras nowadays a just silly... so small your afraid to press the buttons in case they break!!... this camera like all 'bridge compacts/SLRs' have something to really hold onto.. and yet still light and comfortable to use.

A Guide to Exposure Metering Modes

2007-11-02T21:52:00.001-07:00

While you may understand how to utilize the simpler features on your digital camera such as the flash and zoom, or maybe even more complex features such as exposure modes, one feature that often remains a mystery to many casual photographers is the metering mode.

The metering mode selected on a digital camera decides how the camera’s exposure sensor will react when a photo is taken. Different metering modes determine how much light is needed and how long the shutter remains open.

Don’t worry if you’re confused - this article will help to explain the difference between the three metering modes available on digital cameras and how to choose between them to take better photos.

1. Center-Weighted Metering Mode

The Center-Weighted metering mode is without a doubt the most imprecise of the three metering modes we will be looking at in this article. Being more suited towards casual photographers who want to take everyday snapshots, this metering mode takes more consideration into the amount of light located in the center of the scene so that objects centered in the photograph are properly exposed.

Although you do not need to avoid this metering mode altogether, using the Center-Weighted metering mode may give you more impressive results with many of your photographs.

2. Matrix / Multi-segment Metering Mode

While the Center-Weighted metering mode uses a simple and sometimes inaccurate method of measuring the light in you photographs, the Matrix or Multi-segment metering mode takes a more detailed approach. By splitting the scene into many segments and then measuring the exposure data based on the position of each segment, the Matrix / Multi-segment metering mode manages to deliver exceptional quality photos in various lighting conditions and levels of contrast.

Although it is not perfect for every situation, this metering mode is an excellent choice for photography in most conditions. However, when you require better exposure for very high contrast scenes, think about taking a look at the next metering mode.

3. Spot Metering Mode

Maybe you’ve tried taking a photo using the standard Center-Weighted or Matrix / Multi-segment metering modes and neither provide satisfying results. Don’t give up yet, because turning to the Spot metering mode may give you that extra helping hand that you need.

This metering mode can provide excellent results for high-contrast scenes, and it achieves them by measuring light in the center of the scene alone – anywhere between 1 and 10 percent depending on your digital camera – and exposing the photo with the subject in mind.

So the next time you are trying to take a high-contrast shot, think about trying out the Spot metering mode – so long as your subject is in the center of the scene then this metering mode should avoid over or underexposure in almost any situation.

Conclusion

As you can see, the Matrix / Multi-segment metering mode is the best choice out of the three to use for most forms of photography. Choosing this mode over the standard Center-weighted metering mode will be sure to give you more impressive results, but when this mode doesn’t quite cut it, then the Spot metering mode is more than likely to offer better quality photographs in high-contrast lighting conditions.

That's all then! Hopefully this article has helped you to better understand the different metering modes available to use on digital cameras, and which modes are better suited towards various kinds of scenes.

Ten Tips for Good Pictures at Mid-Day

2007-11-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Are you old enough to recite that standard photographic commandment "Thou shalt not try to take pictures at high noon"? I can hear my teacher now…."The light is too harsh at mid-day, too contrasty". Is that a word?...Contrasty?....

Well here are some tips to take control of the light and also take advantage of it. High noon is a great time to take pictures if you make some new rules of your own. So go ahead make some new rules, or adopt these, and take those forbidden pictures at mid-day for a whole new direction in your picture taking artistic expression.

1. Move in for what Hollywood calls the tight shots. If you move in close to your subject you can eliminate highlights and deep shadows. The resulting focus on a single, carefully composed element produces a more dramatic image with a more nuanced artistic statement. Try this on a belly button ring with just the navel and one perfectly molded hipbone in the viewfinder.

2. Back light your subject for high noon photography to give the subject a glass art effect with rim lighting on the edges. The halo effect of backlight through a rumpled mass of a little girls hair can create the illusion of a perfect angel where a savvy parent knows there is no chance for one.

3. Remember fill light, or fill flash? When you control the light with fill, you can balance the brightness of shadows in relation to high noon sunlight. Add daylight flash at something a bit less than full power to the ambient light reading. Darrell Gulin recommends -1 to -1 1/3 for mid-toned subjects and -1 ½ for mid-tone with a fill flash to - 2/3 to -1 on the dark subjects.

4. If the day is partially cloudy you may use the cloud shadows creatively in mid-day pictures to create depth, drama and color saturation.

5. Diffusing the light with your studio diffuser, a sheet stretched on a frame or an umbrella type diffuser can improve the color and soften the hard shadow edges for meadow studies or small wildlife such as your butterfly and lady bug buddies.

6. Shadows on a bright day with perfect blue skies can cause a blue tone in your film. Use a filter or correct in the lab for this effect. Go ahead and take the picture, you can control contrast and highlights better in the shade than in the direct sun and sometimes you will like the arty effect of leaving the bluer tones in so try bracketing your shots with and without a filter.

7. Reflect some of that high noon light into a target that has a shadowed area where you want more light. Just under a log where the tiny green frog sits may be a little too shadowed to pick up detail with out the reflected light and reflecting evens out the shadows and highlights. For small subjects a piece of crumpled aluminum foil smoothed back out and pressed around a paper plate works great.

8. Reflections from building walls in narrow streets like you will find in ancient Middle East or old European cities will lend a particular glow that you can only get at mid-day. Whether you are deep in the canyons of New York or the Canyon lands of the Colorado River the ideal time for photographing is just at high noon.

9. Overcast, even rainy, days are good photo opportunities as long as you avoid the overly grey impact of large bodies of water. Think about little dramatic details rather than major landscape scenes. A graceful blade of grass with droplets of water on it or the perfect joy on the face of a youngster stomping into a puddle may be the perfect shot. Just be sure to keep all electronic camera gear perfectly dry.

10. Polarize cloud masses for dramatic skies and broad landscapes to overcome the washed out look that intense mid-day sun sometimes creates. The polarizing lens reduces glare and dramatically increases color saturation so landscape scenes of endless sand dunes or miles of ripening field corn glow with richness and life.

So now that you have a few new rules of your own about mid-day photography grab your camera put on your sun blocker and get out there and take your best shot.

Ten Tips for Better Photos by Vivid Light Staff

2007-11-02T10:30:00.001-07:00

Title: Ten Tips for Better Photos by Vivid Light Staff
From: http://www.vividlight.com/articles/2714.htm

There are some basics that, once mastered, can make a big difference in your photography. It's the difference between taking snap shots and creating images. If you're new to photography you'll be surprised at how much difference these simple things can make. If you're an old hand we may just jog your memory.

1. Get Close - Then Get Closer

The biggest mistake that photographers make is to allow too much dead space in the frame. If you're taking a picture of a person zoom in tight and fill the frame with that person. After all they're the subject, the background isn't. And don't be afraid to crop out some of the person either. Take a look at any magazine or glamour shot. Often you'll see part of the subject's head/hair is cropped out. This focuses the viewer's attention on the subjects eyes and creates a more intimate portrait.

The same holds true for landscapes. Too often we're awed by a huge vista but we fail to capture that vista on film. So take that wide shot, then spend a few shots concentrating on things within the scene. Often these will be the better shots.

What if my zoom isn't long enough to get just the part of the scene you want? You have two choices. You can start walking and get closer that way, or if the subject still fills most of the frame you can crop the image when you (or your lab) print it.

2. Understand f-stops and Master Depth of Field

Nothing confuses new photographers more than the subject of f-stops. The f-stop setting simply controls the size of the lens opening when you press the shutter. By varying the size of the lens opening you can control what parts of a picture are sharp. This is called depth of field.

In portraits we want very little depth of field. We just want the person we're photographing to be sharp and for everything else to go soft. That way there is nothing to distract the eye from the subject of the photograph. In landscapes we want everything in the picture to be sharp, from the little details in the foreground to those soaring mountain peaks off in the distance.

Now while that concept is pretty easy to remember the subject of small and large f-stops is what confuses people. An f-stop of say f8 is actually short hand for an f-stop of 1/8th. So the larger the number the smaller the lens opening; f22 is much smaller than f4 because 1/22nd is much smaller than 1/4th. The way that relates to your images is the smaller the opening the greater the depth of field. f22 will give you sharpness throughout your image while f4 will render only your subject sharp.

If you're confused just remember this simple rule: Large f numbers = greater depth of field and small f numbers = less depth of field.

3. Get a Tripod and Use It!

Every photographer does a certain amount of hand held shooting and you can get excellent results if you learn to hold and use your camera properly. But whether you're shooting landscapes, portraits, or your cat Fluffy, you'll get better, sharper results if you shoot from a tripod.

Even the smallest movements of the camera while the shutter is open can translate to soft images. This is especially important when using long shutter speeds, shooting in low light, shooting with long telephoto lenses or when doing macro photography.

When shooting from a tripod use a shutter release cable or your camera's self timer to further reduce vibration.

4. Use Your Flash Outdoors

Often outdoor shots of people and animals are ruined by harsh shadows. Use you flash to even out the lighting, reduce shadows on your subjects face, and improve the color saturation in the background. This is called fill flash and with today's cameras it's so easy you'll be amazed!

But you're not limited to using fill flash with people. You can even use your flash to fill in dark foregrounds in landscapes and to get proper exposure in your backgrounds instead of just a black hole behind your subject. Rear curtain flash exposes the background and then uses the flash to get proper exposure on a subject in the foreground.

5. Learn about Exposure and Understand It

Do you just point your camera at a scene and accept whatever exposure the meter chooses? Today's meters are positively amazing, but they don't get it right all the time. In some cases the meter will give you an exposure that is merely OK when the light was fantastic.

Most advanced amateur and virtually all pro cameras have a spot-metering mode. Whether you're shooting with a film or digital camera you can't capture the full range of light that your eye can see. When this wide range of light is present in a scene you'll get the best result by choosing what parts of the scene you want properly exposed. Spot meter on those areas to get exactly the image you want to create.

6. Buy a Graduated Neutral Density Filter and Use It

Spot metering isn't the only way to control your exposures. The difference in exposure values from the sky to the landscape is often more than you can capture on film or digitally.

Spot meter for the landscape and the sky washes out. Meter for the sky and the landscape becomes a dark blob.

The solution is a graduated neutral density filter. They're available as a round or a rectangular filter and are measured by how many stops of exposure difference there is from the darkest to lightest areas (2 stop, 3 stop, etc.). They allow you to "cheat" and get proper exposure for both light and dark areas so the final image looks like what your eye actually saw. Since they're graduated they fade gradually from dark to light making their use impossible to detect in the final image.

The advantage of the circular filters is that they're small and easier to carry. They rotate so you have control over the angle of the graduation but you're limited to having the graduation somewhere near the center of the frame - which isn't optimal for every situation.

Rectangular filters are the most flexible in use. The allow you to place the graduation virtually anywhere within the scene. The downside is they bulkier to carry, easier to break, and more expensive than circular filters.

7. Use a Polarizer

A polarizing filter cuts glare and reflections. Use it to cut the reflections on the surface of water, remove the glare from windows, and to deepen the colors of landscapes and in the coats of animals.

The last one comes as a surprise to a lot of folks. You don't think of fur as being reflective, but a polarizer, especially a warm polarizer, can make a big difference in your wildlife photography. It will deepen the colors in the fur and bring out definition where there was none before.

8. Spend Time on Composition

Take time to really see what's in front of you. Don't accept the view at the scenic pull-out. Get your feet moving and work the scene a little.

Try different angles and different focal lengths. Walk into the scene and see how it changes your perspective. Get down low, climb up high, look for framing elements, leading lines, and open vistas.

While you're doing all this keep an eye on the light. Is it changing? What's happening with the clouds? That shot you took a moment ago using a log as a leading line might take on a whole new character as the light and clouds shift.

9. Start Printing Your Own Images

Nothing helps you to understand color, composition, and exposure better than doing your own printing. The trial and error process and the effects of subtle changes can be both frustrating and a wonderful teacher. It will teach your eye and mind to see more than any dozen magazine articles. It will also make you more critical. Your standards of what constitutes a keeper will definitely be raised for both prints and images.

Printing is also a learning process. Six months after you start printing you'll throw all of your early prints into the trash. While non-photographers may think they're perfectly fine your standards and abilities will have changed dramatically.

10. Screw Off, Have Some Fun

Sometimes folks get so serious about their photography that they forget to have fun with it. No golfer ever shot a good game when they were tense and you'll do your best shooting when you're loose. So play around, take some whimsical shots and some throwaways. Do silly things and break rules. I will make you this promise, you'll have a bunch of throwaways - and a couple of images that will blow you away.

Fujifilm Finepix S9600 Conclusion

2007-11-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

The Fujifilm Finepix S9600 is an excellent super-zoom compact digital compact camera. The Fujifilm Finepix S9600 is a cheaper but poorer alternative to an entry-level digital SLR camera. The Fujifilm Finepix S9600 is only a minor upgrade of the older S9500 model. All of these statements are true of the S9600.

The S9600 is Fujifilm's best attempt yet to fuse the advantages of compact and DSLR cameras together, but ultimately it cannot rival the latest entry-level DSLRs, which are becoming ever cheaper and more full-featured. The likes of the Nikon D40, Sony Alpha A100 and Canon EOS 400D all offer faster performance, slicker ease-of-use and better image quality than the Fujifilm Finepix S9600 in both JPEG and RAW mode. The difference in image quality is a lot narrower for JPEGs, but the S9600 still suffers by comparison with its noisy ISO 800 and 1600 ISO settings. RAW mode is a non-contest - the Fujifilm Finepix S9600 just takes too long to record a RAW image, and I suspect that the majority of users will not be prepared to wait. The other aspect where the S9600 suffers in comparison is the electronic view-finder, which is less comfortable and accurate than a traditional optical viewfinder, especially for action photography. So despite some great, DSLR-like features like the manual zooming and focusing rings and external hotshoe, the advantages of the compact digicam format (movie mode, live preview via the tilting LCD screen, dust-free fixed lens) don't out-weigh the disadvantages of this camera.

Having dismissed the S9600 as an alternative to a true DSLR, it's now time to question its standing against other compact ultra-zoom cameras like the Sony Cybershot DSC-H2, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 and Canon Powershot S3 IS. At a similar price to most of the competitors, the Fujifilm Finepix S9600 Zoom makes a lot more sense than considering it as a DSLR alternative. Unfortunately the lack of an optical image stabilizer, which the extensive but noisy ISO range of the S9600 can't make up for, is a major negative point and a puzzling omission by Fujifilm. Finally, as an upgrade to the older S9500, the Fujifilm Finepix S9600 is at best only slightly improved, with a better LCD screen, improved auto-focus in low-light and faster RAW mode (although still not that quick). It's difficult to see what Fujifilm have changed, so if you're currently a S9500 owner, don't bother upgrading.

If you're looking for a super-zoom compact camera and you can live without image stabilisation, then the Fujifilm Finepix S9600 Zoom should find a place on your list, especially as its 9 megapixel sensor still beats the competition in terms of both size and image quality. Thankfully the street price of the S9600, at around £250 / $400, is a lot more competitive than its list price and the price that the older S9500 typically sold at. Still highly recommended then, although the S9700 will need to offer significant improvements to keep up with the newer competition.