Experiments: Macro/Wide Angle Lens Attachments

When I bought my camera, a variety of accessories arrived with it.  I haven't had time to figure out how many of them work, but I had some extra time to mess around with them today.

The first experiment involved a macro lens and wide angle lens attachment combo as shown below.

This seemed like an odd combination, so I initially took off the wide angle portion to test the macro portion alone.  First, I took a picture with my 18-55 mm lens (not zoomed in at all), and then I took the same picture with the macro attachment.  These were the results:

Without macro attachment

With macro attachment

Clearly, the second picture allows for a much closer view in the same picture.  I tried to go as far in as I could, which resulted in many very blurry/grainy shots.  This was the best one I managed:

As close as possible

The macro attachment definitely allows for a "zoom-in" effect, but the extreme close-up was less than desirable.  I don't want to judge it too quickly because my poor technique or the wrong setting may have caused the extreme blurriness.  I'll have to try this on a flower or some other outdoor subject to see if I can improve my results.

As for the macro/wide angle combo, here's an example.  I'm not wildly impressed, but as stated before, I might just be using this wrong.  The top photo is with my kit lens alone, and the bottom photo is with the attachments.  I'm still not 100% sure if these attachments are supposed to be used together always.  Until I can figure out a way to attach the wide angle attachment directly to my lens, they'll have to be a combo set.  

Without any attachments

With macro/wide angle lens attachment combo

I'll be doing plenty of my own internet research on these accessories, but let me know if you have any opinions/advice on how to use these (or if they're even worth it).  

Yet Another Camera Upgrade

Early this summer, I made the decision to upgrade my camera.  I had been rocking the Canon Rebel XSi for three years, and while it still worked just fine, I wanted to sell it while it still had some value.  After a lot of Googling, I decided to buy a refurbished Canon Rebel T4i, a newer model of my old camera.  My goal was to save money (which generally excludes the newest model from consideration), but also to have a model new enough that it wouldn't seem insanely outdated after a year or two.

I got the camera right before my trip to Spain and Italy...but I took the old camera.  I was too worried about something happening to my brand new camera in a foreign country, so I decided I'd rather risk the old standby instead.  I only really started experimenting with my new camera after I got back in mid-June.

So far, I'm very pleased with the results I've been getting.  One of my major complaints with my old camera was that I never felt like the colors I saw in person translated to pictures.  This new camera, on the other hand, produces vibrant photos right from the start.  Probably the strangest thing to get used to is not having to do as much processing with my photos.  I was so used to having to punch up the color for every single picture, that I over-processed the first couple pictures I took and ended up using the unedited original.

One other major difference between my current camera and my old camera is the ability to take video.  I haven't had an opportunity to experiment with the video setting just yet, but I'm excited to try it out to see what I can do.  My GoPro (see previous post) is wonderful for quick videos, but if I ever want to try something a little more artistic, I need to know how to film on this camera.  As a disclaimer, I will say that videography is well outside of my wheelhouse.  I dabble, but I don't really know what I'm doing...

Anyway, here are a few sample pictures I've taken since getting the new camera.  I'm pleased so far, and I should be able to have more material for blog posts as I sift through all of the accessories that came with it!

Fun with GoPros

This past Christmas, I was lucky enough to get a GoPro Hero3 from my boyfriend.  I've had a few months to mess around with it, so I decided to do a quick pros/cons list to sum up some of the features that I appreciate and ones I'm not as wild about.

Pros:

1) It's fairly indestructible.  I can't say I've really put it to the test yet, but the container is air tight and water tight (if you use the correct back plate).

2)  It's tiny.  This makes it less of a hassle to carry around in a purse or camera bag.  It's so small that you could probably get away with stuffing it in your pocket.

3) The GoPro app allows you to see what the camera "sees" if you set up the wifi to connect your GoPro and phone.  Additionally, you can watch any video currently on the camera through the app and control recording remotely.

4)  The wide angle lens is pretty sweet.  It's definitely a different perspective compared to any other camera I have.  It makes for realistic, intriguing footage no matter what you're filming.

5)  It allows for extended filming and has a long battery life.  I believe it allows for approximately 2-3 hours of footage before the memory is full.  The battery, in my experience, usually has enough juice to film beyond that.  

Cons:

1)  You have to buy most of the accessories and attachments.  Precious little comes with the GoPro itself, so in order to have clamps, belts, or any additional accessories, expect to spend a little money.  I was fortunate enough to be given a few attachments, but there are more that I would like to have.

2)  It's easy to lose the plastic piece that covers the USB port.  There's a small, square plastic piece that protects the area where a USB cord can be attached.  Unfortunately, unlike most cameras, this little flap is NOT attached to the camera.  I have almost lost that piece every time I use the camera because it's easy to forget that it's there.  

3) The GoPro cover can be a pain in the neck.  I'm too paranoid to use the camera without some kind of cover, but that also means I have to constantly take the cover off and on.  It's not always the easiest to open, and it's just one more part (other than the little plastic cover) to keep track of while using the camera.

Overview:  I was being a tad picky with the cons just to present less one-sidedness in my post, so my response to the GoPro is overwhelmingly positive.  To sum it up in the simplest way possible, it's just really COOL.  

I do not live a particularly extreme lifestyle, but here are a couple videos I have taken with the GoPro thus far. 

This first video is of my boyfriend's dog playing in the snow.  The "attaching the camera to the dog" idea is still one I want to pursue, but attaching it to her collar didn't work so well.  I'm still trying to find a GoPro dog attachment that actually has good reviews.  If you've ever attached your GoPro to your pet, let me know what kind of contraption you used if you had success.

My next experiment was attaching it to my dashboard.  I thought this could be a really cool way to record scenery in a more interesting part of the country.  I think the video is still cool, but the trip from Omaha to Lincoln in the winter isn't the most breathtaking sight.

Here are two more transportation-based examples from my recent trip to Europe.  I feel that the GoPro definitely lends itself well to motion.  The first video was taken during an international flight, and the second was taken from a high speed train crossing Spain.

Finally, it can also be used for more personal applications such as recording a day in the life of your ridiculous dogs.  These last two examples also illustrate the difference between a GoPro Hero3 and a GoPro Hero3+.  The Prairie video was able to be uploaded in HD, while the Luna video was not.  However, I'm still not 100% sure if this was a computer problem or a camera difference.  My computer is older, so maybe my iMovie doesn't allow HD videos for some unknown reason. I'm sorry these aren't embedded.  The YouTube embedder was having issues finding these videos when I tried to search for them.

Luna:  www.youtube.com/embed/EV1J6eLAcPU

Prairie: www.youtube.com/embed/j1lnEuCLJlo

Your Personal Photography Evolution

The past two years, I've barely looked at or published to this blog due to a busy senior year of college and an even busier first year of "real" adult life.  As I was going through old blog posts, I still agreed with a lot of my old posts, but had to laugh a little at what I used to consider high-quality, blog-worthy work.  Granted, they weren't horrible pictures, but I feel I turn out much higher quality work at this point (and with less effort).  My Flickr page is a great example of that.  If you compare the photos on the first page to the photos on the last page, the difference is obvious.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arait/

My main point in posting this is: Take time to look at your progress.  If you have never picked up a camera before and are just now getting into photography, don't feel bad if you aren't producing professional quality photographs from the first shot.  All you can do is practice, practice, practice!  The more photos you take, the more you will get a feel for your camera, your personal style, and angles that work.  Every year or two, take a look back at your old photos and compare them to your new ones.  If you've taken a lot, I can almost guarantee that you will see an obvious improvement.

The factors I feel have led to my progress are:

a) A nicer camera

 There's no way around it...an equipment upgrade helps.  My dSLR lets me do things I could only dream of doing with my little point-and-shoot.  However, it did take a lot of learning and research to produce better shots.  Initially, I think my pictures may have gotten a little WORSE with a nicer camera because I really had no clue how to use it.  Certain light situations and settings are still a little bit of a mystery to me, but overall, the upgrade was worth every dollar spent.

b) The desire to improve

I'm still not happy with most of my shots.  I have a degree of perfectionism that makes me want to continually improve until I've reached what I consider a professional level.  It's slow going, but maybe I'll get there some day.  You just have to research new techniques, settings you don't understand, and take as many shots as possible to reach your goal.  Honestly, a little money may need to be spent if you have high standards (see point A).

c) Patience

Most people--I say "most" because I'm sure there are natural photography geniuses out there--can't go from first picking up a camera to producing professional shots in a week.  It takes a lot of practice (and some frustration along the way) to gradually improve your technique.  If you want to accelerate your skills, taking a photography class is a good idea.  It's something I always wished I had done early on, but never seemed to get around to doing. I think my skills would have improved much more quickly if I had.

Overall, don't feel bad if you aren't getting the results you want on day one.  Just like anything else it takes times and work to get where you ultimately want to be.  :)

Final Suggestion: I would recommend starting a Flickr page if you don't have one.  Not only does it help you track you progress and receive feedback, but it provides literally millions of photos from other users as examples of wonderful and inspired work.  I've learned as much from viewing the photos on Flickr as I have from practicing on my own. :)

Light Scoop Deluxe Review

I haven't posted anything for awhile due to busyness and a lack of anything terribly interesting to share.  However, over Christmas I received a couple new photography and videography gadgets that I felt warranted posts.  Plus, I have some time to kill. :)

One of the new gadgets I received is called the Light Scoop Deluxe. It's basically mirror that you attach to the hot shoe on your DSLR to bounce flash off of walls/ceilings and onto your subject.  A picture is attached below for a visual reference.

 

I asked for this specific model for Christmas, but I know there are multiple products that do essentially the same thing.  For your camera, I would check compatibility (I believe the Light Scoop does not attach to Sony cameras) and reviews to see if the version you are interested in buying is worthwhile.

In my opinion, the greatest advantage to a flash bounce mirror is that it's FAR cheaper than buying an external flash unit and diffuser.  Any flash unit/diffuser worth buying is going to be much more expensive than the $30-$35 spent on this little mirror.  This is far more compact, easy to store in a smaller camera bag, and extremely simple to use.  Plus, I actually like the results almost better than the photos I've seen taken with an expensive diffuser. 

I took a few photos of the same object to compare no flash, pop-up flash, and bounce flash in the same dark lighting situation. All photos were taken in my bedroom with only a dim lamp providing light.  (I realize it's bad practice to place the only light source behind the subject, but I was trying to illustrate a point.)

This first picture was taken with no flash whatsoever.  I intended for this photo to look terrible, but I actually ended up kind of liking the ethereal-looking stuffed animal...  However, without flash, you can tell that photo clarity starts to suffer.  Shadows on the face is never a flattering look for portraits either.

A person in this position might try to correct the shadows and sharpness by using the pop-up flash on the camera.  The photo below shows the result of that strategy.  The subject is clear, but the color is completely washed out.  If this were a living dog or a human being, red-eye or shiny faces could also appear when direct flash is used.

Finally, here's the same subject shot with the Light Scoop mirror pointed to reflect straight upwards.  This is essentially a happy medium between the first two photos.  The shadows on the dog's face disappear, but the tone is warmer and the colors remain fairly vibrant.

If you still aren't happy with the result, the mirror will rotate side to side.  The pictures below show what happens when the mirror is tilted the the right (Picture 1) and to the left (Picture 2).  The mirror allows some control over the angle of the reflected light, which can be helpful if you find one side of an object or person's face to still looks too dark.

Overall, I'm extremely impressed that such a small and cheap little gadget could provide results like these.  As someone who hates the look of flash photography (and doesn't want to spend the money to buy expensive external flash equipment), this is a fantastic solution to my indoor photography woes.  I would highly recommend this product to anyone who is on a tight budget and who wants improved indoor photography.

Side Note: Online reviews by others have said that flash bounce mirrors do not work well on dark ceilings or walls.  I have not personally tried to use this product in a dark-walled room, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were true.  Despite that issue, I still think this product is worth every penny unless every room in your home is very dark-walled.