Getting the most from a high-end compact: - Top 10 Tips:
1. Know your weaknesses, adapt and overcome them.
All the camera's I've owned are or have been a compromise. It's important to identify their individual strengths and weaknesses and then overcome the latter. With a little experimentation it's easy to establish the operating conditions and settings that deliver the best performance.
Weaknesses can be turned to your advantage, I'm not trying to sound philosophical - for instance the GRD II's fixed 5.9 mm lens has forced me to make different compositional choices than I otherwise would bringing a refreshing change to my images shot with this camera. The wider focal length also gives you no option but to get in close, nose to nose with people and this is a compelling way of photographing.
2. Minimize noise: Using a compact with a small image sensor susceptibility to image noise can be overcome by a number of means. Keep ISO as low as possible to minimize noise (the major threat to image quality with this camera), I use fill flash where appropriate, solid hand holding technique and a tripod if necessary to minimize the ISO setting and limit the effects of noise. Fortunately the GRD II's lens is so good that I can use it wide open at f/2.4 without noticeable loss of image quality (provided depth of field is acceptable).
3. Treat it like a 'real camera'. Don't get lazy, because you're using a small camera - it's not a toy and there's no excuse to abandon good technique.
4. Make sure you adopt good hand holding technique and use a tripod where necessary to avoid camera shake, the usual rules still apply, even though it's a compact camera.
5. The interface of a compact camera can be very different to that of an SLR, so learn the most important controls to your way of working and master these so that you can work effectively. For me the most important controls on the GRD II are aperture control (make sure you instinctively know which way the dial goes to open up and close down the aperture), EV compensation and EV lock - I reinforce these controls in my mind and don't worry to much about memorizing all the other functions to streamline my control over the camera
6. Don't neglect accurate metering and exposure, the GRD II has excellent exposure compensation and lock controls and these should be learned and used to their full potential.
7. Explore the subject to the full. Don't just take a few frames and then bow out because you don't have your 'real' camera.
8. Use the largest and fastest memory cards possible - these cost peanuts and can make a real difference to speed of use.
9. Finally the small size makes it easy to keep the camera on you all the time, but there's a considerable pitfall to be avoided - don't fall into the habit of complacency - secure in the knowledge that the camera is always with you in your pocket - that's a sure way to miss a good image. To be of use the camera needs to be out, in your hand and ready to use.
10. Carry it everywhere, get into taking the camera with you everywhere you go, the one time you forget will likely be when you see a great opportunity you wouldn't want to miss.
|