Podcast Episode 3 – Alpha NEX-C3, Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO Continued, Wide angle lenses

PodCast – Alpha Tutorials

Download the HD Version of this podcast. (Right Click Save As)

In this episode we get hands on with the NEX-C3 and wrap up our tutorial around exposure from Episode 1. We also answer a viewers question about what wide angle lens to get for a Sony A200.

First Let’s Clarify Something From Episode 2

In the last show we took a look at the Alpha SLT-A35 and you may recall how we mentioned that personally with the current pricing on the A33 and the new firmware we would opt for that over the A35. It seems we created some debate with those remarks and some of what I said was taken out of context or perhaps I didn’t express my thoughts properly.

To cut a long story short, we did some more in depth testing and thought we should clarify our what we meant. The A35 has a newer 16mp sensor which does perform better in some areas than the A33 like noise levels at higher ISO. The difference is not a night or day comparison in normal user conditions and if you are looking for a camera right now, should not act a deterrent from purchasing the A33. As I said in the last Episode, I really like – and almost always use – the flip out screen on the A33. Sony South Africa have confirmed the Recommended Retail Price to be R6500,00 which is less than what the A33 launched at. If you shop around you may find the A33 coming rather close to that hence our advice to not cut the A33 off your short list.

News / Gear Feature

Meet the NEX-C3 Sony’s latest mirrorless marvel. If you are not familiar with what mirrorless cameras are all about let us briefly explain. Part of the reason DSLR cameras are as big as they are is the mirror that allows light coming through the lens to bounce into a prism and out a viewfinder so that we can see what the lens is seeing, hence the SL in DSLR stands for Single Lens and the R for Reflex. By removing the mirror the camera can be a lot smaller and in fact so can the lenses as they can move closer to the cameras sensor.

The NEX-C3 has the same sensor found in the Alpha A35 and that is a jump of 2mp from its NEX-3 predecessor. The C3 is also more compact and more ergonomically designed too. Battery consumption is improved as well. I must confess that I was working for Sony South Africa at the time these cameras launched and was very excited with them I use the NEX-5 for probably 80% of my photography these days and find the only thing really missing from the NEX system is the ability to use the wireless flash capabilities of the Alpha flashes with it. I don’t mind not having a hotshoe, the camera is small to put a large HVL-F43 type flash on it, but to be able to trigger them Strobist style would be great.

Tutorial: Exposure – Balancing the Three (ISO, Shutter Speeds and Aperture)

You may recall in episode one we looked at Apertures, Shutters, ISO. Today we will talk about creating the exposure which is balancing the three. If some of this is not making sense as you missed episode 1 then please go back and check it out or read the in depth articles at http://alphatutorials.co.za

In order to get a picture on the camera it (managed more by you as your experience increases) needs to balance these three means of creating a photograph. How you do that will depend on what you are photographing as they each will impact the image in a different way.

ISO as we discussed already will impact sensitivity and has the knock on effect of increase or decreasing the grain or noise in the image. If you are photographing a beautiful landscape and are looking to print it in a giant size then you will most likely want a low ISO like 100/200. Now you must realize that you will have less sensitivity to the light, that means allowing for more light, or more time for the light to hit the sensor

Because shutter speeds effect the time of exposure to light, images with movement in will be impacted by the shutter speed you use. For example, if you use a 2 second shutter speed and try to hand hold the camera, you are going to pick up a lot of camera shake as you won’t be able to hold it still. If you are photographing a racing car and need to freeze its movement you will need a rather fast shutter speed like 500, or 1000. In order to do this you will need to increase the amount of light coming in through the lens with the aperture and/or the ISO sensitivity.

Aperture impacts not only the amount of light coming in through the lens but also how much depth of field you will have. Depth of field is basically a term to describe how much of the area in front and behind the subject you have focused on, is in focus. Using a wide aperture like f/1.4 for example, could mean that this depth of field is as little as a few centimetres. A smaller opening like f/22 could mean that everything from 1m to infinity is in focus which is great for landscapes for example.

So, you can see the balancing act you will have here. For a landscape picture where you are using a good tripod you would likely say that you want little noise in the image and choose an ISO of 100 or 200. Then you would say you want maximum depth of field and opt for a smaller aperture like f/22. With this done you would adjust your shutter speed and using the camera’s light meter get to the speed that balances out the other two, which could be as long as a few seconds depending on the time of day and how much light there is.

Viewers Question

We were asked recently about what wide angle lens to get for the Sony Alpha 200. Options to look at include the Sony 11-18mm, Tamron 10-24mm or Sigma 10-20mm. Check out our in depth post on this question here.

Conclusion

That about brings us to the end of another show. Be sure to check out our website http://alphatutorials.co.za for more articles and information. For example there are three articles following our first show each on one of the areas of exposure, ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speeds. You can also send your questions in to us on the the site. We are also pleased to announce that you can down subscribe to this podcast from the iTunes store as well.

Till next time, keep clicking, shooting, whatever you want to call it, just as long as you don’t stop taking photographs.

The post Podcast Episode 3 – Alpha NEX-C3, Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO Continued, Wide angle lenses appeared first on Alpha Tutorials.