Technically Speaking

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Seth Shostak  |  Jul 26, 2018  | 

When, in 1985, autofocus first made its appearance in a popular SLR, the Minolta Maxxum 7000, I figured it was a gimmick. Hey, I’m a Homo sapien, with an opposable thumb that allows me to focus a lens. To me, any battery-burning technology to take over this task was about as useful as a robot finger to punch the shutter.

Seth Shostak  |  Jun 18, 2018  | 

Among the most aesthetically satisfying features of a good lens is the lovely color of the front glass. Check out the ads trying to lure you to new optics, and you’ll see come-hither hues of blue, purple, or yellow—as tempting as a new car’s snazzy finish.

Seth Shostak  |  May 16, 2018  | 

It’s time to sharpen up your pix. Modern DSLRs generally rely on what’s called phase difference autofocusing: basically, a rangefinder scheme updated with new technology. But as we described last month, this technology uses a second optical path within the camera, independent of the lens-to-sensor path used to make the photo.

Seth Shostak  |  May 03, 2018  | 

It’s a commandment brought down from the mountain: spend less on the camera if necessary, but don’t skimp on the lenses.

Seth Shostak  |  Apr 10, 2018  | 

It won’t surprise you, although it could make you uneasy. Most photos today aren’t shot with a camera—at least if you define “camera” as hardware solely used to record images. You know: something with a tripod socket.

Seth Shostak  |  Mar 06, 2018  | 

Of all the components of a camera, few are as iconic as the shutter. The name of this magazine is testimony to that.

Seth Shostak  |  Jan 11, 2018  | 

It’s a choice between Scylla and Charybdis. Do you shoot Raw or JPEG format images?

Seth Shostak  |  Dec 14, 2017  | 

Remember f-stops? Not everyone does. Millennials shoot their selfies with automated smartphones that have sent f-stops to steampunk heaven. Old-timers who began with box cameras were spared the fear factor of f-stops until later in life, and may never have fully adjusted to these adjustments.

Seth Shostak  |  Nov 15, 2017  | 

Have you ever checked out the battlefield photos made by Mathew Brady’s studio during the Civil War? They’re great, right?

Seth Shostak  |  Oct 18, 2017  | 

When it comes to camera bragging rights, what makes you most proud? My guess: pixel count. In a world where mobile phones can make shots good enough for billboards, nothing seems to make you feel better about yourself than to flog your camera’s megapixel horsepower.

Seth Shostak  |  Sep 07, 2017  | 

Before you bought your last camera, did you weigh the pros and cons of the sensor’s aspect ratio? My guess is no—not in the face of more solemn considerations such as style, trim, and a boastful shoulder strap.

Seth Shostak  |  Aug 09, 2017  | 

It sounds like a reference to dull Halloween costumes, but I’ve always regarded unsharp masking as the Cadillac option for beefing up the acutance of my photos. Admittedly, this is probably just a reaction to the fact that unsharp masking has a complicated dialog box in Photoshop, and my reptilian brain is dazzled by lots of controls.

Seth Shostak  |  Jun 23, 2017  | 

If you use anything more capable than a smartphone for making photos, then you know all about sharpening. Well, at least you can find a menu item that, in a fraction of a second, turns “acceptable” photos into snappier snaps. It’s like flush toilets: you may not understand exactly how they work, but you know how to use them.

Seth Shostak  |  Jun 02, 2017  | 

It wasn’t so long ago when every camera came with what’s called a normal lens. This, of course, didn’t refer to its mental health, but to the fact that it was the default lens that every photographer would find useful or, in the days before interchangeable lenses, would be stuck with.

Seth Shostak  |  May 04, 2017  | 

Soon enough, your camera will join the ranks of the well connected. That’s not to say it will be invited to A-list parties, but only that it will become a participant in the highly touted Internet of Things, now coming ’round the mountain.

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