Canon's new full frame Digital SLR, the Canon EOS 6D features an all new 20.2 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, and has impressed many with it's high specification and competitive price point. Previously users of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, looking to upgrade, had to choose whether to invest in the more expensive Canon EOS 5D Mark III priced at around £2300, whereas now they can purchase the Canon EOS 6D for around £1599, and also benefit from built in GPS and Wi-Fi.

Canon EOS 6D Features :

The Canon EOS 6D is one of the smallest full-frame digital SLRs available and offers low light focusing with an 11-point autofocus system, that is responsive down to -3EV, sensitive enough to operate under moonlight. With a 20.2 megapixel sensor the camera offers ISO 50 to ISO102400 when using the ISO expansion feature.

The Canon EOS 6D has a completely new 20.2 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, which sits neatly in between the 18.1 megapixel sensor in the Canon EOS 1D X and the 22.3 megapixel sensor in the Canon EOS 5D Mark III in terms of resolution, but not price, and combined with a DIGIC 5+ processor should deliver noise performance levels somewhere in between these two cameras.

Key Features :

• Full-frame 20.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor

• 97% view optical viewfinder
• 3.0inch screen, 1040k dot
• 11-point AF sensitive down to -3EV
• GPS records your location
• Wi-Fi file transfer and remote control
• Full-HD 1080p video, Max ISO 12800, expandable to 25600
• ISO100 - ISO25600, expands to ISO50 - ISO102400
• ±5 stop exposure compensation and ±3-stop auto exposure bracketing
• 4.5fps continuous shooting
• Magnesium Alloy front and rear body covers, polycarbonate top cover
• Weather sealed body - to same standard as EOS-1N
• Multiple exposure, HDR mode
• In camera RAW image processing
• DIGIC 5+ image processor
• EOS integrated sensor cleaning system
• AF Microadjustment  

Canon EOS 6D Handling :

Handling - The Canon EOS 6D feels quite light when first picked up and thanks to a relatively thin body front front to back, feels quite compact, particularly if you're used to using a larger full-frame camera. The camera has a deep hand grip with rubber where needed, with a good sized rubber grip at the rear for your thumb, as well as rubber on the left of the camera to aid two handed grip. The camera has a locking mode dial, which means you have to press the centre button before turning it, and the on/off switch can be found underneath. The top LCD can be lit up with the press of the light button.

Image courtesy of Canon. The Canon EOS 6D is one of the smallest full frame Digital SLRs available, and weighs just 680g body only, while the nearest competitor, the Nikon D600 weights 850g. The 6D is noticeably smaller than the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, as shown above, and also smaller than the Nikon D600, although the D600 does feature a built in flash.

Menus – The Canon EOS menus are clearly laid out with each section colour coded and will be familiar to anyone who's used Canon's recent Digital SLRs. There are a large number of settings and options, which may mean it's a good idea to spend some time reading the manual, although the camera has hidden a number of custom settings instead of giving you direct access to them. To quickly get access to options, you simply press the Q button, and a control panel is shown on the rear screen. You can set the auto ISO mode so that you control the ISO range available as well as the slowest shutter speed used by the camera before it boosts the ISO setting. It works well and can give you additional confidence that a fast enough shutter speed will be used. Another useful feature for anyone shooting a lot of images is the ability to rate your images on a scale of one to five on screen.

   

Wi-Fi Connectivity - The camera can be connected to your current Wi-Fi network, or alternatively a direct Wi-Fi connection can be made from the smartphone to the camera. Connection options include: connecting to another Wi-Fi camera, EOS utility, Wi-Fi printer, upload to Web service, view the images on a DNLA compatiable TV, or using the EOS Remote app - available here - you can connect the 6D to an Android phone or tablet or iPhone / iPad. The app lets you use the phone as a live view remote control adjusting Av/Tv/ISO and exposure when in the correct mode on the camera, as well as check focus. You can view images - where you can also rate them on your phone, and transfer images to the phone (max size: S2 (1920 x 1280) JPEG). As the app uses the live view mode of the camera, focusing is quite slow, and the remote app adds a slight delay.

Battery life - Battery life is rated at 1090 shots according to Canon / CIPA test results, we were able to take over 700 shots before the battery went flat - this was after using live view and Wi-Fi quite a lot and the battery life should be longer if you use Wi-Fi/GPS and live view as little as possible. A battery grip is available if you wish to extend the battery life.

Speed - We took a number of shots to test the camera's responsiveness, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing speed etc. We take a number of shots and then use the average to ensure accurate and consistent tests, making it easy to compare with other cameras.

"Max. Approx. 4.5fps. (speed maintained for up to 1250 images (JPEG)¹²or 17 images (RAW))³ (with UHS-I card)²"

Tested with a Sony UHS-I 94mb/s U:1 card. Focus speed is very quick, and shutter response is excellent, although live view focusing is much slower. Shot to shot speed and switch on time is also very good.



Silent shooting single shot or continuous shooting is available, and this makes the shutter sound noticeably quieter, as shown in the video above, although there is no noticeable shutter release or focus delay as a result, there is a slowdown of continuous shooting to 3fps.  

Canon EOS 6D Performance : Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.  

Sample Photos - The Canon EOS 6D is capable of producing excellent images in a variety of conditions with particularly pleasing skin tones and colour reproduction. Dynamic range is good with detail in both bright and shadow areas despite the difficult shooting conditions.

 Lens Performance - Detail is good in photos whether using the 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM lens at the wide or telephoto end. The camera and lens produce reliable focus, however, as with other full-frame cameras, care needs to be paid to focus when shooting wide-open as the shallow depth of field could cause problems if the camera focuses on the wrong area. The Canon 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM lens has a macro switch on the side that allows the lens to focus extremely closely when fully zoomed, with the subject just 4cm away from the front of the lens.  

ISO Noise Performance - The Canon EOS 6D has ISO100 to ISO25600, which is expandable to ISO50 - 102400. Images are virtually noise free at ISO50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600, with a very slight increase in chroma noise at ISO3200. There is also a very slight loss of detail at ISO3200. There is a more noticeable increase in noise at ISO6400, with the slight loss of detail again, however images are still very impressive.

In this article I have tried to give a glimpse of review of very known Pentax DSLR K-5 II. The K-5 II is an updated version of the highly regarded K-5. The first half of nearly identical twins from Pentax. The K-5 IIs, its sibling without anti-aliasing filter, will be reviewed soon. On the face of it, we have here an identical camera to the original K-5, so we need to explore what improvements have been made, whether or not the upgrade would be sufficient for existing K-5 users and whether or not this new model will tempt new purchasers into the Pentax system. The K-5 was an Editor's Choice, so the new model has much to live up to and exceed, if it can.

Features of Pentax K-5 II :
 

The K-5 II is an APS-C DSLR with a Sony sensor, well tried and tested, using 16.28MP. It utilises the well established Pentax K mount, opening up the possibility of using almost any Pentax lens ever made. Via adapters, this backwards compatibility can extend back to even the 1950s Asahiflex lenses and of course the ubiquitous M42 screw mount lenses of the Spotmatic era, albeit with some limitations. Looking more to the present, there is a wide range of current Pentax AF lenses, with new offerings on the way to broaden the repertoire even more.

In-body shake reduction (SR) can be used with any lens or accessory and is proven already to bring a 3 stop or more advantage. Weather resistance to body and many lenses means all-weather use. The magnesium alloy shell is rugged and feels solid and dependable, but still within a remarkably compact package. Live View and Movie Mode plus a wide array of image style options round out a very complete and professional specification. An impressive 7fps is also available when needed.

Remarkable low light performance was a feature of the K-5, so we shall see how the K-5 II compares. The upgraded AF module is also an area of interest. Will this be a dramatic or just a subtle improvement of the original K-5?

Key Features :

• 16.28 megapixel APS-C sensor
• Pentax KAF2 bayonet mount
• In-body Shake Reduction
• Glass Pentaprism with 100% field of view
• 3 inch LCD monitor with 921,000 dots
• Live View with Contrast Detection and Phase Matching AF
• SAFOX X AF module sensitive to -3EV
• Weather Resistant construction
• Magnesium alloy shell
• 7fps maximum frame rate
• ISO range 100 to 12,800, expandable to 80 to 51,200
• Full HD Movie Mode
• 17 Digital filters
• PEF and DNG RAW formats
• Premium JPEG Quality level

Pentax K-5 II Handling :

From opening the package it is evident that all the components have been well put together. The quality of finish on all the items, be it the camera, the battery, the charger, is very high. Switches operate firmly and smoothly, with no play. Access doors seal closed with precision. The lens operates without any feeling of sloppiness.

In terms of ergonomics I have used many cameras, but have always come back to Pentax. The old advertising slogan “Simply hold a Pentax” rings as true today as it did when the Spotmatic was released in 1964. Controls are comfortable and well placed, and overall it is an efficient product that feels good in the hands.

The one small design feature that has been left unchanged but could do with improvement is the card access door. This is quite cramped and can be awkward, making removal of the SD card potentially tricky. However, it does get easier with practice, but a little more room would be a considerable improvement. This is really the only niggle in what is basically an excellent ergonomic design.

The menu system is logical and works just fine. It is easy to use and has consistent and reliable logic throughout. The display is clear and if we should be in any doubt an explanation of any particular setting is displayed on screen.

Battery life, using the same Dli90 battery as the K-5, is quoted at approx. 740 images with 50% flash usage and 980 with no flash. 440 minutes of movie playback is also quoted. These figures are using the CIPA standard at under 23C. In this test after two intensive days of use, the battery indicator still reads fully charged, so the implication is that battery life will not be a problem.

• Shutter Response - 0.05 secs
• Focus/Shutter Response (Wide) - 0.65 secs (1.9s in live view)
• Focus/Shutter response (Full-Zoom) - 0.75 secs (2.4s in live view)
• Switch on Time to Taking a Photo - 0.5 secs
• Shot to Shot without Flash - 0.2 secs
• Shot to Shot with Flash - 1.15 secs
• Continuous Shooting - 7 fps
• Continuous Shooting - Flash 1 fps
• Continuous Shooting - RAW 8 fps

Start up of the camera is virtually instantaneous. By the time the finger has moved from the on switch to the shutter release, everything is ready to go. Shutter response is slick and aided by a predictable meter on position and smooth release.

In speed tests the K-5 II easily exceeds the quoted specification. I managed 32 JPEGs before the buffer was filled and 26 RAW images, compared to the quoted 30 and 20 respectively.

Pentax K-5 II Performance :

Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.

Pentax K-5 II Sample Photo :

Close Up Shade | 0.4 sec | f/16.0 | 40.0 mm | ISO 200

The field test included some atrocious weather, but of course the weather resistance means that we can just carry on and still shoot images with complete freedom. This is one of the major advances in recent DSLR design because of the freedom it brings in rugged conditions.

Exposure is very similar to the original K-5 and my preference is to permanently set -0.3EV compensation. This gives perfect results, especially when using center weighted metering. Matrix metering is equally consistent, offering a slightly lighter end result, but many photographers may prefer to take control of the decision making themselves. Spot metering is also accurate and very useful for especially spot-lit subjects.

Exposure compensation can be used where necessary and is conveniently accessed by a dedicated button. Generally, the amount of correction needed is quite modest using all the provided metering patterns. There is no tendency to over-expose and lose the highlights, in part due to accurate metering and in part due to a wide dynamic range.

Focusing is possibly marginally faster than the K-5, but there seems to be very little in it. What does seem remarkable is that focus can now be achieved in virtual darkness, even when the subject is dark itself. These are conditions where manual focusing would be beyond most eyes, so it is quite an achievement. In brighter light, focusing is fast and accurate. In LV mode, there also seems to have been an improvement in focusing speed.

Some shots may benefit from Distortion Correction and Lateral Chromatic Aberration Correction. Provided this sort of feature does not become an excuse for short cuts in lens design, both these are to be welcomed. They work well. Architectural subjects can be rendered with straight edges. Colour fringing can be impressively removed from, for example, branches silhouetted against a bright sky.

HDR in camera is a convenient way to try this technique without purchasing stand alone programs, although the effect available is limited. The various options have adjustable parameters themselves, so the range of options is vast.

Video - Movie mode works well, with a mono microphone built in and a jack provided for a stereo mike. Quality seems good and the microphone does not seem to pick up too much camera noise. Panning is smooth and the zooming action of the lens is also smooth enough to prevent any glitches in the picture.

Value for Money :
New introductions usually arrive at a high price that settles down after a while. This is the price we pay for being an early adopter of new technology. In this case, both the K-5 II and the K-5 IIs seem to have been brought in at quite a competitive price level from the start. This is exceptionally good value.

However, for existing Pentax users who own the K-5 the value in an upgrade is far less clear. There is an improvement in some areas of performance, as noted, but these are not major steps for what is basically already a superb camera.

For users new to Pentax the value for money is without any doubt. This is a very fine piece of kit that performs well and reliably. It builds upon an already excellent record, giving us a very competitive price and the double value of an established design with any glitches already ironed out. The K-5 II can hold its head high amongst the alternatives - alternatives include the weather sealed Sony Alpha A77, and non-weather sealed Nikon D5200, both with 24 megapixel sensors.

Pentax K-5 II Verdict :

The Pentax K-5 II is a rugged, magnesium alloy bodied, weatherproof, well designed and high quality camera with a kit zoom that is really very good indeed, and provides a package that looks very exciting against its rivals. It is more compact, arguably slicker in operation and provides the highest standards at a relatively low price level. There's not much to dislike, so the K-5 can be totally recommended.

The only caveat that remains is that, while stocks last, the original K-5 still offers most of what the K-5 II can do, and that may well be a better option in terms of cost if the low light AF performance improvement is not an issue. Prospective buyers may be well advised to move quickly on that option, before it is gone and no longer a decision to be made.

Pentax K-5 II Pros :

• Excellent image quality
• Rugged weather sealed construction
• Compact body and lenses
• Fast operation
• Glass penta-prism viewfinder
• Improved Live View
• Backwards lens Compatibility
• In body shake Reduction
• Low noise levels
• Excellent Value for Money
• Low light AF
• Wide selection of built in effects and filters
• Outstanding Color Reproduction
• DNG RAW format

Pentax K-5 II Cons :

• Not full frame
• Fewer lenses in range than Nikon and Canon
• Live view focus and shutter response slow

Executing with all your Efforts to Capture Light :

 

Photography is the art of recording light. In order to record light you need to know how to tell your camera how much light to record. Understanding Photography Exposure allows you to give correct instructions to your camera. After all, your camera is just a tool, you are the artist.

There are several items that a photographer uses to control light.

* Shutter Speed * Aperture
* Film Speed * Light Meter

Once you understand what each of these items are, it is time to pull them together to create a properly exposed image. It does bear noting that "properly exposed" refers to the exposure the photographer intended. Sometimes the photographer wants to underexpose and image or overexpose it. Proper exposure depends on the intentions of the photographer.

Proper exposure is created by using various combinations of film speed, shutter speed, and aperture. The photographer then checks the light meter to confirm that these combinations will result in the desired light reaching the film or sensor.

Film speed is almost always the first factor that is determined. With film cameras, the film speed is determined by what film you use. In a digital camera, the camera or photographer chooses a film speed equivalent to use in a given situation. The chosen film speed tells the light meter how much light the film requires to create an image.

After a film speed is chosen, the photographer considers the subject and environment of the photograph in order to determine if depth of field (controlled by aperture) or motion control (controlled by shutter speed) is more important to the image. Occasionally there are subjects where both motion control and depth of field are equally important, or the dominant concern can change quickly.

Is Motion Control(MC) or Depth of Field (DOF) More Important?

 * Landscapes - DOF
* Sports - MC * Posed Portraits - DOF
* Nature Photography - DOF & MC
* Photojournalism - DOF & MC
* Architecture - DOF

Once a photographer knows which factor they feel is most important, they set that factor first. For example, a photographer wishes to take a photograph of a meadow with mountains in the background. The photographer wants a large depth of field so aperture is the most important factor in that case. The photographer then sets a small aperture(large depth of field) using the F-Stop guides on his/her camera. After setting the aperture, the photographer looks at the light meter reading and either increases or decreases the shutter speed to move the light meter needle into the center of the scale.

If this shutter speed is below the focal length of the camera lens or below 1/60th of a second, the photographer must do one of two things:

* Reconsider the setting combination
* Use a tripod (or other support) to steady the camera

In cases where the shutter speed is the most important factor, the photographer's choices are further limited. For example, a photographer wanting to photograph a car race sets shutter speed first. Then aperture is set in accordance with the light meter reading. Sometimes there is not enough light available to gain a proper exposure with the desired shutter speed at any aperture.

In this case, the photographer has the following options:

* Reconsider the setting combination
* Use a higher film speed

The bottom line in setting exposure combinations is to know what setting to change in order to use another setting that you "must" have for the image you wish to capture. There is no set right or wrong combination for any image. Every time you take an image the lighting/subject situation changes slightly and setting changes are required to compensate for those changes. You may be able to shoot football images with settings of 400 ISO, f8, 1/250 second on one day and the next day (due to uniform color or cloudy skies) you must shoot with 800 ISO, f4.5, 1/90 second. Use your light meter to know when your settings allow enough light to enter the camera to capture an image.

What is Depth of Field (DoF) ?

 

Depth of Field is the amount of your image before and beyond your focus point that will be in focus. Depth of field tells you whether or not your subject and background can be sharply focused at the same time.

Depth of field is determined by several factors:
* Aperture/F-Stop
* Lens
* Subject Distance

While the camera can actually only focus on one tiny point in space, the depth of field determines how much of the image is in "acceptable focus" to the human eye.

In subjects such as landscapes, a large depth of field is often desired so that the entire scene appears to be in focus. With subjects such as portraits, a small depth of field is often used to blur the background and reduce distractions from the main subject of the image.

The Effect of Aperture/F-Stop on Depth of Field :
 

Aperture describes an adjustable opening inside your camera lens that controls the amount of light striking the film. As the size of the aperture changes, the angle of light striking the film also changes. It is this angle change, much like eyeglasses change the angle of the light, that creates changes in depth of field.

Aperture is measured by F-Stop on your camera controls. F-Stop settings represent a ratio derived from the size of the lens opening and focal length. Aperture has historically been confusing for new photographers (and some established photographers) because of the apparent conflict in description. A small F-Stop is a large aperture opening and a large F-Stop is a small aperture opening. Because a smaller aperture limits the amount of light entering the lens, a large F-Stop also requires more light to properly expose an image.

A simpler way to remember the relationship between F-Stop/Aperture and Depth of Field is:
 Large F-Stop = Large Depth of Field = More Light Needed Small F-Stop = Small Depth of Field = Less Light Needed

This means that larger F-Stops, such as F11, will require slower shutter speeds and produce images with larger depths of field. Smaller F-Stops, such as F4, will allow faster shutter speeds and produce images with shallower depths of field.

The Effect of Aperture/F-Stop on Depth of Field:
 

The focal length of your lens plays a big part in determining the depth of field (DOF) for your images. Think of your lens strength as a limiting factor for your aperture capabilities. The higher the magnification factor, the smaller the depth of field will be, even with large F-Stop settings.

Depth of Field Progression for a 70-300mm Lens
* 70mm = largest DOF
* 100mm = large DOF
* 200mm = small DOF
* 300mm = smallest DOF

This effect is especially pronounced in macro photography where close proximity to the subject and high focal lengths result in depths of field that are sometimes less than an inch.

The Effect of Subject Distance on Depth of Field :
 

Much like lens strength, subject distance, plays a big part in determining the possible size of depth of field. The closer you are to your focal point, or subject, the less depth of field is possible. To illustrate this effect, hold your hand at arm's length in front of your face. Even when focusing on your hand you can probably see a good bit of the surrounding environment in reasonably clear focus. Slowly move your hand towards your face until you reach the half-way point. Notice how much less of the area surrounding your hand is in focus. Continue moving your hand towards your face until it is as close as your eyes can focus on it. Very little of the area surrounding your hand can now be seen.

This same effect occurs with your camera lens. This effect, combined with high magnification factors, results in the tiny depth of fields seen in macro photography. It also makes the huge depths of field in many expansive landscapes possible when using a lower magnification factor lens.

During almost every discussion with me, I have often questioned by my pals, what must to carry for the amateur photographers with DSLR. This instantly gave me an opportunity to write tips for all newbie as a piece of advice and to make their each trip memorable and not to miss any single moment with the toolkit rather I would say accessories to carry with your camera. There are certain moments that we missed just because of that missing right accessory at that particular moment. Photography is not about taking great photos but to take photos with great sense and at a perfect timing.

The basic necessity, such as memory cards and camera bags are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the suite of accessories DSLR owners depend on. And that goes for casual, amateur photographers, GWC (guys with cameras), and professionals. No matter you are freshly owned or a prospective DSLR owner, these are the must carry accessories that you'll want to pick up as you build your photographer's arsenal. Below mentioned are the top tips for accessories to be carry at all times.

1. Extra batteries :

The first and foremost is to have an extra pairs of batteries as this one's a no-brainer, but a newbie often ignore the importance of an extra battery. Thing is, you never want to be on vacation, at a photo shoot, or otherwise shooting photos when your battery bar morphs into a blinking red. The good news is that you can often find reliable off-brand backup batteries from Web sites like Amazon, Best Buy, or B&H Photo. When you skip the brand names (like official Canon or Nikon batteries), you can save as much as 50 percent. Just grab the battery that came with the camera, ‘Google’ the model number and read customer reviews to find out which backup battery is most suitable for your camera.

Carrying a travel charger or simple battery charger is also advisable when you are traveling and having an opportunity to recharge your batteries for having extra hours of backup.

2. Cleaning kit :

Capturing the real time shots you must blend with the nature and local environment which can possibly affect to your camera life. Keeping this in mind the second most important tool in your accessory is keeping your cleaning kit handy at all times. Whether you use a UV filter or just go commando, you should always have these things in your camera bag:

• Microfiber cloth for wiping away fingerprints and smudges
• A dust-blower for gently shooing away flecks of dirt and dust
• A cleaning pen and brush combo for precise, fingerprint-free lens cleaning

3. A Monopod or Tripod :

Choosing over monopod or tripod everybody has their own views according to its usage, though buying tripod over monopod is always a great decision as Tripod is a key to crisp images, self-portraits, long exposures, and low-light shooting. There are, however, so many types of tripods to choose from. For starters, look for a lightweight, carbon fiber tripod with a tall height and the ability to rotate vertically for the portrait shots.

From setting up a photo booth at a party to shooting photos of products or handmade items, a tripod can be a truly versatile tool. This handy guide to buying tripods does a great job of helping you narrow down which tripod is right for you. (Even you can make your own string tripod.)

4. Additional Lens :

There are some times when you get surprises as nature is full of them and do not have the proper lens to capture the event or that fraction of time going with the wind. There might be some logic in jumping with one parachute but photography isn’t that similar with paragliding and keeping additional lens is utmost important as there are several chances of macro shots during landscape photography or getting a view of landscape while doing portrait in open land. Staying alert at all times is a sign of good photographer and it rewards you back by giving you wonderful surprising shots while capturing pre-planned photo shoot.

Only thing to remember is that prepare yourself for unexpected and think out of the framework if you really want to distinguish your “Art work” rather than taking photos.

5. Camera Case :

I am not trying to be a photography guru or some but giving some tips out of my own experiences that improved my habits and learnt lessons by losing some incredible moments with some potentially awesome captures. It seems too obvious to recommend, but even newbie bent on protecting the DSLRs will postpone this necessary purchase. Even if you think your camera will mostly be hanging on your arm or around your neck, you still need a camera case.

Make sure you always think about what needs to travel with you. Extra batteries, memory cards, card readers, filters, extra lenses, and your cleaning kit will each need a cubby in your bag. Once you know what needs to be stored, you'll have a better idea of what kind of bag or backpack you'll need. Go for one that has lots of padding and external protection, so that your equipment is safe from the outside in.

6. External Hard Drive :

I shall certainly add this last but not least “must have” accessory in your kit. If you're used to the small file sizes point-and-shoot cameras produce, get ready for a big change as DSLRs produce much larger file types, especially when you're taking advantage of shooting in super high-resolution, raw, or HD video formats.

To accommodate the storage needs of these large files, purchase an external hard drive. The exact capacity will depend on how much shooting you plan to do, but I always err on the side of safety, so if you can, go for at least 1TB of storage. Here are some recommendations for the best portable hard drives. Once you've set up your hard drive, immediately establish a system for organizing your photos and videos so that you'll know exactly where to find any given photo in a pinch. I am sure you definitely will thank me later.

Photography can be fun and exciting if you have a little knowledge about it and you follow certain basic rules. We have already had a glimpse for a beginners introduction to wide angle lens in our previous post. In photography, wide angle lens can be a powerful tool for exaggerating the depth and relative size in a photo. Apparently, it is considered as one of the most difficult types of lenses to understand how to make use of it. Through this post I will try to dispel some common misconceptions and will discuss the techniques to get the total benefits of the unique characteristics of a wide angle lens.

Synopsis :

A lens is generally considered to be "wide angle lens" when its focal length is less than around 35 mm (on a full frame; see camera lenses: focal length & aperture). This translates into an angle of view which is greater than about 55° across your photo's widest dimension. The definition of ultra-wide is a little fuzzier, but most agree that this realm begins with focal lengths somewhere around 20-24 mm and less. On a compact camera, wide angle is often when you've fully zoomed out, however ultra-wide is usually never available without a special lens adapter.

Regardless, the key concept is this: the shorter the focal length, the more you will tend to notice the unique effects of a wide angle lens.

What makes a wide angle lens unique? A common misconception is that wide-angle lenses are primarily used for when you cannot step far enough away from your subject, but yet still want to capture all of this subject in a single camera frame. Unfortunately, if one were to only use it this way they'd really be missing out. In fact, wide angle lenses are often used for just the opposite: when you want to get closer to a subject!

So, let's take a closer look at just what makes a wide angle lens unique:

• Its image encompasses a wide angle of view
• It generally has a close minimum focusing distance

Although the above characteristics might seem pretty basic, they result in a surprising range of possibilities. The rest of this page focuses on techniques for how to best use these traits for maximal impact in wide angle photography.

Wide Angle Perspective :

Obviously, a wide angle lens is special because it has a wide angle of view — but what does this actually do? A wide angle of view means that both the relative size and distance is exaggerated when comparing near and far objects. This causes nearby objects to appear gigantic, and far away objects to appear unusually tiny and distant. The reason for this is the angle of view.

Even though the two cylinders above are the same distance apart when photographed with each lens, their relative sizes are very different when one fills the frame with the closest cylinder. With a wider angle of view, further objects therefore comprise a much lower fraction of the total angle of view.

A misconception is that a wide angle lens affects perspective, but strictly speaking, this isn't true. Perspective is only influenced by where you are located when you take a photograph. However, in practical use, wide-angle lenses often cause you to move much closer to your subject — which does affect perspective.

This exaggeration of relative size can be used to add emphasis and detail to foreground objects, while still capturing expansive backgrounds. If you plan on using this effect to full impact, you'll want to get as close as possible to the nearest subject in the scene.

However, one needs to take extra caution when photographing people. Their nose, head or other features can become greatly out of proportion if you are too close to them when taking the photo. This proportionality is in part why narrower focal lengths are much more common for traditional portrait photography.

Regardless, don't be afraid to get much closer! This is where wide angle really shines. Just take extra care with the composition though; extremely close objects can move a lot inside the image due to camera movements of even a fraction of an inch. It can therefore become quite difficult to frame subjects the way you want.

Converging Verticals : 

Whenever a wide angle lens is pointed above or below the horizon, it will cause otherwise parallel vertical lines to appear as if they are converging. Any lens does this — even telephoto lenses — it's just that a wider expanse of converging lines is visible with a wide angle lens. Further, with a wide angle lens, even small changes in composition will alter the location of the vanishing point by a large amount — resulting in a big difference in how sharply lines seem to converge.

Although converging vertical lines are generally avoided in architectural photography for the above reasons, one can also sometimes use these to their advantage:

Wide angle lens always used to capture the towering trees in a way that makes them appear to be enveloping the viewer. A big reason for this is that they look as if they are coming from all directions and converging in the middle of the image — even though they are actually all parallel to one another.

Similarly, the architectural photo to the right was taken close to the door in order to exaggerate the apparent height of the chapel. On the other hand, this also gives the unwanted appearance that the building is about to fall over backwards.

The only ways to reduce converging verticals are to either :

• Aim your camera closer to the horizon, even if this means that you'll capture a lot of ground in addition to the subject (which you can crop out later)
• Get much further from your subject and use a lens with a longer focal length
• Use Photoshop or other software to distort the photo so that vertical lines diverge less
• Use a tilt/shift lens to control perspective.

Interiors & Enclosed Spaces :

A wide angle lens can be an absolute requirement in enclosed spaces, simply because one cannot move far enough away from their subject to get all of them in the photo (using a normal lens). A common example is photography of interior rooms or other indoor architecture. This kind of photography is also perhaps the easiest way to make the most of a wide angle lens — in part because it forces you to be close to the subject.

Polarizing Filters :

Using a polarizing filter should almost always be avoided with a wide angle lens. A key trait of a polarizer is that its influence varies depending on the angle of the subject relative to the sun. When you face your camera 90° from where the sun is coming from, you will maximize its effect; similarly, whenever you face your camera directly away from or into the sun, you will minimize the effect of a polarizer.

With an ultra-wide angle lens, one edge of your image frame might be nearly facing the sun, whereas the opposing edge might be facing 90° away from the sun. This means that you will be able to see the changing influence of your polarizer across a single photo, which is usually undesirable.

Managing Light Across a Wide Angle :

A common hurdle with wide angle lenses is strong variation in the intensity of light across an image. Using an ordinary exposure, uneven light can make some parts of the image over-exposed, while also leaving other parts underexposed — even though our eye would have adjusted to this changing brightness as we looked in different directions. One therefore needs to take extra care when determining the desired exposure.

For example, in landscape photography the foreground foliage is often much less intensely lit than the sky or a distant mountain. This often results in an over-exposed sky and/or an under-exposed foreground. Most photographers therefore use what is called a graduated neutral density (GND) filter to overcome this uneven lighting.

In the example above, the GND filter partially obstructed some of the light from the bright sky, while also gradually letting in more and more light for positions progressively lower in the photo. At the bottom of the photo, the GND filter let in the full amount of light. Move your mouse over the image above to see what it would have looked like without a GND filter. Also take a look at the tutorials on camera lens filters and high dynamic range (HDR) for additional examples.

A wide angle lens is also much more susceptible to lens flare, in part because the sun is much more likely to enter into the composition. It can also be difficult to effectively shield the sides of the lens from stray light using a lens hood, since this hood cannot also block any of the image-forming light across the wide angle of coverage.

Wide Angle Lenses & Depth of Field :

Note that nowhere in this page is it mentioned that a wide angle lens has a greater depth of field. Unfortunately, this is another common misconception. If you are magnifying your subject by the same amount (meaning that they fill the image frame by the same proportion), then a wide angle lens will give the same* depth of field as a telephoto lens.

Technical Note: for situations of extreme magnification, the depth of field may differ by a small amount. However, this is an extreme case and is not relevant for the uses discussed in this page. See the tutorial on depth of field for a more detailed discussion of this topic.

The reason that wide angle lenses get the reputation of improving depth of field is not because of any inherent property with the lens itself. It's because of how they're most often used. People rarely get close enough to their subject to have them fill the same amount of the frame with a wide angle lens as they do with lenses that have narrower angles of view.

The knowledge of photography makes you experienced and not your time spent in this respective discipline. How many photos you have taken is not important but which of your photo has got recognition is utmost important. I don’t call myself as a photographer as I will be learner all my life. I am best at random photography and always keep my mind running towards thinking of new perspective when I am about to take a shot. Many a times, I have been asked for my favorite or the best photo amongst I have taken so far and that makes me speak nothing else but telling them, “my Next One”.

I personally believe that you don’t get any bragging right until and unless you have achieved any award for your work as it’s not merely recognition but an honor of appreciation of your hard-work. When I was off to take this photo, it was one of a routine hike of mine in the tribal area and was not so sure for taking any great portrait. All of a sudden I have seen this old man sitting on a stairs of a building with an intention to earn though his absolute skill of playing musical instrument looks like saxophone which inspired me to name it tribal saxophone. When I captured this photo I had no big plan for receiving great comments and appreciation on 500px and yet another gesture of clicking for my collection.

Taking picture is one of my hobbies and I have developed it as I age, without any vested interest. After seeing my pics one of my friends reckon me to join 500px.com as it’s the best place for photographers to get exposure to their work. I had a very thought to get to know other photographers and learn from them, I too joined the site and started posting my pictures there. I did post Tribal Saxophone there and I started to get comments from visitors about this portrait which made me feel great about my work. One day I have come to know that my photo has been selected by the editors and having been awarded by Editors Choice which was a great honor for me that made me share this capture through my blog here.