Books- Digital vs. Film photography

[christopher walrath]

Hey, Victoria. I don't think it is film v. digital comparison so much as it a 'film has been around for frickin ever and people are more familiar with it' kinda thing. As to the example you gave. Magnification is just image size. a normal type lens, 50mm or so (speaking film equipment as that is what is use) has magnification of 1 to 1 or lifesize. Longer macro lenses or macro bellows extensions can provide much closer focus and thus larger images at the focal point, larger than the 1 to 1 of a normal lens. As to zoom ratios, I've never had need to know them but they're simple math. 105 divided by 35 equals 3. zoom ratio of three. But, and here's the kicker. Even though there is a zoom ratio of 3 going from 35mm to 105mm, there is an increase in image size AREA by a factor of 9. 3 times on the horizontal and three times on the vertical. Three times three is nine.

And give any and all your questions. We'll guide you through the churning waters of photographic academia.

 

[AndrewG]

Victoria, don't make things more difficult than they need be! Find a good book on using film cameras; read and digest. When you feel that you have a grip on things find yourself a book on digital; read and digest.
Then choose your medium. The fundamentals of photography are the same whichever you choose; technical stuff like why there are apparent differences in how focal lengths are worked out for the different media are distracting irrelevances.
If you really want to improve then go out with a fully manual, no auto-anything film SLR and LEARN the basics, then apply your knowledge to your chosen medium. Don't be led by technology; no amount of messing around in photoshop or whatever can rescue a poor picture without it being painfully obvious.

 

[flygning]

Thanks Chris. I understand the simple zoom ratio thing- by why is the 28-85mm example still 3:1??

 

[AndrewG]

Thanks Chris. I understand the simple zoom ratio thing- by why is the 28-85mm example still 3:1??

Multiply 28 by 3 and you get 84; close enough to call the the ratio three to one. Is this what you mean?

 

[flygning]

Hm....yeah, I guess that makes sense, now that you mention it. I'll keep working through the books I've bought and see if I can wrap my head around everything else. Like I said before, none of this really affects my photography, it is just something I would like to know so I can get more into the technical side of things. I guess I'm off to a great start there.

 

[christopher walrath]

My personal recommendation would be to get a Minolta sr-T101, three rolls of Tri-X, a 28-200 MD mount zoom lens, a copy of Ansel Adams' 'The Camera' and 'The Negative' and knock thyself royally the hell out. Regardless of how you do it, explore, get creative, keep an open mind and plenty of room to grow and your photography can only benefit. And Andrew is right, kill the delusions of the dream setup, and start with what you have. Learn it and then choose a direction and have the courage to follow it.

 

[Judge Sharpe]

Victoria, Gosh what a beautiful name you don't hear so much any more, Photography has two basic aspects the technicalities picture capture, and the art of the image. Technical jargon is a way of making the simple complicated, and will come to you as you work with the equipment. It will have very little to do with the values of your pictures. The art is another thing. the same principals apply to images captured with a pinhole camera or a D-80. I suggest you take some art classes, learn the rules of composition, perspective, and color, and then break those rules when ever you can get away with it. When I approach a photograph, I ask myself, How would I draw this scene, what do I want to show?' then I can make the capture what I wanted.
Keep shooting and looking at other artist's photographs and you will develop your style.
Judge Sharpe

 

[whistule]

I have to be honest and say I find the internet is better for looking up terminology...wikipedia, forums or just google. In a book you're relying on the index and the fact the book is decent and covers the thing you want to know about whilst on the web you've got a search function and the information is limitless - if one site doesn't explain it well then go somewhere else.