Help with aperture, lens, hot shoe?

ShadoLaura · Dec 15, 2012

Hi, I'm new to this forum, and fairly new to advanced photography but I have a few issues with my camera, the Fujifilm Finepix S2980. I got it as a gift, and I love it, and I'm not gonna go replace it.

The problem is, the lens are not changeable, there are only two f-numbers available, and there's no hot shoe to put external flashes (not so worried about), and no top-plate display.

Regarding the f-numbers, on any setting (Aperture priority, manual) I only have f6.4 and f3.1. I have a few magazines that teach how to do portraits and other settings and they go on about using wider f-stops for blurry backgrounds. I love the look of these portraits, but how can I do them without the f-stops? Is there any way I can go about using my limited settings to get reasonably blurry backgrounds?

About the non changeable lens, I don't think there's anything I can do about it, or is there?

With the top-plate display issue, is it necessary? I can access information like aperture, shutter speed, white balance, exposure compensation on the LCD screen, so I assume it's alright or am I wrong?

Lastly, the hot shoe. I don't think in the future I'll be getting more equipment for my camera like external flashes but if I were to, is there any way to go about that with no hot shoe?

I really hope someone can answer these questions, especially the aperture issue, so I can get better at photography! Also, please don't give me too much jargon, especially with lens stuffs, I'm still getting my head around all that. Thank you so much for reading this!

AgentDrex · Dec 15, 2012

Welcome to TPF!

F-stop is the term applied to the opening of the aperture (the hole through which light travels down the lens and on to the film or sensor). No there is no getting around it. Read this to understand what I think I'm talking about: Understanding Depth of Field in Photography | Shutter and Aperture | Sim-Cam Online Exposure Simulator

Don't worry about the technical stuff too much unless you're experienced with composition and lighting: Composition: Using the Rule of Thirds | Making the Most of Natural Light in Photography

If you have some photos you've taken you'd like looked at and critiqued for refinement, feel free to post them. Good luck and I hope you find TPF is helpful towards your desire to become better with photography.

ShadoLaura · Dec 15, 2012

Thank you,

I'll definitely have a read of those, but it's a shame I can't get around it. Oh well, just makes a challenge!

I am fairly experienced with composition, I've done a photography class in school, and I'll read the natural light article closely again. Thank you so much for your help, bit disappointed that there's not much I can do, but the articles you've given have helped clear it all up for me, so thanks again.

AgentDrex · Dec 15, 2012

I don't know how it's a shame you can't get around not using the aperture blades to allow more or less light to make it to the sensor. If you want a blurry background to a portrait with your point-and-shoot, make sure the camera is on a tripod, open the aperture the farthest it can be opened (in your case f/3.1), zoom all the way in (make sure you're far enough away from the subject for a nice crop) and take the photo. Alternative would be to go outside for the portrait, open the aperture all the way and make sure the background is very far behind the subject (fifty feet or so perhaps).

Fairly experienced with composition? Mind offering an example of your work?

ShadoLaura · Dec 15, 2012

Oh, I didn't know that! I'll definitely be using those techniques. Sure, I can try uploading a picture or two. (Played with macro for the second photo.) Thanks again, I had no idea of those techniques. I just hope I don't come across as a noob who actually isn't good at composition when they say they are!

AgentDrex · Dec 15, 2012

Oh, I didn't know that! I'll definitely be using those techniques. Sure, I can try uploading a picture or two. (Played with macro for the second photo.) Thanks again, I had no idea of those techniques. I just hope I don't come across as a noob who actually isn't good at composition when they say they are!

I know you said you'd use the techniques but please don't take my word for it. Go out and try. I don't have experience with your camera so I do not know its limitations. This is simply how I did things with my Canon Powershot A3000 IS. I'm sure it'll work that way with yours as well but please try it and let me know if it actually works for you. I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Noobs are cool. No shame in that. Everyone is one at one point or another. We're all born noob humans. One tip on this site I can give you for posting photos will be to number them for ease of reference. One other thing would be to keep the amount of photos you want critiqued low, perhaps around three. That way you don't overwhelm members. Another tip would be to tell us what you were going for when you took the photo. Was it for color, lighting, mood, etc.

When you number your photos, I'm able to reference the photos for a critique and it'll be easy on both of us to keep track of which photo it is I am talking about. Such as:

#1
I like what you were going for in this photo. The subject is very simple and easy to see. One thing I notice that could be improved is the DoF (depth of field) and focus. The front part of the beam is relatively sharp (I think a lot of the sharpness landed on the water which I don't believe is the subject, it seems to me to be the post and its reflection) but the focus drops off rapidly. The green thing on the left side of the pole, as we look at it, seems OOF (out-of-focus). That's one thing to keep in mind as you take further photos.

#2
Good color and I personally like the sun being soft like you have it. I would mention it seems a little left frame heavy, the branches of the tree and the sun all being on the left. Then again, its artistic license as well I guess. The horizon seems titled a tad and centered in the frame which can be looked at as a problem to keep in mind in future shots. Not knowing whether you were choosing the sun or the branches as the subject is confusing me as a viewer. I like how you framed the sun within the branches. I love doing that stuff too. If you read through those links I posted earlier, that should help you in deciding where to put the horizon (bottom third, top third or middle) and whether a tilt adds to the photo or distracts. I'm a sucker for noisy photos when done right and this was almost there.

Get out there and keep shooting. I very much look forward to seeing what happens as you inevitably progress.

Thanks for coming here and becoming a member. I'm sure you'll enjoy the stay and find much improvement with your skills.
Also I refer new people here to my signature quote below. Not because it's necessarily right but I find it's something to think about in photography. I also would like to warn you to wear a thick skin around here. I'm sure you won't need to though. You seem to be open for suggestions.

ShadoLaura · Dec 16, 2012

Will do, and I'll try all those things you mentioned, and learn how to control the focusing. Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it, and I'll definitely be staying in the forum.