PHOTO TALK
Prepared by the staff of Marshall’s Camera
Auburndale, Florida -A06

So you want to make pictures that will last forever. Life doesn’t work that way but your descendants will thank you.

QUESTION: I see wonderful pictures of flowers and butterflies in the nature magazines but I can’t get my camera to focus close enough. When I get as close as I should be to compose the picture the camera indicates that it is too close to focus properly. Is there anything I can do to make my camera focus closer?
ANSWER: If you do not have a single lens reflex camera or certain digital cameras then the answer is no. If you have a single lens reflex camera then there are several possibilities. The least expensive route is to put one or several close-up auxiliary lenses on the front of your camera lens. These close-up lenses come in sets of three and usually cost less than forty dollars if your taking lens does not have an extra large filter size.
If you have a manual focus single lens reflex camera there are macro 2x teleconverters available. These converters mount between the camera body and the taking lens and will enable you to focus to less than one foot distance. These converters are not available for auto-focus camera.
Another option for both auto-focus and manual focus camera is to get a special purpose macro lens. Many general use lenses have the word macro on them but they are not truly close focus (less than 1.5 feet) lenses. True macro lenses come in several focal lengths and vary widely in price and quality. All professional close-up work is done with true macro lenses.
Many professional photographers also use a special close-up flash known as a ring flash. This flash is mounted around the front of the lens so that the flashlight is softer and less harsh than the flashlight from a single location flash head.
There are several books on macro photography which discuss the lenses, lighting, and camera settings necessary to take good close-up pictures. These books, lenses, and ring flashes are usually in stock at Marshall’s Camera.

Note: Some digital cameras can also have close-up auxiliary lenses attached to the taking lens and so their macro capabilities can also be enhanced.
QUESTION: I have a good 35mm camera that takes excellent pictures. My husband wants to get a digital camera to replace my camera. He says that digital cameras must be better because they’re advertised so heavily and everyone is getting them. Should I change and, if so, what features should I look for when I go shopping?
ANSWER: There are two questions here. I thought the first one was the more important until I got to the last four words.
The use of digital electronics to make images or, in more simple terms, digital photography, has done more to change the way people take pictures than any other thing in the photographic field since film was invented. Indeed many people look at picture taking in a whole new way.
Once an image is captured on film the piece of film storing that image is committed and can no longer be used for anything else. So one has to continually use more film to take new pictures.
When pictures are taken with a digital camera the images are captured from the sensitive sensor (which takes the place of film) and stored as electronic files in the memory card in the camera. Then the files with the pictures are copied to a computer or some other more permanent electronic storage device without any loss of quality. All the pictures on the memory card are then discarded and the card is ready to be used again for picture storage. So once one has a digital camera with a memory card and rechargeable batteries there is no longer any film, processing, or batteries to buy.
Because there is no continuing materials charge tied to taking pictures with a digital camera many people make far more pictures in any given situation than they ever did with film cameras. Also, when a digital camera is used the picture can be immediately examined to see if eyes are closed, or expressions are unhappy, or if any other picture tragedy has occurred.
So, with low operating costs and immediate feedback why would anyone want to keep using film cameras? The reasons to do so are many and we will discuss them in the next column. Stay tuned.
CHECK: marshallscamera.com for photo class announcements. Copyright 2004 by Marshall Ledbetter