D.C.W

2 CDS FULL VERSION OF THE BRILLIANT EXTENSIS PORTFOLIO!
PC & MAC
ISSUE#06 WWW.DCMAG.CO.UK
The definitive guide to better photos
132 pages of photo ideas,

reviews and image-editing
tips inside!
2
50 TOP
CAMERAS TESTED
Our springtime best buys revealed inside
2 AVOID PHOTO MISTAKES

Exposure, parallax, composition & focus problems banished!
2 6 WEB ALBUM PROGRAMS RATED

Discover the best in our definitive review
GET INSPIRED
BY SPRING!
It’s time to go outdoors! We reveal everything you need
to take better people, nature and wildlife photos
APRIL 2003
9 771479 001003
CREATE! AMAZING
PHOTOSHOP PICS
7 7 7
HP PHOTOSMART 850 MINOLTA DIMAGE F300 SIGMA SD9 using layers,
Add high-impact effects to your images
£4.99
Keenly priced 4MP camera Stylish, compact 5MP – is this First SLR with revolutionary guide, p58
04
with 8x optical zoom another winner from Minolta? Foveon chip on test masks and blending tools: step-by-step
PRINTED IN THE UK
get Xposed with this Spring Saver...
save 30% on 7x5 prints when
you buy 10 or more - only 49p each!
your questions answered at www.dabs.com/help choose from over 34,000 products

The UK’s largest online IT reseller
Who are we? only only
Sony DSC-U20 Blue Sony DSC-P72
£219 £259
dabs.com is the UK’s largest and most successful online .00 .99
retailer of IT and technology products, offering over 34,000 Cyber-shot U Cyber-shot
inc. VAT inc. VAT
lines from the world’s leading manufacturers, to over 800,000 28PZGT 2D39GT
online customers all over the UK. Established in 1987, and
typically processing over 5,000 customer orders everyday, we’re
www.dabs.com/sony www.dabs.com/sony
your number one choice for the products you want, at prices
you’ll like, delivered direct to your door. as seen on
Award Winning Service www.dabs.tv

NEW
dabs.com’s first class service, including a
host of handy website tools, not only
makes dealing with us easier and more also available
hassle-free than ever before, but has also in silver
earned us a cabinet-full of prestigious and black
awards such as Futurenet’s “E-Company
www.dabs.com/awards
of the Year”, PC Pro’s “Online Reseller of Not only small and stylish but it offers a superb
the Year 2001 and 2002” and Personal effective 2.0 mpixel resolution - great for making prints.
Computer World Magazine’s “Best Online Shopping Site”.
Its ultra compact, sleek aluminium body hides a host of Incredibly easy to use and compact enough to always
Don’t just take our word for it! features that make child’s play out of quality imaging. be on hand, delivering the most stunning digital
Full AF, scene selection, auto shutter speed and VGA images you’ve ever seen. Let the digital fun begin!
See what countless satisfied dabs.com customers have to say burst mode mean it’s just point n’ shoot for a great
shot every time. • 3.2 effective Megapixels Sony Super
about our service. Visit www.dabs.com/customerreviews HAD CCD
• 3x optical zoom
Easy to use • 2.0 MegaPixels Super HAD CCD • MPEG Movie VX with audio
• Memory Stick • STAMINA NiMH batteries supplied
• HQX Movie • Memory Stick PRO compatible
Our award winning website is simple to
• 1” TFT LCD Screen • 16MB Memory Stick supplied
use and it’s quick and easy to find
what you want thanks to our unique
quicklinx code system. Every
product in this catalogue has a
more memory...
more memory...
quicklinx code next to it. Simply
type the code into the box (top left
of our homepage). more pictures...
more pictures...
How
How to
to Order
Order...
... more fun!!more fun!!
To buy any of the products featured in this
advertisement, simply order online on our award
only only
winning website. FinePix 401 Zoom Olympus C4000Z
£304
.32
£452
.37
Digital Camera Digital Camera Kit
Order
Order Online
Online www.dabs.com
www.dabs.com 221TGT
exc. VAT inc. VAT
2D1FGT
Use the special ‘quicklinx’ www.dabs.com/fuji www.dabs.com/olympus
codes against every product
advertised to quickly find
the items you’d like to buy
at www.dabs.com. Click the
‘BUY’ button, and then
follow the simple step by
step instructions. If you
don’t already have a dabs.com
account, don’t worry, it’s easy to open
one. The system will prompt you for all the information The FinePix F401 Zoom brings together a unique The CAMEDIA C-4000 Zoom has exactly the qualities
it needs to open your account and process your order. combination of seductive metal styling, powerful ambitious amateur photographers are looking for:
technology and easy to use features. Despite boasting a innovative yet easy-to-use technology and a high-
3x optical zoom lens the FinePix F401 Zoom is easily quality, bright 3x zoom lens able to draw in distant
compact enough to slip into a shirt pocket or handbag.
We accept payment The USB cradle makes easy work of transferring photos
objects for a more detailed view. Even the price is right.
This fantastic kit includes a 64MB Smartmedia card,
by VISA or MasterCard to your computer and ensures the batteries are always battery charger, Adobe Photoshop Elements and
fully charged. camera case.
Business Terms & Conditions of sale
Prices subject to change without notice - please visit www.dabs.com for latest prices. All prices • 4.0 MegaPixels • 4.0 MegaPixels
• 3 x Optical Zoom • 3x Optical Zoom
exclude carriage. All prices are inclusive of VAT only. Non-EU/exempt pay the exclusive price. A
• 3.6 Digital Zoom • 3.5x Digital Zoom
full copy of the business terms & conditions is available on request. Calls are charged at national
• 16Mb Smartmedia • 64MB Smartmedia Card
rate and may be monitored to ensure levels of service and for training purposes. (13.02.03) E&OE • USB Picture Cradle • Camera Case
See our website for latest prices

is here!
watch
watch this week’s hot showcase
this week’s showcase deals
deals
delivering
...for full details visit www.dabs.tv
technology
> shop faster dabspoints with every purchase visit: www.dabs.com
More than 800,000 customers can’t be wrong
only only Nisis Pocket DV2 only
Canon Ixus v3 Canon PowerShot A40 Digital Camera
as seen on
£210
.00
£345
.00
£94
.00
Digital Camera Digital Camera 2536GT
inc. VAT exc. VAT www.dabs.tv
inc. VAT
2557GT 1Y35GT www.dabs.com/nisis
www.dabs.com/canon www.dabs.com/canon
This All-in-One digital video camera is also a
webcam, PC still camera with voice recorder and
NEW has a self-portrait function.
Capture motion images and sound and transfer

to your PC with ease, amaze your friends and
family with the special effects that can be
created with the included software. If
photography is more your thing, then you use
the DV2 to take and store up to 450 high
resolution images, add the self portrait function
and those spontaneous expressions will be
recorded forever.
The PowerShot A40 is an entry-level zoom digital Armchair Electronics only

The seductive new Digital Ixus v3 offers all style, all camera, featuring high quality 3x optical zoom lenses TV Photo Album as seen on
£85
substance. Stainless steel with purpose - the 3.2 covering a 35-105mm range (35mm equivalent) and a .46
Megapixel Digital IXUS v3 makes a statement even bright maximum aperture of f2.8. The PowerShot A40 283XGT
when it is not in use. Strong, clean lines curve around has a high resolution 2.0M pixel CCD sensor that is great www.dabs.com www.dabs.tv inc. VAT
intuitively-placed controls. for top quality 6 x 4" printouts.
This fantastic new product from Armchair
• 2.0 MegaPixels
• 3x Optical Zoom
Electronics not only allows you to view your
• 3.2 MegaPixels • 2.5x Digital Zoom photos instantly on your TV without having to
• 2x Optical Zoom/3.2x Digital Zoom • 8MB CompactFlash™ pay or wait for film processing, but it also lets
• 16MB Compact Flash • 1.5” LCD Display you create your own digital photo album -
• Movie Mode • WxHxD: 110.3x71x36.7mm adding title pages, captions, borders and other
effects which you can then share with your
friends and family on any TV!
• Videotape your album

Make sure you get the most out of • Accepts Compact Flash, Smartmedia and IBM
Microdrive
your camera with a whole host of • Card reader can connect to TV or PC
Canon MV5IMC Multi-Media

accessories... www.dabs.com Camcorder
only
£793
.12
21KBGT
www.dabs.com/canon inc. VAT
only only An ultra compact multi media camcorder that

Kodak LS-443 Zoom HP Photosmart 812 offers users a memory card capable of capturing
£259
.00
£304
.32
Digital Camera Digital Camera moving images and high resolution stills.
This is the first camcorder in the range to offer
inc. VAT inc. VAT
28BRGT 1Y1DGT simple connection and simple printing through
its direct print capabilities. The ultra small size of
www.dabs.com/kodak www.dabs.com/hp this camcorder provides excellent mobility while
the advanced digital technology delivers
as seen on outstanding quality output for digital editing.
• Mini DV
• 10x Optical Zoom/200x Digital Zoom
www.dabs.tv • 2.0” LCD Display
Pinnacle Studio 8 only

21x Zoom for Windows
£52
Pentax
.87
Pentax Lens
Lens 243JGT
4 MegaPixels www.dabs.com/pinnacle inc. VAT
Dazzling pictures meet brilliant design. This feature-rich With the HP Photosmart 812 digital camera, you can The ultimate solution for making stunning home
digital camera gives you everything you’re looking for, capture superb quality digital images with point-and- movies on your PC or laptop.
in a stylish, user-friendly package. shoot simplicity. The 3.8cm LCD display, HP instant
The Kodak LS-443 Zoom camera designed to inspire share, and docking station compatibility guarantee Simply capture your video footage and then use
creativity, and gives you the essential tools to make the all-round convenience. It comes complete with video the professional editing features like scene
most of every shot. clip and sound capture capabilities. transitions, title effects, and fast/slow motion to
create compelling movies. After you’ve edited
your video, you can output to tape or burn your
• 4.0 MegaPixels • Total 4.13 MegaPixels movies to a CD or DVD that will play on most
• 3x Optical Zoom • 3x Optical Zoom/7x Digital Zoom
• 16MB Secure Digital Card Included
living room DVD players. Now you can turn hours
• 3.3x Digital Zoom
• 1.8” Display • Instant Share of home video into Hollywood-style movies on
• 16MB Memory (MMC/SD Slot) • Video Clip and Sound Capable CD/DVD that no one will want to miss.
The UK’s No.1 IT and Technology online retailer

2
MEET
YOUR
TEAM 2 Our promise
to our readers
4
STARTHERE
We will show you how to capture and
8
Rob Mead
Acting Editor create better pictures, give clear,
independent buying recommendations
Rob’s been writing about technology
on the latest kit, and deliver two
for the past eight years, his work
CDs or one DVD packed with the best
having appeared in T3, Digital Home,
PC software.
The Mail On Sunday and FHM
We use boxes, tips, quick fixes, quality
8 Andrea Thompson
Deputy Editor
Welcome… photography, walkthroughs and diagrams
to show you how to improve your
photographic and image-editing skills
Andrea is the newest member of our We have a cast-iron policy of editorial
T
team. She is a trained photographer
he arrival of spring is always a welcome sight for photographers. After months
independence. All our kit is reviewed as-
and has worked on photography cooped up at home, we can finally venture outdoors and explore the riot of colour sold. We discourage our journalists from
magazines for several years and new life that surrounds us. This month’s cover feature gives you the inside accepting gifts from advertisers.
track on making the most of the opportunities that spring brings, from shooting outdoor We welcome your opinions on the
8
Ed Davis portraits to capturing extreme close-ups using your digital camera’s macro capabilities. Try out magazine, ideas for articles, photography,
Our award-winning digital darkroom thoughts and questions.
the techniques explored on page 16 and I’m confident that you won’t be disappointed with
expert has years of commercial Send them in today – see the email
the results. Don’t forget we’d love to see any pictures you take – simply email them to addresses below.
photography experience and is a
member of the National Association gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk and we’ll print our favourites in the next issue.
Elsewhere in the mag you’ll find plenty of tips and techniques for improving your photos,
c
of Photoshop Professionals
from basic composition, exposure and lighting problems (page 79) to enhancing your images
8
Tim Daly post-shoot using Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro (page 57). And if you
Photographer and writer fancy posting your pics on the web for your friends and relations to see, we’ve tested eight Departments
Tim is one of the UK’s leading digital
web photo album packages that’ll help you simplify the whole process (page 41).
photography experts. He’s written We want your letters, ideas,
numerous books on the subject and Throughout the issue you’ll also notice that we’ve introduced key links to our website at
photography, articles, tips and more!
his photographs have been exhibited www.dcmag.co.uk, where you can find out more information about a particular topic, post Write in today to the following areas:
across Europe your own reviews or even join one of the many online discussions in our forum. And don’t Issues with your discs
forget that if you have a comment about either the magazine or the website, please email support2@futurenet.co.uk
8 Steve Bavister
Photographer and editor
us at the address below. We’d love to hear from you. Your letters
letters.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
Steve is one of the UK’s best-known Photos for our galleries
photographic writers, having edited
All the best. gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
and published Practical Photography Events, ideas, places to visit
in the past. He now writes for a getupgo.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
variety of photography mags Camera/photo help and advice
help.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
Articles/ideas for publication
8
Derek Lea
editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
Digital artist and contributor to the
Visit our website today!
New Masters of Photoshop. Derek
www.digitalcameramagazine.co.uk
has one numerous awards for his
Customer services/subscriptions
work and has written this month’s Rob Mead, Acting Editor
customerservice@futurenet.co.uk
Photo Surrealism project editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
.Aidan O’Rourke
8
2 HOW WE RETOUCHED THE COVER IMAGE
Technical expert
Aidan is a contributor to the
Manchester Evening News. He
lectures on digital photography The original picture of our cover model had
around the UK way too much magenta, although there was
no detail in the yellow channel at all. To fix
Mark Harris the problem in Photoshop, we took image
8 Photographer and journalist
Mark has been writing about
data out of the magenta channel and added
yellow to alter the girl’s flesh tones to make
photography for over ten years and her look more natural. We then flipped the
has performed product testing duties image so the girl’s face was on the right side
at both Which and T3. This month he
of the page, giving us room to add our
looks at web photo album software
8 8 coverlines and make space for this month’s
outer bag. The gap on the left side was
ISSUE 7 ON SALE
;
filled by cloning the grass and flowers to
achieve the final result.
10TH APRIL
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 005

Contents DCM#06
What’s hot inside your magazine this April
GET INSPIRED
BY SPRING!
Everything you need to know about taking
people, nature and wildlife photos
■ Capture the natural world
■ Bring the colours in those early blooms to life
■ Improve your outdoor portrait shots
STARTS PAGE
16
PAGE 58
Getup&Go* Create 3D effects
Photo surrealism More inspirational places for you in PSP7
to visit with your camera – from
the gothic splendour of Whitby Give an illusion of
We show you how to depth with blurring
create this amazing Abbey to Cape Cornwall
effects and colour
alien image using enhancement
Photoshop layers,
masks and tools – PAGE
just follow our
step-by-step guide
PULL OUT
SECTION –
FIND IT
AFTER p66
72
* UK editions only
006 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

Kit reviews
The UK’s definitive reviews
Your coverdiscs
22 HOT SHOTS
PAGE 08
TRAILBLAZERS
PAGE 48
THIS ISSUE WE
SHOW YOU HOW TO…
GETUP&GO
Pullout section
package every month

TAKE BETTER PICTURES
Capturing the natural world this spring p16
Using light and shadow p16
Choosing the best angles p16/17
Taking abstract shots p18
Photographing flowers p19
HP PHOTOSMART MINOLTA DIMAGE
850 p26 F300 p28 Making the most of spring colours p19
Close focusing p20
Photographing birds p20
Extensis Portfolio 5 Springtime portraits p21
The most comprehensive media- Avoiding common photo mistakes p80
95
management software on the market Using Macro lenses for close up shots p82
OLYMPUS C-5050 FUJIFILM FINEPIX Organise your photos, sounds and videos and share Exposure control p84
ZOOM p30 S602 PRO p32 them across different networks and platforms PAGE Image diffusion p85
ON DISC 1 ON DISC 2 ON DVD Taking professional portrait photos p86
FULL Extensis Portfolio 5.0 FULL Breeze browser FULL ThumbsPlus 3.3
desktop edition, PC/Mac 1.4b (PC) (PC)
IMPROVE YOUR IMAGE-EDITING SKILLS
DEMO Extensis Portfolio FULL iView Media LE DEMO Photoshop 7
6.0 (PC) (Mac) (Mac) Using Photoshop to create a surreal image p58
TOURS 5 x 3D tours DEMO iView Media Pro DEMO Deneba Canvas 8 Restore a ripped/stained photo p64
SIGMA SD-9 SIX FLASHGUNS TEST SHOTS main cameras (Mac) (Mac)
p34 p38 VIDEO TUTORIALS Image- PLUS all the software Correcting flash errors in Elements p68
DEMO Breeze Browser
editing techniques 2.4c (PC) on the CD edition discs! Using Photoshop filters p70
Your images Simple 3D effects in Paint Shop Pro
Making people look younger in Paint Shop Pro
p72
p74
21 pages of image-editing tips
Regulars USE YOUR PC BETTER
Bitmap, JPEG and TIFF image files explained p90
EYEWITNESS HELP AND ADVICE Converting image files p91
Hotshots gallery p08 Photo Clinic p64 Freeware image-editing tools online p92
Frontline news p12 Your questions answered p84 Using watercolour paper for prints p94
SOLVING FLASH PHOTO CLINIC
PROBLEMS p68 REJUVENATION p64
2
YOUR PHOTOS & LETTERS FOLD-OUT SECTION AFTER PAGE 66
Trailblazers p48 North Yorkshire’s monastic trail
Day in the life p50 The gothic glory of Whitby Abbey
Viewfinder p53 The magic of Cape Cornwall
Steam engines HOTSHOTSTURNOVER
OFFERS Taking silhouette photos Every issue, we print the best digital photography we
Subscribe! p76 can find. Turn over now and see some of the shots that
Upgrade your software p95 DEALER BANK have inspired us this issue…
MAKE PEOPLE LOOK CAMERA
YOUNGER IN PSP p74 TECHNIQUES p80 Suppliers p102-119

Hotshots
Images with impact
SHOT OF THE MONTH

BIRD OF PARADISE Frank Whittle
“The picture is of some bird of paradise flowers,
taken last summer on what is known as the Balcon
de Europa, in Nerja, Spain.”
FujiFilm FinePix 602
[e] omeyas@f2s.com
02
03
04
05 02 WIRED ICE Faye White

“I took this shot when wire, which is used to
keep leaves from falling into a garden fountain
basin, became encased in ice.” FujiFilm S2 Pro
[w] www.pbase.com/fayewhite
03 LIFEGUARD STATION Richard Hughes

“Taken on New Brighton Beach, Merseyside.”
Nikon D100
[e] richypix@hotmail.com
04 REFLECTIONS Colin Spencer

“Taken in the Dordogne, France.”
Nikon CoolPix 5700
[e] crs@greatoaks.fsworld.co.uk
05 TUMBLING (II) June Marie Sobrito

Minolta Dimage 7

2ProfileMe and my camera
JAMES WILSON
www.wilsonpictures.co.uk
James started his career as a professional
photographer after working as an assistant
to a fashion photographer in Italy. On his
return to the UK, he worked as a press
photographer for a local newspaper.
James’s career soon progressed and he

started working for the national press
through a local press agency. "It was at this
point that I was introduced to digital
cameras and started to use a Nikon D1.
From that moment my approach to
photography completely changed. I have
not looked back – I love the spontaneity, the
01 post-production using Photoshop and the
way that photography has become
02 03 accessible to everyone"
James decided to undertake a post graduate

course in photography. This enabled him to
make the move from press to editorial/
studio photography. "I was fortunate enough
to be offered a job in a studio for a major
publisher. This studio championed the use of
digital cameras and is now fully digital."
@
NOW SEND US YOURS!
Email us a 100K JPEG thumbnail of your best shots!
Please remember to include your name, the title
of the shot and the digital camera you used.
gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
01 ICE HOCKEY 02 SARAH

Nikon D1, 80-200 lens at f2.8/250 shutter speed Nikon D1, super wide-angle lens, fill-in flash
03 LIZARD 04 FLOODS
Nikon D1, 17-35 lens up against a reptile tank Nikon D1, 80-200 lens on 2,000sec shutter speed
04
© INS News Group ltd

Frontline
Send in your news! Email us today at news.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
NIKON COOLPIX SQ
Nikon launches three new
compact models
■ See below
BEHIND THE IMAGE:
ANTI WAR PROTESTS
We look around the world
■ See page 13
THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY?
A camera in your sunglasses
■ see page 14
Digital Camera
Coolpix trio QUICK
SHOTS
Shopper launch
from Nikon
DCM EXPERT’S
AWARD WIN Mag hits the shelves 24th April
Our resident photo
retouching expert, Ed Whether you’re splashing out on
Davis, has picked up
new kit or just looking to upgrade
two gongs at a
Nikon crams high-end technology into a compact recent awards what you’ve got, then don’t miss
LAUNCH out on the very first issue of
ceremony in LA. Ed,
who helps revive old Digital Camera Shopper.
and damaged photos
THE SQ
N
ikon has launched three new Coolpix Brought to you by the makers of Digital
for our readers, was
cameras aimed at the highly Camera Magazine, it’s a complete, one-stop
FEATURES A competitive compact market.
presented with two
Guru awards by the buyers’ bible for all your digital photography
FAST BOOT- Leading the charge is the rather quirkily National Association equipment needs. Our independent experts
UP TIME OF styled SQ which features a remodelled swivel of Photoshop
Professionals. You
provide in-depth reviews and group tests, plus
lens, making it easy to shoot your subjects news of the hottest new compacts, SLRs,
LESS THAN from any angle. Nikon claims that the all-metal
can witness the
software, printers, flashguns, lenses and more.
A SECOND, body SQ features technology previously only
transformative effect
of his powers on There’s an exhaustive buyers’ guide to help
COLOUR offered in its high-end digital SLRs, including page 64. you compare prices and specs. Whether you’re
BALANCED a fast boot-up time of less than one second,
colour balanced matrix metering and
PHOTOSHOP IN
an absolute beginner or a seasoned pro, Digital
Camera Shopper will help you find the right kit
MATRIX multi-area autofocus.
THE RAW
Adobe has launched for your budget. In the
METERING Based around a 1/2.7-inch CCD offering a new Photoshop 7 shops from 24th April,
AND MULTI- a 3x optical zoom lens with a focusing range plug-in that enables
you to import RAW
priced at £4.99, you can
AREA equivalent to 37-111mm in a 35mm camera.

Nikon is making great claims for the SQ’s
files direct from your
find out more at
www.dcmag.co.uk
AUTOFOCUS flash too which has a shooting range of 5m
digital camera. The
2
plug-in enables
3
Information
for wide angle shots and 3m for telephoto. you to handle the supplied by
The camera also comes with 15 preset or image like a photo www.dabs.com
negative – free of
program modes which optimise the
camera’s shutter and aperture settings
the adjustments Best sellers
normally made in
for certain lighting conditions, and a computer. The SQ is available now for £350. camera when saving
USB docking station for speedy Accompanying the SQ are cheaper models – an image as a JPEG Best Seller
or TIFF file. With RAW Canon PowerShot
transfer of your pics from camera to the Coolpix 2100 and 3100, priced at £200 A40
capability built into
and £280 respectively. Although both cameras £210
increasing numbers
eschew the SQ’s aesthetic in favour of a more of cameras this
Sub-£100
conventional design, they’re still stacked with looks like a timely Logitech Pocket
spec, including 3x optical zoom lenses, 14 release. For more Digital
information, go to £88
program modes and a 640 x 480 AVI movie
www.adobe.co.uk
mode – something each model shares with the
Sub-£300
more expensive SQ. As you’d expect, the PENTAX SHOWS Sony Cyber-shot
Coolpix 2100 has the lower image resolution ITS METAL DSC-P72
Pentax has launched £260
of the two, offering 2-megapixel images
a trio of stylish
from its CCD, while the 3100 delivers 3.2- aluminium alloy
megapixels, enabling you to print pictures Sub-£800
cameras. The 5MP
Canon PowerShot
up to B4 in side. All three cameras come Optio 550 and 4MP G3
with ‘small picture’ mode which enables Optio 450 both have £598
5x optical zooms,
you to create highly compressed images
while the 3MP Optio
for sending via email or posting on the web. 33L has a tilt and
For more info, go to www.dcmag.co.uk. swivel LCD.
Hi-fi cameras from FujiFilm
New CCD technology hits the market in a double honeycomb chip
FujiFilm has finally launched a ability to store images on the supplied x-D
brace of new cameras that use Picture card as uncompressed RAW files for
its fourth generation Super CCD maximum picture quality.
HARDWARE technology, revealed last month. Somewhat confusingly, FujiFilm’s second
The first of the cameras – the FinePix F700 camera, the FinePix F410 also offers an
– comes with the company’s double- effective resolution of 6-megapixels, but uses
honeycomb Super CCD SR chip only a single 3.1-megapixel Super
which uses two 3.1-megapixel CCD HR chip to create your
photosites to deliver extra images instead. The camera
Behindtheimage
dynamic range with your offers similar spec to the F700,
shots. This ‘high-fidelity’ including a 3x optical zoom, movie
camera offers an mode and the ability to save
interpolated image digital images in the
resolution of 6.03 million uncompressed raw format.
pixels and also features Both cameras will be available
a Super EBC Fujinon 3x late spring, although pricing has
optical zoom lens, AVI still to be confirmed. For more,
movie mode and the go to www.fujifilm.co.uk
Historic day of protest against war on Iraq

Image-editing made easy saw thousands of people take to the
Roxio launches updated version of its PhotoSuite Platinum software
streets in major cities on every continent
Roxio PhotoSuite Platinum 5 offers The time: 15th Feb 2003
fully automated image correction The Place: London, Glasgow, Paris, Rome, Madrid,
for beginners with a suite of tools, Athens, Berlin, Brazil, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
SOFTWARE layers and palettes for more New York, Damascus, Sydney, Tokyo, Moscow,
advanced users. Key features include a Red Eye Dublin, Delhi
Remover and the ability to create photo and
video CDs directly from within the application. Over one million Britons took to the streets of
There’s an enhanced stitch mode for creating London 15th February, to join hundreds of
panoramics, a collage creator for making cards, thousands more around the world, in a global
image organisational tools and a variety of day of protest against war on Iraq. With these
printing and sharing options. Available now for numbers dwarfing the Countryside Alliance
Windows XP and Mac OS X, it;s priced at £50. march last September and even the infamous
To find out more, go www.roxio.co.uk poll tax riots of the 1980s, this demonstration
was officially Britain’s biggest ever peace rally.
Organised by the Stop the War Coalition, the
London march featured nuns, schoolchildren and
celebrities, drawing groups as diverse as
WIDEANGLE
What’s happening around the world
Archaeologists Against War and the Bristol
Samba Society. Popular banners included
“Make tea not war” and old favourite “Make
Love Not War,”
One million marched through Rome and hung
GREAT BRITAIN on camera phones. However, the two most peace flags on the Colosseum, while protesters
DO YOU PICTURE MESSAGE? popular subjects for image-taking are pets in West Palm Beach, Florida got naked and
Taking photos is fast becoming one and the drunken antics of pub-dwellers. anarchists in Athens clashed with police. From
of the UK’s most popular pastimes, Bulgaria to Brazil people took to the streets in
thanks to booming sales of mobile camera USA their thousands, on a scale not seen since the
phones. Mobile networks O2 and Vodafone CALLING ALL CARDS… era of the Vietnam war.
have already signed up over 200,000 Gateway has launched the world’s © SIPA PRESS/WWW.REXFEATURES.COM 2003
2
users, and web photo sites are being first laptop with 6-in-1 memory card
swamped by demand from picture reader. The reader adds $50 to the $1,099
messagers who want to post pictures asking price, but you have to sacrifice your
TALKBACK
1
online for their non-camera phone owning floppy drive to accommodate it. The 400L
friends. Even pro photographers are getting joins other card reading laptops from Sony
Tell us what you think! Our website forums at dcmag.co.uk are
in on the act, with shoots from fashion and Toshiba, which can usually only handle
just the place. Add your comments, ideas and more and join the
shows and celebrity events all being taken a couple of proprietary formats. Digital Camera Magazine club!

HP unveils
always-on future
In a few years’ time, you might have a digital camera in your sunglasses.
HP Research in Bristol is calling it the Casual Capture concept
If you’re happy to buy a cheap pair of sunglasses “The system might even be able to digitally zoom in on shots to give
whenever you go for a holiday in the sun, HP is hoping
STORAGE them better composition.”
to change your mind. The company’s Bristol-based WON’T BE A The other main element of casual capture is that you’ll be part of
TECHNOLOGY research laboratory is working on a set of shades that
PROBLEM the action, rather than a photographer standing apart from it. Think of
incorporate a tiny digital camera, able to take shots without conscious
effort on your part. It’s only a prototype at the moment, but it’s part
SINCE THE all those parents who spend more time pointing a camera at their
toddler than actually playing with them, or the fact that if you’re
of the firm’s ambitious plans for a world where ‘casual capture’ is a AVERAGE taking loads of snaps on a big night out, you’re probably not enjoying
part of everyone’s life.
8 PERSON it as much as if you’d left the camera at home. According to Andy,
The concept of casual capture is based around the idea that in the WILL HAVE casual capture will also ensure you’re always able to get images of
future, we won’t be carrying a dedicated digital camera round with those one-off moments that you wouldn’t preserve otherwise.
us to take snaps with. Instead, we’ll have one (or probably more)
MANY “It’s not about having one picture that you stick on your
wearable camera, which constantly takes pictures of whatever we’re TERABYTES mantelpiece and that sums up a day,” he says. “Although we’ll still
doing, without us telling it to. “It might be in your sunglasses,” says OF STORAGE do that, and still go to studios and have a posed picture taken
Andy. “Or in the lapel or buttons of your shirt, or in a badge that SPACE TO occasionally. But what you often want to capture is that glint in
you’re wearing.” somebody’s eye at a very special moment, or a smile on a child’s
The reason the department has focused on sunglasses for its first
PLAY WITH face. It’s the spontaneous moments where you wouldn’t have time
8
prototype wearable camera is their inherent advantage – they to get your camera out to take a picture of.”
generally point in whatever direction you’re looking, so can capture If you ask us, casual capture sounds like a great idea, and we can’t
events, people or landscapes that have grabbed your attention. Of wait to get hold of a pair of those sunglasses. But aren’t there privacy
course, the result will be hundreds of pictures at the end of each day. issues if everyone’s walking around with tiny wearable cameras? HP
Storage won’t be a problem – by the time this technology becomes is taking that into account too. “It certainly has to be considered,” says
available, the average person will have many terabytes of personal Andy. “You can imagine legislation being brought out that says that
storage space to play with. all cameras in public spaces must be able to respond to some sort of
But how will you sort through all these images to pick out ones wireless interrogation that asks if the camera is on, and who its
you like? HP is working on that too. The answer will be software that owner is.”
can do the hard work for you, identifying the best shots according to However, Andy also thinks casual capture could have a positive
their composition, or even by recognising familiar faces. “You then side, with possible legislation requiring it for the police, surgeons and
might have a dynamic screen that plays a constant slideshow of your firemen. You might even have cameras operating in your car to
images, or even a printer that basically prints you a glossy magazine provide evidence in the event of an accident. “There are positive,
full of images of your wedding day, or holiday or whatever,” he says. serious uses,” says Andy. “But it’s about the fun stuff too.”
THE
Kodak’s dock printer
Hassle-free, computer-less printing from the digital imaging experts
EASYSHARE
6000 Kodak’s has taken its EasyShare single button with borderless 4 x 6-inch prints
ENABLES digital camera dock concept one taking less than 90 seconds to complete. The 6000
YOU TO logical step further and incorporated
HARDWARE it into its next-gen photo printers.
costs £199, with refill packs – containing enough
OUTPUT Previously offered as an optional extra for the
ink and paper for 40 prints – available for £20.
Accompanying the new printer are new 600
PHOTOS company’s digital cameras, the dock offered one- and 6000 series EasyShare cameras, which were
FROM YOUR touch transfer of your photos from camera to PC launched at the PMA show in Las Vegas. Chief
CAMERA AT and also provided a convenient means of among these is the new LS633, the world’s first
THE PRESS recharging the camera’s battery.
Now incorporated into the Kodak EasyShare
camera to use OLED display technology. OLED
promises to make displays brighter and easy to
OF A SINGLE 6000 printer (pictured) the dock enables you to see in direct sunlight and should use less battery
BUTTON output photos from the camera at the press of a power. For more details, go to www.kodak.com
property of their respective owners. GB means 1 billion bytes. Total accessible capacity varies depending on operating environment. Maxtor OneTouch is an appropriate part of your overall data protection plan.
© Maxtor Corporation 2002. Maxtor is a registered trademark and Maxtor Personal Storage, Maxtor OneTouch, and What drives you? are trademarks of Maxtor Corporation. All other trademarks are the
More than a hard drive…

Le mont Royal - 21, avenue du Québec - 91951 Courtabœuf - France
It's your digital life

It's not just data.
They are your best moments.
Personal Storage 5000XT
Maxtor OneTouch™ drive
External Drive helps you protect them.
250GB
Now - with the touch of a button -

you can back up all your passions.
Store them. Keep them organised.
Give them room to grow.
Use them often. It's personal.
Personal Storage 5000DV
External Drive IT’S THE ONE WITH THE BUTTON:
120GB and 200GB The Maxtor OneTouch™ Drive
Personal Storage 5000LE

External Drive
80GB
For PC and Mac.

USB 2.0 and FireWire compatibility.
www.maxtor.com
COVER FEATURE SPRING PHOTOGRAPHY
YOUR GUIDE STEVE BAVISTER

Steve is a photographic journalist and freelance photographer. He is editor of The
Photographer, a leading magazine for pro photographers, and author of ten books
on photography including Digital Photography and Take Better Family Photos
bavister@easynet.co.uk PORTFOLIO STEVE BAVISTER
Springtime!
From bulbs to birds and buds, spring is certain to get your sap rising,
says Steve Bavister, and your shutter finger snapping
L
ike hedgehogs and tortoises, many
photographers go into hibernation over the Even the average garden can be a riot of
winter months. Short, cold days filled with drab,
grey weather hardly inspire you to get out snapping – and colour and offer a host of possibilities…
somehow the programmes on TV seem a lot more enticing.
spring is here at last, and if you’ve been champing at the bit
to get outside and start reeling off lots of pictures, now’s sheer intensity you can get at the height of summer, neither the light also tends to be warmer and create a more
your chance. is there the harshness that often accompanies it. Instead, atmospheric image.
Suddenly everything seems to be coming to life, with spring offers a crisp, sharp light that brings subjects to life. To make the most of the shadows, find a vantage point
bulbs bursting through the ground, buds turning into that looks down on the landscape, and to enhance the
blossom, and birds doing something beginning with ‘B’. Scenic pictures three-dimension feel even further, compose the shot so
There’s more potential for portraiture as well, as people While winter landscapes can be charming, there’s a much- there’s something close to the camera – such as the
get out and enjoy the rising temperature, while everywhere limited palette to work with. With more leaves on the branches of a tree or an interesting, rocky formation.
you look there’s the opportunity for capturing a fantastic- trees, green in the fields, and a blaze of flowers and But you don’t have to travel to remote locations this time
looking image. blossom, it’s much easier to come up with successful of year to come up with great pictures. Even the average
Most importantly, there’s a lot more light. Once the clocks landscapes in spring. The secret lies in finding the best garden can be a riot of colour and offer a host of
have been changed it’s possible to get out and do a couple viewpoint and shooting when the light is right. This time of possibilities. Bulbs in particular are associated with spring,
of hours photography after work, without the need for a year the sun doesn’t get too high, but it’s still a good idea to and in a walk down any urban street or country lane you’ll
flash or tripod. And it’s also one of the best times of the shoot early or late in the day. Not only do you get longer be greeted by everything from daffodils and tulips to
year in terms of the quality of light. While there’s not the shadows, which help create a sense of depth and mood, crocuses and snowdrops – in every colour under the sun.

4 WHY WE CHOSE
THIS PICTURE
Sun behind subject gives
interesting lighting effects
Low shooting angle

provides dynamic composition

ABSTRACT THINKING
Don’t just go for obvious springtime subjects – think
creatively and look for ways of coming up with something
new. Shooting abstracts, for instance, is a great way of
pushing the boundaries. Instead of photographing all of a
flower, crop in tight so only part of it is seen. Rather than do
a study of a flowerbed showing all of it, isolate part of it
that has an interesting or unusual design. If you could get
close enough, you might even frame a shot of a duck so all
you see is the texture of its feathers.
a
If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out the book Seeing Landscapes by Charlie
Waite (Collins & Brown, ISBN 1855857480) and the RSPB Guide to Bird & Nature
Photography by Laurie Campbell (David & Charles, ISBN 0715301276)
Shrubs and trees, too, are worth 2 PARKS AND GARDENS

One of the best hunting ground for pictures in spring, is your local park. Councils and local
investigating. Vividly composed against a authorities spend thousands of pounds planting huge numbers of bulbs – and the displays
when they all come up together can be quite breathtaking. Some beds are all one colour,
blue sky, blossom looks absolutely fantastic while others are a riot of different shades and tones. Parks are also home to all manner of
wildlife, and it's not unusual to see squirrels and many different kinds of birds. In fact,
Get down on the ground By and large, stems aren’t very interesting, so be some even have lakes or wildfowl areas with ducks, geese and more exotic species. Spend
One of the best ways of capturing flowers is to get prepared to crop in close and concentrate attention on a couple of hours in a park on a sunny day and come back with loads of great pictures.
down to ground level – even going so far as to lie the flowers themselves. While shots of single heads can
flat on the floor (make sure you’ve got something be successful, generally a clump works better. Fill the
waterproof!). This will give you a more pleasing frame with colour by shooting from slightly further away
perspective than looking down on them. You’ll be spoilt using the telephoto end of your zoom.
for choice, so find a clump of flowers that look attractive Shrubs and trees, too, are worth investigating. Vividly
and which, more importantly, have an attractive composed against a blue sky, blossom looks absolutely
backdrop. This could be a traditional dry stone wall or fantastic, while lush new foliage positively glows when
the foliage of an evergreen bush. Avoid messy, lit obliquely by sun diffused under fluffy clouds.
complicated backgrounds, unless the flowers are One of the images that symbolises spring is of buds –
unmissable – in which case you should try and throw and with the close-focusing capabilities available on
them out of focus by choosing a large aperture, if you most digital cameras, they’re easy to capture. Unlike
have exposure control. traditional compact cameras, where having a separate
The most effective way to bring the colours of early viewfinder and lens system makes it difficult to frame
blooms to life is by shooting when the sun’s behind the shot accurately at close quarters, the monitor
them. This means that they become semi-transparent, enables you to frame the shot precisely. And most
and display their intricate detail and rich colour. digital cameras these days have startlingly good close-
2Geese are readily accessible

in a wide range of locations
throughout the spring.
Because they are bigger
than most garden birds you
should have no problem
filling the frame with them
using the top end of a zoom.
To help them stand out find
an uncluttered background
such as the foliage here, and
try to shoot when they are
active rather than resting.

COVER FEATURE SPRING PHOTOGRAPHY
1 FOOD FOR BIRDS

Most birds eat a wide variety of foods, depending on
how scarce food is in general, and what's available. So if
you just put out a mix of seeds, nuts, grain, fruit and fats,
you won't go far wrong. But if there are specific species
you would like to lure before your lens, try tempting
them with their favourite nibbles, as follows:
■ Blackbirds – fruit in general; oatmeal

■ Robins -– grated cheese; cake crumbs; meal worms
■ Wrens – crumbled biscuits
■ Starlings – bread; pasta
■ Green finches – sunflower seeds
■ Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Marsh Tits – peanuts
■ Nuthatches – fat
■ Redwings – chopped apples; pears
It's important, of course, always to put out quality food,

free from disease or infection. Whenever possible, chop it
up finely – maybe by running it briefly through a food
processor – so that both birds and their young can feed
more easily. In dry weather it can help to wet it first, and
birds will always welcome water.
start to tumble. On a sunny day, with an ISO100 setting, and thither and generally making your life hell. Because
Most digital cameras these days the best shutter speed you could hope for at f/16 is insects are sensitive to movement, you need to avoid
1/125sec – with a fair likelihood of camera-shake if any jerky actions, and don’t allow your shadow to fall
have startlingly good close- there’s a breeze. over them.
The best technique is to set the camera up on a
focusing capabilities… So what do you do? tripod, focused on a particular bloom that seems to be
Well you could use flash, which freezes all motion, but attracting lots of insects, and then wait patiently. Once a
can give a harsh effect. Or you could use a higher ISO likely candidate lands on your target you can fire away –
focusing capabilities – enabling you to get right into your setting, to give faster shutter speeds and smaller and then review the shots.
subject for eye-popping compositions. apertures, but with some loss of quality in terms of You might also want to try your hand at a bit of bird
sharpness and colour saturation. photography. From early spring, when they announce
Careful focusing Another option is to get an ‘assistant’ to hold a piece their presence with a dawn chorus, our feathered friends
But care needs to be taken to get the best results. of card alongside the subject as a windshield. If you use are constant visitors to our gardens – and that’s a good
This is especially true when it comes to focusing. The white card, this can also double as a reflector, bouncing place to start taking pictures of them. Of course, how
closer you get to your subject the more limited your backlight into shaded areas for a better-balanced effect. many birds you get coming depends on a number of
depth-of-field becomes. In fact, you may only have a For maximum control, though, nothing beats working in factors. The simple way to attract them is to leave them
few millimetres leeway in front and behind – so make a makeshift studio. food. Almost any kind will do – to start with put a
sure you focus on what’s most important. This can be Spring also heralds the arrival of many kinds of insect variety of things out and see what turns up (see the
tricky if there’s even the slightest breeze. into the garden. But while they are marvellous subjects, ‘Food for birds’ box above for more information).
If you have control over exposure, setting small especially colourful types such as butterflies, bees and You can’t just feed them once and expect them to
aperture such as f/11 or f/16 will increase the depth-of- dragonflies, they offer all the close-up challenges keep turning up, though. The key is regularity and
field. However, you have to be careful. As soon as you discussed so far and more besides. The key difference is reliability. Birds are lazy at heart, and if they know you’ll
go for apertures like that you’ll see your shutter speeds that the little blighters can move as well, flitting hither have food out they’ll come to you first. You don’t

g
Spring is reasonably well represented among titles and sites relating to landscape and
wildlife photography. Check out the book, Wild Spring – In Praise of Nature, by Richard Fuller
(Swan Hill Press, ISBN1853105732), which captures many of the different faces of spring
2 SPRINGTIME PORTRAITS
Spring is a great time for taking pictures of people outdoors. Not only is the weather more
pleasant, so people aren’t having to wrap up warm and worry about getting back indoors,
the light is bright without being harsh. Because it lacks the intensity of summer, and sits
lower in the sky, you get some great results by shooting into-the-light – so your subject’s
hair has a halo around it. If the monitor shows the face dark, either use fill-in flash or
increase the exposure so it appears well lit. To focus attention on your subject, make sure
they’re well away from the background and then use your zoom at its longest setting –
adjusting your stance from the person to give the framing you want. That way they’ll
stand out almost three-dimensionally from the background.
2 EXPERT TIPS
really want to have the food visible – it will spoil the
picture. So you need to hide it, in such a way that it
attracts the birds but doesn’t appear in the picture.
Hide seeds and grain in nooks and crannies, spread ■ Experiment with your
fat along branches, put peanuts and scraps out of apertures to find out what
sight behind rocks and branches. Remember to think suits a subject best.
when you’re doing this about where you’ll be shooting Sometimes a small aperture,
from, and what the best background would be. Consider such as f/11 or f/16, with
also the direction of light at the time of day you expect everything sharp, works best;
to be out snapping. in other situations it's large
apertures, such as f/4 or f/5.6, with a limited zone of
Where to shoot from focus, that give the optimum result.
The house is the most obvious spot, through glass, if it’s
of sufficient quality and clean, or from an open window. ■ Try shooting a sequence –
Pulling curtains across will help keep you unseen. With such as the same spot
some of the tamer species, such as robins, you may be once a week, to show the
able to sit out in the garden and shoot. effect of spring coming. Or,
Make sure you switch off the flash, because that will indoors, a vase of flowers
send them flying, and you might need to go for a every morning for a period of
higher ISO setting to arrest any movement. Unless you time to see them.
get golden eagles or herons paying you a visit you’ll
obviously need a telephoto lens setting – and you may ■ In springtime, riverbanks
need to blow up part of the image later in order to fill can be a haven for wildlife
the frame with the average subject. such as frogs and toads. See
Depending on whereabouts you live, you may this month’s Getupandgo
encounter other kinds of wildlife, as animals of all kinds section and get some tips on
come out of hibernation and become more active. the best way to capture our
Squirrels, hedgehogs and even foxes can be found in amphibious friends.
urban as well as rural settings. These are much are
harder to photograph, because they tend to be more
unpredictable. The key at this time of the year is to keep while they’ll soon get used to you and come into
your camera readily to hand, so you’re prepared for range. Pictures of them on their own, in pairs, or with
what comes along. their mothers all work well. Any light can be effective,
There’s one classic spring subject you should have but to capture lambs at their most photogenic find a
no trouble finding: lambs. Drive into the country over vantage point that allows you to shoot towards the
the next couple of month and you’ll see lots of them sun, when the woolly coat will gain a wonderful
gambolling in the fields. Often there’s somewhere ‘Ready Brek’ halo. The great thing about spring is that it
you can pull over, allowing you to capture a few really gets your creative juices flowing, and encourages
shots. Sometimes they’re inquisitive and come over; you to start snapping again – whatever subject you
at other times they move away. But if you wait for a like to photograph…

COVER FEATURE SPRING-CLEANING – POST-SHOOT
Gradient filters
and the channel mixer
Tim Daly shows you two ways to make great prints in Photoshop when tricky lighting leaves you with washed-out colour
S
pring time is the season for extremes when original subjects justice, but they can easily be renovated convert drab colour photographs into exotic black and
0 EXPERT TIPS flat, colourless light can be replaced with
burning sunshine before you can change your
with two fantastic Photoshop routines designed to make
a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
white. Just like conventional photographic filters, the
second technique looks at replacing clear white skies
TIM DALY camera settings. Digital cameras make a good job of The Channel Mixer is the most exciting way to remix with subtle graduated colour. Introducing ‘foreign’ colour
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
coping with these extremes and can do this task much original image colour, be it from a slide, print or raw file to blank, white image areas can be painfully difficult
WORKING IN better than film-based cameras. Yet, on return from an taken straight from a digital camera. Just like re-shooting unless you are a renaissance artist, but with a crafty
16-BIT MODE inspiring shoot, there’s always the inevitable number of your original scene on a PC, with the ability to make use of blending modes, a much less fake result can be
For superior gradients, consider
working temporarily in Photoshop’s
files that are just missing the all-important wow factor. certain tones more dominant than they were in the first achieved without spending hours over a complex
16-bit colour mode. With a huge Pale white or washed out sky tones never do your place, the Channel Mixer provides a spectacular way to selection task.
number of extra colours at your
disposal, subtle and gradual colour
transitions are less likely to band
into visibly separate tones. Once
complete, it’s essential to convert
your image back to 8-bits for
printing out.
ENHANCE COLOURS TO BE MIXED USE AN ADJUSTMENT LAYER CONVERT TO MONOCHROME

01 The Channel Mixer can be used to make a
02 Next, make a Channel Mixer adjustment layer
03 Decide which colour channel you want to edit,
dramatic conversion from colour to black and so you can isolate your forthcoming edit from then click Monochrome in the dialog box.
white. Decide which colours you want to make darker and your original background layer. With any adjustment layer, Here, the Red channel was selected to make blue skies
enhance their intensity using the Saturation slider in the you’ve also got the option of changing your command at darker. Once clicked, the image will immediately convert
Hue/Saturation dialog. Only make a slight increase. a later stage without the risk of posterizing your file. to black and white but with a pale and washed out tone.
3 IN DETAIL
MAKING A MASTER
GRADIENT FILTER FILE
A great idea is to make a master
filter file by assembling gradients
of different colours into separate
layers in one image file.
Create a new A4-sized document
and fill separate layers with
different colour gradients such as
blue, tobacco, orange and violet. ADJUST SOURCE CHANNELS FINAL TONE CORRECTION WARM UP WITH A TINT
Once completed, the file can 04 Next, change the Red Channel to +200, Blue 05 If your results are brighter or darker than 06 The final part of the edit is to flatten the image
remain open on your desktop
to –50 and Green to –50. The golden rule is to anticipated, avoid using the Constant slider in and apply a subtle tint by using the colour
where you can simply drag the
make all three values add up to 100. With each tweak, your Channel Mixer dialog, but press OK, then use your balance dialog box. Open it and apply +10 red and +10
desired colour layer into your
pale sky image. the tones will shift dramatically between light and dark, Levels sliders on your background layer to redress any yellow in both Midtone and Shadow areas to get the
but will not balance until the third and final command. problem. Only a slight alteration will be needed. effect you see here.

NEXT MONTH
; 4 200 WAYS TO IMPROVE

ANY PHOTO
* WEB LINKS
THE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY TAKE BETTER HOLIDAY TRAVELLING LIGHT
OF JOE CORNISH PHOTOS WITH KODAK Check out National Geographic photographer
If you’re stuck for inspiration, admire If you’re planning an Easter break, check out Chris Anderson’s travels in China.
the fabulous work of the UK’s best these useful tips from the Kodak website. www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/
landscape photographer. www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/magazine/ anderson/index.html
www.joecornish.com tips/2001_05/
MAKING GRADIENT FILTERS Use gradient filters and blend modes to saturate
the pale areas of your photos with realistic colour
MAKE A CAREFUL SELECTION CHOOSE COLOURS SET UP GRADIENT TOOL PROPERTIES

01 Open your image and make all tonal
02 Now pick the Dropper tool from the toolbox.
03 Next, pick the Gradient tool and make sure
corrections before applying the filter. Next, Sample the darkest colour in your sky area to that you have the Linear option as shown.
make a selection of your sky area using the magic wand provide a realistic colour for the edit. Open the Colour Click on the gradient picker and choose the Foreground
tool until you’ve included all of the white areas. Feather Picker and press Arrow Down on your keyboard to make to Transparency option. If you can’t see it, click on the
this with a 50 pixel radius. your sampled colour slightly more saturated. pop-out menu and do a Reset gradients command.
0 EXPERT TIPS
TIM DALY
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
SAVING YOUR
CHANNEL MIXER FILES
Like many other Photoshop
dialog edits, you can opt to save
and store your carefully designed
Channel Mixer recipes by pressing
the Load button in the dialog box.
This process creates a tiny data
file which can be stored on your
SET BLENDING MODE AND OPACITY DEFINE THE GRADIENT POSITION FURTHER APPLICATION hard disk and replayed on any
04 Click on the tool’s blending modes and select
05 Position your gradient tool at the top of the
06 It’s a much better idea to apply successive future image projects. Best of all,
one of two options. To convert clear white image, click and then drag the tool gentle gradients to the selection area rather there’s a worldwide community
of Photoshop users who readily
skies to blue choose the Multiply blending mode and a downwards until you have reached the bottom of your than do it in one fell swoop. To prevent your new colour
share their own individual recipe
40% opacity. To make light blue skies more saturated, selection. This will produce a clean band of colour which looking false, vary the direction of your gradient slightly files over the internet.
choose the Colour blending mode at 100%. will sit inside your selection area. by working between opposite corners.

Preserve your Memories
on CD or DVD
From your
camcorder…
From your
digital camera…
From
your PC…
…to your TV
The fun and easy way to share your home

movies and digital photos on CD and DVD
• Capture from digital cameras and camcorders
• Photo and video manipulation tools
• Create motion menus
• Automatic slideshow creation
• Automatically fit your slideshow to your music
• Automatic label creation
For more information call

us on 01895 424228
or visit us at www.pinnaclesys.com JAN 2003 JAN 2003 JAN 2003
www.pinnaclesys.com
SECTION #01 REVIEWS
Section highlights…
HP PHOTOSMART 850 PAGE
26
THE 4-MEGAPIXEL ‘BARGAIN’
This seems like outstanding value for money but
what about the build quality and handling?
OLYMPUS C-5050 PAGE
30
THE 5-MEGAPIXEL PRO MODEL
The latest in a long line of classic Olympus models
to combine compact dimensions with pro features
SIGMA SD-9 PAGE
34
THE 3.4-MEGAPIXEL FOVEON CHIP MODEL
Sigma is spearheading revolutionary new imaging
technology here but is it still early days?
DIGITAL
CAMERA E
MAGAZIN
LAB TEST PAGE
41
WEB ALBUM SOFTWARE
KIT REVIEW These packages offer image manipulation,
OLYMPUS C-5050 organisation and web page creation in one
SEE PAGE 30
PAGE PAGE PAGE
26 34 41
CAMERA TOURS ON OUR CD/DVD CAMERA RANGE GUIDE COMPARISON STRIPS
Kit reviews
View every main camera We show you where each See how each camera performs
reviewed each month in 3D, camera sits in the maker’s range, against the others in our reviews
on our CD/DVD! Rotate it, swoop and whether it’s worth your – pull back the page and
around it – it’s the next best while spending extra money for compare the right-hand strips
thing to holding the camera in more features
your hands
The latest digital photo gear, reviewed and rated
f
Reviews you can trust!
Our aim is to inform you fully about a product’s best and worst features.
To this end, we guarantee each review is Independent: We have a cast-
iron policy of editorial independence. Suppliers never see a review until
the magazine hits the newsagent Authoritative: Every review includes the
manufacturer’s range, other options, test shots, 3D tours, plus links to buy online Clear:
We use diagrams and boxes to ensure each review delivers a definitive verdict
Contact our reviews team
#
If you have a comment about our reviews, or a product you would like us to
test, please email us at editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk. Visit our website at
dcmag.co.uk for reader verdicts
REVIEWS 4-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA
HP PHOTOSMART 850
Price £400
Resolution 4 megapixels
Lens f2.8-3.1 7x zoom
Memory 16MB SD
Battery Life Not quoted
Contact HP 08705 474747 www.hp.com/uk SAMPLE IMAGES ALL THESE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR CD
HP PhotoSmart 850
Wow. These are serious specifications for a £400 camera, so should the PhotoSmart
850 leap to the top of everyone’s shopping list?
H
P’s PhotoSmart digital cameras have always
* ON OUR
COVERDISC been big on value, whatever they might lack
in charm. The new 850 certainly seems to
offer plenty on the value front, with 4-megapixel
resolution allied to a massive 7x optical zoom and some
decent-sounding photographic features like aperture-
priority and shutter-priority shooting modes, EV
compensation up to three stops either way and an
electronic SLR-style viewfinder. You’d have to spend a
VIRTUAL TOUR
Try before you buy! Rotate and
view this camera on-screen with
lot more money to match these specs anywhere else,
let alone beat them.
2
our unique virtual reality tour
Value for money is only one part of the equation,
ON OUR
though. Build quality and handling are important, too, as
is the final image quality. This is where the well-known
3
C WEBSITE camera makers tend to slip into the lead, so how does
the HP stack up with the rest when you actually take it
OPINIONS & SHOPPING
Post your views, see what other out of the box and use it?
readers think then buy this camera!
dcmag.co.uk/photosmart850 Style and handling
Now, you can measure features and specifications
quite scientifically, but camera design and handling is 7 7
HANDGRIP
altogether much more subjective. A camera that some You can get a good LENS
DIGITAL RANGE photographers don’t like will go down a storm with purchase on the That 7x optical
HP other users. So it’s rare, surely, to find a camera that

rubberised handgrip,
but the rest of the
zoom is quite
something in a
really is genuinely unlovable. camera feels slippery £400 camera
PS 850
5
Price: £400 Rare it may be, but we think we’ve done it. The
Megapixels: 4 moment you pick it up, all the PhotoSmart 850’s
specifications and its modest price tag are forgotten. lot better in photographs than it feels when you hold it do. Everything works as it’s supposed to, but that bit
PS 720 Indeed, the price tag will suddenly make sense. in your hand. slower than you expect.
Price: £200
HP has produced some charmless, plasticky digital We won’t moan about that any more. Instead,
Megapixels: 3
cameras in the past, but it’s really pushed the boat out we’ll moan about the controls. They’re stodgy and Getting what you pay for
PS 620 with this one. sluggish, and they place way too much reliance on The fact is, the PhotoSmart 850 handles and feels like a
Price: £150 On the good side, the moulded handgrip on the right the menu system. This itself responds slowly to button budget digital camera – not one you’ve just spent £400
Megapixels: 2 does mean that you can get a really good grip on the presses, and whatever advanced photographic features on. Yes, you are getting a lot of photographic power for
PS 320 camera. That is, sadly, the extent of the good side. It’s might be buried deep within the 850’s shell are likely the outlay, but this is the price you’re paying for it.
Price: £130 not just that the overall finish is plasticky, but that the to stay buried unless you’re a very patient, unhurried Although the 2-inch LCD on the back is good (apart
Megapixels: 2 metal-look surface is too slippery. Pick up the FinePix sort of photographer. from the fact that our LCD had an intermittent fault), the
PS 120 S602 Pro (reviewed on page 32) and then this camera With the 850, you find yourself repeatedly pressing Electronic Viewfinder isn’t up to much. Electronic
£ Price: £100 and the difference is obvious: the FinePix practically buttons because you’re not sure they have worked the Viewfinders (EVFs) become necessary with longer-range
5 Megapixels: 1 sticks to your hand; the PhotoSmart 850’s like a bar of

soap. Okay, we exaggerate, but the HP’s finish looks a
first time, and getting into on-off loops where the
camera is always one step behind what you’re trying to
zooms, where it’s simply impractical to design an optical
finder that can cover the same zooming range.

HP PHOTOSMART 850
TURN THE PAGE TO PERFORMANCE
COMPARE TEST SHOTS
7 2 SKIN TONES
3
POWER SWITCH/
SHUTTER RELEASE
The 850’s top plate is 3
neat and uncluttered,
but many important
5
options are left buried PRO The 850 is good at reproducing skin tones,
in the menu system helped by accurate exposure measurement
1 6 CON Sluggish controls and response mean that it’s

not the ideal camera to grab fleeting moments
4 2 OUTDOOR SHOTS
7 7 7
FLASH ELECTRONIC LCD
The pop-up flash VIEWFINDER The 2-inch LCD does
does a good job,
but where’s the
EVFs are a necessary
evil in cameras with
a good job,
but the menu 5 PRO No problem at all with the HP’s performance
outdoors. Exposure and saturation are good
slow-sync mode? big zooming capability response is slow
6 CON You can’t see much with that tiny viewfinder,
and the ISO choice is limited to 100 or 200
fans, maybe, but for general-purpose photography

2 INDOOR SHOTS
The fact is, the PhotoSmart 850 handles its extra zooming capabilities are unlikely to be used
that often.
and feels like a budget digital camera – You may think we’ve been unkind in our
comments about the PhotoSmart 850’s build, design
not one you’ve just spent £400 on and operation, given that it appears to offer as much
for £400 as cameras costing twice as much. But
Electronic Viewfinders aren’t great in the best of to 1:1 pixel magnifications on-screen, mind, and £400 is a lot of money by any standards and,
cameras, but the one fitted to the HP is really rather the extended telephoto range can catch you frankly, if it was our cash we’d spend it on a less
horrid. It’s small, the resolution is low and it’s fit for out because camera shake becomes a big bugbear powerful camera that we actually enjoyed using.
5 PRO Flash exposures seem accurate, and the HP’s
colour rendition is as good indoors as elsewhere
6
little more than rough framing. If you want to check in all but the best lighting conditions. All the same, Cameras such as the 4-megapixel Nikon CoolPix CON We couldn’t find a slow flash mode, and at
37mm equivalent, the zoom lens isn’t very wide
the composition, details or focus, you’ll need to use it’s a creditable set of results, and if you’re 4300 (with wonderfully sharp images) and the £350
the LCD on the back. disappointed by the HP’s build and handling, the
images it produces will provide a welcome boost to
4-megapixel Kodak LS443 (with metal finish, very
sharp images and docking station included) offer half 2 IMAGE QUALITY
Picture quality your morale. the zooming range, to be sure, but they nevertheless
It’s bad news on the handling front, then, but what So should you buy a PhotoSmart 850, after all cover 99 per cent of the average user’s needs.
are the HP’s pictures like? Well this is where it these criticisms? It all depends on how much you The PhotoSmart 850 is tackling a competitive
redeems itself pretty well. In common with other HP want that 7x zoom range, because this camera has market. Its specifications put it out in front of the
digital cameras we’ve tried, the 850 produces little in its favour apart from that. And remember rest, but the experience of using it is rather different.
images far better than its cheap construction would that the extra range is available only at the It’s the sort of camera you’ll buy because it’s a
seem to imply. The exposure accuracy is high, telephoto end. Indeed, the 850’s widest wide- good deal, not because you’ve fallen in love
colours are reproduced well and the sharpness and angle setting is a pretty modest 37mm equivalent – with it. For that reason, it’s still worth keeping an
level of detail is particularly impressive. nearly all its rivals go a tiny bit wider to 35mm. eye on a market where price-slashing has become
Images can start to look a little soft when you get The 850 will be tempting to sports and wildlife the norm… 5 PRO Fine detail is sharp, colour is good and the
contrast and saturation aren’t bad, either
6 CON The slippery shape and stodgy responses will

increase the risk of camera shake in low light
HP PHOTOSMART 850 FULL SPECIFICATIONS 1 Too cheap and

cheerful by
FEATURES
IMAGES
72
78
1
1
Verdict
Sensor 3.9-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 4.1MP CCD Image storage SD card

Lens f2.8-3.1 8x lens Batteries 4 x AA BUILD 59 1
Focus
Exposure modes
Auto, 10cm in macro mode
Program AE, aperture-priority, shutter-priority
Battery life
AC adaptor
Not quoted
Not supplied half, no matter VALUE 80 1
Metering TTL Weight 388g (without battery or card)
what it can do
72%
Monitor
AE compensation
2-inch
+3EV to -3EV in 0.5EV increments
Dimensions
Transfer
120mm(w) x 120mm(h) x 85mm(d)
USB FINAL
Flash
Video output
Auto, on, off, red-eye
PAL
Software HP Photo & Imaging software, HP Memories
Disc Creator
The PhotoSmart 850 is a reminder of the SCORE
Movie recording 288 x 216 at 15fps with sound OS Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS 9.1, OSX
fact that cameras have to feel like they’re
Other features Instant Share, optional camera dock 10.1.2 or later worth the money and be nice to use. If
they’re not, the features and image
2
FUJIFILM FINEPIX KODAK HP PHOTOSMART NIKON COOLPIX
WORTH S304 LS443 720 4300
quality won’t be enough
A LOOK £350/3MP £350/4MP £200/3MP £400/4MP

MINOLTA DIMAGE F300
Price £500
Memory 64MB SD card
Battery Life 260/560 frames with monitor on/off, using CR-3V battery
Contact Minolta 01908 200 400 www.minolta.co.uk SAMPLE IMAGES ALL THESE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR CD
Minolta DiMAGE F300

The 5-megapixel successor to Minolta’s compact F100 caters for both beginners and
serious photographers, but does it live up to its promise?
M
inolta’s 4-megapixel DiMAGE F100 is a very
* ON OUR
COVERDISC good camera. Offering both simplicity
and more advanced shutter-priority, aperture-
priority and manual modes, it’s both sophisticated and
versatile. What’s more, the F100’s compact body is
well made, well designed and, at current prices, good
value for money.
And the DiMAGE F300 offers more of the same. Now
VIRTUAL TOUR
with 5-megapixel resolution, Minolta’s newest model 3
produces bigger, crisper and sharper pictures, and the
2
view this camera on-screen with price is still highly competitive. It puts it right up against
the Konica Revio KD500, Kyocera FineCam S5 and
Olympus’s excellent little C-50.
ON OUR Visually, the F300 is similar to the F100, sharing the
C WEBSITE same elongated rectangular shape, 38-114mm
(equivalent) 3x zoom and effective control layout. A
OPINIONS & SHOPPING
Post your views, see what other couple of things are new, including a noise-reduction
readers think then buy this camera! system for exposures of a second or longer, and a new
dcmag.co.uk/dimagef300 UHS (Ultra High Speed) sequence mode capable of
recording up to eleven 1,280 x 960 shots at 7fps.
There’s an additional centre-weighted metering mode, 7 7
ALUMINIUM
too, joining the existing multi-pattern and spot modes. EXTERIOR
DIGITAL RANGE The F300’s LENS
MINOLTA Automatic programs aluminium exterior is

tough and feels
The Minolta GT lens has
a focal range equivalent
The F300 shares the F100’s Automatic Digital Subject good in your hands to 38-114mm
DIMAGE 7I
Price: £700 Program Selection which, thankfully, is quicker to
Megapixels: 5 use than it is to say! The idea that it saves you the
trouble of choosing a ‘scene’ mode to match your Like the Olympus C-50, reviewed in issue 4, the PowerShot G3, for example, or the extended zooming
DIMAGE F300 subject. The camera analyses the lighting, distance F300 bridges the gap between point-and-shoot compact range of the CoolPix 5700. And there’s less space on the
5
Price: £500
and focusing information and works it out for you, cameras and more advanced models like the Canon camera body for the control wheels and dials that
Megapixels: 5
automatically selecting Portrait or Landscape mode, PowerShot G3 and Nikon CoolPix 5700. In addition to would make these advanced options more accessible.
DIMAGE F100 for example, depending on what’s in front of the the advanced exposure options and manual control, As it is, you need to use the menu system if you
Price: £400 camera. It shows you which scene mode it’s selected the F300 also offers exposure bracketing (where a want to experiment much beyond simple snapshot
Megapixels: 4 on the LCD, but you can override this to choose your sequence of three shots is taken at different exposures photography, and this can be a bit time-consuming and
DIMAGE S414 own mode if you wish. so that you can choose the most successful one later) fiddly. It’s a problem shared by many digital compacts
Price: £TBA To be honest, it’s one of those instances where and flash compensation (which lets you regulate the that look good on paper but prove a little more
Megapixels: 4 increasing idiot-proofing actually leads to increased power of the flash). awkward in the field.
DIMAGE XI complexity. If you put your faith in scene modes then The F300 does at least sport an easily-operated
£ Price: £350 the F300’s system might prove useful but, for the most Miniature compromises exposure-compensation button. Using this and the
5 Megapixels: 3.2 part, digital cameras do a great job in standard Program

AE mode, and the F300’s no exception.
Being pocket size brings its limitations. For a start, the
F300 doesn’t have the fast maximum aperture of the
program AE/auto scene selection mode should take
care of the vast majority of subjects. The ISO ratings of

DIMAGE F300
COMPARE TEST SHOTS
2 SKIN TONES
7
MODE DIAL 1
The mode dial is big
and chunky, offering
quick access to the
main controls
3
7 5 PRO Pretty neutral colour rendition, with no

tendency towards unhealthy yellows and greens
MONO LCD PANEL

4
6 CON Red results in our test image shot in overcast
conditions. The focusing struggled in low light, too
2 OUTDOOR SHOTS
The F300 retains a
mono status LCD, so
you don’t need the
LCD on to check
the picture
7 7
LCD
The 1.5-inch LCD is NAVIPAD
small but crisp, bright Like the rest of the
and responsive. It
copes well in low
controls, the navipad
buttons are positive 5 PRO Impressive levels of sharpness and good
exposure. The F300 copes well
light conditions, too and well spaced
6 CON Shots taken in dull conditions stay dull. Little
to add punch and saturation in poor light
added bonus, but you might want to keep a CR-V3

2 INDOOR SHOTS
To be honest, it’s one of those instances cell in your pocket for use in emergencies. These are
where increased idiot-proofing actually more expensive than AAs but have a much longer
running time.
leads to increased complexity Image quality is another area that potential

buyers will want to pay close attention to.
5-megapixel cameras are still significantly more
64-400 ISO cover a reasonable range, and Fine mode, and 46 shots at Standard quality. Many expensive than 4-megapixel models, so is the
you’ll have to pay a good bit more to get a camera manufacturers who ought to know better ship out increased detail rendition worth it?
that can reach 800 or even 1,600 ISO. The zoom their 5-megapixel models with measly 32MB or In the case of the F300, it almost certainly is.
5 PRO The slow flash mode balances well with
ambient light, and the LCD screen remains crisp
6
range is good enough, though it could do with even 16MB cards. Where some 5-megapixel models struggle to offer CON The lens scarcely goes wide enough
for small interior shots
going a little wider at the short end, and if you’re The F300’s specifications are good, then, and it’s useful improvements, the F300 produces some really
not happy with the camera’s automatic image
processing, you can manually adjust the colour
great value at around £500. Of its direct rivals, only
the Olympus C-50 can match it for features and size.
crisp, fine detail, and without excessive sharpening
effects. Its images can occasionally look a little flat, 2 IMAGE QUALITY
(natural, vivid, black and white), contrast, saturation But while the Minolta’s aluminium exterior does but this can easily be fixed later on – and it’s better
and sharpness. The default settings will prove lend it an air of real class, we’d still have to give the to have flat images than bleached-out highlights and
fine much of the time and, if not, you’ll be better C-50 a slightly higher rating for build quality and dense black shadows.
off adjusting these things in your image-editor later finish, especially with the added practicality of its In short, you don’t have to worry that you might
on anyway. sliding lens cover. be sacrificing optical quality for the sake of
The F300 starts up quickly and, apart from a compactness. 5-megapixel cameras don’t get a lot
Value and performance couple of instances where the autofocus struggled better than this, and for £500 you’re getting a
We particularly like the inclusion of a generous-sized (there was a heavy winter overcast throughout camera that’s capable of top-notch results and
64MB SD card. This can store up to 24 shots at the the test period), it’s crisp, quick and positive to controls that – with a little patience, admittedly –
camera’s maximum resolution of 2,560 x 1,920 in use. The fact that it runs on a pair of AA cells is an match those in far more expensive cameras. 5 PRO Worried that a compact camera can’t produce
sharp, high-quality results? This one can…
6 CON The high-tech focusing system doesn’t always

get the job done, especially in low light
MINOLTA DIMAGE F300 FULL SPECIFICATIONS 1 A good-value

revamp of an
FEATURES
IMAGES
90
90
1
1
Verdict
Sensor 5-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 5.3MP CCD Other features Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection
Lens Minolta GT f2.8-4.7 3x lens Image storage SD card BUILD 81 1
Focus
Exposure modes
Auto, manual, 20cm in macro mode
Program AE, aperture-priority, shutter-priority,
Batteries
Battery life
2x AA or 1x CR-3V
260/560 shots (monitor on/off) excellent camera VALUE 88 1
manual AC adaptor Not supplied
87%
Metering
Monitor
256 multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot
1.5-inch 110,000 pixels
Weight
Dimensions
185g (without battery or card)
110mm(w) x 52.5mm(h) x 32.5mm(d) The F300 offers a useful increase in FINAL
AE compensation
Flash
+2 to -2EV in 0.3EV increments
Auto, on, off, slow, red-eye
Transfer
Software
USB
Minolta DiMAGE Viewer application
detail rendition over the 4-megapixel SCORE
Video output PAL or NTSC OS Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2,
F100. It’s very good value, too,
Movie recording 320 x 240 at 15fps with sound OSX 10.1.3 or later especially with the bundled 64MB SD
card. More advanced controls can be
2
KYOCERA KONICA REVIO OLYMPUS MINOLTA
WORTH FINECAM S5 KD500 C-50 DIMAGE F100
fiddly to access, though
A LOOK £500/5MP £500/5MP £500/5MP £400/4MP

OLYMPUS C-5050 ZOOM
Price £650
Memory 32MB x-D Picture Card
Contact Olympus 0800 072 0070 www.olympus.co.uk SAMPLE IMAGES ALL THESE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR CD
Olympus C-5050 Zoom

Olympus has chosen a process of evolution and refinement for its enthusiast-
orientated digital cameras, rather than dramatic new designs. Has it paid off?
T
he Olympus C-5050 Zoom is the latest and
* ON OUR
COVERDISC most advanced in a series of cameras that fits
between Olympus’s point-and-shoot digital
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
compacts and its SLR-style E20 pro-level camera. The
C-5050 Zoom offers the dimensions of a compact
camera with the features of a pro model – and
combines them pretty successfully, too.
Sticking to a shape that’s served Olympus well for a
while now, the C-5050 Zoom is quite compact, yet
VIRTUAL TOUR
Try before you buy! Rotate and ‘grippable’ too, thanks to a chunky moulded handgrip to
view this camera on-screen with
the left of the camera. This also houses the four AA cells
3 2
that power the camera, which is good news for AA fans
who are used to having to accept more expensive (if
ON OUR you want to buy spares) proprietary lithium-ion cells.
C WEBSITE
OPINIONS & SHOPPING Better than ever
Post your views, see what other Not only that, this latest enthusiasts’ model from
readers think then buy this camera! Olympus packs in a quite amazing array of features.
dcmag.co.uk/c5050zoom Without increasing the size of the camera significantly,
Olympus has added a thumb-operated control wheel, a
tilting LCD panel and double-barrelled card slots, so that 7 7
HANDGRIP
you can now use Compact Flash cards and MicroDrives The C-5050 is easy LENS
DIGITAL RANGE in one, or SmartMedia or xD Picture Cards in the other. to hold, thanks to That f1.8 lens is fast
OLYMPUS A 32MB x-D card comes as standard, which will keep

the big handgrip
and smart, crackle-
enough for low-light
shooting, and
you going for a while, but you’re likely to want to invest black finish sharp, too
E-20
Price: £1,200 in extra, larger cards soon, since the 32MB card supplied
Megapixels: 5 stores a maximum of eight 2,560 x 1,920 image in SHQ
(Super High Quality) mode and 26 at the HQ setting. while they do take up around 8MB of space on your highlights or shadows), and you can auto-bracket
C-5050 The C-5050 Zoom can actually produce larger output memory cards, they’re still half the size of a TIFF file. exposures with a series of three or even five shots.
5
Price: £650
files, up to 3,200 x 2,400 pixels (7.7 megapixels), but With its fast f1.8 lens and 5-megapixel resolution, the
Megapixels: 5
this inevitably uses in-camera interpolation, and you’re Pro-level features C-5050 Zoom – on paper at least – looks just about as
C-50 more likely to want to do this kind of resampling in We’ve mentioned that the C-5050 Zoom offers pro-level good as digital cameras can get without taking the big
Price: £500 Photoshop under more controlled conditions. features, and apart from its multiple card slots, it leap into the digital SLR market. As ever, though, the
Megapixels: 5 But the C-5050 Zoom also offers a more useful RAW includes programmed auto-exposure, shutter-priority true test is how a camera handles in real photographic
C-730UZ mode. This stores the image information as captured by and aperture-priority modes, plus full manual control situations, not just its options list.
Price: £445 the CCD, so that instead of relying on in-camera and ‘scene’ modes designed specifically for landscapes,
Megapixels: 3 processing to produce editable TIFF or JPEG files, you portraits, night scenes, sports and landscape/portrait Pro-level build?
C-4000 transfer the RAW files and use special software on your shots. You can check your images for over- or under- Now, given that the C-5050 Zoom is one of the least
£ Price: £380 computer to decode and optimise the data. RAW files exposure as soon as you’ve taken them, thanks to the expensive ‘serious’ digital cameras around, you might
5 Megapixels: 4 enable you, in principle, to squeeze the last ounce of

quality, colour and tonal range out of your images. And
histogram display available in the shooting mode (it
shows you whether the exposure has ‘clipped’ the
be expecting reasonable build quality but nothing
outstanding. This is where the C-5050 Zoom springs its

C-5050 ZOOM
COMPARE TEST SHOTS
2 SKIN TONES
7 1
MODE DIAL
Menu fiddling is
kept to a minimum,
thanks to a mode
dial that offers
instant access to all
3
5 PRO Excellent colour rendition, even in tricky

conditions like this bluish early morning light
4
6 CON There are no ‘cons’. The Olympus didn’t trip
up once. Flash shots are neutral-toned, too
2 OUTDOOR SHOTS
7 3 7 7
LCD THUMBWHEEL
The LCD panel The thumbwheel
SHUTTER RELEASE
hinges up through controller speeds
5
The shutter release, PRO Excellent exposure control and detail
90 degrees for up many operations,
zoom switch and other rendition, producing good, punchy images
waist-level but it could be
minor controls are all
positioned perfectly
compositions easier to get to
6 CON Maybe inclined towards slight over
sharpening now and again, but that’s easily
Image quality
2 INDOOR SHOTS
This comes across as such a good camera, This comes across as such a good camera, even
before you use it, that the image quality seems
even before you use it, that the image almost incidental. It’s not, of course. Here, though,
the C-5050 Zoom is just as impressive. Shots are
quality seems almost incidental uniformly well-exposed, extremely sharp (though
maybe a fraction over-sharpened here and there)
biggest surprise. Its crackle-black finish isn’t just easy PowerShot G3 and top-of-the-range Nikons. and punchy. It even managed to produce colourful,
to grip, it feels extremely durable, too, not to say Direct shutter speed and aperture control is easier contrasty shots during the flat, dull spell that lasted
expensive. That impression is echoed throughout the on this camera than on many compacts (see the all through our test period. The focusing didn’t trip
5 PRO The 35mm (equivalent) lens is wide with a
f1.8 maximum aperture
6
camera, which feels weighty and solid in your hands Minolta DiMAGE F300 on page 28), thanks to the up once, colours were always neutral and the CON Again, no ‘cons’? The C-5050 has got a ‘second
curtain’ flash mode for realistic slow flash shots
and has very robust, positive-feeling controls. thumbwheel controller and the intelligent control Olympus impressed us with every shot it took.
What’s more, the controls are all in the right
place. Admittedly, the new thumbwheel directly
layout in general. What’s more, the main mode dial
offers direct access to the Program, aperture-priority,
This is an extremely good camera. The Canon
PowerShot G2 was once considered one of the best 2 IMAGE QUALITY
below the mode dial is a little awkward to get to, shutter-priority and manual modes – no more non-SLR digital cameras around, but the C-5050
but you adapt soon enough and it does speed up fiddling about with menus. knocks it, and its successor the G3, into a cocked hat.
many operations and settings. You can change the metering pattern, apply It feels far more solid, handles better and the
We particularly like the swivelling LCD panel, exposure compensation, change the flash mode finish and controls are just wonderful. It’s packed
which can flip upwards through 90 degrees to make and swap the memory card slot in use, all via with all the features serious photographers could
waist-level and tripod-mounted shooting far easier. It buttons on the camera. What’s more, when you do need, and it makes them all readily accessible with
tilts up to 20 degrees the other way, too, for need to access menu functions, the four-way a very well-planned control layout. What’s more,
overhead shots. Interestingly, the limited movements navipad on the backplate offers short-cut access to there isn’t a 5-megapixel camera on the market that
of this LCD feel a lot more useful and logical than all the major functions like the quality setting, white can beat its image quality. At £650, the C-5050 is an
the flip-out-and-swivel LCDs on the Canon balance and more. absolute steal… 5 PRO Biting sharpness, accurate exposure, good
colour saturation and contrast
6 CON Apart from some faint over sharpening, this

camera appears to have no weaknesses
OLYMPUS C-5050 ZOOM FULL SPECIFICATIONS 1 Olympus’s pro-

am camera range
FEATURES
IMAGES
93
96
1
1
Verdict
Sensor 5-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 5.3MP CCD Movie recording 320 x 240 at 15fps without sound
Lens Olympus f1.8-2.6 3x lens Other features Multiple memory card slots: BUILD 98 1
Focus Auto, manual, 20cm in Macro mode, 3cm in
Super Macro mode
Image storage
Batteries
xD-Picture Card, SmartMedia, Compact Flash
4x AA or 2x CR-V3 just gets better VALUE 95 1
Exposure modes Program AE, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, Battery life Not quoted
and better
96%
Metering
manual, scene modes
Digital ESP, spot, multi-spot
AC adaptor
Weight
Supplied
125g (without battery or card) FINAL
Monitor
AE compensation
Dimensions
Transfer
77mm(w) x 69mm(h) x 22mm(d)
USB
A classic Olympus shape but a SCORE
Flash Auto, on, off, slow, slow 2nd curtain, red-eye Software Olympus Camedia Master Suite
continually improved finish, layout
Video output PAL or NTSC OS Win98/Me/2000/XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2, OSX 10.0.4 and design – together with first-rate
results – make the C-5050 the best
2
OLYMPUS MINOLTA CASIO NIKON COOLPIX
WORTH C-50 DIMAGE F300 QV-5700 5000
camera and cheapest in its class…
A LOOK £500/5MP £500/5MP £550/5MP £700/5MP

REVIEWS 3.1-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA
FUJIFILM FINEPIX S602 PRO
Price £700
Resolution 3.1 megapixels (6-megapixel output)
Memory 340MB MicroDrive
Battery Life 240 shots (using EVF and MicroDrive)
Contact FujiFilm 020 7586 1477 www.fujifilm.co.uk SAMPLE IMAGES ALL THESE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR CD
FujiFilm FinePix S602

Can you really get professional-level photographic tools this far under £1,000? FujiFilm
seems to think so, and maybe we could be convinced too
F
ujiFilm is one of the few manufactures to
* ON OUR
COVERDISC design and build its own imaging chips. Its
novel SuperCCD design uses hardware/
software interpolation to produce the final image sizes,
and while the raw resolution of SuperCCDs looks a little
low compared with similarly-priced rivals, the image
quality it produces is some way higher than the raw 2
resolution would suggest.
It’ll be interesting to see what FujiFilm’s new HR and
VIRTUAL TOUR
Try before you buy! Rotate and SR imaging chips can do. These will be appearing in
view this camera on-screen with new models during 2003. The HR SuperCCD chips are
much smaller, allowing even more compact digital
camera designs; while the SR chips use double-barrelled
ON OUR
C WEBSITE
image sensors for a far higher dynamic range than
digital cameras have so far been capable of recording.
3
In the meantime, the existing models still offer very
OPINIONS & SHOPPING
Post your views, see what other good results and, indeed, value for money. The S602 Pro
readers think then buy this camera! is a good example, offering a number of significant
dcmag.co.uk/finepixs602pro enhancements over the existing S602, and pushing it
into professional territory but without the price tag that
normally goes with it. 7 7 LENS
LENS
The S602 Pro’s 6x FOCUSING RING
DIGITAL RANGE Professional features optical zoom is useful, The large manual
focusing ring makes the
FUJIFILM The S602 Pro has four major enhancements over the
but its zooming
range is now by no S602 Pro perfect for
base model. And arguably the most important is means unique serious photographers
FINEPIX S2 PRO
Price: £1,700 the provision of an external flash sync socket on
Megapixels: 6 the front of the camera. Most 4-megapixel and above
digital cameras have enough resolution for many types runs pretty well on alkalines. But the Pro version comes many other ways. The S602 Pro is a long way from
FINEPIX S602 PRO of pro work, but don’t work with studio flash setups. with a set of rechargeable NiMH cells and a charger. being compact, but it’s chunky and ‘grippable’ (the black
5
Price: £700
Instead, you’re stuck with the weedy on-camera And, to top off the Pro package, you get a 340MB crackle finish helps). The controls are positive, firm,
Megapixels: 3.1
flashguns, which don’t offer the power or the lighting MicroDrive thrown in. That gives you a lot more storage logically-placed and fine for those with bigger-than-
FINEPIX S602 control – you can’t take them off and move them for not much more cash. And, although MicroDrives are average hands as well as the rest of us (how often can
Price: £550 around. With its studio flash capability, the S602 Pro power-hungry, according to FujiFilm’s figures it doesn’t you say that about a digital camera?). It doesn’t have
Megapixels: 3.1 leaps straight out of the amateur market and into the make much of a dent in the S602 Pro’s capacity – only the metal finish of some of its upmarket rivals, but that
FINEPIX M603 professional sphere. around ten shots per battery charge. means it’s not slippery either and your fingers won’t
Price: £600 It incorporates another modification – a very slight freeze in cold weather.
Megapixels: 3.1 one this time – which could also make a big difference. Build and handling The S602 Pro is well specified. With a choice of three
FINEPIX S601 It’s now possible to screw a conventional cable release The S602 Pro model doesn’t just represent a cosmetic metering patterns and a whole range of exposure
£ Price: £400 into the shutter button, making macro shots, still lives marketing revamp, then. Sold alongside the standard modes, it can cope with any kind of subject and lighting
5 Megapixels: 3.1 and time exposures far easier.

The S602 is reasonably light on batteries, and even
S602, it offers genuine extra value and capabilities. And
all this with a camera that’s got a great deal to offer in
conditions and, indeed, any level of user expertise. You
can stick it on full auto for those who don’t know what

FINEPIX S602 PRO
COMPARE TEST SHOTS
2 SKIN TONES
7 7
MODE AND
COMMAND DIALS
The S602 Pro’s main
mode dial is big,
clear and positive 3
FLASH
The S602s built-in flash
is supplemented on
1
5
this Pro model with an PRO The S602 Pro has nice, neutral colour
external flash sync rendition and well-controlled contrast
6
socket for hooking up CON Inclined to overexpose a little in flat lighting.
to studio lights You might need to focus manually in poor light
4
2 OUTDOOR SHOTS
7 7
3 LCD Electronic ViewFinder
The 1.8-inch LCD is The EVF is bright and
bright and crisp, responsive, but it’s no
and the rest of the
backplate controls
substitute for the optical
SLR system found on 5 PRO Again, very neutral colour, and an ability to
bring out colour on the dullest of days
are good, too expensive cameras
6 CON Tends to overexaggerate reds and doesn’t
differentiate red tones too well, either
the image quality, but the inability to hook up to

2 INDOOR SHOTS
With its studio flash capability, the S602 Pro professional studio flash systems. Battery power
would be another issue and limited storage capacity
leaps straight out of the amateur market a third – and the S602 Pro tackles these to one
degree or another. The threaded shutter release is a
and into the professional sphere simple but smart move, too.
But the 3.1-megapixel SuperCCD does feel like the
they’re doing and leave the camera to sort there are other factors to take into account, like its weak link here. The S602 Pro is a great camera in
everything out. good colour balance and saturation. terms of features, build and handling, but put the
The movie mode is quite a surprise, too. Most Our camera, though, didn’t provide the image images up against those from the 5-megapixel
5 PRO Good balance between flash and ambient
light in slow flash mode
6
digital cameras can only manage a sluggish 15fps ‘bite’ we’re used to seeing from SuperCCD cameras. Olympus C-5050, for example, and the difference in CON Focusing can be a little unreliable and you
may need to increase the sharpness
frame rate and a modest 320 x 240 resolution, It showed a slight softness which could, admittedly, detail rendition is obvious. At 1:1 on-screen
but the S602 Pro can shoot 30fps at 640 x 480
resolution. It’s no camcorder, but its movie quality is
be attributed in part to the relentlessly dull and
overcast weather conditions that plagued our
magnifications, the edge effects and sharpening
artefacts of the SuperCCD’s 6-megapixel interpolation 2 IMAGE QUALITY
far higher than most digital cameras can manage. outdoor tests. The S602 Pro showed another become obvious.
But what about the image quality? At this price, characteristic we’ve come to expect from this FujiFilm will be keen to point out that outright
the S602 Pro is mixing with some very good SuperCCD, and that’s punchy reds that are actually a definition isn’t the only measure of image quality.
4-megapixel cameras and a couple of the cheaper bit overblown and lack tonal separation. A Quite right. Dynamic range, saturation and colour
5-megapixel models – including the excellent comparatively minor quibble, but worth pointing out. balance are extremely important, too, and the
Minolta DiMAGE 7i. The images are crisper S602 Pro does very well in all of these areas.
and sharper than you’ll get from any normal The professional’s choice? But fine detail is its Achilles heel, and if you’re the
3-megapixel camera and, in terms of detail The S602 Pro really does have ‘pro’ features. One of sort of photographer who puts razor-sharp definition
rendition, we’d put the S602 Pro somewhere around the major factors that would put a professional off right at the top of your wish-list, then the S602
the level of a good 4-megapixel model. However, buying an ordinary digital camera is not necessarily Pro’s not for you… 5 PRO The S602 Pro always produces clean looking
shots with good saturation and colour balance
6 CON Lacks the bite that we remember from

previous SuperCCD cameras
FUJIFILM FINEPIX S602 PRO FULL SPECIFICATIONS 1 Genuinely pro

features and not
FEATURES
IMAGES 81
95 1
1
Verdict
Sensor 3.1-megapixel, 1/1.7-inch 3.3MP SuperCCD Other features Dual media slots, external flash sync,
Lens Super-EBC Fujinon f2.8-3.1 6x lens Image storage Compact Flash/MicroDrive, SmartMedia BUILD 89 1
Focus
Exposure modes
Auto, manual, Macro, Super Macro mode
Program AE, aperture-priority, shutter-priority,
Batteries
Battery life
4 x AA
240 shots (using EVF and MicroDrive) just a marketing VALUE 95 1
manual, scene modes AC adaptor Supplied
revamp
90%
Metering
Monitor
64-zone multi-pattern, spot, average
Weight
Dimensions
500g (excluding batteries)
121mm(w) x 81.5mm(h) x 97mm(d) FINAL
AE compensation
Flash
Auto, on, off, slow, red-eye, slow with red-eye
Transfer
Software
USB
FinePix Viewer, DP Editor, VideoImpression,
SCORE
Video output PAL PhotoDeluxe 4.0HE
The S602 Pro addresses some key
Movie recording 640 x 480 at 30fps with sound OS Win98/Me, 2000 or XP, Mac OS 8.6-9.2, OS X areas for professionals, including
studio flash capability and increased
2
FUJIFILM FINEPIX NIKON COOLPIX MINOLTA MINOLTA
WORTH S602 5700 DIMAGE 7HI DIMAGE 7I
storage capacity. It’s a great camera…
A LOOK £550/3.1MP £900/5MP £970/5MP £700/5MP

REVIEWS 3.4-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA
SIGMA SD-9
Price £1,300 (body only), £1,640 as tested, with 17-35mm zoom
Resolution 3.4 megapixels
Lens Not supplied
Memory Not supplied (Compact Flash/MicroDrive)
Contact Sigma 01707 329 999 www.sigma-imaging-uk.com SAMPLE IMAGES ALL THESE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR CD
Sigma SD-9
It’s not just the cheapest digital SLR (with interchangeable lenses) you can get, it
boasts revolutionary new imaging technology, too. Is this the future?
S
o many digital cameras use CCDs to record
* ON OUR
COVERDISC images, that it’s easy to slip into the habit of
using the term ‘CCD’ to indicate an imaging
chip. After all, Canon continues to use cheaper CMOS
chip type for its high-end digital SLRs – and with some
success. However, it’s taken little-known camera maker,
Sigma, and chip manufacturer, Foveon, to come up with
something completely new.
VIRTUAL TOUR
Conventional CCDs and CMOS chips only respond to
the intensity of light, not its colour. That’s why digital
2
view this camera on-screen with cameras need ‘RGB filters’ overlaid on top of the chip.
Essentially, one picture sensor in four has a red filter over
it, one has a blue filter and the other two have a green
filter (the human eye is more sensitive to green, so it
3
ON OUR
C WEBSITE gets greater emphasis). When the camera processes the
image, it has to interpolate the colour information –
OPINIONS & SHOPPING
Post your views, see what other essentially ‘guess’ at the colours to fill the gaps. Each red
readers think then buy this camera! sensor, for example, is used as the basis for calculating
dcmag.co.uk/sd9 the red component in three more around it.
The fact that you’re not aware this has been done
when you view the final image is testament to the 7 7
HANDGRIP
effectiveness of this interpolation. If you apply heavy The camera functions
manipulation to digital camera images or distort their are powered by two LENS
CR123A cells, while You don’t get a lens with
individual colour channels, though, you’ll find the image four AAs in the base the SD-9 – this is an
starts to break up into noise and other artefacts. power the digital side optional 17-35mm optic
The Foveon chip is different. It copies conventional
film technology by using three sensitised layers, one on
top of the other – one to record red light, one to record control. There’s no built-in flash and, as is usually the At an all-in price of £1,640, though, this bundle still
green light and one to record blue light. The result is case with digital SLRs, no lens is supplied. You can shop comfortably undercuts the Nikon D100 and FujiFilm
DIGITAL RANGE
that no colour interpolation is necessary and images around and pick up attractively-priced camera lens FinePix S2 Pro digital SLRs.
SIGMA should – in theory – be sharper, crisper and clearer. bundles, though. The SD-9’s lower cost has a clear knock-on effect. It
SD-9 Be aware, however, that the Foveon chip is physically doesn’t come with any kind of memory card, no AA
5
Price: £1,300 Sigma’s assault smaller than the 35mm frame, so you’ll need to apply a cells for powering the digital functions and – most
Megapixels: 3 With the main camera manufacturers intent on ‘focal length factor’ to work out the lenses you need. annoying of all – you don’t get the two little lithium
SA-9 developing their existing technology, Sigma is the With the SD-9, this factor is 1.7, so the 17-35mm zoom cells for powering the camera functions. These aren’t
Price: £380 company spearheading the assault with this brand new we used for this review is equivalent to a 29-60mm available at your local newsagent, and it’s going to take
FILM CAMERA technology. The Sigma SD-9, the first camera to use the lens on a 35mm film camera. a trip to the local camera shop and a cheque for £10-12
SA-7 Foveon chip, isn’t especially remarkable in itself. It’s Buying optics for digital SLRs is expensive – super- to put this right.
£ Price: £210 comparable in specs and features to a mid-range film wideangles like this don’t come cheap. This lens adds Once it’s up and running, the SD-9 is bulky and solid
5 FILM CAMERA SLR, offering programmed auto-exposure, aperture-

priority, shutter-priority automation and full manual
around £340 to the SD-9’s price, and if you go the
Nikon or Canon route, it’ll prove a lot more painful still.
feeling. It doesn’t have the finesse of a Nikon, Canon or
FujiFilm, but it works well enough. The focusing is a bit

Getup&go
8
UNFOLD
THIS 8-PAGE
SECTION!
■ Map of sites
■ Top photo tips
■ Places to visit
■ Pocket guide
Where to go, what to shoot APRIL 2003 BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY

MAPPING © CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02
THIS MONTH
FROGS AND TOADS

Spring is the right time
of year to capture our
amphibious friends
STEAM TRAINS HOW TO

We travel to Gwynedd in CAPTURE
North Wales for a bit of SILHOUETTES!
train spotting! Fold out this
guide to
find 9 tips!
WHITBY ABBEY
Chorus of frogs
Feeling fit? Then climb
the 199 steps to this CLOSE-UP TIME
WILDLIFE Laurie Campbell heads for his garden pond to picture
8
The depth of field is likely to be very shallow

spectacular Yorkshire ruin on macro shots. Make sure you focus on the
amphibious breeding habits eyes and everything will be fine
he evening frog chorus is a sure sign that in particular have taken to domestic pools, protected), and moved into more photogenic
T spring is here, and frogs and toads are making your garden one of the best places to surroundings. Front views often make humourous
emerging from their winter hibernation to set photograph them. Encourage them by providing anthropomorphic portraits, but experiment with
about breeding. Once a familiar sight, these vocal plenty of shady, moist shelter around a deepish your images – frogs swimming in clear water
amphibians have decreased in numbers pond. Drainpipes and upturned plant pots are present good silhouettes when backlit.
considerably in recent years, due to changes in useful, and make good props, too. Once breeding has taken place, look out for
land usage. They are naturally shy, making the The two species are easy to tell apart: frogs spawn floating around the shallow margins of
breeding season the best time to find them, as have slender bodies and smooth, moist skin; ponds. Frog spawn grows in clumps, while toad’s
ROCKY CLOSE-UPS they return in huge numbers to their hatching toads have more bulbous bodies and dry, warty spawn is thin and straggly. It takes about three to
Cornwall’s Granite Coast ponds to spawn. Frogs may breed anywhere skin. Though you’ll need to approach them four weeks for tadpoles to form before they lose
provides plenty of unusual from February to April, while toads tend to start slowly to avoid frightening them, they can be their tails and grow legs to become froglets. A
photo opportunities in March, and newts later still. gently picked up (as long as they are not a macro lens will be essential here, but resist the
As their wetland habitats have declined, frogs mating pair, or the rarer natterjack toad which is temptation to move the spawn!
Detach this section and take it on your travels!
8 8 8 GET SOME INFORMATION Snipe Dales Country Park – site facilities, key species, education, events, maps etc [w] www.lincstrust.co.uk/reserves/snipe/snipe.html
Getup&go to… SNIPE DALES LINCOLNSHIRE
8
LILY POND
TOP TIP SNIPE DALES
8
8
Shooting from
above ensures
GET DOWN AND DIRTY that both the frog and the
Get down low and use a bean bag to lily are in focus AIM FOR SKEGNESS
support the camera close to ground Take the A158 from Lincoln east to
level – tripods rarely go this low, so Skegness. Turn right onto the B1195 after
MOVE IT
8
make one or buy one from a camera Horncastle towards Spilsby. Snipe Dales
You can gently
shop. You could be lying there a while so Country Park signposted on the left.
move frogs
wear waterproofs or use a plastic sheet.
but make sure your
hands are wet
© Laurie Campbell 2003
HOW TO GET THERE
8
© CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02

BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING
8
NEWT
NEWS
Newts lay
single eggs directly
onto foliage and spawn
later than frogs
DETAILS
8
5
WHAT IS IT?
Located on the southern edge of the
EYES
© Mark Hamblin 2003
Lincolnshire Wolds, Snipe Dales is one

FRONT of the few surviving areas of semi-
Use a bean
natural wet valleys. The 220 acres of
bag for support on very
park and reserve, managed by the
low shots
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, includes nine
recently excavated central ponds that
have increasingly been colonised by
frogs and toads. There is open access to
the park, which includes a large area of
coniferous and deciduous woodlands.
LOCATION
Winceby, Near Horncastle, Lincolnshire.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Free.
WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES?

Toilets at amenity block.
TADPOLE TANK WEBSITE

EXPERT ADVICE
8
www.open.ac.uk/daptf/index.htm
This froglet was photographed in
The website of the Declining
Getting it right: Use a lens of a tank, set up in time for the
Amphibian Populations Task Force.
about a 200 – 300mm focal water to clear. A sheet of glass in the tank
The DAPTF raises money and distributes
length, with a close-up lens or restricts the field of movement to a couple
this in the form of small seed grants
macro facility to get in close. of inches
Pete Martin to projects.
specialises in Anything shorter is best kept for
travel and habitat shots. Depth of field will
general
photography be limited so focus on the eyes.
POST-SHOOT
8
Amphibians stay still for long

periods so short shutter speeds are
rarely required, but beware of THE CLONE TOOL
using flash or drives, which may Remove distracting background
frighten them. items in your photographs using the
Clone tool. Give this a softish edge and
Best results: Take close-ups of change its pick-up point regularly to
8
tadpoles in an aquarium, fitted TOAD HALL prevent unnatural recurring patterns
© Mark Hamblin 2003
with an extra sheet of glass to Toads are a welcome guest in forming as you copy from elsewhere in
contain them within a narrow field the garden. Encourage them an image.
of focus. with shady spots such as this plant pot,
which also makes a good prop
Getup&go to… STEAM TRAINS GWYNEDD
ALL IMAGES © Ian Butters 2003
PORTHMADOG
8
AIM FOR BANGOR
By car: Take the A55 from Chester to
Bangor, turn onto the A487 to Porthmadog,
where the station is on the seafront.
HOW TO GET THERE

EVENT/ACTION FULL HEAD OF STEAM
Billowing plumes of smoke evoke nostalgic days of steam railway travel for Ian Butters
DETAILS
8
hey’re dirty and smelly, and RAILWAY CHILDREN
T environmentally dubious, but steam
trains still have a nostalgic romance. Ever
5 Focus on a given spot and shoot when
the engine reaches it
WHAT IS IT?
Celebrating 140 years of steam this
year, the Ffestiniog Railway is the
since Dr Beeching axed half our railway oldest independent railway company
in the world, steaming through the
network back in the 1950s, enthusiasts STEAMING ALONG
5
spectacular Snowdonia National Park

have been reclaiming it, restoring hundreds Longer exposures show movement on
in North Wales. This narrow gauge
panning shots; shorter ones freeze it
of miles of line and rolling stock. line was constructed to carry slate 15
You don’t have to be a trainspotter, out from many eras, and all manner of railway miles from the Blaenau Ffestiniog
on platforms in all weathers, to get good paraphernalia around station platforms. As quarries down to Porthmadog.
pictures of steam locomotives in action. well as pictures of trains coming and going,
LOCATION
Today there are many heritage lines around there’s plenty of detail to shoot, and drivers Ffestiniog Railway.
the country, from recommissioned branch sometimes allow you to get footplate shots.
lines to narrow gauge, industrial networks. You may even be able to visit loco sheds to HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Adults £3.60; concessions £2.70;
Most run a number of traditional steam see restoration work.
children £1.80.
engines, sometimes with ‘visiting’ locos, Many locomotives have been converted
though some use diesels at quiet times. to run on oil, producing a cleaner, whitish WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES?
You’ll find locomotives and rolling stock steam that’s best photographed using Toilets, café/restaurant and shop at
backlighting on damp, murky days. Porthmadog station. Wheelchair
access to most buildings and trains.
The plumes of sulphurous smoke associated
with coal-burning engines are rarer WEBSITE
nowadays, but many lines run special www.festrail.co.uk
days when these are in use. You’ll even Ffestiniog railway website with all
DOUBLE TAKE
5
timetables and pictorial history of
find occasional photography days (and
Accurate exposure can be difficult with the line.
evenings) when static displays are fired up
such dark subjects as steam engines
for visiting enthusiasts.
Most timetables enable you to get off at POST-SHOOT
8
BEST RESULTS
8
various stations along a line for a range of

picture opportunities, but for great action
TIPS FOR LEVELS TOOL
shots of trains charging along with a full SHOOTING TRAINS Use Photoshop’s Levels tool to control
head of steam, it’s worth searching out Clouds of smoke may affect exposures, the balance between highlights in the
causing loss of shadow detail on steam and dark shadow details on the
local banks, cuttings or bridges with good
engines. Dull days produce lower tonal engines. Adjust the highlight and
views of the track. Look for these on shadow sliders at either end of the
ranges, enabling more information to be
Ordnance Survey maps or ask at the railway captured. Three-quarter views of histogram to remove superfluous empty
station. Always observe track safety oncoming trains require shutter speeds areas, then use the mid slider to control
FOOTPLATE FOCUS
5 Don't forget the details – steam trains
are full of them
procedures and do not stray onto railway or
farm property without permission.
of about 250th sec to freeze movement. the tonal range between them.
GET SOME INFORMATION Website linking a number of Welsh narrow gauge lines [W] www.greatlittletrainsofwales.co.uk
Side A Side A This is side A. Turn over for side B
to fold this booklet: about the shoot, and we'll reply! taking the picture.
with your name & a few words
8 8 8 How
around the frame before front of it.
around into a square in half horizontally from rest of section gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
STEP 3: Now fold STEP 2: Fold this side STEP 1: Detach sheet clutter the shot. Check behind your subject not in
Email a small JPEG to such as unwanted branches work better when the light is
■ Now send us your pictures! Don’t let stray items Do remember that silhouettes
CHECK FOR CLUTTER LIGHT FROM BEHIND
and priory ruins
Yorkshire’s magnificent abbey
to take pictures of North
and discover the best places
on the monastic trail
5 Get
how to get there
■ Detailed maps of
you control where this colour goes.
2
sunset effect. Graduated filters let
warmth, to adding a full faux-
enhancing the light with a little
your silhouettes, from
Filters can put colour into
SIDE B: OUT AND ABOUT ON
2 THE NORTH YORK MOORS
FILTERS
03
to make pictures really work light source.
you what to look for and how
NORTH YORK/SILHOUETTES
be the sky but can be any bright
that really grab you? We’ll tell
5 Looking to shoot silhouettes
than the subject. This will normally
should be several stops lighter
■ Dos/don’ts backlighting, which
■ Equipment The key to silhouettes is
■ Tips LIGHTING 02
INDEX: the subject's outline is sharp.
allow smaller apertures so that all
times. Nevertheless, use a tripod to
SIDE A: HOW TO implies short exposure
2 PHOTOGRAPH SILHOUETTES
Exposing for the light
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE 01 sure these read without the detail.
TRIPOD
TOPICS COVERED but interesting outlines. Make
Do look for subjects with simple
>
better silhouettes LOOK FOR SIMPLE OUTLINES

APRIL 2003 TEAROUT FACTSHEET NO.6
Three tips for
EQUIPMENT Dos and don’ts
GETTING IT RIGHT: SILHOUETTE PHOTOS
DETACH HERE
FOLD ALONG THIS LINE SECOND

6
FOLD ALONG THIS LINE FIRST

.
Getup&go
Getup&go HOW TO SHOOT SILHOUETTES
Few images are more EXPOSURE FOR produce a silhouette shapes, both behind and in to act objectively like a warm-up filters do just that,
dramatic than a stark
2 SILHOUETTES simply by pointing and front of the subject, that lens, recording everything orange and red filters are
silhouette, strong and The easiest way to create a shooting on auto exposure. merge with your subject and before it. To decide if a scene full-on! If your camera won’t
black against a bright sky. silhouette is to expose for the The subject’s normal confuse the issue. A low point will work as a silhouette, accept filters, simply hold
8 exposure is overwhelmed of view will place more of squint at it through half them in front of the lens.
Shape is a visual stimulant for sky. Simply aim your camera
the brain, and by reducing the at an area of sky that by the large light source, the subject against the sky closed eyes. This reduces
tonal range of your subject to excludes the sun, so that it of which the sun is just a and reduce the number of the contrast range and NOT JUST THE SKY
small part. But a telephoto potentially conflicting items. excludes a lot of tonal detail,
8 Don’t just look for
little more than a dark fills the frame. Trap the
shadow against the light, the light reading with the narrows the angle of vision, letting the shadows and silhouettes against the sky.
eye is free to wander around camera’s exposure lock, and if the sun is in shot it can USE YOUR EYES highlights dominate. Any bright light source will
unduly influence the light
6 What our eyes see is do, whether it’s a lamp, a
its outline, leaving the mind then recompose your shot
to fill in the detail. Result? An around the subject and reading, causing your picture interpreted by the brain, and INTRODUCE reflection of the sky in a
to be underexposed. Instead, often we don’t notice
7 SOME COLOUR pool, or a brightly lit subject.
intriguing and powerful press the shutter. Experiment
photograph. Chances are it with readings from different meter from an area of sky overhanging branches or Put more colour into a sunset Just make sure its light
has happened by accident parts of the sky to see what close to the sun but excluding rubbish bins protruding into sky by fitting a coloured filter intensity is 2 or 3 stops more
before when you’ve shot into works best. this from the frame. the picture. Train your eyes over your lens. 81 series than that on the subject.
the sun. Let’s help you get it
right every time you want it. FOCAL LENGTH KEEP IT SIMPLE
3 MATTERS
5 Keep silhouettes
SUITABLE SUBJECTS With a wide-angle lens and a simple, clean and easy to
1 Any subject that has backlit subject you’ll probably ‘read’. Beware of conflicting
a strong, evocative outline
will make a good silhouette NO SILHOUETTE?
photograph. In town, look
4 If you want a
out for a skyline of chimneys normally exposed subject
and television aerials, and not a silhouette
church towers and spires, when shooting into the
and suspension and light, move in close and
girder bridges. Out in the take a reading with the
countryside, keep an eye subject filling the frame.
out for trees, bare or in full Trap the exposure then
leaf, and dramatically-shaped move back and
rock formations. Ruined recompose before
abbeys and castles also make shooting. Alternatively, CONTROL THE SKY
9 Use graduated neutral density filters to darken parts of a plain sky. These work by
perfect subjects, with gothic use a little fill-in flash to
windows and battlements illuminate the subject, reducing the amount of light in a stepless progression across the image from zero to the
creating intriguing shapes exposing generally for maximum density of the filter, which will be calibrated in stops – for example, a one or two stop
within the silhouette. the background. filter. Beware that they can affect the silhouette, too, if not used with care.
Getup&go... routeplanner
PULLOUT NO.6
Follow North Yorkshire’s monastic trail

North Yorkshire is full of magnificent ruined abbeys, and they’re all in fabulous locations for great photographs
orkshire was once home to many of England’s

Y greatest abbeys, and if you’re visiting Whitby TAKEN FROM ROAD MAP 4
Abbey, it’s worth seeking out the other religious
ruins in the area. The wild medieval landscape of the BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING
© CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL RIGHTS
North York Moors attracted the Cistercians in RESERVED: AM134/02
particular, and it is their abbeys that dominate the

region, from Rievaulx to Fountains Abbey, Byland
and more. A convenient circular route takes in the
major sites, with the added bonus of the moors and
some fine coastline around Scarborough to keep the
kids happy.
2 1 RIEVAULX ABBEY 21
BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING © CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02
WHAT IS IT? The earliest of the great Cistercian abbeys, Rievaulx
is unusually built on a north-south axis rather than an east-west
one. Founded in 1132, much of the church building, along with
the refectory, is well preserved in its tranquil valley setting. But
the outer walls have gone, leaving the high clerestory windows
suspended in mid air on the graceful nave columns.
WHERE IS IT? At Helmsley, on the A170, 13 miles east of Thirsk.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE Visit nearby 12th century Helmsley Castle
or Duncombe Park, an 18th century baroque mansion with an
outstanding English landscape garden where you can find some
of the oldest trees in the country.
ENTRANCE 10am-6pm daily. Adults £3.60, children £1.80.
FAMILY FRIENDLY? Snacks are available at Rievaulx but there’s a
great tearoom a couple of miles away at Duncombe Park,
offering home baking and a children’s playground.
MORE INFO www.english-heritage.org.uk
TAKEN FROM ROAD MAP 4 TAKEN FROM ROAD MAP 4
2 2 MOUNT GRACE PRIORY 2 3 FOUNTAINS ABBEY

WHAT IS IT? Explore the faithfully restored two-storey cell, with WHAT IS IT? The jewel of Yorkshire monasticism, and one of the
its own little garden, to see how a monk would have lived in few abbeys to survive Henry Vlll’s rampages with little damage,
the 16th century. There’s also an exhibition in the Arts and Fountains Abbey dates from 1132. The remarkably preserved
Crafts style restoration of the old manor house, on the site of refectory buildings still allow a good insight into monastic life.
the old priory guest house. WHERE IS IT? 2 miles west of Ripon, off the A61.
WHERE IS IT On the A19, 10 miles north of Thirsk. WHILE YOU’RE THERE Yorkshire’s only World Heritage Site,
ENTRANCE 10am-6pm daily. Adults £3.00, children £1.50. Fountains Abbey is part of Studley Royal, 150 acres of exquisite
FAMILY FRIENDLY? Apart from picnicking in the wooded grounds, Georgian gardens packed with lakes, cascades, temples and
there’s little to keep children interested, so why not treat them gazebos to explore.
to the World of James Herriott, a fascinating recreation of the ENTRANCE 10am-6pm daily. Adults £4.80, children £2.50.
life of the famous literary vet, housed in the former surgery of FAMILY FRIENDLY? There are plenty of activities to keep the
author, Alf Wight, just off the Market Place in nearby Thirsk. children happy.
MORE INFO www.english-heritage.org.uk MORE INFO www.fountainsabbey.org.uk
Getup&go to… CAPE CORNWALL CORNWALL
ALL IMAGES ©Tony Howell

CAPE CORNWALL
8
AIM FOR PENZANCE
By car: Take the A30 to Penzance
then follow the A3071 to St Just, from
where the National Trust car park is
signposted west of the village.
HOW TO GET THERE

DETAILS
8
LANDSCAPE CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WHAT IS IT?
Cape Cornwall is the only cape in
England, separating the Bristol
and English Channels. Accessed
The Granite Coast lures Tony Howell down to Cornwall in search of rocky close-ups on foot by the South West Coastal
Footpath, and now protected by the
ot for nothing is Cornwall called the softly rounded by the constant action of WAVE POWER National Trust, its dramatic granite
N
8
Granite County, and nowhere is this the waves. The action of waves and boulders has landscape is surmounted by a ruined
scoured this pattern in the rocks chimney stack, the only evidence of
more apt than the coastline around Land’s You’ll need to explore around low tide
unsuccessful tin workings here in the
End, where the Atlantic breakers roll into when the granite shore is exposed. One of The natural colour of the granite here 19th century. The cliffs give way on the
lash incessantly against the rugged granite the attractions of the Cornish coast is is white but the action of algaes has southern side to the small, pebbly
cliffs. The area can’t fail to produce beach-combing – walking the tide line tinted it brown and green in places. An beach at Priest's Cove.
dramatic landscape pictures, but just a few looking for what has washed up. Such ebb tide leaves the rocks looking wet and
miles to the north, the cliffs and beaches serendipity will turn up no end of intimate shiny, while the incoming tide provides
LOCATION
Cape Cornwall.
around Cape Cornwall allow you to get up abstract images here among the rock matter images. Look for attractive rock
close and personal with this most ancient pools and seaweed. The sheltered boulder formations or arrangements of pebbles, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
of rocks. beach at Priest’s Cove is covered with using your viewing screen to frame Car park £1.50.
The ancient beach that once lay here granite pebbles of all sizes and shapes, possible compositions.
was raised up, then covered by deposits regularly rearranged at the whim of the Parking, food and drink available.
from the last Ice Age, which are now tides, while further around the cape the BEST RESULTS
8
slowly eroding the present tidal beach bedrock has been scoured into a WEBSITE
below. The result of this geological succession of weird shapes by the action GETTING IT RIGHT www.cornwalltouristboard.co.uk
action is an area rich in granite boulders, of waves and tumbling boulders. Check a tide table to find out when low
tide corresponds with late afternoon or
early morning. Strong side lighting gives
a more 3D feel to rock formations and
POST-SHOOT
8
pebbles, but may cause exposure

problems on light stone. Subtle colour IMAGE EDITING
differences will be rendered more Highlight pebble arrangements by
accurately and with better saturation in adjusting the lighting ratio between
flat lighting. A polariser gives more the foreground and background.
translucence to the water in rock pools Select the desired foreground subject
by reducing the reflections. then feather this by 3-4 pixels. Create
an Adjustment Layer from this selection
TOP TIP and adjust the Levels or Curves as
To get both foreground interest and desired. Use the Inverse selection
the background in focus, use a to create and adjust a background layer
MISTY WATER LIMPET LAND wide-angle lens and a hyperfocal if required.
8
A long exposure blurs the waves to a Low sun creates strong shadows of the focusing technique.
mist around the rocks limpets, throwing them into sharp relief
GET SOME INFORMATION Cornwall tourist board has information on where to stay, places to visits, events, walks etc [w] www.cornwalltouristboard.co.uk
Getup&go to… WHITBY ABBEY
8 SEEING DOU
The medieval fis
of the abbey in t
GHOUL TIM
8
A long time expo
of handheld flas
Gothic romance
EVENING LIG
LANDSCAPE Mike Kipling dons fangs and a cloak to visit
8
The church grave
Count Dracula’s favoured Yorkshire haunt, Whitby Abbey face of the abbe
enry Vlll’s dissolution of the monasteries and roofless, it’s easy to why Bram Stoker used
H in the mid-16th century destroyed much the abbey as the setting for his novel, Dracula.
of Britain’s best religious architecture, but the Though its fishing fleet is diminishing, Whitby
ruins that remain still cast an irresistible spell itself is still picturesque. There are fine views
over photographers. Yorkshire has many such from the abbey headland, but you’ll get better
monuments to one man’s power, as far afield as ones from the opposing hilltop across the River
Rievaulx and Fountains Abbey, but none have Esk, where a huge arch of whalebones and a
such a spectacular setting as Whitby Abbey. statue of Whitby’s son, Captain Cook, provide a
Isolated high on a headland overlooking the foreground counterpoint to the abbey standing
colourful fishing port, Whitby Abbey is reached proud above the town. It’s worth parking here
by a 199-step climb from the cobbled streets – a and walking down into town after a quick
most dramatic but tiring approach! Its elevated shooting session, returning later for the evening
situation allows atmospheric, brooding light, when the local sandstone and red roof
silhouettes against the sky. The empty gothic tiles glow golden.
windows and arches of the east face make a
good subject for this treatment, especially in
BEST RESULTS
8
spring when the setting sun is directly behind it.

A medieval fishpond here creates fine
ARCHITECTURAL PICTURES
foreground interest and is excellent for Architectural photography demands
reflections. The west side is more limited but attention to a building's verticals to
offers good shots over gravestones in front of prevent it looking like it is falling
backwards. Wide-angle lenses are the
WET GRASS
8
the adjoining 12th century St Mary’s church. This The fishpond offers useful foreground
worst culprits, so make sure the camera
is also the spot to head for if your visit is outside material in this photograph
back is upright as you compose your
opening hours. shot. Alternatively, shoot from further
Close up, the abbey’s soft sandstone is badly back (or a higher viewpoint) on a
8
longer lens. Either way, a tripod makes
SOFT BREATH
weathered and much detail is lost, but the pillar This ethereal image was achieved with an orange filter and by
for a more considered approach.
stumps that remain after the nave collapsed in breathing on the lens to give a soft-focus effect
1762 make useful foreground devices. Gaunt
GET SOME INFORMATION There are plenty more of our heritage sites to visit around the country [W] www.theheritagetrail.co.uk
NORTH YORKSHIRE
UBLE
WHITBY ABBEY
8
sh pond provides excellent reflections
the late afternoon sun
ME AIM FOR SCARBOROUGH

osure allows time for several bursts
By car: Turn off the A1(M) near Thirsk
h to illuminate the gravestones
onto the A170 east to Scarborough. Turn
north here onto the A171.
ALL IMAGES © Mike Kipling

SOFT LIGHT COOK'S LAND
8
8
Essentially the same shot as our main one (left), The silhouetted statue of Captain Cook provides
you can see what a difference a few minutes excellent foreground interest for this shot of the
makes to the light, and to the treatment abbey across the river from the opposite hilltop
HOW TO GET THERE

DETAILS
8
WHAT IS IT?
The original church dates back to 657,
SHADY SILHOUETTE but was destroyed in 867 by invading
8
Shooting against the sunset adds drama, Vikings. Revived in 1070 by the
GHT while a graduated neutral density filter Normans, only to be rebuilt a third time
eyard offers the best view of the west darkens the sky to great effect in 1220, it finally met its end at Henry
ey Vlll's hands in 1538, after which it fell
into decay, never to be rebuilt. Bram
Stoker put Whitby on the literary map
in 1897, using the town and abbey as a
major setting in his novel, Dracula.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Adults £3.60, concessions £2.70,
children £1.80.
OPENING TIMES
10am-4am until 31st March, 10am-6pm
thereafter. Tel 01947 603 568.

Toilets and shop at the site.
INFORMATION
11th –12th April, thousands of goths will
gather for Whitby's Gothic Weekend.
POST-SHOOT
8
CONVERGING VERTICALS
Correct any converging verticals with
Photoshop. If the subject is central,
Select All, then go to Transform/
Perspective (Edit) and pull out the top
corners until the verticals are right (use
the Distort control on individual corners
if the subject isn’t central). Stretch the
resulting picture slightly to prevent the
image looking squashed by pulling up
the top edge with the Distort control.
SIGMA SD-9
PERFORMANCE
2 SKIN TONES
7
MODE DIAL
The SD-9’s a
no-nonsense
camera with no-
nonsense controls 1
5 PRO A bit grey in our tests, though the Photo Pro

Software can fix this
4 6 CON Too much manipulation needed – you’ll end

up choosing the skin tones you want manually
3 2 OUTDOOR SHOTS
7 3 7 7
LCD
A £1,300 camera needs NAVIPAD
a better LCD than this – The controls are
LENS
You can fit any of
or maybe it’s the
Foveon chip’s initially
logical and the
menus easy 5 PRO Lots of detail to be found if you’ve got time
to work on the images, with a good tonal range
Sigma’s extensive lens
range to this camera
murky results to navigate
6 CON Gloomy looking, it takes some hefty software
tweaks to restore normal looking tones
SLR a nasty fright, even though it’s only got a

2 INDOOR SHOTS
With the SD-9’s images, you can really 3-megapixel chip (strictly, 3 x 3, since there are
wind up the sharpness and reveal some three sensor layers).
The next big thing?

quite startling underlying definition Between them, the SD-9 and the Foveon chip have
introduced a dramatically different imaging
hit and miss, though, and in tricky conditions we This is the first hint you get that the Foveon chip technology at a highly affordable price. As yet,
often had to switch to manual. Worse still is the LCD development (or the SD-9) may have some way to though, the image quality doesn’t live up to its
panel on the back which, despite its 130,000-pixel go. The dim and murky images on the LCD look dim promise. You’ll need to do a lot of image-editing
5 PRO If you opt for the 17-35mm Sigma lens, you’ll
get a 29mm equivalent wideangle view
6
resolution, proved dim, murky and sluggish. Or was and murky here, too. Leaving the software set to work to reveal this duo’s potential, and most people CON Without flash, you’ll have to rely on the long
tonal range to capture high contrast shots like this
it the recorded images that were dim and murky? auto-optimisation improves them, but there’s still a want good results straight out of the box.
X3 images
good deal of work to be done in Photoshop if you
want to match the brilliance and clarity of rival
We’ve also a couple of concerns about reliability.
We’ve had three different SD-9s pass through our 2 IMAGE QUALITY
The SD-9 has some other interesting characteristics. digital SLRs. hands now: one was DOA, one worked fine and this
It doesn’t save images in JPEG or TIFF format at all. But while you’re messing around in Photoshop, if one introduced horizontal stripes in some images. All
Instead, it saves them in its proprietary RAW format. you try out the Unsharp Mask filter, you’ll discover of which leaves us with a bit of a dilemma. The
Each file is around 8MB, so you’d better get your something very interesting. The interpolation technical superiority and potential image quality of
wallet out again to buy some large-scale Compact techniques of existing sensors mean you can the Foveon chip is obvious. What’s more, the
Flash or IBM Microdrive storage. Once you’ve only take this so far before digital artefacts wreck SD-9 is the cheapest digital SLR you can get. At the
transferred these RAW images to your computer, you the image. And yet, with the SD-9’s images moment, though, the implementation of this new
use the bundled Sigma Photo Pro software to open, you can really wind up the sharpness and reveal technology – whether it’s the camera’s or the chip’s
decode and optimise them. Now it’s possible to some quite startling underlying definition. On a fault – isn’t good enough to make us want to spend
save them in whichever format you like. good day, the SD-9 will give a 6-megapixel digital all that cash. 5 PRO You can resample and sharpen the SD-9’s
images to match those from a 6-megapixel SLR
6 CON The default image quality is way below

that you get from rival cameras
SIGMA SD-9 FULL SPECIFICATIONS 1 The imaging

technology has
FEATURES
IMAGES 65
81 1
1
Verdict
Sensor 3.4-megapixel, 3.5MP Foveon X3 CMOS chip Image storage Compact Flash/Microdrive
Lens Not supplied Batteries 4x AA for digital functions, 2x CR123A for BUILD 77 1
Focus
Exposure modes
N/A
Program AE, shutter-priority, aperture-priority, man Battery life
camera functions
Not quoted clear potential, VALUE 94 1
Metering 8-zone evaluative, centre-weighted, centre AC adaptor Supplied
but it’s early days
79%
Monitor
AE compensation
Weight
Dimensions
803g (without batteries or lens)
152mm(w) x 120mm(h) x 79mm(d) FINAL
Flash
Video output
Not supplied
PAL or NTSC
Transfer
Software
USB & FireWire
Sigma Photo Pro
If you spend time optimising the SCORE
Movie recording No OS Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP. Mac 9.2.1, OSX
S-D9’s images, it’s clear what the
Other features Interchangeable lenses, FireWire and USB 10.1.1 or later Foveon chip is capable of. But most
users will be disappointed by the
2
OLYMPUS MINOLTA NIKON D100 FUJIFILM FINEPIX S2 PRO
WORTH E-20 DIMAGE 7HI £1,700 (body £1,700 (body only)/6MP
out-of-the-box image quality
A LOOK £1,200/5.0 MP £970/5MP only)/6.1MP (12- megapixel output

REVIEWS IMAGE ENHANCEMENT SOFTWARE
MAT BROOMFIELD
Mat Broomfield has been writing about computers for 15 years and has been involved
in digital imaging since the first PC version of Photoshop. He may be unhealthily fond
of his Olympus E10 WEBSITE WWW.FUTURENET.CO.UK
Silverfast AI DC Pro 6
Accelerate your image processing workflow and help your digital photos to be all that they can be.
Mat Broomfield tests a versatile program aimed at novices and serious pros alike
ou might think the market is flooded with

0 INFO
SILVERFAST AI DC PRO V6
Y photo-editing programs but there’s still room
for a program that focuses exclusively on the 2 USING SILVERFAST DC
Price $299 US Pro version enhancement stage of digital imaging. There’s a wide range
$119 standard version Silverfast AI DC has evolved from one of the world’s of tools for the novice 01
Manufacturer Lasersoft Imaging most professional and beloved scanner driver programs.
and more experienced
Tel 00 494 315600927 In most ways, scanning an image and processing one
Website www.silverfast.com
digital photographer 02
from a digital camera are very similar. In both cases, the
objective is to tweak, or sometimes drastically modify 01 Preview window
the digital image data – usually that means adjusting This shows the current image you’re
working on and any colour or
the brightness, contrast and gamma, perhaps brightness adjustments you make.
The filter effects are only made to
sharpening an image or removing a colour cast but it the final saved image.
03
might involve something as radical as completely
x KEY FEATURES replacing colours within an image. 02 Filters
After colour, contrast and brightness 04
Silverfast can handle all that and more, but what adjustments you can add filters.
CONTROLS makes the program particularly useful is its ability to
Filters that can be applied in
combination sometimes share the
■ Offers cheaper, more advanced same dialogue box, but not always.
and versatile enhancement tools satisfy various user skill levels. If you’re new to image
than Photoshop processing, the program will take you by the hand and 03 Slider controls
You can make adjustments to
■ Guides novices gently through using an almost fully-automated approach, it will your photo’s contrast and white
the enhancement process balance levels using these little 06
enhance your photos until they meet with your slider tools. 05
■ Fully compliant with ICM colour approval. If on the other hand, you’re a professional
management 04 Job Manager
photographer or publisher who needs to balance
■ Includes tools for professional You can perform complex 05 Scan Pilot complexity grows in pace with numerical feedback of the pixel
printers and publishers
images according to the needs of a particular print enhancement sequences with this A wizard-based tool for your growing skill level. beneath the cursor, so you can
tool. You can even modify stages to adjusting images step by step. check that the colours fall
■ Numerous colour models process, or manipulate your images within a tightly add unique elements to sub-groups You can define which stages are 06 Densitometer within the parameters of your
within the job. The Densitometer gives you print progress.
supported colour-managed workflow then Silverfast AI can handle included in the procedure, so
■ Adjust exposure, white balance, that with equal aplomb.

gamma, histogram and more
■ Dust and scratch removal
Mass produced
■ Red eye removal
When you first load the program, you’ll be greeted by enhancing photos and the great thing is, by following see on-screen is what you print.
■ Digital lightbox
■ Batch processing the Lightbox and the Scan Pilot. The Lightbox is an the Scan Pilot stages, you get used to editing your The program includes a fairly limited number of
overly simplistic integrated cataloguing program that images in the right way – adjusting brightness and photographic filters, the results of which, irritatingly, are
enables you to view all of your images and select those gamma first, then making colour adjustments, before not shown in the preview window, which can make
for processing. Silverfast offers extensive batch using masks and filters. cumulative or combination effects difficult to gauge.
processing modes, in which you can perform identical There is the option to ignore Scan Pilot and do In most cases, Silverfast offers similar functions to
0 EXPERT TIP processes on multiple images. Better yet, you can create everything manually and plenty to keep the those found in Photoshop, but they are organised for a
sub-processes within a batch, and apply that to all or professionals out there happy. You can select from faster, more logical workflow. The enhancement
Mat Broomfield some of the images in the batch. For instance, you may numerous colour models, and adjust the settings algorithms used are more versatile than Photoshop’s
PC EXPERT
wish to auto-adjust the gamma for every image, but by dragging sliders and adjusting input levels until and enable you to compensate for really bad
LIGHT TABLE only run a particular filter over those images that are you like the onscreen result, or you can adopt a photography or difficult shooting
75%
Use the Virtual Light Table to FINAL
select images for individual larger than a specific size. scientific methodology, entering adjustment values conditions. An undo mode would SCORE
or batch processing. Novices will appreciate Scan Pilot, the super-friendly into a master numeric grid. The program also offers have been nice, but Silverfast is still
step-by-step tool that automates the process of colour management options to ensure that what you a valuable program.

REVIEWS MINI-TEST FLASHES
Five flashy numbers…

Manufacturers have been slow to produce flashguns compatible with today’s digital cameras. Here are six of the best to date
T
oo often considered the poor relation to natural light, flash surrounding ambient light. Many built-in on-camera flashguns now can exceed 70m at the top-end. You're also more likely to find
can be a very creative light source with the right include these options for fill-in flash and slow-sync, but they're also features like 2nd curtain flash, stroboscopic effects and, most
equipment and a bit of know-how. Aside from stepping in inevitably under-powered, meaning a range of sometimes little more importantly, the ability to tilt and swivel the flash head to 'bounce'
when the sun's not around, flash can also act as a 'fill', eliminating than 5m. They can't be moved from their fixed, central position your flash light off reflectors, walls or ceilings for soft, even lighting.
harsh shadows from a subject on a sunny, cloudless day; or be put to either – not conducive to flattering results. effects. How much you spend will depend largely on your power and
creative use with action shots, 'freezing' a subject in motion while External flashguns not only offer the chance of off-camera feature needs, but it's not a good idea to skimp on what really
stylistic blurred trails of movement are picked up from the shooting angles, but they pack a lot more punch, with ranges that should be your second most important piece of camera kit…
METZ MECABLITZ 54MZ-3 6

Price: £277 (with required SCA 3002 adaptor), with sense. The 54MZ-3 is over £100 more than the
Contact Hasselblad (www.hasselblad.co.uk), 44MZ-2 and though it beats other makes in this price
Supplied items: None, Flash range: 42 metres range, you should still have a good think before spending
(ISO 100), Battery type: 4 AA-size (alkaline, the extra cash.
NiCd or NiMH), Flash modes: TTL, auto, manual You get a greater 42-metre power output with this
model – useful if you’re shooting large groups of people,
The Mecablitz 54MZ-3 has everything any top-of-the or subjects at a distance but for the most part won’t mean
-line brand flashgun can offer, so as with the cheaper any gain in quality. Feature-wise you get high-speed
Metz Mecablitz 44MZ-2 (see opposite), it’s a choice synchronisation (the only way to use fill-in flash and a
alternative for Canon and Fuji users wanting more for their wide aperture to throw your background out-of-focus on
money (Fuji cameras traditionally use Nikon Speedlites). a sunny day), power packs for fast recycling times, flash
Minolta Dimage users don’t have a dedicated exposure bracketing for optimum exposure, as well as 25
gun yet either, so the Metz is the best partial output settings. The LCD setup is also more
choice here, and Olympus Camedia straightforward to use. Not
87%
owners only have the FL-40 enough gains to warrant FINAL
7 which, for £400 shouldn’t be

an option for anyone
the extra money for
most, though.
SCORE
You get what

you pay for: this
only has limited
power range
NIKON SB-30 5 DIGITAL

CAMERA
Price: £90 Contact: Nikon (www.nikon.co.uk) MAGAZINE
Supplied items: None, Flash range: 42 metres (ISO 100),
Battery type: 1 3V CR123A lithium, Flash modes: TTL, auto, manual
This miniature number is Nikon’s entry-level equivalent to the Canon Speedlite 220EX, but with a
guide number of just 16 metres it’s pushing the boundaries of usefulness. It’s reasonably robust,
extremely compact and does have the option of TTL, auto and manual modes, which is a pleasant
surprise. Saying that, if you’re willing to go the lengths to learn how to make the most of manual
mode, you’re likely feel rather limited with a power range of 16 metres. Other features include a
built-in wide-angle diffuser, (though this looks like it’ll snap off at the first sign of impatience),
automatic fill-in flash (with the relevant Coolpix setting) and a limited tilt for close-up subjects.
7
Results aren’t bad as long as you don’t stray too far from your subject, and the Canon, FujiFIlm and
Minolta users, take
62%
lack of a zoom reflector doesn’t cause too much trouble, but it’s touch and go FINAL note: this is feature-
SCORE
as to whether this brings you enough advantages over built-in flash to warrant laden but pricier than
the 44MZ-2
the money. You’d be better off saving up for a higher-end model.

NEXT MONTH
; 5 CAMERA LENS FILTERS
7NIKON SB-50DX
Price: £200 Nikon (www.nikon.co.uk) Coolpix and digital SLR flash functions such as slow-sync, rear-curtain,
Supplied items: Infra-Red Filter S-9IR and Soft Case SS-50, 3D matrix flash metering, and flash exposure compensation, and
Flash range: 42 metres (ISO 100), Battery type: 2 3V there’s a manual mode (albeit full power output only) for the more
CR123A lithium, Flash modes: D-TTL and manual serious enthusiasts wishing to take real creative control, as well as a
built-in infra-red trigger for wireless slave use.
The first thing that has to be said is that a guide number of 22 metres Before you get too excited though, there are some minus points in
really isn’t sufficient for a flashgun weighing in at £200 – yes, it’s a the features list too; for example, the LCD provides no distance
significant improvement over built-in flash, but Nikon really should be shooting scale, so you’ve got to refer to an accompanying piece of
offering more for the money; Canon’s price equivalent offers a far card to work out maximum flash distance at a given aperture; there’s
more useful rating of 42GN. The SB-80DX offers a much improved no swivel facility, so bounce flash is restricted to walls rather than
guide number of 38 metres, but at an extra cost of £90. It’s a shame ceilings; and the auto zoom reflector doesn’t work
73%
that the Metz guns aren’t fully compatible with all Nikon cameras. with the Coolpix range – it has to be set manually FINAL
SCORE
To some extent this power shortfall is made up elsewhere; the LCD on the flashgun. That’s too many faults to make
and backplate setup are first-rate, and there’s full dedication with this good value.
7
8 CANON SPEEDLITE 420EX You can make the
most of Canon’s
superb E-TTL
Price: £180 Contact Canon (www.canon.co.uk) technology with
Supplied items: None, Flash range: 42 metres (ISO 100), Battery type: the 420EX
4 AA-size (alkaline, lithium or NiCd), Flash modes: E-TTL only
For an extra 50 notes, this flashgun seems to offer disproportionately more than its
7 predecessor the 220EX – there’s a swivel and tilt head for bounce flash techniques,
a zoom reflector for optimised output at differing focal lengths, the ability to use it as a
The built-in wireless slave (or master) in conjunction with other flashguns, and an altogether bigger and
feature here is a sturdier build that better reflects its price tag. With the Powershot G2, G3 and Canon’s
bonus, but the low
power output isn’t digital SLRs, the 420EX can offer rear-curtain flash, slow-sync flash, flash exposure
compensation, flash-exposure lock and FP flash. The lack of overrides for setting
aperture and power output manually will hamper the more serious enthusiast,
particularly when balancing the light levels of foreground and background. For this
sort of control you need to look to the 550EX and be prepared to spend another
£90, or consider one of the Metz alternatives.
The extra money on the 550EX doesn’t get you vast amounts more power though
(only half a stop) – a guide number of 42 metres on the 420EX is more than adequate
for anything but serious professional use. Overall the 420EX is a
78%
sensible choice for beginners and more serious users alike, but a FINAL
SCORE
little pricey for a flashgun that hasn’t needed to incorporate an LCD.
7METZ MECABLITZ 44MZ-2

Price: £277 (with required SCA 3002 adaptor) features. It has rear-curtain synchronisation,
Contact Hasselblad (www.hasselblad.co.uk) slow-sync compatibility, auto zoom reflector, full TTL
Supplied items: None, Flash range: 42 flash mode, auto fill-in flash, and can take advantage of any other
metres (ISO 100), Battery type: 4 functions that digital cameras offer, such as the flash exposure lock
AA-size (alkaline, NiCd or NiMH), and flash exposure compensation features offered by Canon
Flash modes: TTL, auto, manual cameras, or the ADI flash control and multi-segment centre-
weighted metering found on Minolta’s Dimage models, and so on.
The Metz guns have always been considered On top of this there’s full manual control, giving you the option of
the best of the third-party offerings and manually setting aperture, ISO speed, zoom length, and power
7 nearly always represent better value than
the manufacturer’s own-brand models.
output in eight increments – useful if you want to master flash for
truly professional results. If there’s a downside, it’s the LCD setup,
Bags of The 44MZ-2 is comparable with the which is poorly thought out, but not enough of
featuress make
85%
this model Canon Speedlite 420EX (above) and the a problem to make this anything short of FINAL
SCORE
fantastic value Nikon SB-80DX in terms of power output, excellent value. Minolta, Olympus, Canon,
but is streets ahead when it comes to Contax and Fuji users should all consider this.

DIGITAL
CAMERA
SHOPPER
NEW FROM THE
MAKERS OF
DIGITAL CAMERA
MAGAZINE!
What? Why? How?

Looking for a new digital camera?
Digital Camera Shopper makes it easy.
Compacts, SLRs, lenses, accessories, scanners,
software, tripods, bags and more… whatever you
are looking for, Digital Camera Shopper shows you
what to buy and how to buy it.
ON SALE EVERYWHERE
FROM 24 APRIL 2003
Find out more at www.dcmag.co.uk
The UK’s only dedicated digital camera buying guide

WEB ALBUM SOFTWARE LAB TEST
Labtest
WEB ALBUM
SOFTWARE
I
n this digital world, you’re no longer reliant on and so on, are based around your inkjet printer but
slide projectors, photo galleries or even almost all packages in this price range also include some
physical prints to share your photos with web projects.
family, friends or a wider audience. The natural medium Similarly priced programs that concentrate on archiving
for digital images is the web, but constructing a website your images and desktop/web albums are Adobe
from scratch can be daunting, especially if your skills and Photoshop Album, Serif’s MediaPlus and Ulead’s Photo ON TEST
experience tend towards photography rather than Java Explorer, but their image-manipulation functions tend to WEB ALBUMS
programming. To bridge this gap, software companies are be limited. If you already have a good editor that can
SERIF
now releasing packages that claim to do all the hard optimise your images for web use, you might prefer to MEDIAPLUS
work for you, letting you concentrate on taking and buy a web-design package, which will cost from £50. Price: £60
editing your pictures while their software takes care of These allow you to put together a site from scratch, but
the technical details. inevitably mean immersing yourself in the nuts and bolts MICROSOFT
PICTURE IT! DIGITAL
We’ve chosen six packages that will appeal to digital of web layout and even HTML code. IMAGE PRO 7.0
photographers, from absolute web novices to more Price: £60
experienced users. All share the ability to transform your Creative features NOVA DEVELOPMENT
digital images into an organised album that can form There are three main steps to getting your images from PHOTO EXPLOSION
DELUXE
part of a website, but they do that in very different ways. your camera to a website. The first is the uploading and Price: £40
At the cheapest end of the market are dedicated individual image manipulation that all digital photos ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
album creators that come with few bells and whistles, require – cropping to fit, adjusting levels and colour, plus ALBUM 1.0
such as image editors or graphical interfaces. You can any creative effects you want to add. Secondly, your Price: £40
search any of the popular download sites (see the web finished images will need to be organised into a
links box on page 43 for more information) for these and coherent theme, resized to work well together visually DATADOSEN
JALBUM
prices vary from free to around £10. and often renamed. Lastly, this desktop album has to be Price: Free
If you want the reliability and support of a commercial turned into a collection of web pages, coded in HTML and
program, £20 to £50 will get you a basic image-editing with file sizes suitable for web use. Regardless of how ULEAD
package with a range of pre-set templates – Photo good your work is, no one is going to wait for an PHOTOSHOP
EXPLORER 8.0
Explosion and Picture It! are good examples. Many of uncompressed 4-megapixel image to download over a
Price: £16
their projects, such as greetings cards, calendars, stickers 56K dial-up connection.

LAB TEST WEB ALBUM SOFTWARE
TOP TIP Archiving – back up your albums onto CD at least once a month. It’s bad enough when your hard disc fails or your PC is stolen without losing irreplaceable images at the same time
? EXPLAINED SERIF MICROSOFT NOVA DEVELOPMENT

EXIF MEDIAPLUS PICTURE IT! PRO PHOTO EXPLOSION
Exchangeable Image File Format is
the standard used by most digital
cameras to embed information in
JPEG images. EXIF data usually
comprises exposure information,
date, camera name, whether the
flash fired and the focal length, but
can include anything from comments
to GPS location data.
PRICE £60 PRICE £60 PRICE £40

CONTACT 0800 376 7070 CONTACT 0870 601 0100 CONTACT 01752 202 507
WEBSITE www.serif.com WEBSITE www.microsoft.co.uk WEBSITE www.novadevelopment.co.uk
MediaPlus is a dedicated media-management package Microsoft’s image editor is a slick product clearly This image editor has a huge range of features, bonus
with almost no ability to alter any of the files it aimed at a novice consumer audience. Picture It! Pro programs, fonts, sample photos and templates. At its
organises. Its excellent browser windows display comes with a good image browser with scalable heart is an image editor aimed at pure novices, split
navigation, thumbnails, a preview window and a thumbnails, then proceeds to hand-hold you through logically into three sections. The first is an image
window dedicated to albums (collections of media enhancements (levels, colour, resize, crop, rotate and so browser with thumbnails, image and EXIF info. There’s
files). Files can be categorised with keywords to aid on), including Photoshop plug-in filters. Selection tools a great batch-adjust option, letting you adjust quality
searching, but with no ability to enhance or re-format are average, with an edge finder, lasso tool and shape and format, plus run the usual enhancements. The
files, it feels very limited in scope. cutouts, but don’t expect adjustment layers or paintable second is the individual photo-edit page with basic
The web album creation wizard is, on the face of it, masks. Although Picture It! has a neat batch-adjust selection and image-editing options, including a clone
very flexible, with plenty of templates and extensive ‘Minilab’, it doesn’t let you alter image size or brush, text and a range of filters. Lastly, the project
user control over web page attributes like thumbnail compression quality. There are thousands of templated mode has templates for cards, calendars and other
layout, colours, fonts and – uniquely – metadata search projects, including CD archiving, but this is the only novelties. The web album launches from the browser,
tags. MediaPlus can’t compress or resize images, so its program on test that can’t output HTML for your but you’re limited to 29 (poorly designed) themed
website is 17MB in size. You’ll need to resize the website. Instead, it goes online via its built-in browser templates. There are some nice touches (you can
images in an editor before creating sites in this and uploads your images to MSN Photos online gallery. specify the order of images in the show, you have
package, making MediaPlus little more than a glorified This is great for absolute novices but won’t appeal to some control over image quality and you can add an
image viewer. users with their own webspace and site to fill. email/web signature) but it all feels too restrictive.
5
49% 5
58% 5
61%
PRO Excellent browser FINAL PRO Fully-featured FINAL PRO Solid image browsing FINAL
and good web options SCORE image editor SCORE and editing skills. SCORE
6 CON No image
manipulation 6 CON Can't output
HTML pages 6 CON Atrocious
template design
All the packages on test except JAlbum and MediaPlus effects to your images, plus they have clone and blemish images using tags (Photoshop Album) or keywords
allow you some degree of creative control over your removal brushes. (MediaPlus), which is great for simplifying searches. Only
images, with both automatic and manual control over JAlbum lets you include sub-directories in your album.
brightness, contrast and colour, though usually with Album features The image browser is where you can apply batch
sliders rather than the more powerful histogram graphs. Once you’ve built up a collection of finished images, you adjustments to a number of images simultaneously.
The same programs also have functions to add artificial can think about organising them into a themed album. Ideally, you should be able to alter a bunch of images
fill flash and backlighting effects, and enable you to All the programs on test except JAlbum come with an automatically so that they match each other and suit the
eliminate red-eye. Picture It!, Photo Explorer and Photo image browser that displays thumbnails of all the images medium where you’ll publish them (web, slideshow or
Explosion offer a range of filters to add visual effects, in a folder, and Photo Explorer and MediaPlus also have print). Always apply batch effects to copies of your
with Picture It! able to use standard Photoshop plug-in neat preview windows. All the browsers except Picture It! images in case you need the originals in the future.
filters for extra flexibility. let you sort the thumbnails by name or date, search for Photo Explosion and Photo Explorer have the best batch
In order to really get to grips with your images, individual images and display detailed picture adjustments, allowing you to rename, move and save
you’ll need the functionality of layers and range of information, such as the EXIF data collected by your groups of images to a range of file formats at set quality
selection tools – freehand, smart edges, colour and camera (including exposure and flash settings). levels. Photo Explosion and Picture It! also let you run
preset shapes – that only Photo Explosion and Picture Photoshop Album drops your images onto a neat enhancements on a batch of images: cropping, rotating,
It! offer. They’re also the only packages that enable timeline, so you can see when you were busy out eliminating red-eye and – most usefully – auto-tweaking
you to add text, painting, graphics and frame or edge shooting. With some packages you can categorise your brightness, contrast and colour. All the programs except

ADOBE DATA DOSEN ULEAD 0 EXPERT TIP
PHOTOSHOP ALBUM 1.0 JALBUM PHOTO EXPLORER 8.0 MARK HARRIS
WEB ALBUM EXPERT
KEEP IT SIMPLE!
Google is the most popular site in
the world and also one of the most
basic. Keeping design to a minimum
and content to a maximum means
your site will load faster and work
better with different browsers.
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
PRICE £40 PRICE Free PRICE £13

CONTACT 020 8606 4001 CONTACT N/A CONTACT 01327 844 755
WEBSITE www.adobe.com WEBSITE www.datadosen.se WEBSITE www.ulead.co.uk
Aimed squarely at a consumer/enthusiast market, JAlbum is a unique piece of software that is designed Photo Explorer does far more than its name suggests,
Photoshop offers a range of projects to let you create to do just one thing – turn your digital images into a cataloguing all your audio and video files as well as
cards and calendars, web albums, archive CDs and self-contained website. Based around the Java Virtual organising your digital images. Based around a file
slideshows. The image browser has excellent filing and Machine (which accounts for the majority of its hefty browser that includes a superb batch-edit function and
search functionality, including tags that you can drag 7.5MB download), JAlbum is basic but easily expanded. preview window, Photo Explorer combines basic
onto your images to categorise them. It even places There are already a good range of new skins, styles image-editing functions with a staggering range of
your images on a timeline – a smart feature for anyone and scripts to download from Datadosen. You simply publishing options. As well as web albums, it can
who takes a lot of photos. While there are limited drag-and-drop a folder of finished images into the create auto-run CD slideshows, DVD slideshows in PAL
image-enhancement options (no selection tools), the Image Directory dialogue and specify an output folder. or NTSC, has a superb range of printing layouts, a few
presence of an Edit In Photoshop… option confirms You can perform basic image manipulation on the Edit projects (calendars and wallpaper) and can convert
Photoshop Album’s role as primarily a publisher rather page, plus add captions and rename the images. your images into MPEG video files – a great way to
than an editor. Creating a web album is fairly simple, JAlbum’s strength is not in the range but in the utility of showcase low-res photos on a website. Despite its
with 15 templates of varying quality. Most allow you to the options it presents – you can set thumbnail and simplistic interface, there’s plenty of power – as
select the size and quality of images, whether to main image size and quality, whether the site links to demonstrated by the way it uses comprehensive
display captions, file and date, and give the option of the large original files, whether to include EXIF data on dialogue boxes rather than templates to generate the
including an email signature. The Javascript 3D gallery a neat little pop-up and re-order the images by date HTML pages. It also comes bundled with a speedy
is a lot of fun. and name, or in reverse. Upload is via a modest FTP. ACDSee-style image browser called Instant Viewer.
* WEB LINKS
USEFUL LINKS
5
5
66% 57% 5
78%
http://downloads.zdnet.co.uk
PRO Superb slideshow FINAL PRO Free, easy to use, FINAL PRO All-round image FINAL
publishing SCORE powerful and expandable SCORE browser and editor SCORE This UK download site is well
categorised and has a great
6 CON No batch adjust. Lack

of professional detail 6 CON One-trick pony
6 CON No FTP client selection of software for all
operating systems.
www.photobox.com
JAlbum and MediaPlus have the facility to resize and With all the other packages you can add captions result. MediaPlus, Photo Explosion and JAlbum have a The winner of our online printing
rotate images, while Picture It! and Photo Explorer also to each image and (with the exception of MediaPlus) built-in FTP client to upload your finished album: the lab test can host your web album
let you stretch and distort them. select the compression quality. JAlbum, Photo Explorer others use web uploads or you’ll need a separate FTP (up to 100MB in size). Even better,
and Photoshop Album let you choose or limit the program. JAlbum’s upload function is clearer than the anyone visiting it can order high-
quality prints of your work.
Web creation and upload size of each main image, and alter the size and layout others on test and includes a Smart Upload function that
Now that you’ve got a bunch of good looking, labelled of the thumbnails. JAlbum and MediaPlus let you avoids uploading the same files more than once. Most http://download.com.com
If you can’t find the shareware
pictures, you’ll want to turn them into web pages. All the order your images, while Photo Explosion and Photo ISPs offer at least 5MB of space for personal websites,
package you’re after here, it
packages except Picture It! walk you through the process, Explorer let you choose the order in which they’re but if you haven’t arranged any, there are plenty of free probably doesn’t exist. Also features
offering set templates that you can fiddle with to a displayed. With Photoshop Album and Photo Explorer webspace providers on the net. Apart from Picture It!’s dozens of help files to demystify all
greater or lesser extent. Picture It! is unique in that it you can tinker with the web colours and page properties, MSN gallery, Photoshop Album and Photo Explorer also aspects of HTML web design.
doesn’t actually create HTML-coded pages with your and they also let you record an audio file to accompany offer online album hosting. www.freewebspace.net
images, but instead uploads them straight to the MSN each image. JAlbum and Photo Explorer include This site has a searchable database
Photos online database using a built-in web browser. This camera EXIF data in your albums – we like JAlbum’s Other extras of over 350 free webspace
means your pictures are visible immediately but it pop-up information. There are plenty of other features on offer, too. All but providers, some with large 100MB
allowances and others that don’t
doesn’t allow you to incorporate them in your own site All the packages except MediaPlus let you re-name JAlbum can produce slideshows of your images for
litter your site with annoying pop-
or have any say over how they’re displayed. Picture It! the web pages created (index.html is the default) and all viewing on your desktop or, in the case of Photoshop up or banner ads.
has none of features detailed below. offer a preview function so that you can see the end Album and Photo Explorer, as a self-running CD or Video-

TOP TIP Browsing your site – check how your website looks in different browsers, including older (and, if possible, Mac) versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape
? EXPLAINED
SERIF MICROSOFT NOVA DEVELOPMENT
PDF FILES MEDIAPLUS PICTURE IT! PRO PHOTO EXPLOSION DELUXE
This is Adobe’s own read-only format
for text and images. You’ll need the
free Acrobat reader to open the high
resolution files, which you can then
scale to fit your screen. PDF files are
generally much larger in size than
similar Word or HTML files.
PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE

The points MediaPlus gains for allowing user control Resizing and changing the JPEG image quality of our Photo Explosion’s image browser is impressive – packed
over font style and size, colours, borders and framing gallery of test photos has to be done individually – a with info and able to batch-adjust many images
are negated by simple errors such as not using the time consuming and boring task that should be possible simultaneously. Its editing functions are also respectable
album title at the top of the page (‘My Pictures’ may using the Minilab batch adjust. Compression efficiency is given the price, with a useful smart selection tool
be accurate, but it would be nice to be able to change good, with our largest 1.3MB images (the toy cars) (including anti-aliasing and feathering), some fun filters
it). Although you can alter the thumbnail size, squeezing down to 77KB while maintaining acceptable and manual colour, brightness, contrast and focus
MediaPlus generates the same image regardless, quality. Uploading to the MSN photos is simplicity itself, controls. The package takes only seconds to generate
meaning a blocky, pixellated mess at anything over taking less than two minutes using a broadband the website, which works correctly and ends up a
200 pixels square. Navigation is awkward, forcing you connection. If you haven’t already got a MSN Passport respectable 1.2MB in size. Unfortunately, the template
to revisit the thumbnail page rather than allowing to .Net account, you’ll need to register for that to get your designs are ugly and the one attribute you can’t alter is
go from one large image to the next. And since 30MB online storage allowance. Customising the display the size of the images – a maximum 266 pixels high just
MediaPlus doesn’t compress your original images, of your images online is limited to putting them in isn’t large enough to do justice to anyone’s photography.
these can be really large. Owing to the size of the site folders, where they show as thumbnails. A good all-rounder, but probably only worth considering
(over 17MB in total), we didn’t use the FTP client to if you don’t have an image editor.
upload the site, but it seemed uncomplicated enough. KEY FEATURE 1
The built-in web browser integrates well with IE6 (using KEY FEATURE 1
KEY FEATURE 1 your cookies), presenting you with a single interface all You’re limited to using the painfully amateur album
A great browser window makes it simple to track your the way from working on your images to viewing templates for your album, complete with nasty
media file – and even acquire files from the web. them online. animations and music.
KEY FEATURE 2 KEY FEATURE 2 KEY FEATURE 2

The gallery-creation wizard is simple – click on areas of Just like your local high street minilab, the Minilab Check out the cheesy but fun animated GIF templates
the page to customise the look and feel of your pages. feature applies set enhancements to a batch of photos. that enable you to add fireworks or kaleidoscope effects.
CD that you can play on most domestic DVD players. utilise standard Java scripts to enhance your albums. The the software itself. All of these programs are designed for
Photo Explosion can also produce slideshows for Palms, JAlbum website already has a range of add-on features enthusiasts rather than professionals, and none takes
PDAs, Pocket PCs and graphics for some mobile phones. available to download, including adding audio comments more than a few minutes to install and an hour or two to
Photoshop Album goes one better with a unique 3D to your images and improvements to the naming get to grips with. The web album creation process was
gallery that displays your images in a variety of Quake- systems. All the packages except JAlbum, MediaPlus and uniformly straightforward, as long as you work from
style environments, from museums and churches to Photo Explosion can archive your images and albums to copies rather than original image files, there’s little that
Stonehenge. It’s bizarre but fun, and easy to set up. back-up media like CD-Rs. can go wrong. The biggest ease of use differences are in
Photo Explosion’s panorama software can stitch your image browsing and manipulation – as your collection of
images into 360-degree vistas. MediaPlus and Photo Ease of use images grows, the benefits of categorising and batch
Explorer have the intriguing feature of being able to strip All the packages have good online help pages and all but adjusting your pictures become much more noticeable.
a website of all its media files – an excellent way of JAlbum come with a paper manual. Picture It!’s manual is Photo Explorer and Photo Explosion have the best
acquiring non-copyright online images and sound files. especially comprehensive, including hints for getting the combination of cataloguing features. Photo Explosion and
JAlbum has the most promising long-term feature – it can best out of your camera, scanner and monitor as well as Picture It! are more complex image editors than the

NEXT MONTH
; 3 WE PUT ALL-IN-ONE
PRINTERS THROUGH
THEIR PACES
? EXPLAINED
ADOBE DATADOSEN ULEAD FTP
PHOTOSHOP ALBUM 1.0 JALBUM PHOTO EXPLORER 8.0 File Transfer Protocol is the most
efficient way to upload files to your
websites. Internet Explorer can
perform basic FTP uploads, but you
can find dozens of dedicated FTP
clients on any of the download sites.
PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE

Photoshop Album makes short work of generating the JAlbum is a joy to use, although you will need a decent Photo Explorer is intuitive to use and is that rare piece
site, taking just 11 seconds to compress and resize the image editor to enhance and crop your images of software that gets more impressive the more you
images. The site comes out to 1.35MB in total, with the beforehand. Generating the site takes around a use it. Browsing, image enhancing and batch adjusting
800 x 600 images ranging in size from 35KB to 107KB. minute, giving a very efficient total file size of just are straightforward and unburdened with frills. It is the
Compression quality is good rather than exceptional. The 1.1MB and some beautifully compressed images. It is slowest package on test to generate HTML, taking 80
layout isn’t especially attractive as the default caption, if the only package to allow a subdirectory of images seconds to output a 1.2MB site, complete with EXIF
you don’t add one, is the camera name. Large captions within the album. The template designs supplied are data captions and custom header and footers. Images
can distort the thumbnail columns, making the layout all neat and functional, as is the pop-up EXIF data – are efficiently compressed, gaining little pixellation or
appear lopsided, although navigation around the site is essential for camera buffs. A link to the JAlbum website digital noise. The wealth of features compensates the
simple and logical. Photoshop Album is closer in feel to appears on each page and, while you can easily this in lack of an FTP client. Video file management is
the cut-down Elements than Photoshop itself, although the HTML source, it’s a great way to advertise this welcome now that movie modes are found on nearly
both editors already have excellent image browsers. indispensable one-trick pony. all new digital cameras. This superb piece of software
Ultimately, Photoshop Album lacks the batch comes closer than any other package on test to
adjustments, FTP client and ability to include EXIF data KEY FEATURE 1 managing the whole creative process.
that would make it a must-have buy. The edit page is far more modest than most, but you
can still rotate images and even write your captions KEY FEATURE 1
KEY FEATURE 1 directly into the JPEG file. A superb batch-adjust function converts to any of
Creating a full-screen dozens of file formats, and changes image sizes and
PDF slideshow with KEY FEATURE 2 compression simultaneously.
navigator is a matter Fifteen skins are supplied, each with a handful of style
of just a single click. options. JAlbum searches for skins in the skins directory KEY FEATURE 2
You can even save and displays them in a window. More are available to The file browser has an intelligent search, scalable
the slideshow as an download from the site. thumbnails and a useful data/preview window.
auto-run CD to mail to
your friends.
KEY FEATURE 2
The image browser is
designed to make
filing and searching
for your images as easy
as possible.
others on test, although neither has the power or – the largest was Photo Explorer at a total of 1.7MB. This massive 17MB in size – you’ll need to resize the images
flexibility of a package like Paint Shop Pro. was also the most easily customisable package, although in an editor before creating sites in this package.
the option to limit the file size of images didn’t work Looking at the quality of the compressed and resized
Results and performance
The test site we used consisted of 20 images – a total of
especially well. The total includes the thumbnails, the
HTML web pages and any other graphics or code that the
images, Photo Explosion compressed the main images to
the largest extent, giving notably poorer quality images
0 EXPERT TIP
just over 16MB. The time taken to compress and resize package added in (navigation arrows, for example). than the others. Picture It! and Photoshop Album created MARK HARRIS
images and to create the web pages varied but even the Photo Explosion’s 1.2MB is less impressive than it good images but JAlbum and Photo Explorer were best WEB ALBUM EXPERT
slowest, Photo Explorer, took less than a minute and a sounds as the images are constrained to a much smaller on test – compressing very efficiently to produce smooth, ADDING EXTRAS
half. This is a huge time saving over creating the web size – the extra space is taken up with unnecessary design noise-free photos. Liven up your website with hit
pages with design software, especially if you want frills. JAlbum creates a slim 1.1MB site with a clean Some templates are certainly better designed than counters, polls and message boards,
several different themed albums or will be adding to the design. Picture It! doesn’t create any HTML pages, as its others. At the bottom of the taste tree is Photo Explosion available for free from sites across
the net. To find them, just follow
albums on a regular basis. The programs all performed gallery is entirely web-based at MSN Photos. MediaPlus Deluxe. Nearly all its 29 styles are painfully poor – either
links from sites you like.
well in compressing the images down to acceptable sizes can’t compress or resize images, so its website is a American themes like Thanksgiving (complete with

WEB ALBUM SOFTWARE TIP If you’re worried about the security of your images, then you’ll have to use web-based photo services like MSN Photos or Apple’s .Mac, both offer password protection of your pics
SPECIFICATIONS
AT-A-GLANCE
1 SERIF
MEDIAPLUS
MICROSOFT
PICTURE IT! PRO
NOVA DEVELOPMENT ADOBE
PHOTO EXPLOSION DELUXE PHOTOSHOP ALBUM 1.0
Price £60 £60 £40 £40
Tel 0800 376 7070 0870 601 0100 01752 202 507 020 8606 4001
URL www.serif.com www.microsoft.co.uk www.novadevelopment.co.uk www.adobe.com
Operating system? PC PC PC PC
Photo adjustments, plus heal, fill-flash Photo adjustments, plus clone, Photo adjustments, plus fill-flash,
Image enhance? None sharpen and backlight
and backlight backlight and sharpen
Selection tools? None Freehand, colour and edge sensing, Freehand, colour and edge sensing, None
pre-set shapes pre-set shapes
Searchable image browser? Searchable, shows EXIF data and preview Basic browser only Searchable, shows EXIF data Searchable, shows EXIF data and timeline
Image categories? Yes No No Yes
Batch adjust? None Name, enhance and file format Name and enhance None
Manipulate image Rotate and flip Rotate, resize, stretch and distort Rotate, resize and flip Rotate and resize
Web album templates 5 None 29 15
Customise HTML plates? All aspects No No Add frame and change colour
Online album? No Yes No Yes
Set image order? No No Yes No
Set gallery image qualities Thumbnail size only Main image size and quality Thumbnail size, basic main image quality Thumbnail size, main image size and quality
Display EXIF data? No No No No
Upload FTP Web FTP Web
Archiving/Slideshow? No/Yes Yes/No No/Yes, and VCD disc Yes/Yes, and VCD disc
Features % 50% 50% 61% 61%
Performance % 40% 63% 58% 71%
Ease of use % 65% 70% 70% 75%
Overall % 49% 58% 61% 66%
animated turkeys) or saccharine pet and birthday and the package you choose will depend very much on Photoshop Album is more competent, offering useful
galleries. Photoshop Album and MediaPlus have what other software you already own. Picture It! and image tweaks and solid publishing options, from 3D
templates in similarly questionable taste but at least both Photo Explosion are user friendly and more powerful galleries to VCD slideshows. Photo Explorer, though,
also have simple templates to choose from. Navigation is than they first appear. Their batch-adjust features are pushes all the right buttons, with a well thought out
easy and the layout neat, but larger captions disrupted good and Photo Explosion’s comprehensive image range of useful features, including a supremely flexible
the columns slightly. The styles and templates from browser recommends it to anyone in the market for mid- web gallery feature that allows EXIF data display, audio
JAlbum are pretty good, but the lack of a preview means level image editor. While Picture It! is more of a comments and highly customisable layouts. Moreover, it
choosing one is a bit hit and miss. They share a crisp, traditional editor, the lack of HTML code generation rules also forms the heart of a true multimedia library, able to
efficient layout, and the multitude of layout options it out for anyone who wants to integrate a gallery into capture stills from video files, convert your images to an
mean you can fit as many or as few thumbnails as you their own site rather than use MSN’s (admittedly MPEG movie and strip websites of their media files.
like on a page. Photo Explorer has no templates, but convenient) online album. The odd man out in this test is JAlbum. With no
almost every aspect of layout and colouring is alterable – The differences between the image-cataloguing browser or manipulation features, it concentrates on a
a refreshingly simple method. programs – MediaPlus, Photoshop Album and Photo single function, allowing you to create HTML galleries
Explorer – show just how young this market is. All three from your edited images. It’s breathtakingly simple,
Conclusion have superb file browsers, the preview windows in efficient and free of overblown interfaces and, most
None of these packages are a substitute for decent web- MediaPlus and Photo Explorer proving more useful than importantly, produces neat, attractive pages. Given its
design software. If you want to make the most of what Photoshop Album’s gimmicky timeline. MediaPlus non-existent price tag, JAlbum is perfectly suited for
HTML has to offer, a package such as FrontPage is well stumbles when it comes to image manipulation – it anyone who already owns image-editing and web-
worth the investment in time and money. But all of doesn’t even let you compress or change file formats, design software but wants to reduce the time and effort
them can help you organise and publish your photos, rendering it little more than a glorified image viewer. of building a page by hand.

HOW WE TESTED
THE WEB ALBUM SOFTWARE
DIGITAL
CAMERA
esting album software isn’t pictures to 120 x 120 pixels and main
T
MAGAZINE
DATADOSEN ULEAD straightforward. Although all the images as close to 800 x 600 pixels. Where
JALBUM PHOTO EXPLORER 8.0 packages on test share the ability possible, we selected 70 per cent JPEG
to transform your digital images into an quality for the main images. We also added
Free £16 organised album that can form part of a a few captions, tried to include EXIF data and
website, they do it in very different ways. rename the final webpages. We timed how
N/A 01327 844 755 Why you prefer one package to another is long the packages took to generate the
www.datadosen.se www.ulead.co.uk likely to depend far more on the features list website (including compressing and resizing
and your opinion of the tools and interface images) and measured the file size of the
PC, Mac, Linux, Sun & OS/2 PC than differences in performance. final website created.
None Basic photo adjustments plus sharpen For this reason, we rated each of the We then rated all the features on offer
packages on how they coped with certain from each of our packages, weighting the
None None common tasks. ones that are more useful to photographers
None Searchable, shows EXIF data and preview We chose to assess the packages resizing (so basic image-editing functions got
and renaming capabilities, file compression more points than painting tools). Lastly,
No Yes efficiency and uploading. Our sample we rated the packages for ease of use,
None Name and file format gallery consisted of 20 shots (four in a sub- awarding points for logical, intuitive
directory) ranging from 400K to 2MB in size, functionality, good manuals and useful help
Rotate, resize, flip and mirror Rotate, resize and distort taken on a variety of cameras and in and error messages.
different orientations. The final percentage score that you see
15 No
We tried to make the web albums as for each package took all the above
No All aspects similar as possible – limiting thumbnail elements into account.
No Yes
No Yes
Thumbnail size, main image size and quality Thumbnail size, main image size and basic quality WEB DESIGN
Yes Yes
FTP Web
P
ublishing your images to a web
No/No Yes/Yes, plus VCD and DVD disc gallery template is all very well,
but the creative process doesn’t
37% 82% stop with Photoshop. If you want to create a
77% 75% website that does full justice to your work,
you should consider investing time and
80% 75% money in dedicated web-design software.
57% 78% Microsoft Front Page (£120) offers a
powerful yet user-friendly introduction to site
design and layout, enabling you to work in a
familiar WYSIWYG window or tackle the raw
VERDICT HTML code as you become more confident.
Macromedia Dreamweaver MX (£340) is
more expensive but comes with an
unparalleled array of visual tools, enabling
esigning an image-based website isn’t its album templates are limited and somewhat ugly. So, you to create professional-looking websites.
D difficult, but it is time-consuming. Images

have to be organised, re-sized and
the more experienced user has two real options.
Datadosen’s elegant and simple JAlbum freeware
Step beyond HTML and you can create
multimedia content that combines your
compressed, then integrated into HTML pages that focuses solely on the creation of web pages from your photos with audio or video animation –
themselves need a certain amount of design thought images, and it does that almost faultlessly. Its ability to Macromedia Flash MX (£420) will test your
and work. None of the packages on test have the range grow with scripts and user-defined styles and skins talent and technical knowledge in equal
of functionality required to give you complete creative should give it a long shelf-life. measure. But you don’t need to spend this
control – at the least you’ll want a web editor to tweak But the most impressive package overall is Ulead’s kind of money at first. Begin by looking at
the final pages and add other content to your website. Photo Explorer 8.0. It has an excellent multimedia file the simple HTML code that makes up any
Having said that, several packages stand out as browser offering a range of batch-adjust and cataloguing web page – just open them in Word or
offering excellent time-saving and organisational options, plus customisable web gallery pages, including Notepad, and basic web editors can be had
abilities. If you’re new to digital imaging, Nova’s Photo EXIF data, audio comments and page layouts. Photo for free from any of the download sites.
Explosion Deluxe is a handy image editor, has a great Explorer will complement your image editor, making it HTML is easy to learn and there are plenty
image browser and some fun publishing features (such easier to enjoy and share your images and movie clips of online guides – you should be able to
as panorama stitching and DVD slideshow software) but instead of leaving them languishing on your hard drive. alter basic features in a matter of hours.

Trailblazers
Travel the world, see interesting things and shoot them
WINNER! THE GREAT WALL, CHINA YVONNE SCHNELL

“This picture was taken with a Canon PowerShot Pro90 IS”
02
02 Photographed by: 03 Photographed by:
Phil Hodkinson Dave Perkins
Location: Kerala, Southern India Location: Mont St. Michel, France
Camera used: Canon Camera used: Sony Cyber-shot
PowerShot S30 DSC-F707
Trailblazers 03

05
04
07 204 Photographed by:
Charles Phillips
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Camera used: FujiFilm
FinePix 6900
06
205 Photographed by:
Richard Cheesmar
Location: Vietnam
GET YOUR PICTURE FRAMED!
Camera used: Sony Cyber-shot Send them in and the best gets framed and returned. We’re looking for
DSC-F505V landmarks, unusual events or just something fabulously composed. Start
planning that trip away! ■ Email us at gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
206 Photographed by:

Troy Bertrand This month, you have mostly been to…
Location: Houston, Texas
Camera used:
Minolta DiMAGE F100
207 Photographed by: 3 1

Paul Stevens 4
Location: Dambulla, Sri Lanka 6
Camera used: 2 5
7
Minolta DiMAGE EX
Trailblazers
YOUR PHOTOS DAY IN THE LIFE
EMAIL US! Send in your life – see opposite!
01
MEET MARC CASS
A professional stuntman for the past

14 years, Marc has starred in
numerous high-profile movies
including Die Another Day, Saving
Private Ryan and Titanic as well as
regular TV appearances in 999, Cracker
and The Bill. He has also worked as a
stunt coordinator on Captain Corelli’s
Mandolin, Harry Potter 1 and 2. Marc
has an extensive range of skills
including stunt car and bike driving,
wire work, fencing, bungee jumping,
parachuting, underwater work, stunt
fights and falls. He can currently be
seen performing stunt driving duties
in Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines.
The stuntman
From celebrity stand-in to human fireball, it’s all in a day’s work for Marc Cass, as these pictures prove
ork on big budget TV or movie shoots the job. Naturally, this isn’t without its difficulties: If a stuntman makes a mistake he can be out of
W typically involves an early start for

Marc, who’s usually up, dressed and on
the lighting, sun and shadows need to be in
exactly the right position for him to replicate the
work for six months."
Marc reckons that age also takes its toll on the
location by 7am. Once he arrives and has actor’s actions, and there’s always the danger professional stuntman. "The ground gets harder
breakfast, he’s off to have his hair and make-up that something can go wrong. "I’m more as you get older; the bruises last longer.” To
done, have his costume fitted, and rehearse his concerned about getting the stunt right than in compensate, Marc spends most of his days off
scenes (especially important if wire and harness how dangerous it can be," he says. "You don’t keeping fit, typically going to the gym five days a
work is involved). want to end up potentially ruining a £250,000 set week when he’s not working. He also works
Marc can spend much of his 14-hour day or snookering the actor. There are a lot of people increasingly as a stunt coordinator where he
sitting around waiting to be called into action by – the crew, actors and director – who need you to develops and shoots action scenes that other
the director. If he’s working as a stunt double – as get it right." stuntmen perform. "When I started it was all
he did on The Avengers and Dollar For The Dead It’s surprising, then, that Marc has had about the money, but now I want to feel
– he also has to learn to run, jump, walk, fight, relatively few accidents – his worst being on the challenged, enthusiastic and passionate about the
ride horses in exactly the same way as the actor set of Cracker, where a bad fall compressed work I do," he says. Marc’s biggest challenge,
does, only stepping in at the moment when the several of his vertebrae. "If you’re a secretary and though, has still to come: his ambition is to
action becomes too frenetic for the thesp to do you make a mistake, it’s not that big a problem. become an action movie director… 02

Now it’s over to you: we want your life in our hands (or on these pages anyway). If
4
CONTACT you have a visually interesting job that you think might make a good Dayinthelife,
US please email us today at: [e] editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
T BE INSPIRED! www.marccass.com
03
Dayinthelife a
i h lif
01 It’s dangerous work…
Marc is flung sideways through a
window using an air-ram, during the
closing bridge battle sequence in
Saving Private Ryan.
02 Careful with that chip pan

As in-house stuntman for BBC TV
series, 999, Marc was called to
04 perform dangerous jobs on a daily
basis. Here he dons a fireproof suit
and silicon gel mask to demonstrate
the dangers of chip pan fires.
03 Falling fast
Marc takes a fall from a balcony as
Emilio Estevez’ double during the
06 filming of 1998 Hollywood western,
Dollar For The Dead.
07
04 Walking the walls
Marc doubles for Emilio Estevez
during this shoot-out scene in Dollar
04 For The Dead – air-rams fire the
stuntman into the air, enabling him to
apparently run down the walls of the
cellar, guns blazing.
05 Stunt double to the stars

Marc has a chat with Emilio Estevez.
Marc also doubled for Eddie Izzard in
the film version of The Avengers.
06 Out of the fire…

Marc is flung into the air as an
explosion goes off behind him during
a specially commissioned photo shoot
05 for the Daily Star.
07 …and falling to earth

08 Same shoot, different angle. Marc
uses specially designed ‘stunt’
boxes to break his fall. Performing
stunts like this need a lot of
experience and equipment – Marc
has plenty of both.
08 The human torch

Tough day at the office? Then just
imagine being chained to a crateful
of Molotov cocktails and then being
on fire for a living. But Marc’s more
worried about getting the stunt
wrong, than being injured.

JUST ADD SOUND…
IN FUTURE MUSIC…
> EXCLUSIVE SOFTWARE
AND HARDWARE REVIEWS
> INTERVIEWS WITH
CUTTING EDGE MUSICIANS
> ‘MAKE A TRACK IN A DAY’
FM CELEBRITY CHALLENGE
> REMIX A FAMOUS TRACK!
> READERS’ STUDIO MAKEOVERS
> EXTENSIVE TUTORIALS
> HUGE BUYING GUIDE,
OVER 700 PRODUCTS RATED!
ON SALE NOW
GET 6 ISSUES FOR JUST £20! YOU GET £10 OFF AND EVERY ISSUE DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR (INCLUDING FREE DELIVERY IN UK)
SUBSCRIPTION HOTLINE 0870 444 8467 (QUOTING CODE: DCH06, OFFER ENDS 31/03/03)
Viewfinder
We want your letters! Email us at letters.dcm@futurenet.co.uk and we’ll print the best
Interact >
Digital Camera’s website forums offer a wide
range of topics, advice and tips for newcomers
Star Letter PhotoImpact 8 winner
Memory matters
I’ve been reading your magazine for the
and experienced snappers alike. This month, past three issues. Based on your excellent
your attention turned to the relative merits of camera tests, I decided to splash out on my
Photoshop Elements vs Paint Shop Pro... first digital camera, the Konica KD-400Z, which
Ricoh’s missing features you gave 90%. I’m pleased to say that I’m
dPeter Wass asked: “I wondered if people Far be it from me to accuse your journalists of delighted with it!
could give me their opinion about the rushing their reviews, but the spread on the Ricoh In three weeks I’m off to New York and
advantages of Photoshop Elements compared Caplio RR-30 (March) forgot to mention one of the Toronto for an eight-day holiday and need
to Paint Shop Pro 7 (PSP7). I presently have camera’s most prominent features. some memory cards to store as many pictures
PSP7, but It seems that most people on this Having used the RR-30, I can tell you that its as possible. My camera can use Memory Sticks, Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMediaCards (MMC).
list are fans of Elements, or for those with biggest selling point is its claimed shutter response I’ve noticed that MMC cards seem to be the cheapest of the three options. Does this mean they are
more money, Photoshop. I think I understand time of 0.25 seconds which, to my knowledge, is inferior in any way?
the advantage of Photoshop due to the the fastest on the market at any price. This is I’m thinking of buying three 64MB cards which should be enough for 120 maximum quality pics.
overall power of the program. However, I was worth mentioning because slow response is a real I’d really appreciate any advice you can give me.
wondering if there is any good reasons for me bane of digital cameras. The Ricoh also shows an Neil Genge
to purchase Elements?” unusual amount of control over exposure for such
an inexpensive camera, multiple shot capability DCM MultiMediaCards are cheaper than their SD and Memory Stick rivals, partly due to
dLeslie Nicholson replied: “Not really Peter, and automatic time-lapse. economies of scale – mass-production helps manufacturers buy in or make parts cheaper
I think it’s like buying a car – some models The information you printed suggested the and there’s more competition from rival companies all targeting the same consumers, but
appeal; some don’t. The grass is greener reviewer had spent about 30 minutes with the also because MMC is an established technology with less wastage due to product failure
springs to mind – if what you have is doing camera. The overall judgement wasn’t necessarily during manufacture. SD and Memory Stick, by
the job for you, why change? I have Elements unfair, but it would have been a stronger piece contrast, are still relatively new which makes
and, for photographic manipulation, it’s with a bit more detail and a sense that the them more expensive. We suggest in any case
excellent. I have tried PS7, but I can’t justify camera had been examined to more obviously you only buy cards recommended by the camera
the cost. I’ve even tried doing tutorials made expose its strengths and limitations. manufacturer. Third-party cards may look
for 7, with Elements and you can get round John Dunn cheaper on paper but, in practice, reliability
most things reasonably well.” problems and iffy build could mean you either
DCM We aim to ensure that every camera we lose your precious shots or, worse still, cause
dDave Tyrer added: “The cloning brush in test is given as comprehensive an evaluation some damage your camera. In either case, the
Photoshop Elements is great – a real plus. as possible, and this was certainly the case camera maker is unlikely to be sympathetic
But PSP7 is great for image mapping when with Ricoh Caplio RR-30. As far as we’re should you try to claim against your warranty.
doing web stuff – it depends what you concerned the 0.25-second shutter response This month’s Star Letter wins a copy of Ulead’s
want to use it for. Both are good for post time isn’t as big a deal as it first appears, since PhotoImpact 8.
processing pictures it still takes the camera time to focus before
your shot is captured. The only way you can
dJim Madden liked neither: “I use Adobe achieve 0.25 sec is when you focus into the an optional DVD version, I asked my newsagent to advertise the option of the DVD mag when you
at work but hate the ground it works on. Corel distance. The other features you mention obtain that one. We’re in February now and the can’t deliver?
has all the tools of Photoshop, but has the aren’t likely to appeal to the vast majority of copy that has turned up is the CD version. I’ve Brian Walker
extra advantage of having a full set of tools – amateur photographers either. complained to my newsagent, who says he
Corel is easier to use, faster more stable… ordered the DVD version but the CD DCM Unfortunately, unforeseen technical
Where’s my DVD? one is only available. He problems stop the issue 4 cover DVD in its
9 Now it’s your turn! I order your magazine through has sent the CD tracks at the last moment and we were left
To join this discussion and others like it, go to a newsagent, and when I version back to his either getting out the CD-ROM version as
our website forums at read your comment suppliers in another normal one putting the magazine on sale late,
www.dcmag.co.uk/forum
in the February attempt to obtain the DVD which really wouldn’t have done at all. To
edition magazine, but I don’t hold make amends, there’s definitely a DVD version
about out much hope. Why do you available of this issue now for the foreseeable

Inspired!
Have our tutorials and ideas sparked something? Send in your
examples and we’ll print the best every month, to
gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
Fast photo
At the time of this shot
of bike racer, Valentino
Rossi, I was working in
the Formula One
Tell us what you want! business and managed
to get a paddock pass
Every issue, it’s our aim to improve the magazine. for the 2-wheeled
Write in to letters.dcm@futurenet.co.uk race weekend at the
Brno Moto GP in the
He wanted… He wanted… She wanted… Czech Republic. I
Steve Fothergill was Neil Spruce wanted Lyn Green wanted to found a bit of track
unable to try out to know if we plan buy a back issue of just inside the first
issue 5’s ‘Eggman’ to sell binders so he DCM via our website, corner where I could
tutorial because we can keep his copies of but we’ve yet to offer shoot with an unobstructed view.
forgot to put the images on the mag in good condition. such a facility Many of my shots were of Valentino (above). The style, colour of his leathers and bike all
the disc! add to the attraction. The shot was captured using a Canon D60 in sport mode with a
He got… She got… 35-350mm lens. The only thing I did to the image post-shoot was crop the left-hand side
He got… We don’t have any plans to A promise to do better in the
using Microsoft Photo Editor.
We’ve posted the pics on our introduce binders at present, future, although you can buy
website at www.dcmag.co.uk but watch this space… the current issue or subscribe. Bonnie Lane
Fantastic picture, Bonnie. Does anyone else have any cracking action shots they’d
WRITE Every issue, we aim to improve some aspect of the magazine. Email
your suggestions to letters.dcm@futurenet.co.uk and the Editor, in his
like to send in?
IN great wisdom, will decide what you deserve…

TODAY! FinePix portrait
I took this photo of my daughter, Maisie,
after reading your article on taking better
future. We look forward to hearing about what macro modes these days, they typically have a portraits (issue 4). The shot was taken using
you think of the disc and its contents, and if macro range of 10-20cm, which isn’t really a FujiFilm FinePix S602 Zoom in natural light
you have any burning suggestions for content close to enough to meets your needs. Instead with the camera in portrait mode and using
you’d like us to include. we suggest you try the Olympus C-5050, manual focus.
reviewed on page 30, which has a Marianne Archer
Up-close cameras super-macro mode of just
I’m thinking of buying a digital camera, preferably 1cm, or opt for a digital Thanks Marianne. This shot just goes to
under £350, and I’m looking for something SLR with macro lens. show that you don’t need an expensive
especially good at close-up photography – insects, studio or extensive lighting to create
Olympus’s C-5050
tropical fish, plants, flowers and so on. I’ve packs in 5 megapixels beautiful portraits.
been reading your reviews and not much and boasts a 1cm macro
is said on this aspect – the focus tends range to boot
to be on the overall image quality
and colour balance. What would
you recommend? Manchester moors
David McKane I took this shot during a winter
walk on the moors between
DCM You’ll be pleased to Huddersfield and Manchester,
hear that you can find two using a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P71.
articles on the subject of Who said it was grim up north?
macro photography in this issue. Karl Dines
You can find out how to shoot close up
of plants and animals in our spring Not us that’s for sure. To prove
photo feature on page 16, and there is a it you can find lots more exotic
macro photography tutorial on page 82. northern sights in this month’s
Although most digital cameras come with GetUp&Go section, including
spooky tour of Whitby Abbey.

Website @
Visit Digital Camera
Magazine online!
The UK’s best digital photography magazine has a fantastic community site on
the internet – and we want you to join in today!
O
ver the past few months we’ve turned Digital Camera Magazine readers, discuss each month’s
dcmag.co.uk into one of the UK’s biggest and issues, swap tips and techniques, add your own kit
most dynamic digital photo communities, and reviews, read our tutorials, post your pictures and more!
we hope you’ll pop along! You can click straight through from our camera reviews,
We put up articles from every issue of the magazine for to the relevant page at one of the UK’s top retailers,
you to download, plus you can meet the team online in and buy it. Nobody else offers you such a simple,
our forums and talk about specific issues and ideas you comprehensive service. What are you waiting for? Visit
want to share. You’ll be able to meet thousands of other dcmag.co.uk today!
Our homepage Our forums Our reviews

4
01
01
4
01
02
02
02
03 03
03
Your magazine online Join our community of enthusiasts Comprehensive reviews from every issue
Discover tutorials, reviews, buyer guides, tips and Each month meet up with other digital photography Looking to buy a new piece of kit – camera,
places to meet and discuss each issue with other fans and let off steam, swap ideas, get help, add accessory or piece of software, perhaps? We’ll put
digital photography enthusiasts and users. your own reviews and much more! our reviews online so you’re fully informed.
01 Buy kit online 01 Chat on our forums 01 Clear kit pictures
Link through to retailer websites and you can buy your Add your opinions to our ongoing discussions about We make it easy to inspect the kit you’re buying
cameras via the internet, in several simple steps – it’s any aspect of digital photography that interests you – before you part with your hard-earned cash.
so easy! we want to hear it all!
02 Comprehensive camera tests
02 Become a member and get more 02 Talk about kit We put each camera through its paces so you know
Don’t just look – become a member and you’ll gain Post your own comments on our kit reviews – it’s the exactly what to expect if you do decide to buy it.
access to all the magazine’s material and extras, too! best way to access both Digital Camera Magazine’s
opinion of a camera, and the opinion of other users! 03 Clear verdicts
03 Search for a review We make it obvious what each camera offers you.
We have tons of reviews up there already and, as we 03 Tell us about the mag The verdict is a combination of the scores achieved
grow, there’ll be thousands more added. Start now and Tell us what you like and don’t like about the mag, by the camera for its features, images, build and value
you won’t miss out. and how you think we can do better. Get writing! for money.
The most comprehensive digital camera site... visit www.dcmag.co.uk today!

SECTION #02 YOUR IMAGES
CREATIVE PROJECT PAGE
58
PHOTO SURREALISM
This ethereal face you see opposite was inspired by
Canadian architecture. Derek Lea tells the story
PHOTO CLINIC PAGE
64
REJUVENATE AN OLD PHOTO
The story of a precious baby photo, worse for wear
but now restored after years inside a wallet
PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS PAGE
68
HOW TO SOLVE FLASH ERRORS AND USE FILTERS
The most common flash niggles, indoors and out,
plus using filters to dramatic effect in Elements
PAINT SHOP PRO TUTORIAL PAGE

CREATIVE PROJECT
72
CREATE SIMPLE 3D EFFECTS
PHOTO SURREALISM Change the perspective of your photos using clever
SEE PAGE 58 drop shadow, blurring and lighting effects
PHOTO CLINIC
SEE PAGE 64
PAGE PAGE
68 72
Your images
Making and creating better pictures
Tutorials you can trust! Contact our editorial team
f #
Our aim is to bring you creative ideas, expert tips and image files, and full or trial software so you can try the If you have a comment, suggestion, idea or
quick fixes you can use in your own work. tutorial for yourself, delivering a complete package. submission you would like to make, please
Authoritative A leading professional in his/her field Clear Our large page size means we can add extra email us at editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk You
writes every tutorial. Value-added We try to include elements, explanations and detail to each tutorial. can also visit our website at www.dcmag.co.uk
PROJECT PHOTO SURREALISM
YOUR GUIDE DEREK LEA

Derek's work blends photography, illustration and digital art. He has won a number of
awards and is a contributing author of New Masters of Photoshop
derek@dereklea.com PORTFOLIO DEREK LEA WEBSITE WWW.DEREKLEA.COM
Building an
architectural face
Follow digital artist Derek Lea as he combines a simple portrait with images of
architectural details to create this surreal and compelling creature
Rainy days
T 3 TOOL SCHOOL
he idea for this creative project came from
PROJECT
Matthew Harvey, art editor of Computer Arts I set out on foot into Toronto on a freezing cold, rainy
KEY DETAILS magazine. Harv contacted me about an idea day. Despite the discomfort of shooting in the cold, the
2 ON OUR DISC he had for a cover image of a special Photoshop
supplement and wanted me to work on it. We agreed
overcast conditions proved useful in keeping the contrast
of my images to a minimum without any highlights or
LAYERS PALETTE
Here in the Layers palette sub-
■ IMAGE FILES
All the elements you need to menu, is where you will find
he would supply the photo of a model and I would add heavy shadows. I used a lens with excellent range
recreate this architectural face in functions like merge layer set
Photoshop are on the coverdisc some patterns to her eyes and figure out a way to (Nikkor 24-120) because some detail was close up and duplicate layer set.
make her look surreal and otherworldly. and some far away.
2 SKILL LEVEL I usually send art editors a detailed sketch of what I I actually ended up using a different model for the
7 1 plan to do and follow it closely while working on the
image but we agreed that some flexibility was
face in this project, (she was photographed with my
Fujifilm Finepix S2 Pro) and the architectural detail is
2 TIME TO COMPLETE necessary here. We tossed around some ideas involving different to the Computer Arts piece, although I did leave
4 HOURS ornate wooden furniture and intricate metal work but

after looking around, I decided that the architectural
details on some buildings in my home city of Toronto’s
a few of the original aspects in. The result was this
strange and compelling creature you see opposite.
The following tutorial was done in Photoshop 7 in
financial district were perfect. CMYK mode since the destination was print.
FIND A MODEL SHOOT THE ARCHITECTURE DIFFERENT ANGLES

A The face shot was done at close range with a B Almost all of the architectural detail that I C Here’s an example of how some pieces of
single light source. The light was positioned wanted to shoot were up high. Wherever architectural detail were shot at different
centrally to make the shadows believable when we flip possible I tried to stand on things like newspaper boxes, angles with their end uses in mind. This piece was likely
half of the face over to replace the other half. This will steps, or in some cases even parked cars so that the to curve around the side of her cheek that is why it was
give the face a more alien feel. perspective of the resulting shot would be more dead on. photographed on this slight angle.

Everything you need to
create this image is on your CD
All
All the images
images, filters
filters and plug-ins you
you need to
to
cre
create this image areare on your
your co
cover CD.
CD. All
All
images
images are
are © to
to Derek
Derek LeLea.
2 CDA/tutorials/
FACE
face
ace.tif
DETAIL
detail1.psd
detail1.psd
DETAIL
detail2.psd
detail2.psd
DETAIL
detail3.psd
detail3.psd
DETAIL
detail4.psd
detail4.psd
TOP TIP Adding a stack of individually masked layers to a set gives you the opportunity to add a layer set mask, affecting all of the individual layers together, yet leaving their individual masks intact
STAGE 1 2
INITIAL FACE
ADJUSTMENTS
There are some preparations and
manipulation we’ll need to do to
the face to make it look smooth
and alien before we start adding
any architectural details.
0 EXPERT TIP
DUPLICATE THE BACKGROUND ADD A LAYER MASK SOFTEN THE MASK EFFECT
DEREK LEA 01 First, make a duplicate of the background 02 Use the rectangular marquee tool (m) to select 03 To soften the hard line left by the marquee
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
layer. Choose duplicate layer from the Layers the left side of the layer. Next, from the layer tool, select the brush tool (b) and choose a
LAYER BLENDING palette sub menu or drag the background layer onto the menu choose Layer8Add Layer Mask8Hide selection. large soft brush. Open the Brush palette (click the toggle
MODES Create New Layer icon. Select your duplicate layer and We’re going to duplicate one half of the face. Don’t worry button). Disable any dynamics or pressure sensitivity
The various blending modes of
choose Edit8Transform8Flip Horizontal from the menu. about the hard line dividing the images on the layers. options and paint using 100% black on the layer mask.
the layers can help greatly in
terms of time and flexibility in
your files. Here, we have used
the Darken Blending mode.
This affords us the luxury of
painting a little sloppier, which
is much quicker. When darken
is selected, only areas that are
lighter on underlying layers will
be affected. So when we paint
over the edge of her jaw with
a dark flesh it won’t go onto
our very dark background.
Further down the pipe you’ll
also see the uses of lighten
and colour blending modes.
CLONE OUT THE BLEMISHES MAKE HER SMOOTH PAINT HER SKIN
04 Create a new layer and select the clone stamp 05 Concentrate on her forehead, cheeks, and 06 To lessen the intensity of her pores create a
tool (s). Make sure that Use All Layers is above her lips. Try varying the size and opacity new layer and select the paintbrush. Using
enabled. Hold down the option key and click to sample a of the clone stamp tool to achieve a softer, less drastic light opacity settings (25-50%), sample colours from the
smooth area then click on the blemishes to cover them effect in some areas. You can access the size and opacity image using the eyedropper tool (option), and slowly
using the smoother skin from your sampled area. controls for this tool in the brushes presets palette. paint over her pores until they start to appear smooth.
IN FOCUS Using layers to blur the image

ADDING SOME BLUR
08
? EXPLAINED Use the blur tool (r) on a new layer with the Use all layers function enabled in the tool options bar. Again,
select a nice large brush and set varying strength settings. Go ahead and paint over any areas that you think
STACKING need to be softened further. Concentrate on the jaw, ears, and the sides of her head as well as any visible hairline.
I invented this term to describe
building up a group of layers for a USE ALL LAYERS
specific part or element of the This is a very handy function for what we are
image. When you pile duplicate doing here. This function is essential when you
layers on top of each other with
need to blur the contents of the image while
various blending modes, adding
adjustment and colour layers within preserving the flexibility that layers offer us.
selections generated from SOFTEN HER JAW With this enabled the blur tool creates softened
underlying layers, the result is 07 Create a new layer and set the blend mode to pixels on our empty layer by sampling the pixels
called a stack. It’s a good idea to darken so the background is unaffected. With from layers below.
link your stacked layers or place the brush tool, sample some darker areas from the jaw
them into a set to move or
using the eyedropper (option). With a soft brush and low
transform them as a group.
opacity gently paint over the edges of the jaw line.

…PAINT SHOP PRO …PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS …PHOTOIMPACT
4
CREATING LAYER Found in the Masks palette. To learn more go to Doesn’t have layer masks built in, so you’ll need to be creative. Accessible from the Mask Mode button in the status bar. More
MASKS IN… http://tiemdesign.com/HOWTO/2001/June/PSP7SMask/ Go to www.arraich.com/elements/pse_mmultilayermasks1.htm info at http://solo.abac.com/streamrdr/tutorials/masks.html
STAGE 2 2 IN FOCUS Using the Levels function

ADJUSTMENT LAYERS
ADJUSTING LEVELS SLIDERS There are three CHANNELS We did an overall
By using adjustment layers we 09 Create a levels adjustment sliders in this window, adjustment to the image
can change colour without
layer (choose one from the operating the levels, the with all channels selected
causing any deterioration to the
bottom of the Layers palette). Darken midtones and the here. You can, however,
image. Also we can go back and
the shadow and brighten the highlights. highlights. Drag them adjust the levels of individual
edit our adjustment layers at
Duplicate the adjustment layer like we right and left to darken colour channels here too.
any point later on, should we
did earlier and reduce its opacity to 20% or brighten different
change our minds.
then set the mode to soft light to parts of the image.
enhance the contrast further.
WHITER EYES
0 EXPERT TIP 10 Draw two closed paths around the eyes. In the
paths palette, click on the load path as a
DEREK LEA
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT selection button. Create a Selective colour adjustment
layer in the Layers palette. Select whites from the menu
MAKEUP AND MODELS
It is important to think differently
and use the sliders to brighten the white bits of the eyes.
when shooting digital photos for
the purpose of Photoshop work.
You will notice that we simulate
the look of dark lipstick digitally
as opposed to putting it on our
model. The reason being, if we
decided to not use the lipstick it
would be much harder to remove
it. It is easier to add darker areas
of colour than take them away.
When shooting models for this
purpose you should use a
minimum of makeup to
keep your options open.
THE IRIS HUES

11 Draw closed paths over the irises. Generate a
selection from the paths and create a new
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer in the Layers palette.
? EXPLAINED Increase the saturation to about +46, and adjust the hue
to about -33 – this will change her eyes to a bright green.
CLOSED PATH
A closed path is simply an enclosed
shape drawn using the path tool.
You simply need to work your way
back to the original point of your
shape when drawing it to close it
up. It is important to make sure
your paths are closed when you’re
creating them for the purpose of
generating selections from them.
BLENDING MODE
This defines how a layer will react
with underlying layers, ie. how it
will blend in with the rest of the
image underneath. By default, all
new layers have a blending mode
of normal. But feel free to BRIGHTEN THE IRISES MASK THE LIPS ADJUST THE LIPS
experiment – blending modes are 12 In the paths palette, load the iris paths as 13 Enter quickmask mode (q). Select the brush
14 Invert the selection (command-shift-I) so the
powerful things, and when you
start combining various layers with a selection again. Create a new levels tool and a soft edged brush. Adjust the size of lips are the active selection. Create a new
different blending modes the adjustment layer and increas the highlights/darken the the brush to something you feel comfortable using. Paint levels adjustment layer in the Layers palette. Brighten the
results can be quite interesting. shadows in all channels. Select the black channel and with an opacity setting of 100% and a foreground colour highlights, darken the shadows considerably and darken
make a similar adjustment to that channel only. of black until you have painted over her lips entirely. the magenta midtones to increase the pink colour.

TOP TIP Toggle your brush sizes up and down quickly using the [ ] keys. The [ key decrease the brush size and the ] key increases it
STAGE 3 2 IN FOCUS Using the Free-Transform

ADDING DETAILS
ADD SOME DETAIL SKEW Grab a central DISTORT/PERSPECTIVE
With our face image prepared, it
is now time to bring in some of
15 In the file: details1.psd, point and hold command Hold down command
draw a rough selection to skew. Hold down the and move a corner
the architectural elements from
around the detail with the shift key to constrain point to freely distort
the other files.
polygonal lasso tool. Hold down movement to the x or y the box. Hold down
command and drag it as a new axis. Hold down the command-option-
layer. Move it to the right cheek option key to skew out shift and move a corner
3 IN DETAIL area and use Edit8Free Transform

(command-t) from the menu to
from the central point. point to distort the
perspective of the box.
LAYERS PALETTE rotate, resize, distort and scale it.
SPHERIZE
Direct your attention to the bottom
of the Layers palette. Here there
16 Draw a square marquee on this layer so the
are buttons which prove useful detail is on the right side. Choose Filter8Distort
throughout the tutorial: the 8Spherize. Change the amount to 100 so it’s wrapped
adjustment layers pull-down
around an invisible sphere. The detail size will increase;
menu, create a new layer, create a
just use free-transform again to resize it correctly.
layer set, and add layer mask.
STACKING LAYERS
17 Duplicate the layer and change the blending
mode to overlay to snap up the contrast.
Command-click the layer icon in the Layers palette then
create a new levels adjustment layer. Brighten the detail
midtones and highlights in the levels dialog box.
0 EXPERT TIP
DEREK LEA
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
DRAG LAYERS STACKING CONTINUED MAKE A NEW LAYER SET MASK THE SET
As well as using the Move tool to 18 Make a selection from the detail layers. Create
19 Use the Create a new set button in the bottom
20 Take your time here. Use a number of different
drag one image from its window
onto another open window you a new layer on top with a blending mode of of the Layers palette to make a new layer set. sized soft brushes with varying opacity settings
can drag layers straight from the colour. Sample a facial colour close to the detail with the Drag all of your detail layers in from top to bottom so on your layer set mask to gently mask out the edges of
Layers palette. eydropper tool. Fill the selection on the colour layer with they’re in the right order. Click Add a layer at the bottom the architectural detail. In areas like the right side you‘ll
your new foreground colour (option-delete) and deselect. of the Layers palette to add a mask to the layer set. need some harder edged brushes to create a sharp edge.

4
New Masters of Photoshop, published by Friends of Ed.
LEARN MORE ABOUT (www.friendsofed.com) gives tips on image combining techniques,
PHOTOSHOP TECHNIQUES as well as inspiration and insight into this kind of creative process
STAGE 4 2
MORE DETAILS
Following the same method
of transforming, duplicating,
stacking, creating sets, and
masking, we’ll add in the rest
of the detail to the right side
of the face.
ANOTHER SET THE EYEBROW MASK THE BROW

21 In details2.psd, make a selection. Drag your
22 Open the file details3.psd and make a
23 Select a small, soft brush and mask out the
selection to the working file. Make another selection from the existing path. Drag the hard detail. Use a larger soft brush to remove
stack of layers, put it in a new set, free-transform the contents into the working file as a new layer. Use free- the bit at the upper right. Use the radial gradient tool with
detail set, using masking techniques to blend it. Create a transform to place the piece over the right eyebrow. Do a setting of foreground to transparent and a foreground
new layer with a lighten mode and use colours sampled the same stacking technique as for the two previous sets, colour of black to create a smooth gradient near the
from her skin to paint over the shadows on her cheek. put the layers in a new set and add a mask to the set. bridge of her nose to blend the detail in to that area.
? EXPLAINED
SAMPLING
Something you do when using
tools like the paintbrush or the
stamp clone tool. Often sampling
is performed using the option key
when you have a specific tool
selected. With the clone stamp
tool, sampling defines the origin
point of the part of the image you
will replicate. When using the
paintbrush tool, sampling accesses
the eydropper tool to select which
colour you will paint with.
24 LIGHTEN THE BROW ADD A CURL POSITION THE CURL

Create a new layer and change the blending
25 Bring in the area outlined in a path from the
26 In file:details1.psd, make a selection from the
mode to lighten. Using colours sampled from file details4.psd as a new layer. Do the entire existing path. Make a stack, a set, add a mask,
the image and soft brushes with varying opacities, paint transform, stack, set, mask process again and make this and use free-transform to reshape it to surround the
over darker areas of the eyebrow that still remain visible. curl look like it belongs just above the detail on her brow. previous curl. Drag this new set under the previous set.
STAGE 5 2
THE FINISHING TOUCHES
Now that we have introduced the
detail to the right we need to
copy it to the left. And also it is
time to adjust her skin tone to
something less natural.
MERGE THE SETS DUPLICATE THE SET COLOUR ADJUSTMENTS

27 With your set selected, choose merge layer set 28 With this set selected, choose duplicate layer 29 Create a selective colour adjustment layer and
from the Layers palette sub menu (converts set from the Layers palette sub-menu. Now in the neutrals section, boost the cyan values
your set to a single layer with a mask). Drag all the layers choose edit8Transform8Flip Horizontal from the menu. and reduce magenta and yellow. On a new layer with a
into it that make up your architectural details, from top to Use the move tool (v) while holding down the shift key to blending mode of colour and an opacity of 10%, fill the
bottom so that they stay in their current order. move it horizontally into place, to the left of the image. entire area with a foreground colour of c58 m13 y24 k4.

PHOTO CLINIC RESTORATION
YOUR GUIDE ED DAVIS
Ed Davis is a London-based advertising and corporate photographer with many years
experience of studio and location photography. He specialises in image manipulation, and
delivers creative solutions that combine photography and digital technology. He is a member of
NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals)
Equipment used: a scanner and Adobe Photoshop 7
picdesk.dcm@futurenet.co.uk WEBSITE www.ed-davis-photography.co.uk
Rejuvenating an old photo

Using adhesive tape to hold together favourite photographs causes damage over time. Ed Davis shows you how to use Photoshop and a bit
of imagination to reconstruct a ripped and stained picture
W
e’ve all kept photographs in our wallets or This month’s photograph of twins has been stuck together the ripped right-hand corner of the image.
CLINIC handbags over the years, but we’re often together with adhesive tape. As the photograph Our task is to end up with a photograph that
CHALLENGE US unaware of the damage this causes until has aged, the glue has dried out, turned brown doesn’t look as if it’s been retouched. Since the
2 THE READER
we take a photograph out to show our friends and
discover the picture is bent, creased or has fallen
and separated from the cellophane. A brown
stain is visible under the left-hand baby’s head,
picture is so badly damaged – with chunks of it
missing – the solution is to frame the final print in an
ANTHONY STONE
Anthony was given this photo apart. This may be our only photograph of a close hiding the collar and leaving a brow line across the oval shape to give the impression that the image
of his twin cousins. He sent us
relative or friend. photograph. An attempt has been made to stick carries on behind the frame.
a scan of the image because
he was curious to see how
well a pro could restore it!
2 CHALLENGE LEVEL
8 1
BEFORE The photograph is ripped, stained
and the twins’ legs have been lost AFTER The photograph looks natural and the
babies are sitting on a traditional fur rug
2 TIME TO REPAIR
10 HOURS
2 NOW SEND YOURS!

Contact us via email with a 100K
JPEG attached and, if we like it,
we’ll get in touch!
Email us today at:
picdesk.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
8
04
The photograph has ripped, and is covered in brown glue 02 MISSING BACKGROUND 04 MISSING LEGS AND FEET
stains from an attempt to hold it together with adhesive Solution: Separate the twins from the background, Solution: Reconstruct some of the twins’ legs from the
Photo tape. The surface is cracked, revealing the white paper

under the emulsion and the legs have been chopped off.
create a larger area to work with and centralise
the twins.
existing image, and recreate the arm. Use the Copy and
Paste and Free Transform tools.
Clinic
01 BROWN STAINING 03 RIPS, CRACKS AND OVERALL DAMAGE 05 PRESENTATION
Solution: Remove the colour, leaving only one tonal range Solution: Retouch the image using Copy and Paste, the Solution: Create shadows, introduce a fur rug for the
and use Desaturation in the Image/Adjustments Menu. Clone tool and the Healing brush to get the picture ready babies to sit on, expand the background and frame the
The image is now monotone. for reconstruction. picture to hide the missing feet.

4
FURTHER Once you have finished retouching a picture, you can think about
INSPIRATION the presentation. An oval surround can enhance the overall effect
STAGE 1
HOW TO GET RID
OF STAINS
Use the Desaturation
command to remove the 2
brown stains left by the dried
out glue of the adhesive tape.
REMOVE THE STAINS DESATURATE THE IMAGE DESATURATION EFFECT

01 An attempt has been made to repair the 02 In the Options Bar, open Image8Adjust8 03 The brown taped areas and the stains are
photograph by applying adhesive tape over Desaturate. This takes away the colour from much easier to retouch when you’re working
the damage. This has since dried out, leaving a brown the image, neutralises some of the stains and gives one with one tonal range – the uniformity of the tone enables
stain. There are also small blemishes on the faces of the tonal range to work with. The warm black and white tone you to produce an evenly retouched picture.
twins, clothing and background. can be recreated later.
STAGE 2 2
HOW TO EXPAND
THE BACKGROUND
Remove the twins from the
existing background, expand
the canvas and centralise
them in the frame.
THE MISSING PICTURE SELECT THE RIGHT SHAPE ENLARGE THE CANVAS
04 There is a great deal of damage to the 05 Changing the shape of the photograph 06 Next, expand the size of the canvas to give
background. Because the twins are in minimises the amount of retouching required. more space around the twins. Click Image8
reasonable condition we are going to concentrate on The twins had to be supported – the helper’s arms, which Canvas Size and, in the dialog box, type a suitable size –
making a new background. are marked in blue, need to be removed. The red marks for example 200%. This increases the background 200%
represent a guess at how the legs might have looked. in each direction and gives you plenty of space.
START REMOVING THE BACKGROUND KEEP REMOVING THE BACKGROUND CREATE A NEW BACKGROUND
07 Use the Lasso Tool from the Tool Bar (L), with a 08 Click on the eye icon of the Background layer, 09 At this stage, you can choose to keep the
feather setting of 1px and make a selection on the Layers palette. The original image will background as near as possible to the original
around one of the twins. Copy (Ctrl + C) and Paste (Ctrl + V) disappear, leaving the twins on a clean surface. From this print, or you can create your own (for example, a studio
the copy on its own layer. Repeat with the other twin. point it is possible to put them on any kind of background. setting, park or at home). Here we’ve sat our twins on a
They can now be moved independently. fur rug in a studio.

PHOTO CLINIC RESTORATION
ONE-CLICK FIX If you are applying a filter or an adjustment and you want to enlarge your image to see the effect more clearly, press Ctrl+ to enlarge and Ctrl- to reduce the size of the image
0 EXPERT TIP
ED DAVIS
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
BACKGROUND
MATERIAL
If you have a fur rug to hand and
a digital camera, you can take a
photograph of it and import it
into Photoshop. If not, look on
the net for a good side view
photograph of a polar bear, Copy
and Paste a section of the fur into
the shape you require.
CREATE A BACKGROUND INSTANT BACKGROUND SOMETHING TO SIT ON
10 Create a new layer, click on the New Layer icon 11 To produce a mottle effect background, change 12 Follow steps 10 and 11 again, but this time
at the bottom of the Layers palette. Then, select the colours in the Set Foreground/Background select the bottom part of the image and add a
the Rectangular Marquee tool from the Tool bar (M), and Colour box on the Tool bar to two different shades of grey. 5px feather to the Rectangular Marquee tool. As before,
click and drag a rectangle from the top-left corner to the On the Option bar, click Filter8Render8Clouds. The area select another two tones of slightly darker grey to give
bottom-right side, level with the babies’ knees. will be filled with a soft, mottled effect. the impression that the babies are sitting on a surface.
GIVE DEPTH TO THE IMAGE CREATE THE FUR RUG FINAL SETTING
13 To give depth to the area the twins are sitting 14 Import an image of a polar bear from the 15 Switch off the layers containing the twins (see
on, click Edit8Transform8Perspective (Ctrl + T), internet. Open the image in Photoshop, step 8), position the fur rug approximately
then drag the handles on the bottom of the box out, and click the Lasso tool in the Tool bar (L) and select an area of where it should be and click and drag. This enables you to
the handles on the top in, in order to distort the area and fur. Copy (Ctrl + C) and Paste the fur onto the photograph see the background, foreground and rug clearly. You can
give it some depth. of the twins (Ctrl + V) and desaturate (step 1) the then turn the layers with the twins on and off until the
photograph of the fur. position is correct.
STAGE 3 2
HOW TO REPAIR AND
RECONSTRUCT THE IMAGE
Reconstruct the ripped pieces,
repair the cracks and clean up the
stains, using the Copy and Paste
technique, the Clone Tool and the
Healing Brush.
CRACKS AND BLEMISHES CREATE THE MISSING LEGS AND ARM BLEND IN
16 Select the Healing brush (J) from the Tool 17 Make a selection around the baby’s arm using 18 In the Tool bar, select the Eraser tool (E), chose
bar, move the cursor over an undamaged the Lasso tool (L), with the feather setting at a soft-edge brush, click on the layer with the
area, hold down the Alt key, click and drag the mouse 1px. Copy (Ctrl + C) and Paste (Ctrl + V), then click new part of the leg, remove any parts that overlap,
to a damaged area and release. Repeat until all the Edit8Free Transform (Ctrl + T), move it into place and leaving a soft edge. To blend the two parts together, click
smaller blemishes are covered. right-click inside the box. Click8Perspective and drag the Image8Adjust8Levels (Ctrl + L) and adjust the tone of the
corners of the box to taper the image to form the leg. new leg using the sliders.

Experiment with a different tone. To give the image a more modern
4
FURTHER feel, leave it back and white and frame it with a black border. There are
INSPIRATION many ways to finish off the retouching – it’s a personal choice
MERGE THE IMAGES NEW SHADOWS PRODUCE SHADOWS

19 Once all the new sections of the twins are in 20 Click on the New Layer icon on the Layers 21 Copy the direction of the lighting and shadows.
position and adjusted, they can be merged palette. Drag the new layer below the twins’ Turn off the twins’ layer. Click the Lasso tool,
into one layer. Turn off the layers that are not part of the layer. Select the layer with the twins, leave cursor on the make a selection around the top of the image and Copy
twins, click on the Eye icon in the Layers palette, then click layer and press Ctrl to make a selection around the objects. and Paste onto its own layer. Click Edit8Transform8Distort
the small arrow in the top-right of the Layers palette, and Click New Layer, pick the Paint Bucket tool (G), set the to the left, open the Filters Palette8Blur8Gaussian Blur
click Merge Visible on the drop-down menu. foreground colour to black and click inside the selection. and use sliders to make it look natural.
IN FOCUS DIFFERENT EFFECTS
RE-COLOURING
23 Before re-colouring, all the layers have to be
merged. Click on the small arrow at the top of
the Layers palette, click on Flatten Image and click
Image8Adjust8Hue/Saturation (Ctrl + U). Click the Colorize
Box and adjust the Hue and Saturation sliders.
@ SEND YOURS!
We want your faded, damaged
pictures today!
Send them in, we’ll fix them up for
free, show everyone how we did it
and send them back restored! FINISHING TOUCHES OVAL SURROUND TONAL EFFECTS
22 As the original photograph Once you have finished Experiment with tonal
The sort of pictures we’re after
was so badly damaged, it retouching the picture, effects – here we’ve left
need to be decent photos which
have become damaged –
would be difficult and time consuming to you can think about the picture back and
unfortunately we can’t make badly reconstruct the whole image including the how to show it off. white and framed it with
composed/shot photos good. background. Framing the photograph is a Once mounted in an a black border
good way to hide what is missing. oval shape, no-one
■ Contact us via email, with a small will suspect the extent
JPEG of the photo attached, and if
of the damage
it’s right for the mag, we’ll get in
@
THE OVAL FRAME
touch. How’s that for a bargain?
Email the following address:
24 Click the Create a New Layer icon on the Layers
palette, pick the Elliptical marquee and select
picdesk.dcm@futurenet.co.uk your frame. Invert the selection (Ctrl + Shift + I), select
Paint Bucket, choose a colour and click inside the selection.

TUTORIAL SOLVING FLASH ERRORS
YOUR GUIDE TIM DALY
Tim has written several books on photography including The Digital Photography
Handbook, The Digital Printing Handbook and The Desktop Photographer, and he
continues to write for The British Journal of Photography and AG. His photographs
have been exhibited across Europe
tim@photocollege.co.uk PORTFOLIO TIM DALY WEBSITE WWW.PHOTOCOLLEGE.CO.UK
Solving flash errors in

Photoshop Elements
There’s no need to dump those less-than-perfect flash photographs in your camera’s wastebasket; try a few simple
edits in Photoshop Elements first. Tim Daly sheds some light on six easy techniques
U
sing your built-in flash unit to add extra light retina. Better digital cameras are usually fitted with a biggest offender of them all: windows. Burn-out is a
TUTORIAL
to your digital images will take many shots to red-eye reduction mode which fires off a weak pre-flash more severe example of the same kind of error, but is
KEY DETAILS master, but Photoshop Elements can bale you to close your subject’s iris. In subdued lighting, your iris most often caused by the flash light accidentally hitting
2 SKILL BOOSTER out of your early mistakes. Unlike continuous daylight,
flashlight turns on and off in an instant and frequently
opens up to allow more light in so when direct flash is
used, the wide open iris shows the red disc-like retina in
an object before it reaches its intended target. As flash
is self-regulating and works by shutting itself off after it
3 lasts for less than 1/1000th of a second. Yet in that brief all it’s gory glory. bounces back off the first subject in its path, burn out is
2 TIME TO COMPLETE amount of time, the character and atmosphere of your

image will be changed forever. Flash photography is
Reflective surfaces are the next hardest subject to
include in flash photographs. Light travels in straight
a common problem when composing with rangefinder-
type compact cameras. The complexities of arranging
10 MINS
PER IMAGE tricky for novices and professionals alike but Elements
can deal with the six most common mistakes.
lines and if any of these surfaces falls in its way, then
the result is an obvious hotspot. Reflected back at great
flash light to cover a more substantial area is the root
cause of the final two mistakes: over-exposure where
2 Red eye takes top spot as the easiest flash mistake intensity, light forms into tiny white patches, particularly your images turn out much brighter than you expected
and is caused by light reflecting back off your subject’s on spectacles, the glass in picture frames and the and darker or under-exposed images.
2
CORRECTING HOTSPOTS One of the most common headaches of flash photography is
a hotspot like this one. Here’s what to do…
0 EXPERT TIP
TIM DALY
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
OFF-CAMERA
FLASH GUNS
Many flash errors can be solved by
using a flash unit removed from
the camera body. Attached to the
hotshoe adaptor via a flexible sync
cable, the off camera flash can
offer more choice in light direction ZOOM INTO THE HIGHLIGHTS STAMP IT OUT BURN IT IN
and position. Many good quality 01 Metallic or reflective subjects like this 02 Pick the Rubber stamp tool from the 03 Finally, pick the Burning in tool and set it to
digital compacts can be linked to bronze statue are notoriously tricky to light, toolbox and select a large soft-edged brush. Highlight mode with a large soft-edged
more powerful flashguns, which
even with studio flash. Typically the flash makes a Pick sample points from as near as you can without brush. Darken the highlights only and reduce its
are well worth considering if you
feel limited by your present results. narrow hotspot in the centre of the frame. The trick is compromising the original detail or introducing foreign Exposure to 20%. Gradually work on the brighter areas
to remove the hotspots but still maintain a highlight. colours. In small strokes, remove the brightest areas. without making them identical to their surroundings.

NEXT MONTH
; 5 MAKING CREATIVE EDGES

IN PHOTOSHOP
SOLVING DARK BACKGROUNDS A large foreground subject is one reason

for a dark background
JUDGE THE BACKGROUND SELECT THE DARK AREA LEVEL IT OUT

01 When shooting at close range, your subject 02 Use your lasso tool to draw around the dark 03 Apply a 2 pixel Feather radius to your
can blot out the remaining background and background until the shape is captured in selection to soften the edge, then open the
prevent it being exposed correctly. With this example, one selection. To add more selection, hold Shift and Levels dialog (Enhance8Adjust Brightness Contrast8
a noontime shot looks like it was taken at sunset. draw; to remove sections, hold down the Alt key. Levels). The mid-tone slider can brighten the selection.
WARMING UP Flash used outdoors can often make your photos look cold and sometimes the result
won’t resemble your original subject…
CURING COLD FLASH REMOVE THE BLUES ALL WARMED UP

01 Flash mixed in with daylight often causes 02 Open the Enhance8Adjust Colour8Colour 03 The final result has lost its blue cast, leaving
the final image to look colder than Variations dialog box and click the Midtone an accurate skin tone and a much sunnier
expected. When one colour dominates, others such as option. Make sure the Colour Intensity amount is set atmosphere all over. You can always return to the
skin tone are weakened and the image looks stark. halfway, then click on the Decrease Blue thumbnail. Variations dialog and make more adjustments.
IMPROVING COLOUR The other possibility with using flash outdoors is over-exposure where
all strong colour definition is lost
* WEB LINKS
PROFOTOS
Check out the in-depth flash
techniques of Les Voorhis at
RESCUE WASHED OUT IMAGES MULTIPLY THE LAYER ALTERNATIVE ENDINGS
01 When flash mixes with strong daylight, the 02 Next, make this duplicate layer active then 03 The success of the Blending modes really
www.profotos.com/
education/promag/articles/
result can be an over-exposed result. Whites choose the Overlay blending mode from depends on the colours in your original october2001/fill_flash/
and pastel tones predominate and all strong hues are the Blending modes drop down menu in your layers image, so if the Overlay mode overcooks your image, index.shtml
lost. First, make a duplicate background layer. palette. Your weak image will now be beefed up. try the Colour Burn at 50% as an alternative solution.

TUTORIAL PHOTOSHOP FILTERS
YOUR GUIDE TIM DALY
Tim has written several books on photography including The Digital Photography
Handbook, The Digital Printing Handbook and The Desktop Photographer, and he
continues to write for The British Journal of Photography and AG. His photographs
have been exhibited across Europe
Photoshop filters and

how to use them
Don’t just use filters straight off the menu; you can achieve much more creative results with a bit
of lateral thinking. Tim Daly shows you four new ways to get subtle
S
oftware filters work in exactly the same way that is processed through Photoshop. Filters are generally responses to both pixel colour and their position in your
TUTORIAL
as conventional camera filters but have the applied as the finishing stage and unfortunately become bitmap. With complex routines such as the Lighting
KEY DETAILS added advantage of variable intensity and, if an indelible part of your Photoshop file, but if applied Effects filter, the huge calculations can slow down older
2 SKILL BOOSTER used carefully, reverse gear. With paintbrush, pencils and sensitively and to a more flexible home like a layer, filter PCs. Make sure your software has enough memory for
pastels a good starting point for minimal or simplified effects can be both sensational and genuinely time- this kind of task – ideally this should be five times
7 compositions like a still life or a sparse landscape, these saving devices. If you are uncertain about the damaging greater than the largest image file you’ll encounter.
2 TIME TO COMPLETE filters will remove most fine details from your image,
leaving a pattern or preset design across your work.
effects of your filtering, make a duplicate layer first and
apply the filter to this rather than the underlying original.
Photoshop and Photoshop Elements share the same
filter pack, but only Elements gives the user a visual
5 MINS PER IMAGE
Most creative filters have additional tools within a dialog
box such as brush size, stroke length and background
The advantage of working on a duplicate layer is that
you can use the Eraser tool to cut holes through the
taster of the effect in the palette. If you’re really keen
on filtering, you can customise your application with a
2 NEXT MONTH texture. The real problem with all these tools is that they filtered layer to reveal unfiltered parts underneath. plug-in filter pack like Coral KPT, Andromeda or Xenofex,
How to add movement to apply the same preset routines to each and every image Filters work by applying mathematically generated (see Web links below left).
your digital photos
FOCUS BLUR ON A LAYER Use two layers to create a soft focus effect behind
the image and blend it to the original
* WEB LINKS
CORAL KPT6.0
www.coral.com
The latest version is distributed by
Corel and features wacky effects
called Goo, Sky Effects, LensFlare,
Turbulence and many others.
XENOFEX
www.xenofex.xom
Download a trial version of the
Xenofex filter here. It adds a
wonderful set of texture filters to
your imaging application.
ANDROMEDA
www.andromeda.com MAKE A DUPLICATE LAYER USE THE GAUSSIAN BLUR CUT THROUGH WITH THE ERASER TOOL
Another Photoshop plug-in that 01 Rename your background layer and then
02 Working on the bottom layer, pick the
03 Turn back on the sharp uppermost layer and
lets you drape a photographic make a duplicate layer by clicking on the Blur8Gaussian Blur filter and move the select the Eraser tool with a soft-edges brush
image around a 3D shape like a
tiny icon at the base of the layer palette. Return to dialog box into an area of your desktop that doesn’t of 30 pixels and with 100% Opacity. Next, gradually
cube or sphere. You can download
a demo version from this site.
your layers palette and turn off the uppermost layer get in the way. Move the Radius slider until it reaches remove the areas of this layer that you want to be
by clicking on the tiny eye icon. 15 and your layer appears defocused. blurred ie. to reveal the underlying soft-focused layer.

? EXPLAINED
FADING TEXTURE FILTERS You can apply a fade effect in Photoshop with minimal
fuss. Just follow these three simple steps…
VECTORS V BITMAPS
It’s impossible to apply a filter to a
Type layer because it’s a vector
rather than pixel layer. To solve
the problem, select Layer8
Rasterize8Type which makes it
uneditable by changing it into a
pixel layer. Once completed you can
apply any filter or colour effect to it,
but you can no longer change the
type face or font, or correct spelling
mistakes. Blur filters are great for
making type look as if it’s caught in
a high wind.
FADING FILTER EFFECTS

IN PHOTOSHOP
APPLY THE TEXTURIZER DECIDE ON THE STRENGTH FADE UNTIL SUBTLE
01 From the filters menu, choose Texture8
02 Experiment with Scaling and Relief. Scaling
03 Immediately after filtering, do Edit8Fade
To avoid the very obvious effects of
a filter ruining your image, select the
Texturizer to access to the most versatile determines individual texture component Texturizer. You’ll see two controls found also Edit8Fade (the name of your last
range. This filter dialog offers you four preset designs size and Relief controls contrast. Don’t panic if images on the layers palette. Reduce the Opacity slider to 45% filter) option immediately after
making the filter command. This
or other textures in Photoshop’s Preset8Texture folder. look crude, even if you’ve set low values. and experiment with the Blending options.
enables you to vary the intensity of
the filter outside its dialog box and
creates an effect just like the Layer
You can blend using the Fade command but there’s no return gear opacity slider in your Layers palette.
BLENDING FILTERS once you’ve done an edit. Here’s a better way to do it…
Filters that have been reduced by
the Fade Filter command look much
more skillful and complimentary.
BLENDING FILTERS
In addition to the Fade Filter
command, filters can also be
modified using the same Blending
modes found in layers. Blending
modes can produce very
unexpected results by merging the
effect with its selection area or layer.
NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE MIX

02
INVERT LAYER
03
BLEND AND CUT 0 EXPERT TIP
01 Use a separate layer which can be blended, Take a single layer image, click the duplicate From the Blend pop-up menu on the layers
TIM DALY
cut through and discarded if needs be. This layer and make a negative with Image8 palette, choose Hue blending mode. Use the PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
technique mixes negative and positive in one image. Adjustments8Invert. Image colours look odd at first. Eraser tool (upper layer) to ‘paint’ back positive areas.
FILTER PROBLEMS
IN PHOTOSHOP
All filters are available when working
in the RGB colour mode, but the set
Touch up damaged scans of
CORRECTING DUST AND SCRATCHES negatives and transparencies
will reduce if you are editing CMYK,
Greyscale, Lab or Index mode
images. If you are editing a 16 bit-
per-channel image all the filters will
be out of use. If the filters still seem
unavailable, double-check that you
are not working on a type or vector
layer by mistake.
FILTERING IN
SMALL AREAS
You can filter smaller selection areas
but a much better way to ring fence
the effects of a filter is to apply it to
a duplicate layer. Once applied, cut
away the excess layer areas with
your Eraser tool and let it float over
your background layer and use the
MAKE THE SELECTION DUST AND SCRATCHES FILTER RETOUCH ANY LEFT-OVERS
01 Use the lasso selection tool to select the 02 Make your image 100% then do Filter8 03 Don’t use one huge filter on the marks, or
Layer variables such as opacity
and blending modes to make it
area you want to filter and make a 50 pixel Noise8Dust. From dialog, set the Threshold your image will lose sharpness. Large dust look convincing.
feather radius so it blends with its surroundings. value at 1 then increase the Radius pixel by pixel. marks can be removed using the rubber stamp tool.

NEW SERIES GET STARTED WITH PAINT SHOP PRO
YOUR GUIDE JOE APICE

Joe has been a keen amateur photographer for over 20 years and trains others in basic camera
techniques. His work has been exhibited in local galleries and he’s an avid user of Paint Shop
Pro and Photoshop
joseph.apice@verizon.net PORTFOLIO JOE APICE
Creating simple 3D
effects with PSP
Enhance your photos with simple three dimensional effects and see your pictures from a different
perspective. Joe Apice explains how
W 7TOOL SCHOOL
henever we view a photo, we see the the photo it seems to lift itself off the paper. In the
TIPS GUIDE image on a two dimensional plane. Over perspective approach, foreground objects are larger than
KEY DETAILS the years, photographers have used tricks and those in the background, creating an illusion of distance
TOOL PALETTE
2 SKILL LEVEL techniques to give photographs the illusion of the third
plane or depth. These techniques have included blurring
or depth in the image.
In both cases, the intent is to fool the eye into
The Lasso tool, Selection tool, Clone
brush and Preset Shapes tool are
8 and shadowing effects, perspective alignment and believing that objects are on a different plane and make located in the Tool palette
2 TIME TO COMPLETE
colour enhancement.
When objects in the foreground are very sharp and
a two dimensional image look three dimensional.
With the tools available in photo-editing programs simple, but also provide an excellent degree of control.
30 MINSPERIMAGE those in the background are a little out of focus, our

eyes interpret the image as having depth. An image on
such as PSP, many of the techniques – once thought
to be a black art – can be replicated quickly.
In this month’s tutorial we will be using some basic
tools to achieve a simple three dimensional effect.
2 NEXT MONTH a computer screen or printed on photo paper looks two Effects, such as drop shadowing, bevelling, Hopefully they will help you develop some ideas of your
Reflections dimensional, but as soon as you add a drop shadow to embossing, blurring and lighting not only make things own to make images look three dimensional.
IMAGE PREPARATION Set the foreground and background colours and make the initial
selection of those objects that will be in the foreground
8 8
3 IN DETAIL
COLOUR AND LIGHTNESS
SET THE COLOURS MAKE THE SELECTION THE SKY IS BLUE
The Auto Color Balance and Auto
Saturation commands are not
01 Using the Eyedropper tool, set the foreground 02 The flowers will be used to create the 03 Although the flowers were cut off when the
available in earlier versions of Paint and background colours. The foreground illusion of an object in the foreground. To picture was taken, they can be restored with
Shop Pro. To achieve similar results colour is set by placing the Eyedropper tool over one select the flowers, use the Lasso tool in Freehand the Clone tool. Before doing so, we need to add a border
with the earlier versions of PSP, use of the leaves and clicking the left mouse button. The mode, set the Feather value to zero and make the at the top of the image to make the cloning possible. To
Colors8Adjust8Color Balance and
background colour is set by placing the Eyedropper selection. The flower selection is then copied to a add the border, go to the Main Menu bar and select
Colors8Adjust8Hue/Saturation/
Lightness command.
tool at the top edge of the sky area and clicking the right separate window using Edit8Copy and Edit8Paste8As Image8Add Borders. Uncheck the Symmetric box and
mouse button. New Image commands. enter a value of 20 to 25 pixels in the box labelled Top.

For simple 3D effects, cut and paste an object from another photograph into the image.
4
FURTHER First select the object using the Lasso tool, then use Edit8Copy to store the object in
INSPIRATION memory. Move to your main image and use Edit8Paste to place the object in the foreground
NEXT STEPS Next, we’ll make the brightness adjustments, create a frame to give an illusion of * WEB LINKS
depth, diffuse some of the details and add colours to warm the scene TUTORIAL WEBSITE
http://psp7tutorials.homestead.
com/index.html
The perception of depth or distance
can be achieved with the use of
colours, shadows, overlapping
shapes, perspective and detail.
Shadows and overlapping shapes
work best with objects in the
foreground; contrasting colours are
best suited when separating objects
in the background; and perspectives
provide a feeling of depth between
the foreground and background.
ADJUST THE BRIGHTNESS DIFFUSE SOME DETAIL DIFFUSE THE DETAILS

04 Lightening the image removes some of the
05 Use the Rectangle Selection tool, with a
06 To create the illusion of depth, blur the area
detail and diffuses the background. On the feather value of 15, and draw a rectangular inside the frame selection. On the Main Menu
Main Menu bar, select Colors8Adjust8Curves to adjust the area centred on the image about 1cm away from each of bar, select Effect8Blur8Gaussian Blur. When the Blur dialog
brightness. In the Curves dialog window, drag the point at the inside edges. The frame effect is created by inverting window appears, enter a Radius value of 20 to 25. The
the centre of the grid diagonally upward until the Input the rectangle selection using the Selection8Invert blur effect acts as a separator between the foreground
reads 91 and the Output reads 156. command on the Main Menu bar. and background and creates the illusion of depth.
CREATE OBJECTS IN THE FOREGROUND BEVEL THE FRAME RESTORE THE FLOWERS
07 Use the Preset Shapes tool with a line width of 08 To create a 3D effect in the frame, use a 09 The image of the flowers should still be active
10, uncheck the Retain Style and Antialias boxes bevelling effect. On the Main Menu bar, select on your screen. If the image is stored to disk,
and check the Create as Vector box. In the Color Palette Effects83D Effects8Inner Bevel. When the bevel dialog recall it by using the File8Open command. When the
window, click the right arrow in the Background Colour box window appears, enter the values shown. You can image appears, select Edit8Copy, move to the original image
and select the No Color option. Draw a box about 1cm experiment with different colours in the Light Color box and use Edit8Paste8As New Layer. Use the Move tool to
from the edge and select Layers8Convert to Raster. but white works best in this situation. place the new layer with flowers on the existing ones.
0 EXPERT TIP
JOE APICE
PAINTSHOP PRO EXPERT
USING THE BRUSH
SIZE CURSOR
When using the Clone tool, make
FILL THE MISSING PIECES ADD WARMTH THE END RESULT
10 Remove the edge of the image and fill the 11 To remove the blue colour cast and add some
12 As you can see in the finished image, 3D
sure you set your tool preferences
to show the brush size cursor
empty space by cloning some of the flowers warmth, use the Auto Color Balance filter. effects can be achieved quickly and easily with instead of precise cursors. You can
into it. On the Standard tool bar, select the Clone tool. Use Select Effects8Enhance Photo8Automatic Color Balance just a few basic tools. Visual effects such as these can be change the cursor type by clicking
the Cursor and Tablet Options tab in
a round brush in Aligned mode with the settings shown from the Main Menu bar and when the dialog window useful when creating greeting cards – why not try them
the Clone Tool Option palette.
and copy some of the flowers into the area. appears, move the temperature slider to the left. on some of your own images?

NEW SERIES GET STARTED WITH PAINT SHOP PRO
YOUR GUIDE JOE APICE

Joe has been a keen amateur photographer for over 20 years and trains others in basic camera
techniques. His work has been exhibited in local galleries and he’s an avid user of Paint Shop
Pro and Photoshop
joseph.apice@verizon.net PORTFOLIO JOE APICE WEBSITE http://apice.homestead.com/index.html
Making people look

younger with PSP
Want to look younger without resorting to cosmetic surgery? Let Paint Shop Pro be your surgeon. It’s
easy and fun – Joe Apice shows you how…
W 7TOOL SCHOOL
ouldn’t it be nice to turn back the hands of wrinkles, smooth out pores, remove blemishes and
TIPS GUIDE
time? At some point in our lives we all recolour grey hair.
KEY DETAILS wish that we could look a few years Interestingly enough, the aging process can be
2
TOOL PALETTE
SKILL LEVEL younger – or at least be able to remove some of those turned both ways. In other words, you can digitally
The Lasso tool, Paintbrush tool,
wrinkles and blemishes. make someone look younger and better, or you Deformation tool and Crop tool
6 Over the years, people have spent thousands of can make them older and worse (though we are located in the Tool palette.
2 TIME TO COMPLETE
pounds on products to reduce the appearance of aging.
After all, most magazines and advertisements sell the
don’t know why you would want to make someone
look older!). In this month’s tutorial we will discuss
15 MINSPERIMAGE
idea that younger is better. In fact, our entire culture
has become obsessed with looking younger. Realistically,
some very basic tools available in Paint Shop Pro,
which you can use in order to erase those unwanted
2 NEXT MONTH we can’t turn back the clock, but digitally, we can. With wrinkles and blemishes and reverse a little of the
Colouring B&W portraits the help of photo-editing software, we can remove aging process…
GET STARTED Make an initial selection and then apply a Gaussian Blur
filter to determine the amount of softening required
8 8
3 IN DETAIL
IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS SELECT THE LEFT EYE AREA REMOVE THE WRINKLES
AUTO SATURATION 01 Looking at the image, we can see that the 02 The first task is to deal with the wrinkles below 03 With the selection in place, go to the Main
The Auto Saturation feature is not
woman has developed wrinkles around the the woman’s eye. Using the Lasso tool in Menu bar and select Effects8Blur8Gaussian
available in earlier versions of
Paint Shop Pro. To achieve similar eyes, the skin has large pores around the forehead and Freehand mode, make a selection of the area around the Blur. When the dialog window appears, enter a Radius
results with the earlier versions chin, and there is evidence of dry skin near the cheek and wrinkles. To make the selection, go to the Standard Tool value of 1.5. Generally, a Radius value between 1 and 2 is
of PSP, use Colors8Adjust8Hue/ nose area. Finally, the face appears a bit too round, which bar and select the Lasso tool. In the Tool Option palette, sufficient to do the job. Larger values will add more blur
Saturation/Lightness. may have resulted from the subject’s proximity to the lens select Freehand mode and set the Feather value to 10. but the results will not look natural.
when the picture was taken. Make the selection as shown.

4
ONE-CLICK You can quickly apply a soft focus effect to the entire image by using the Blur
FIX feature in Paint Shop Pro. On the Main Menu bar, select Effects8Blur8Soften
Remove the remaining wrinkles, smooth out the skin areas around * WEB LINKS
GOING FURTHER the nose and chin, thin out the face and add some lip colour TUTORIAL WEBSITE
http://psp7tutorials.homestead
.com/index.html
Filter manufacturers such as Hoya
and Tiffen produce high-quality soft-
focus filters that are used to soften
the skin and reduce unwanted
wrinkles and blemishes. Minolta has
been marketing a soft focus 100mm
f2.8 lens that is largely used for
portrait photography. It produces a
soft effect around your subject while
the image remains very sharp at the
centre. The filters available in Paint
Shop Pro can reproduce these same
effects at a fraction of the price. The
advantage in using PSP filters is that
SELECT THE RIGHT EYE AREA FIX THE FOREHEAD AREA HANDLE DRY SKIN the amount of softness can be
04 Using the Lasso tool, make a similar selection
05 Continue with the Lasso tool to select the area
06 Next, tackle the dry skin around the area near controlled and they can be applied
to the entire image or only selected
underneath the right eye. On the Standard Tool of the forehead. We want the hair to remain the right cheek and nose. Once again, use the
areas of the image.
bar select the Lasso tool. Retain the Freehand mode and sharp, so make a smaller selection and use a larger Lasso tool to make the selection. Keep the tool in
the same Feather value of 10. Apply the Blur filter by feather value. In this case, used a Feather value of 15 Freehand mode and set the Feather value to 10. Make
selecting Effects8Blur8Gaussian Blur from the Main Menu instead of 10 to spread the selection as shown. Apply the the selection as shown. Instead of applying the Gaussian
bar and enter a value of 1.5 for the Radius. Gaussian Blur filter using a Radius value of 2. Blur filter to the selection, we’ll use a different technique.
SAMPLE THE FACE COLOUR PAINT AWAY DRY SKIN SELECT AND SOFTEN THE CHIN
07 With the selection in place, go to the Standard 08 The Paintbrush tool enables you to change the 09 Next, use the Gaussian Blur filter to remove
Tool bar and select the Eyedropper tool. Place
the tool inside the selected area and sample a colour that
skin colour, and it can provide a finer degree of
control over the amount of retouching that is applied to
large pores and wrinkles on the chin. Select the
chin area using the Lasso tool in Freehand mode and raise
0 EXPERT TIP
is more representative of the average skin tone. Click the the area by simply varying the opacity of the brush. Here, the Feather value to 15. Keep the selection away from the JOE APICE
left mouse button to select the colour. This will now we’ve used a large soft brush (100), with the opacity and subject’s lips. Smooth out the area using the Gaussian Blur PAINTSHOP PRO EXPERT
become the foreground colour for our Paintbrush tool. hardness values set at 20. filter with a Radius value of 1.5. TOOL PREFERENCES
When using the Paintbrush tool,
make sure you set up your tool
preferences to show the rounded
Brush Size cursor instead of the
Precise Cursor. This will allow you to
see the exact area where the brush
will paint the colour rather than
guessing the size of the brush tip.
You can change the cursor type by
clicking the Cursor and Tablet
Options tab in the Tool Option
palette and unchecking the box
labelled Use Precise Cursors.
SOFT FOCUS
Want to create a pleasing soft focus
ATTENTION TO DETAIL LOOKING SLIMMER A YOUNGER APPEARANCE effect? Place a shear nylon stocking
10 Use the Lasso tool to select the lips. To saturate 11 Open the Layers palette and double click on
12 The areas containing the wrinkles, large pores over the lens before taking your
picture. The stocking will soften the
the lip colour, use the Auto Saturation feature. Background. When the Layer Properties and dry skin are essentially removed, and the
image and produce a very
On the Main Menu bar, select Effects8Enhance Photo8 window opens, click the OK button. On the Standard Tool face also appears younger than the original image. interesting effect. Try different
Auto Saturation Enhancement. In the Auto Saturation bar, select the Deformation tool and drag the bottom Depending on the portrait, you can add blusher or eye colour stockings to vary the effects.
window, select Normal for bias and Strong for strength. corners inward when the handles and guides appear. shadow to further enhance the image.

SUBSCRIPTIONS OFFER DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
2 Subscribe to the NEW DVD edition

Everything you
need to know about
digital photography
in one magazine!
What’s new in
the DVD edition?
● Exclusive software programs for Mac
and PC – you can’t afford to miss out
● Extensive software library
● Extra tie-ins with magazine content,
from trial software to tutorial videos
Are you a current CD subscriber?

Upgrade your subscription by
simply calling 0870 444 8680
Transfer your subscription to the DVD edition
absolutely FREE – call before 20th March 2003
quoting code DCMDVD to guarantee your
next DVD copy.
● Subscribe now and get every issue

delivered direct to your door free of charge
● Every issue comes with either a DVD or 2
CD-ROMs packed with complete software
DVD
EDITION
● Money back guarantee means you can Available
now
cancel your subscription at any time –
no questions asked
2 Take advantage of this special offer CALL

Order Code DCMP06
for just £11.96 every 3 months
That’s a huge saving of £30 off the shop price
We’re here to help you take

and create better photos. LOOK AT WHAT YOU CAN SAVE
We’re the only magazine that
covers every aspect of digital
WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO 13 ISSUES
Cover price* 13 issues Your subscription YOUR 3 month Direct YOUR
photography from buying and price SAVING Debit price SAVING
utilising the kit, to visiting the CD £4.99 £64.87 £49.90 £14.97 £11.22 £17.99
best places to use it DVD £5.99 £77.87 £54.90 £22.97 £11.96 £30.03
*prices based on UK shop price and purchasing 13 issues over the next 12 months.
YES I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE THE NEXT 13 ISSUES OF DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE FOR THE PRICE OF 8* Instruction to your bank or building society to pay direct debit
UK DIRECT DEBIT Originators identification number
DVD EDITION ■ Just £11.96 every 3 months CD EDITION ■ Just £11.22 every 3 months
7 6 8 1 9 5
I WOULD LIKE TO PAY BY CHEQUE/CREDIT CARD
DVD EDITION ■ UK £54.90 ■ EU & N. America £54.90 ■ ROW £85.00 CD EDITION ■ UK £49.90 ■ EU & N. America £49.90 ■ ROW £80.00 1. Name and full postal address of your bank or building society branch
● Your details To: The Manager
Title Mr ■ Mrs ■ Ms ■ Initials_________ Surname__________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________ ____________________________________bank/building society
____________________________________________________________________ Postcode_______________________ Country __________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Tel no. (inc STD) _______________________________________________________ Email address_____________________________________________________________________
________________________________Postcode________________
● Method of payment
I understand that I will receive 13 issues over the next 12 months
✁
2. Name(s) of
■ Direct Debit (UK only) ■ Cheque (£ sterling drawn on a UK bank account payable to Digital Camera Magazine) account holder(s)
■ Switch ■ Mastercard ■ VISA ■ American Express 3. Branch sort code

(from the top right-hand corner of your cheque)
Card no ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ 4. Bank or building society account number
5. Instruction to your bank or building society
Expiry date ■■/■■ Switch only: Valid date ■■/■■ Issue no ■■

Please pay Future Publishing Direct Debits from the account detailed on this Instruction subject
to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this instruction
may remain with Future Publishing and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my bank
or building society
Signature ____________________________________________________________ ■ Please tick here if you do not wish to receive mail from third parties
Send to: Digital Camera Magazine PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM OPPOSITE 8 Signature(s) ___________________________________ Date ____________
UK: Future Publishing FREEPOST BS4900, Somerton, Somerset, TA11 6BR
Ref No (Office use only)_____________________________________________
Overseas: Future Publishing, Cary Court, Somerton, TA11 6TB, UK Order Code DCMP06 Offer Ends 09.04.03 Banks and building societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions or some types of account
*Based on Direct Debit payment option for DVD edition
0870 444 8680 NOW and quote DCMP06

Overseas no:
+44 870 4448680
Fax: +44 1458 271146
ON SALE NOW!
6 ISSUE SUBSCRIPTION OFFER

Save 33% when you subscribe!
Pay just £22 and enjoy every issue hot off the
press direct to your door, including
FREE postage & packing (UK only offer)
0870 444 8456

Or subscribe online: www.futurenet.com/promotion/dch06/59
order code: DCH06
SECTION #03 YOUR CAMERA
TECHNIQUE PAGE
80
COMMON PHOTO MISTAKES
Tim Daly discusses eight classic photo blunders
and how to avoid them
TECHNIQUE PAGE
82
MACRO MODES
We explore how to use macro lenses for some
stunning close-up photography
Q&A PAGE
84
ALL YOUR CAMERA QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Aidan O’Rourke answers your camera technique,
image editing and printing queries
TECHNIQUE
COMMON PHOTO MISTAKES
SEE PAGE 80
PAGE PAGE PAGE
80 82 84
Your camera
Expert guides to taking better pictures
Tutorials you can trust! Contact our tutorials team
f #
Our mission is to ensure that our tutorials bring you creative include image files, and full or trial software so you can try If you have a comment, suggestion, idea or submission you
ideas, expert techniques, tips and quick fixes you can use in the tutorial for yourself, delivering a complete package. would like to make, please email us at the following addresses:
your own work. Authoritative A leading professional in their Clear Our large page size means we can add extra elements, editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk Visit our website at
field writes every tutorial. Value added Where possible, we explanations and detail to each tutorial. www.dcmag.co.uk for more details
TECHNIQUE USING YOUR CAMERA
YOUR GUIDE TIM DALY

Tim has written several books on photography including The Digital Photography Handbook, The
Digital Printing Handbook and The Desktop Photographer, and he continues to write for The
British Journal of Photography and AG. His photographs have been exhibited across Europe
Solving common
photo mistakes
Even a simple error can ruin a perfectly good photograph, but if
you’re aware of the likely causes, you can improve your strike
rate dramatically. Tim Daly looks at the top eight offences
T
ABOVE Unexpected cropping his month we’re going to show you how to shots at range are disappointing if priority is given to the
off the tops of heads can be avoid annoying errors that can spoil a whole figure rather than the more interesting facial
caused by parallax error photograph. You know the kind of thing – a expressions. If you’re not sure about the results you’re
chopped off head, poor exposure, camera shake and likely get if you go in closer, try shooting several
RIGHT This example shows a unattractive obstructions. variations such as a tight head shot, head and shoulders
clever cropping to focus your and the classic three-quarter length portrait.
attention on the central player 01 Crop and frame
in the composition Subjects such as buildings and standing people are often 02 Avoid obstructions
the wrong shape to fit into a rectangular landscape It’s really easy to obstruct your camera lens when
composition, so try to shoot them in a portrait format shooting with a rangefinder type digital compact. Most
instead. It’s not essential to get everything in the frame are positioned to one side of the lens on the top left of
– if you’re left with wasted space around the edges, use the camera body. In practice, this rarely proves to be a
your zoom lens to crop closer or, if your camera has a problem unless you place your fingers over the camera
fixed focal length lens, physically move closer. Portrait lens because the rangefinder viewing window won’t

A great way to get better ideas for your photographic projects is to look at some of the annual NEXT MONTH
4
FURTHER awards – professional photography’s version of the Oscars and the Baftas. See the web links HOW TO SHOOT GREAT
LOCATION PORTRAITS
INFORMATION box, below, for some of the prestigious events that take place every year
0 EXPERT TIP
CONCENTRATION AND
PREPARATION
The best photographers have a
thorough understanding of their
medium and are well prepared to
cope with most eventualities. The
key to improving your strike rate
and making mistakes a thing of the
past is not to rush your picture-
taking process. After composing
your shot, spend a couple of
seconds considering the likely
exposure issues caused by lights
and darks within your frame.
display the glaring error. This problem is more noticeable ABOVE Exposure is the hardest part of photography Remember that most situations can
with digital compacts because they are smaller in to get right and can be influenced by a host of easily be dealt with by overriding
your automatic exposure and
comparison with their film-based relatives and are factors not apparent at the time of shooting
focusing functions.
difficult to hold if your hands are on the large side.
RIGHT Flare occurs when shooting directly into the
03 Exposure problems sun without a shade fitted to the lens
Exposure problems most often occur when a
photographer relies solely on automatic exposure advanced compacts, parallax is easily avoided. Use the * WEB LINKS
functions rather than careful measurement and manual LCD preview monitor to frame close-up subjects if your
WORLD PHOTOGRAPHIC
adjustments. Too little light will result in a darker than camera doesn’t have an LCD screen to avoid cropping in COMPETITIONS
expected image; too much light will result in over- too tightly around the perimeter edges. Compared with will prevent even the wobbliest posture from spoiling
exposure and create a much brighter image than other errors, images shot with parallax can be rescued the shot. Success can also be achieved at lower speeds WORLD PRESS
expected, where detail is blown out and colours are pale by some recomposing in Photoshop, using the Cropping such as 1/60th and 1/30th, but only if the PHOTO 2003
and washy. Over exposure is most frequently caused tool to remove areas that you didn’t account for and the photographer relies on extra support such as leaning Check out the results of this year’s
competition, announced to the
when shooting with flash at close range or when faced Clone tool for rebuilding missing parts. against a wall or another immovable object.
world on 14th February.
with black or darker-toned subject matter. All but the www.worldpressphoto.nl
most severe exposure errors can be corrected in your 05 Autofocus error 07 Shooting into the light
image-editing package with the Levels controls. Like any other automatic process, autofocus has to be Both colour and tonal range can be drastically altered by PULITZER PRIZE
guided by the user and worked within its narrow the position of the light, with best results occurring when PHOTOGRAPHERS
04 Parallax error limitations. Most digital cameras have a central the sun is behind the photographer. When shooting into Check out the stunning
documentary work by the New York
Parallax error results from the slight difference in autofocus target, which sets the point of focus only on the sun, a common cause of poor quality images is
Times’ staff photographers.
position between the viewing lens and the taking lens. the object, fixed in the centre of the frame. For most caused by lens flare. Shaped like a series of overlapping
www.pulitzer.org/year/2002/
The issue becomes visible when close focusing or landscape photos and subjects set at a distance away hexagons or a rush of white light, flare will ruin even the feature-photography/works
working in macro mode. Instead of capturing the same from the lens, this will work flawlessly and without most carefully composed image.
composition as seen in the rangefinder viewing window, concern, but when focus points are nearer, due care and Digital SLRs and better compact cameras are designed ALFRED EISENSTAEDT
the taking lens shoots from a slightly lower vantage attention is needed to succeed. Autofocus needs a clear to use a protective lens shade, which prevents excessive AWARD
point and to the right. Parallax is not an issue with area of contrast to work properly and will struggle to light from entering the lens on location. With each View the best photographs taken by
photographers from Life magazine
digital SLRs because what you see in the viewfinder is cope with areas of similar tone. In practice this means lens designed around exacting optical measurements,
in 2002.
exactly the same image captured by the sensor. On less you can’t focus well on walls, bright skies and other it’s essential that only the manufacturer’s recommended www.life.com/Life/eisies/
areas of flat untextured colour. shade is used, rather than a jack-of-all-trades rubber eisies2000/contents.html
The only way to work with this problem is to lens hood.
recompose and lock-focus on a suitable point in the
same plane. Since many digital compacts have the 08 Blank spaces
autofocus lock function, recomposing is possible without Landscape photography can prove a demanding activity
losing sharpness. Another associated problem is focus if large empty spaces are left within your compositions.
slip when subjects fall outside the central autofocus When faced with the possibility of a blank space, there
target and sharp focus is set by mistake at a point in the are two ways to solve this problem. First and easiest is
distance – again this can be fixed using AF lock. to recompose and eliminate the sky by using your zoom
lens at its telephoto setting. Without a large white
06 Camera shake expanse of sky influencing your camera metre, detail
If your images are frequently blurred, it is most likely will be much more evident in your final print. The
caused by camera shake. This occurs when a low a second and more creative way to solve the problem is
shutter speed is used and it picks up the photographer’s
body movement during an exposure. This often occurs in
to try to fill the void with overhanging foliage.
Much used by landscape and garden photographers,
@ SEND ’EM IN!
low-light conditions when the autoexposure functions this technique introduces much needed texture to Try out the techniques in this article
then send us your photos. We’ll
@
set a shutter speed to cope with the lack of light. Even the top section of your composition and can force
print the best each month. Email us
the slightest shakes can’t be rescued by software the viewers attention downward and towards your
at the following address:
ABOVE Close-up photography can suffer from camera sharpening. On fully manual digital compacts and SLRs, primary subject. There’s no need to keep overhangs in
shake, largely due to uncomfortable posture. This camera shake can be avoided if the shutter speed is sharp focus, so your intended depth of field should not gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
camera was held firm with a tripod locked on a minimum of 1/125th of a second, as this be compromised.

TECHNIQUE USING YOUR CAMERA
Seeing the world

in macro mode
3
Up close, there’s a parallel world waiting to be discovered by the keen eye of a photographer armed with
a few simple techniques up his sleeve. Tim Daly shows you how to shoot at close range
3 IN DETAIL M
ost digital compacts have an additional macro
mode function which enables you to set focus
on nearby objects to make them bigger in the
PURPOSE-MADE frame. In ordinary shooting modes a conventional mid-
MACRO LENSES range zoom lens will not permit the photographer to
Professional wildlife photographers
opt for a specialised camera kit achieve sharp focus on anything much below 50cm,
which includes a purpose built which can be frustrating if your subject is on the small
macro lens, specially designed for side. This is where a macro lens comes in.
ultra close-up work without The wonderful thing about close up photography is
producing distortion. Better digital
SLR systems based on the Nikon
that smaller subjects often reveal details and textures
and Canon professional bodies can that are not apparent in normal shooting circumstances,
take advantage of these lenses. but in order to capture that, you must remember that
Unlike a mid-range zoom lens fitted depth of field works differently here. As you get closer
with macro function, these kinds of
and closer to your subject, the effective depth of field
professional lenses are fixed focus,
usually around the 50-100mm focal diminishes rapidly until it’s reduced to a matter of
length and produce images that millimetres, even at maximum f22. If you want to
can be greatly enlarged without capture finely detailed images at close range, small
loss of sharpness. For even greater apertures will force you to use much slower shutter
magnification an additional bellows
kit can be fitted between camera
speeds than normal and require the use of a tripod.
body and lens, allowing the subject
to be recorded life size. Close-up and slow shutter speeds
All close focusing photography is best achieved with a
tripod, as light levels are generally lower in these
scenarios and camera shake can be more of a problem.
A fixed camera position on a tripod will enable you to
experiment and ponder on different compositions as tiny
changes in position can make a significant difference to
the end result. For most users the LCD preview screen
on the rear of a digital camera can provide an excellent
tool for checking composition and comparing different
variations on the subject.
ABOVE Interchangeable lenses For subjects shot outside on location another potential
like this 50mm Nikon lens problem can be the wind. At such close distances, and
show focusing distance on the forced to select small apertures such as f16 to ensure
barrel, set against an aperture maximum depth of field, the photographer has to use
scale so you can judge depth slow shutter speeds to compensate. Any slight
of field at any one aperture movement caused even by a gentle wind will make a
and focal point blurred result. A practical answer to this is to use a
makeshift windbreak made with a piece of stiff A4
FAR RIGHT white card which can also double up as a reflector to
This macro image was shot bounce extra light onto your subject.
with a f11 aperture to throw
the background out of focus, Depth of field
while keeping the foreground As mentioned, the classic problem with close focusing is
elements sharp the diminishing depth of field, leaving a zone of sharp
focus typically measured in centimetres rather than

NEXT MONTH
;
A cheaper alternative to the specialist macro lens is the screw on or clip-on macro lens filter. Just like a
4
BETTER TRAVEL
FURTHER magnifying glass, they produce a super-close up result in front of most digital compact lenses. The macro PHOTOGRAPHY
INSPIRATION filter must be focused by moving the camera nearer or further away from the subject to achieve sharpness
BELOW This image was made by scanning in two

separate items: the flower and a sheet of musical
notepaper. After scanning and cutting out in
Photoshop, both images were combined in one
image file and were further enhanced by adding a
drop shadow
ABOVE Armed with simple studio lighting, this still life was shot at very close range to reveal the textures and tones of a seedhead. At this scale a
still life like this uses tiny reflectors the size of playing cards and a background no bigger than a sheet of A4 paper
much more expensive, but will afford greater creative

freedom and enable you to shoot in lower light
pixels will have been discarded in the cropping process.
After editing in this way, ensure that your remaining * WEB LINKS
conditions in the long run. Prime lenses, such as the smaller image is enhanced by the use of the Unsharp
TESSA TRAEGER
specialist macro or micro, are an excellent choice for Mask filter and not over-enlarged or resampled if you One of the best known advertising
shooting close-up flora and fauna. If you can push the want to retain a degree of sharpness and quality. photographers has carved out her
boat out, opt for an f2.8 mid-range zoom lens which own close-up style.
metres. Even when the lens is set to its minimum holds its aperture value throughout the entire range. Scanner capture www.tessatraeger.com/
aperture such as f22, little depth will be achieved when A novel way to capture subjects at close range is to
KODAK
your subject is positioned less than one metre away. At Flash close-up bypass a camera altogether and use a flatbed scanner. The Kodak guide to close-up
the opposite end of the aperture scale, a wide aperture In addition to its contrast-reducing properties, your Remarkably, flatbeds can scan the underneath of most photography. Read up on the
such as f4 may only produce a few millimetres of depth camera’s fill-flash can also be used to increase the colour flattish objects and generate a super high-resolution file advanced theories of shooting in
and will not produce pin-sharp focus across the image saturation of nearby subjects shot in macro mode. Fill- far in excess of the maximum file size achieved by a macro mode.
www.kodak.com/global/en/
unless all of your subject is lying within a flat plane. flash photography will add some much needed sparkle digital camera. Most images need careful editing in order consumer/pictureTaking/
The good news is that choosing the right point of to colours that would otherwise look washed out in to restore lost colour and contrast. Just like depth of field, closeUps/closUpsMain.shtml
focus before the shot is taken can enhance depth of dreary natural light. When shooting smaller subjects a scanner can create sharp focus on objects which lie
field. In normal shooting mode, the temptation is to close up, be watchful for the appearance of dark within a plane of about two inches, meaning you can NEW YORK INSTITUTE
focus on the main subject regardless of how near or far shadows that can obscure details and spoil your creative create a sense of three dimensions rather than a flat OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Tips on shooting better flower
it is from the camera lens. The depth of field range ideas. Shadows and poor lighting due to restrictions on squashed object. Very high-resolution images can be photographs from the New York
extends to one third in front of your subject and two your shooting position can easily be blasted away with a made this way, provided you have time to clean up your Institute of Photography.
thirds behind it, so a third of sharp focus is often wasted tiny pop of fill flash. On better digital cameras, a further scans before assembling a final montage. Just like big www.nyip.com/tips/topic_
in the foreground. The best kind of results are achieved fill flash setting is also available called the flash budget advertising shoots, similar techniques are used flowers0400.html
when a focus point is carefully selected at one third of compensation dial. Just like the standard exposure for a scan and assemble project, where the biggest task
the distance from the intended foreground to compensation dial, the flash compensation dial offers is to make sure all separate elements of the production
background. In principle this sounds impossibly complex, you the chance to fire the flash unit at specific power look as if they were captured at the same time. Best
but better SLR cameras have a depth of field preview such as half power, quarter power or even less. With objects to scan are those with natural textures, like
button, which gives a preview of the likely result before each reduction in power, flash will gradually become leaves and flowers, which can be used in a range of
shooting commences anyway. much less noticeable, but still reduce domineering montage projects.
shadows. These settings can be used to reduce the
Lenses and maximum apertures visual impact of stark flash illumination when mixed with Patterns of nature
If you’re thinking about buying a digital SLR, then spend daylight and if used cautiously, will remove traces of Best shot in the great gardens and horticultural
some time researching the choice of lenses to go with it. flash use altogether. collections open to the public, natural subjects can be as
Cheaper macro zoom lenses are convenient but often fascinating as an undiscovered world. Search for
have a variable maximum aperture described as
f3.3/4.5. This means that the maximum aperture is
Alternatives to macro lenses
Close-up crops of larger image files can still be made
intricately structured tropical specimens, or delicate and
ephemeral flowers, and choose only the most perfect
@ SEND ’EM IN!
different at the wide-angle end to the telephoto end of using your image-editing program. If your camera example to photograph. Plants can be architectural with Try out the techniques in this article
then send us your photos. We’ll
@
the lens. For special shallow depth of field background doesn’t enable you to shoot at ultra close range, you can complex interlocking structures waiting to be investigated
print the best each month. Email us
effects, a maximum aperture of f4.5 won’t blur things always cut away unwanted areas of your image using or they can be part of a more complex overall pattern. If
at the following address:
out as much as a lens with a wider maximum aperture the Cropping tool until a close-up effect is achieved. With rules allow, don’t be afraid to organise and arrange
such as f2.8 lens will. Both prime and zoom lenses this technique, you’ll have to accept a decrease in the slightly imperfect situations for the camera, or carry a gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
which open up to f2.8 throughout their entire range are maximum potential print out size, as a good deal of range of handy props with you.

PHOTO HELP Q&A
YOUR GUIDE AIDAN O’ROURKE
Aidan O’Rourke is a freelance photographer who’s worked with digital imaging
and photography since 1994. He created ‘Eyewitness in Manchester’ (part of
Manchester Online, the Manchester Evening News website), the largest online
source of photo and info about Manchester. See the URL opposite for more
details on Aidan’s digital photography seminars around the country
help.dcm@futurenet.co.uk (camera queries only) WEBSITE www.aidan.co.uk/seminars
All your camera

questions answered
Send all your technical questions to Aidan at help.dcm@futurenet.co.uk and he’ll do his best to help…
2 QUESTIONS
ANSWERED
CAMERA USE
DOWNLOADING PHOTOS 084
2
MAKING CD COPIES
2 EXPOSURE CONTROL
The following pictures need exposure compensation. We show you how…
EXPOSURE COMPENSATION 084/085 IMAGE MANAGEMENT
DIFFUSION EFFECTS 085 ■■ INTERMEDIATE
FLASHGUNS 085
I am using an HP Pavilion 877
CAMERA TO TV
PORTRAIT PHOTOS
085
086
Q with Windows Me. I am
IMAGE EDITING downloading images from my FujiFilm
PAINT SHOP PRO 5 085 FinePix 2400 Zoom and Kodak DC280
EMAILING FILES 087
Zoom via a card reader to my PC and
RESAMPLING PHOTOS 087
PRINTERS then burning the photos on to CD-R.
PRINTER PROBLEMS 087 This works OK but I have to transfer
INKJET OR LASER? 087 each image separately and this is very
MEDIA time-consuming. Can you tell me how This photo of the M56 was taken just Adjusting the exposure control to This capture of the mills in Ancoats
WEBSITE 085/087
BOOK 087
to transfer the contents of each before dusk. The camera has exposed around minus 1.6 has given a darker Manchester was made at the standard
compact flash or smart card onto CD-R for the mid tones in the centre of the picture, giving a truer representation exposure settings and has turned out
in one command operation? photo, leaving the sky burnt out. of the lighting conditions, with too light – the sky has burnt out to
Secondly, I need some help with Overall the picture is too bright. The plenty of detail in the clouds. The white – the colour of the brickwork
Paint Shop Pro 5. Can you please tell exposure was 1/13th second at F2.5. exposure was 1/43rd second at F2.5. has not been rendered accurately.
me where to find a book or manual?
Ralph Holdom
You don’t have to transfer each

A file separately. CD writing
software is configured to enable you
to burn files and directories from your
PC’s hard drive directly to on to a CD.
Study the manual or on-screen help
for the software you are using and
find out how to transfer directories
and their contents to CD. Normally it’s Adjusting the EV control to minus 0.7 Further adjusting the EV control to I have ‘cheated’ and added a
Photo just a question of selecting the

folders to be transferred then
dragging and dropping – the CD
has given us an exposure of 1/179th
of a second at F4.4. The tones are
more accurate, but the sky is still a
minus 1 is now giving us an
exposure of 1/173rd of a second at
F4.9 – some detail has appeared in
graduated fill to the previous exposure
in Photoshop. The effect is similar to a
neutral filter in front of the lens. The
Help
burning software does the rest. Each problem – completely white and the sky, but it is still at the top of the sky appears grey and moody – a much
CD can accommodate around 650MB lacking any detail. scale and is not clearly visible. more accurate portrayal of the scene.
of data, so to make best use of the
space on your CDs you should build

8
ONLINE PHOTO RESOURCE REVIEW range of software packages. On the home page you’ll find
www.designer-info.com features on CorelDraw, Photoshop Album, Elements, photo
Content Website by Scottish-based Tom Arah, with detailed filters and more. A shining example of individual initiative
articles on all aspects of DTP, photo-editing, vector drawing and creativity, www.designer-info.com deserves to be
and web design. Useful reviews and tutorials on a wide supported and appreciated.
2 IMAGE DIFFUSION
up around 600MB of material, then That fuzzy-edged look is a
transfer it to CD in one go.
A diffusion effect traditionally
As for Paint Shop Pro, I checked at made using a filter attached to the
my local bookshop and found plenty camera lens. In the 17th century the Photographers through the ages have used all kinds of methods
of books on Photoshop, but none on painter Corot used a similar effect in to create the soft-focussed, romantic “fuzzy effect”…
Paint Shop Pro. There are some titles his landscape paintings. In the 1930s
available on Amazon.co.uk including movie directors enhanced the
an older one on Paint Shop Pro 5. appearance of leading ladies by using
diffusing filters, smearing gel over a
2
clear filter or tying a stocking over
the lens. In the Seventies filmmakers
and photographers such as David
CAMERA CONTROLS Hamilton used it to create an
CAMERA USE impressionistic or nostalgic effect.
■■ INTERMEDIATE This effect can be simulated using an
I have a Sony Cyber-shot. Can image editing program like
Q you tell me what +2/-2EV means Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro. Used This silhouette of trees on Alderley First we create a duplicate of the
and how and when I might want to use carefully on the right type of image Edge in Cheshire provides us with background layer of this image. In
this feature? this effect can transform a picture some good subject on which to the Layers palette, drag the layer to
Bill McClean into something quite sublime. experiment with image diffusion – the ‘New Layer’ symbol (indicated by
Experiment with different levels of the ‘fuzzy’ effect. the red arrow).
This is exposure compensation. blur and opacity, but don’t overdo it!
A The camera’s built-in light See box (right) for further info.
meter measures the amount of light
hitting the camera’s sensor and
2
makes adjustments to shutter speed
and aperture – aperture refers to the
iris-like device in the lens which
opens and closes, increasing or ACCESSORIES
decreasing the amount of light CAMERA KIT
entering the camera. EV is a ■■ INTERMEDIATE

measurement of brightness. Could you advise me which Now we apply a Gaussian Blur to the Finally we reduce the opacity of the
Shutter speed and aperture are
Q flashgun would be suitable for a upper layer. You can set a wider layer to around 66% – layer opacity
balanced against each other – a FujiFilm FinePix 6900 Zoom? radius, such as 8.5, or a narrower one control is in the upper right corner of
longer shutter speed requires a Doug Mills – say 3 or 4. The effect is the same as the Layers palette. The resulting
smaller aperture – a larger aperture defocusing the lens: the light is spread picture combines the sharp original
requires a faster shutter speed. The FujiFilm FinePix 6900 Zoom over neighbouring pixels. image with the defocused one.
Sometimes we need to override the
A has a hotshoe and can be
auto-exposure settings and force the operated using manually set aperture
camera to allow less or more light and shutter speed. This means that so it’s slightly smaller, e.g. F8. By the CoolPix 775 and just taken my first
into the camera. This is when we use you can use any flashgun. Just way, the shutter speed should make photos with it. One of the options I was
the exposure compensation control. connect the flash to the camera using no difference to the flash as long as trying out was to display the images
The photographs (left) illustrate the hotshoe, or an adaptor. it’s not faster than 1/125th of a captured by the camera on my TV
some examples of exposure control Most flashguns can be set for a second. At slower shutter speeds the screen after the shoot. I followed the ? EXPLAINED
in action. certain aperture, say 5.6. The background will become more visible instructions given but nothing appeared
flashgun measures the distance of as more and more available light is on the screen. When I select the play K IN CMYK
2
the subject from the flash and adjusts allowed to enter the camera. mode on the camera to view previously K in CMYK – Cyan Magenta Yellow
and... K, last letter of blacK. CMYK
the intensity so just the right amount taken photos without the TV/Video
2
are the colours of the inks used
of light is discharged. If the subject is adaptor lead plugged in then it’s fine in printing.
DIFFUSION EFFECTS closer, the intensity will be reduced. and I can view the past photos. But as
IMAGE EDITING If the subject is further away, the soon as I plug in the lead that connects LZW
■■ INTERMEDIATE flash will fire at a higher power. As TV CONNECTION to the TV it seems that the camera Lempel-Zif-Welch – a form of data
How do I get that fuzzy-edged long as the camera is set to the same IMAGE MANAGEMENT switches off. compression used in image file
Q romantic look you see in so aperture the light should be about ■ BEGINNER Does you have any advice on this or formats TIFF and GIF. Developed by
J. Ziv and A Lempel around 1977
many wedding shots? right. If the flash is still too bright, I have just recently bought my am I doing anything wrong?
Steven Pritchard you can manually adjust the aperture
Q first digital camera, the Nikon Stephen McGonagle
and later refined by Dave Welch.

PHOTO HELP Q&A
8
MANUFACTURER SITE about three clicks from the home page. Discover the history
www.hewlett-packard.com of the company founded by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard
Content: A vast store of information on the Palo Alto-based in 1939, and their first product, an audio oscillator used by
technology giant which merged with Compaq in May last Disney. Their first camera was a polaroid-backed
year. Info on the Photosmart series of digital cameras is oscilloscope camera made in 1962.
When it comes to sorting out as a first time user with Photoshop and
A problems such as this you need colour control and an Epson 875DC
to develop the powers of a high-tech printer. A problem I am faced with
Sherlock Holmes. Inference, logic, presently is the banding that occurs,
elimination of possibilities, and a particularly on colour prints. It has
touch of intuition all play a role in appeared on black-and-white prints but
solving the problem. not on the last ones I made. I have tried
Now there is something in the cleaning the nozzles but nothing seems
third sentence of your message which to do the trick. Can you give
arouses my curiosity: “Nothing me a possible explanation for its
appeared on the screen”. You then appearance and persistence? And
say that the pictures appear on the can you offer a solution?
camera screen with the cable We have also been offered a laser
unplugged, but when you plug it in printer, by someone who has no more
the camera switches itself off. What I use for it. Someone has told me that
believe is happening is that you’ve they are expensive to run. Are they an
failed to set the channel on the TV to improvement on ink-jet printers?
the AV input. John Norman
Look on the remote control and
find the button which switches the Banding, by which you mean
input from normal channels to AV
This illustration compares a standard size larger image suitable for printing at A4 size with its
smaller size equivalent suitable for a web page or for emailing. To create the smaller size image we A the appearance of lines along
can use the ‘Resample’ function of image-editing software, or ‘Create web gallery’ in an image
input. I think you’ll find that with a the direction of print, usually happens
couple of presses of the button the When resizing for the web you medium. The file size should come on inkjet printers because of clogged
pictures will appear. It’s rather like must do two things – rewrite the file out at anything between 40 to 60 k. nozzles. I have encountered this
‘tuning’ the TV to the camera. When so it has smaller pixel dimensions, That’s it – you’re now ready to email problem many times and usually the
the cable is plugged into the camera, and resave the file using a greater the file! way to solve it is to run the head
it doesn’t switch itself off. The LCD is amount of JPEG compression. A But there’s an easier way that’s cleaning utility and then check that
turned off to save power while you’re typical size for a digital image file is especially useful if you have lots of all the nozzles are free. Sometimes
viewing the photos on the TV screen. 2,048 x 1,536 pixels – that’s a total of files. Simply use the ‘Make web the nozzles aren’t printing properly
around three million pixels, nine gallery’ feature of your image because of a broken electrical
; READ ON
2
million bytes of information four organisation program. It will make a contact. Use of non-manufacturer
PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS times the area of a standard web gallery consisting of smaller size print cartridges can result in this
FOR DUMMIES computer screen (1,024 x 768). On images and thumbnails, together effect. Often I find that buying new
FILE SIZE disk at JPEG max it comes out at with the web pages to display them. print cartridges can solve the
Published by John Wiley & Sons IMAGE MANAGEMENT around 1MB, needing many minutes Select the image size to maximum problem. Perhaps the printer driver
Price £18.99 ■ BEGINNER to transfer using a 56k modem. 500 pixels width or height and create software doesn’t match the printer or
Written by Deke mcClelland
I seem to have a block in my For web and email we need to the gallery. The smaller size image operating system. In principle, if you
Buy from Waterstones
Q understanding of saving a file so reduce the dimensions so the file will files will be in one of the web gallery have a standard operating system,
it’s small enough to email and doesn’t fit inside a standard computer screen folders. The image files will all be imaging software, printer driver and a
take all day to send. or browser window. 500 x 375 is a correctly sized and ready for transfer correctly configured and connected
Could you tell me in simple terms good size as it takes up roughly a to the web gallery, but if you want to, printer with fully functioning
how to place the image into Photoshop quarter of a standard computer you can open up the folder and select cartridges, then you should get
and then make it small enough to screen, and comes on a small disk. one or more of these files for viewing perfect results.
email without losing the detail? Here’s how to resample a photo in or emailing. Inkjet printers have been
Fiona Bridgland Photoshop or Elements. First we go to developed to a high degree of
2
Image8Size – find width or height sophistication, especially in the
Image size is one of the most 2048 and change this to 500 – make printing of photographic images –
Verdict You don’t have to be a A important and most sure the checkbox ‘Resample’ is laser printers just don’t match the
dummy to benefit from this
entertaining and informative misunderstood concepts in digital checked. Now the file has been PRINTER PROBLEMS quality, detail and colour fidelity of
photography. Images from today’s rewritten in the new dimensions, PRINTER inkjets, so I wouldn’t recommend that
book on Photoshop Elements,
part of the highly successful digital cameras are generally large in some of the picture information has ■■ INTERMEDIATE option for printing photos. Ultimately
‘For Dummies’ series. Useful size, and we usually need to scale been discarded – it’s about a quarter I recently bought a Nikon Coolpix it may be more cost-effective to buy
explanations avoiding use of
them down to suit various uses, such the size it was.
Q 5700 and was quite startled by a new inkjet printer. They’re
jargon, plus tips, tricks and
as sending via the internet, printing Now go to Save As or Save for the sharpness of the picture I’m getting extremely good value and are
lots more.
and viewing on-screen. Web. Select JPEG high or JPEG on an 8 x 10. However, I’m struggling improving all the time.

Jaggies is the common name for pixels that are visible along diagonal
4
FURTHER lines. They are caused by lower resolution images being displayed too
INFORMATION large, causing the pixels to be visible to the naked eye
EMAIL AIDAN! Send your digital photography queries to Aidan at help.dcm@futurenet.co.uk This email address is for technical problems only. See page 03 page for other problems
2 OBLIQUE ANGLE ON... V TECH FOCUS

Taking professional quality portrait photos SUPER CCD SR
Digital sensor development hasn’t
concentrated solely on cramming
Today’s digital cameras are amazing powerful, plus a fully equipped portrait via the LCD or your PC, enabling you watt bulb of a domestic table lamp,
more and more photosensors into a
pieces of technology. And yet they’re studio with flash and backgrounds, to retake images as necessary. plus ambient lighting in the room. The smaller area – Fujifilm is taking CCD
so compact and unassuming, it’s preferably in a fashionable part of This is how I came up with this backdrop was my velvety jacket which development in a new direction.
quite possible to underestimate London. Not so! portrait photograph of actress I’d bought in the sales earlier in the The Fujifilm Fourth Generation
their capabilities. The very power and versatility of Stephanie Bishop, taken for her listing week. I used a FujiFilm FinePix F601, Super CCD SR is a new type of
You may think that a sub-£500 the contemporary digital camera in Spotlight, the actor’s directory. The for the shoot with a tripod. The studio sensor. At each of the 3.1 million
photosites, you’ll find not one but
compact digital camera is great for makes it possible to achieve photo is the result of trial and error, was the front room of her house.
two photodiodes – a larger one of
general photography and family snaps, extraordinary results with the most improvisation, discussion, and a lot of Take a look at the walkthrough to
standard sensitivity (S), and just
but for serious portrait work you still basic of lighting and props. Any shots patience but the end result is very find out the process we went through above it a smaller one of reduced
need something bigger and and more you take can be instantly previewed professional. The lighting was the 60 to achieve this shot. sensitivity (R). It’s a bit like taking
two photographs at the same time –
one at normal exposure and one
underexposed. The two sets of data
are then combined to produce an
image with much greater detail both
in the highlights and the shadows.
There are two types of lighting
conditions which tend to produce
burnt out highlights – bright
sunshine (where the difference
between bright and dark areas may
be too much for the sensor to
handle) and when using flash –
even set to the camera’s own
exposure metering, facial highlights
The first set of captures was made outside The next set of photos was made in the living room – The results were good. Looking at the photos burn out to an unflattering shiny
Stephanie’s home in afternoon light. The camera a more relaxed environment – and warmer! For a displayed in Photoshop’s File Browser we white. This new CCD effectively takes
you photos at different exposures
was mounted on a tripod. Unfortunately the light background I used my velvety jacket. Spread over selected the one with the most neutral
and should deliver an image in
was too low – and Steph was uncomfortable in the back of the armchair, it makes an area of pure expression. The camera was orientated
which the highlights retain their
the cold temperature – so one look at this set of black with no reflections. We held a table lamp with horizontally, requiring the image to be closely detail and tonal values, but where
photos, and we decided to reject them and try 60W bulb above and to the left of the subject. There cropped around the face to give an image in the mid and darker tones are also
shooting indoors was also a ceiling light above and to the right. portrait or vertical orientation, aspect ratio 4:3. correctly exposed. The first two
camera to feature the new
technology will be the FinePix
F700 and FinePix F410 Zoom.
A digital cameras would have

difficulty with this. I’ve exposed for
the top half by aiming the camera
high, pressing the shutter gently
then aiming at the centre.
We‘ve made a black and Third time lucky as we are now onto our third All our work and patience
white version by changing set of captures. For this shoot I’ve oriented the has finally paid off! Steph
the file to greyscale. The camera vertically, and selected the highest looks relaxed and natural in
resulting photo is the best setting of 6 million pixels (2,832 x 2,128). These this image and the camera
yet, but we’re still not are the results. Studying the various captures, has given us some fantastic
happy. Steph still doesn’t we selected the first one, in which Steph had a detail. The auto white
look relaxed and there’s neutral and relaxed expression. balance adjustment, for
tension around the mouth. tungsten light, has given us Finally we changed the file to greyscale. This file
Secondly, as we’ve cropped natural skin tones and the will print up to A4 size so can be supplied on Exposed for the foreground, details
have again burnt out. The Fuji 4th
over half the picture there pure black background looks disk for inclusion on the Spotlight website and in Generation Super CCD SR, however,
won’t be enough detail for great – you’d never know it the directory. would be able to capture both parts
an A4 size print out. was a jacket. of this picture accurately.

BACK ISSUES DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
2Back Issues of
only £5.99 each!*
99999
Get your
copy now!
● If you’ve missed an
issue of Digital Camera 8 ISSUE 2 20 CHRISTMAS CAMERAS
● Take better night shots, turn your pics
into works of art, CD burners lab test
8 ISSUE 3 GET LIGHT RIGHT!
● Landmark photography, Paint Shop
Pro tips, mobile camera phones
Magazine, then order
copy here. But hurry –
our back issues are
selling out fast!
* price includes post & packing to the UK only
● To subscribe see
page 76
8 ISSUE 4 IMPROVE YOUR PORTRAIT SHOTS

● Take better action pics, PhotoImpact 8 ISSUE 5 TAKE BETTER LANDSCAPES
● Fix problem colours, how to capture
2
techniques, camera modes explained animals, six direct printers on test
To order back issues of Digital Camera Magazine call now on 0870 444 8680
SECTION #04 YOUR PC
USING YOUR PC
IMAGE FILES TYPES Section highlights…
SEE PAGE 90
USING YOUR PC PAGE
90
IMAGE FILE TYPES
Joe Cassels explains how to convert your photos
from one file type to another to suit your needs
ONLINE TUTORIAL PAGE
92
FREEWARE IMAGE EDITING
Can’t afford Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro? You can
still get the basic tools from online shareware
PRINT TECHNIQUES PAGE
94
WATERCOLOUR PAPER
Using artist’s paper instead of the usual glossy
alternative can lead to interesting results
PAGE PAGE PAGE
90 92 94
PC & internet
Using a PC to make the most of your digital photos
Tutorials you can trust! Contact our Reviews team
f #
Our aim is to bring you creative ideas, expert tips and image files, and full or trial software so you can try the If you have a comment about our reviews, or a product
quick fixes you can use in your own work. tutorial for yourself, delivering a complete package. you would like us to test, please email us at
Authoritative A leading professional in his/her field Clear Our large page size means we can add extra editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk Visit our website at
writes every tutorial. Value-added We try to include elements, explanations and detail to each tutorial. www.dcmag.co.uk for reader verdicts
TUTORIAL USING YOUR PC
YOUR GUIDE JOE CASSELS
Joe Cassels writes regular tutorials for a wide range of computer magazines. He
is an enthusiastic digital photographer with a track record of helping many
people get more from their PCs
joe@cassels.org.uk PORTFOLIO JOE CASSELS
Understanding file
types and associations
You can save your photos in various file formats. Joe Cassels explains the difference between bitmaps,
JPEGS, and TIFFS and how to convert one to another to suit your needs
D
ifferent types of picture file have evolved producing a more portable image. Other file types offer detailed areas at times. Look for the slightly blocky
TUTORIAL
along with the need to store or transport different variations on the compression versus detail appearance of JPEG artefacts around curved edges.
KEY DETAILS images effectively without harming their equation, but JPEG and bitmap are the ones you are If you’ve tried out various picture-handling programs,
2 SKILL LEVEL quality. Digital cameras often take photos in either most likely to encounter. you may have noticed that the program that opens
bitmap (BMP) form or as JPEGs. Some cameras use a picture files by default has changed. This is known
2
proprietary file system, but they should come with Compression conundrum as a file association and it’s quite common for new
2 TIME TO COMPLETE suitable conversion software – otherwise sharing the

images would be difficult. Bitmaps are high-quality
It is possible to control the amount of compression in a
JPEG, but typically they tend to be a third to a quarter
programs to hijack files in this way. It’s straightforward
to change them back, and we’ll do so here.
20 MINUTES
images of large file size. However, not very many will fit
onto your camera’s storage media, which is why many
the size of their bitmap counterparts. The less complex
the image, the more it can be compressed without
Finally, you may want to alter file types yourself if, for
example, you want to compress an image to put it on a
cameras take JPEG files by default. JPEGs are compressed losing detail. They produce perfectly adequate photos, website. This is really as simple as opening and resaving
images where some detail is lost in the name of but you can see evidence of compression around the picture in the new format.
The same picture of a flower, saved as

PICTURE FILE TYPES three different image file types…
? EXPLAINED
GIF IMAGE FILE
The Graphics Interchange Format,
used by the World Wide Web,
8 8
CompuServe and many BBSs. GIF
supports color and various
resolutions and includes data
compression but is more effective
for scanned images rather than
colour photos.
PNG IMAGE FILE

The Portable Network Graphics,
(PNG) format was developed as a
patent-free answer to the GIF
BITMAP IMAGES JPEG IMAGES TIFF IMAGES
format. An image in a lossless 01 Bitmap files can be created for any kind of 02 Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) files 03 Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) files can
PNG file can be 5%-25% more
compressed than a GIF file of the image. The file is composed of information are compressed. They take up much less be compressed using a lossless formula.
same image. Saving, restoring and for each pixel in the image, describing its individual memory than bitmaps because detail is lost as the This means that data is not lost when the files are
re-saving a PNG image will not position and colour. In a photo, this creates a huge picture is compressed. Higher levels of compression made smaller. This makes TIFF a popular choice for
degrade its quality but unlike GOF amount of data, which is why bitmap photos are result in less detailed pictures. However, JPEGs usually publishing because you get smaller files than bitmaps,
PNG does not support animation.
huge files. make acceptable photographs. but quality is maintained.

Newsgroup microsoft.public.windowsxp.photos
4
MORE Book How to do everything with Windows XP, Curt Simmons, McGraw-Hill
INFORMATION Windows version 98/Me/XP
What to do if your files are opening 0 EXPERT TIP

CHANGING FILE ASSOCIATIONS with the wrong program JOE CASSELS
WINDOWS EXPERT
PHOTO ARCHIVING
Choose the file type according to
the use you will put your photo
to. Bitmaps and TIFFs offer very
high quality images, but are big
files. You might use these for
professional images. JPEGs make
perfectly acceptable photos for
general use, providing the
compression isn’t too high.
FOLDER OPTIONS SELECT THE FILE TYPE CONFIRM THE PROGRAM

01 File associations are quite easy to alter in 02 If you take the latter option, scroll through 03 Click OK to return to the previous dialog and
Windows XP and Me. Either right click a file
of the type you want to alter, choose Properties and
the file types and find the one you want to
change. Highlight it, click Change and select the
Close to confirm the change. If you ever
need to change the association back, return to Folder ? EXPLAINED
click Change or select Folder Options from the Tools program you want to use with this file type by Options, Choose the File Types tab and click Restore.
menu of Windows Explorer. Select the File Types tab. default. (Click Browse to locate the program file). The original association will then return. LOSSY COMPRESSION
Lossy compression is where
carefully selected data is lost. For
example the JPEG compression
standard creates blocks of colour
to replace individual pixels. When
greatly compressed, pictures show
JPEG artefacts, which is where
some of these blocks are
noticeable in the image. Loss less
compression removes no data
from the image.
WINDOWS 98 CHANGE THE ICON CHOOSE THE PROGRAM

04 File associations are a little different in 05 Click Change Icon to alter the icon that 06 In the following dialog, click Browse. Locate
Windows 98. Open My Computer and indicates this file type. Choose an icon from the program’s executable file and click
choose View8Folder Options8File Types. Scroll down the list provided and click OK. Under Actions, click Open. Click OK twice to confirm this change. Check
the list until you find the file type that you want to Open and choose Edit. You can now specify the that the file type and program are correct before
change. Highlight it and click Edit. program that you want to use. clicking OK again. The associations should be changed.
CONVERTING FILES How to use Microsoft Paint to convert

pictures from one file type to another
8 8 * WEB LINKS
Microsoft
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp
/default.asp
OPEN PAINT SAVE IT AGAIN CHOOSE THE FILE TYPE

01 Prior to Windows XP, Paint only supported 02 Highlight the picture you want and click 03 In the Save As dialog, choose the file type
bitmap files, but the XP version enables you Open. You may need to resize the window from the Save as type drop-down list. Not
to convert between the most popular image files. Click to fit it all in. To change the file type, save the image all picture formats are supported, but TIFFs, GIFs, JPEGs
Start8All Programs8Accessories8 Paint. Choose File8 again using the new format. Click File Save As so you and PNG files are, as well as bitmaps. Click Save to
Open and browse to the photo you want. can save a new version of the file. create the new file.

TUTORIAL USING YOUR PC
YOUR GUIDE JOE CASSELS
Joe Cassels writes regular tutorials for a wide range of computer magazines. He
is an enthusiastic digital photographer with a track record of helping many
people get more from their PCs
joe@cassels.org.uk PORTFOLIO JOE CASSELS
Your digital photo toolkit

at your fingertips
You don’t have to shell out lots of money to get hold of some decent image-editing tools. Joe Cassels
plucks the best freeware and shareware image-managing tools from the web for your convenience
T
here may be no such thing as a free lunch, time and can share the contents of your PC with the another can be a frustrating and slow business.
TUTORIAL
but you’ll be surprised what you can get for world. Spyware is sneakier, as it transmits info about However, CropIt, Stream Action and Mihov Image
KEY DETAILS free when it comes to digital photo software, your internet habits to its master. Resizer can achieve different conversions with multiple
2 SKILL LEVEL thanks to the wide availability of freeware and However there is plenty of good, healthy freeware to files, saving you endless amounts of time. If you have
shareware program on the web. Freeware is, as its be had and we’ve trawled through the web to put Windows 95/98 or Me and envy XP’s photo-
2 name suggests, completely free to use, while shareware together a toolkit of exciting applications to help you get management, try Photos Manager, which offers similar
applications are usually provided on a try now, pay later more from your digital photographs. If you can’t afford functions. JPG Cleaner optimises files while Red Eye gets
basis and may have limited functionality or a time limit. Paint Shop Pro, fret not, we’ve included two excellent, rid of that perennial problem. Finally, try being creative
2 Before running any freeware or shareware we yet free image editors in the shape of Futuris Imager with Centarsia, which turns photos into mosaics.
suggest you run a virus checker on the program first. and Pixia. Both offer outstanding features for the lowest With all this software out there online, you can save
Downloadable applications can also contain trojan horses price around: that is, absolutely nothing. yourself a lot of money. Perhaps there is such a thing as
2 or spyware – types of virus that trigger at a particular Resizing and converting images from one format to a free lunch after all…
This free image viewer has features that rival many commercial
FUTURIS IMAGER equivalents. Get your copy at http://download.com
8 8
FIND IMAGES THE MAIN VIEWER FILTERS AND EFFECTS

01 Install and launch Futuris Imager. Choose 02 The picture opens in the main viewer. Use 03 The filters button has a tool kit icon. Click it
File8Open to browse for some picture files. the forward and back arrows to scroll to see a menu of supported filters. Double
Once you are in a folder of photos, select one of the through the folder contents. TWAIN capture from click a filter to apply it. Options include colour
pictures and click Open. You can alter the type of files cameras and scanners is supported, as are images inversion for a negative effect, mirror image, rotate,
to view using the drop down list. Most picture file from web cams. The Go menu offers file management resize and greyscale. The Restore Original button
types are supported. tools, like copy, move, delete and thumbnails. removes any filters you have used.

Try these free programs to get the best from your ? EXPLAINED
NINE KILLER APPLICATIONS portfolio of pictures
SPYWARE
Spyware is software that has a
useful purpose but includes code
designed to snoop on your online
practices. Not only does it cause
your internet connection to under
perform, but there are serious
implications for your privacy at
stake here.
RED EYE REMOVER FILE OPTIMISER IMAGE EDITOR

01 Name Red Eye Publisher JDM Cox Software
02 Name JPG Cleaner Publisher Rainbow Status
03 Name Pixia Publisher Tacmi Co, Ltd Status full
Status full and free Info www.jdmcox.com full and free Info http://rainbow.ht.st and free Info www.tacmi.co.jp/pixia
Remove red eye without creating false eyes or JPG Cleaner removes excess data from JPEG files that’s A highly impressive image editor, offering multiple
applying colour on top of your photo. Simply select often added by photo editing software. Unzip the zip undo, multiple layer support and many other features
the eye in question and reduce the red hue using a archive and launch JPGCLN95.exe. Click Add files and that commercial programs boast. It has a similar feel
slide control. Then re-save the picture, minus red eye. open the file you want to clean. Click Start. to Paint Shop Pro so install it and try it out!
IMAGE CONVERTOR BATCH IMAGE CONVERTER/EDITOR STAMP YOUR IMAGES

04 Name MiHov Image Resizer Publisher Miha’s
05 Name Stream Action Publisher fCoder Status
06 Name Picture Shark Publisher Picture Shark
Utilities Status full and free Info http:// Free Beta software Info www.fcoder.com Status free shareware, registration is strongly
freeware.mihov.com Stream Action converts multiple image files by encouraged Info www.picture-shark.com
Mihov Image Resizer converts files between JPEGs, resizing or re-formatting. Operations are designed to Want to publish your photos online, but worry about
GIFs and bitmaps and resizes your images quickly suit common tasks, such as changing files into rip-off merchants? Picture Shark lets you stamp all
into instant thumbnail copies. thumbnails for web pages or optimising for printing. your pictures with your chosen piece of artwork.
0 EXPERT TIP
JOE CASSELS
PC EXPERT
DOWNLOADING
If you've caught the free
software bug, try heading to
www.download.com. You can
search for different programs by
keyword and then narrow the
MOSAIC MAKER PICTURE INDEXER PHOTO RESIZER
07 Name Centarsia Publisher Alhena Design
08 Name Photos Manager Publisher Pieter H
09 Name CropIt Publisher Entry-Soft
search to show you only
freeware. It's a good idea to read
Status Postcard ware Info www.alhena- Henning Status 30-day trial Info Status full and free Info www.entrysoft.com some user comments before
design.com/centarsia www.showyourphotos.net Crop it provides a quick and easy way to resize your downloading any program.
Remember if you install any of
To make this picture choose File8 Open Master An alternative interface for photo management. Use pictures ready for a print service. It offers you a 3x2
these programs, you do so at
Image8Commands8Run Mosaic. To use your own the folder tree in the left-hand pane to select a folder template showing you the aspect ratio that print your own risk.
choose Tools8Open Queue Manager and add files. of pictures then organise your shots. services use. Move the template and crop the picture.

TECHNIQUE MAKING PRINTS ON WATERCOLOUR PAPER Try WWW.adobe.com/
4
FURTHER support/techguides/color/
INFORMATION main.htm for helpful tips
YOUR GUIDE TIM DALY

Tim has written several books on photography including The Digital Photography Handbook, The
Digital Printing Handbook and The Desktop Photographer, and he continues to write for The
British Journal of Photography and AG. His photographs have been exhibited across Europe
Making prints on
watercolour paper
If you wish there was more to life than matt and glossy inkjet paper, try artist’s paper instead. Tim Daly takes you on a watercolour challenge
I
t’s essential to realise at the earliest stage Each kind of art paper has its own base colour
0 EXPERT TIP that cotton or wood pulp watercolour papers ranging from ivory, through to cream and even salmon
designed for artists’ use will react very pinks. Inkjet printers are never equipped with white
TIM DALY differently to glossy inkjet paper. Art papers are much printing ink, so it’s important to recognise that this
COLOUR PROFILES
more absorbent than conventional inkjet media and as base colour of your watercolour paper will become the
INKJET ART PAPERS a consequence, are much less reflective too. After maximum highlight colour and value in your final print.
Inkjet art media offer a more tactile
making your initial test prints, you’ll notice that your Most heavyweight art papers are made well beyond
finish, like traditional artist’s
watercolour paper. Best brands to try results will look oddly dark and have a much less a typical inkjet printer’s maximum media thickness
are Somerset and Lyson, since both saturated range of colours compared to a monitor limit of around 300 gsm. If you have an Epson Photo
have been carefully designed to image. Due to the open weave and texture of many printer, move the tension lever (under the printer lid)
reproduce fine detail and high colour paper materials, high-resolution files with pin-sharp from ‘0’ to ‘+’, to accommodate thicker material, but
saturation with an alluring texture. detail will not reproduce well and contrast will be flat check your instruction guide before attempting
Very heavy weights up to 300 gsm
and muddy. Bought in a single sheet or as part of a anything close to the limit. Paper misfeeds are a VINTAGE PRINTING
can be used for exhibition printing.
sketchblock, watercolour papers can be unpredictable common problem with art paper but can be prevented Just like ancient photographic processes such as
but produce a wonderful textured result that is a by using the printer’s Form Feed command which pull platinum and gum bichromate printing, art papers
perfect cross over between painting and photograph. your sheet of paper into position before you print. can take digital photography into another era
* WEB LINKS
Many hardware and software
manufacturers offer online advice
on how to cope with colour
management problems as follows:
PAPERCHASE
www.paperchase.co.uk
Good paper supplies can be sourced
at most High Street branches of
this famous stationers.
SILVERPRINT FILE PREPARATION BRIGHTNESS SETTING UP THE JUDGING YOUR

An Aladdin’s cave for professional 01 As so much fine detail will be 02 AND COLOUR 03 PRINTER SOFTWARE 04 END RESULTS
photographers and inkjet printing
enthusiasts. Five minutes walk from lost in print, it’s not essential Ignore your monitor and Start testing your paper with It’s most likely that your
Waterloo station or mail order from: to have ultra high-resolution image files make your image much brighter than a series of test prints, using Plain Paper results will look muddy and dull, but
www.silverprint.co.uk to print from. Art papers can’t cope with normal to counteract merging midtones. as your selected media type. Try don’t despair! This is easily corrected by
more than 720 per dots of ink per inch Do this in Photoshop by moving the increasing the printer resolution steadily returning to Photoshop and making a
KATE’S PAPERIE and many look better printed with the Levels midtone slider to the left. This from 360 to 720 dpi and keep a note brighter Levels adjustment. Try printing
www.katespaperie.com
draft quality 360 mode. When ink dots command should be further increased if of all your settings and save the best it again and remember that very thin
Next time you are in New York,
Kate’s Paperie has probably the hit the paper they spread out like ink on you print on cream paper. To save colour combination of resolution, media type media such as Conqueror writing
biggest selection of hand made blotting paper, so don’t prepare images saturation, use the Hue/Saturation and colour balance as a Save Settings papers will only accept a small-scale
paper in the world. above 150ppi resolution – they stand dialog to bump up the colours and file to replay over future prints on the print before buckling under the weight
less chance of turning out waterlogged. move the Saturation slider by +20. same paper. of the fluid.

On your discs
Now you have a choice of two CDs or a DVD every month! Here’s what we have lined up…
>
DISC 1 IrfanView 3.8 (PC)
FULL SOFTWARE Jalbum 3.1 (PC)
Extensis Portfolio 5.0 MyAlbum 2.2 (PC)
This April…
Desktop Edition (PC/MAC) Novamatic 2000 2.0 (PC)
Power Albums 3.0 (PC)
DEMO SOFTWARE TalaPhoto 1.1 (PC)
Extensis Portfolio 6.0 (PC) VCW VicMans Photo Editor
7.2 (PC)
OTHER Vikar JPEG ReSizer 2.1 (PC)
Virtual Tours
Tutorial Files DVD
Camera test shots (All the above plus)
Camera database FULL SOFTWARE
This month you’ve had the opportunity to pick up either the CD or DVD edition of Manufacturer web links ThumbsPlus 3.3 (PC)
the magazine, so follow the next few pages to find out what we’ve got for you DISC 2 DEMO SOFTWARE
ThumbsPlus 5.1 (PC)
FULL SOFTWARE
Breeze Browser 1.4b (PC) Canvas 8 (MAC)
FotoTrimmer (MAC)
I
t’s been a busy month since the last issues of the magazine, but I’m keeping my lips iView Media LE (MAC)
Paintfx 1.0.5 (MAC)
issue, not only have we launched firmly sealed for now so you’ll need to check out DEMO SOFTWARE Photo Mechanic 3.2.1 (MAC)
iView Media Pro (MAC) PhotoLine 32 9.03 (MAC)
the DVD edition of Digital Camera each issue of the magazine or visit the Digital Photologist 1.1 (MAC)
Breeze Browser 2.4c (PC)
Magazine but we’ve been very busy looking Camera Magazine website (www.dcmag.co.uk) Abacre Photo Editor 1.0 (PC) Photomover 2.1.3 (MAC)
ACDSee PowerPack 5.0 (PC) Photoshop 7.0 (MAC)
at the next few issues, too. This is mainly due for more details. ArcSoft Greeting Card 1.0 Photoshop Elements 2.0
to the additional space we have available on (PC) (MAC)
CollageMaker 1.3 (PC) PICStation 1.2 (MAC)
the DVD, giving us effectively the same space as Jeremy Ford Firegraphic XP 5.5 (PC)
PHOTOARTMASTER (PC) PLUG-INS
six CD-ROMS. Senior New Media Editor FotoPage Platinum (MAC)
PhotoBuilder Platinum 3.5
The DVD has enabled us to feature a host of Jeremy.ford@futurenet.co.uk (PC) Glitterato 1.01 (MAC)
PhotoFlair 2.0.1 (PC) India Ink 1.71 (MAC)
Mac-only programs and plug-ins, plus the Virtual LunarCell 1.4 (MAC)
Photomatte Lab 2.0 (PC)
Tours from previous issues of Digital Camera Spline 2.2 (PC) Melancholytron 1.04 (MAC)
Mr. Contrast 1.01 (MAC)
Magazine are featured. We’ve a host of other ■ Don’t forget issue 7! Miss out and you’ll miss PLUG-INS PhotoKit 1.0.0 (MAC)
exciting ideas, too, that will be introduced over out on getting the full version of Serif PhotoPlus Glitterato 1.01 (PC) SolarCell 1.31 (MAC)
Highlight Control (PC) SuperBladePro 1.07 (MAC)
the next few issues. We have some superb 6.0. It’s a world exclusive, only on Digital LunarCell 1.40 (PC) Image Doctor 1.0 (MAC)
well-known full programs lined up for future Camera Magazine.... nik Color Efex Pro Classic
(PC) FREE SOFTWARE
Photographic Filters (PC) Book Image Viewer (MAC)
Shadow Control 1.0 (PC) iPhSwitch (MAC)
SilverFast DC 6.0 (PC) jalbum (MAC)
Smart Sharpen (PC) Slide Freebie 2.1 (MAC)
VIRTUAL TOURS Our virtual tour enables you to get a proper feel for the five SolarCell 1.31 (PC) TalaPhoto (MAC)
SuperBladePro 1.06 (PC)
digital cameras we’ve reviewed this issue FREE SOFTWARE
DRIVERS
Kodak Easyshare
EasyPeg 1.02 (PC)
InstaCropper 2.2 (PC) OTHER
Virtual Tours library
How to run your CD/DVD

Place the CD/DVD in your PC’s CD/DVD
drive. The interface will run automatically.
Read the user agreement carefully – if you
accept the terms, click ‘I agree’. Then use
the menu bar at the top of the screen to
browse your disc’s contents. Enjoy:
Reader support
FLY AROUND DETAIL SHOTS TEST SHOTS We are careful to thoroughly test each
01 Use the pink arrows to the left and right 02 We’ve provided nine detailed images of 03 We’ve taken test shots in four different CD/DVD but in the event of a problem,
of each camera image to spin the each digital camera so you can have a lighting situations to enable you to view please call our reader support team on
camera around. Rollover the outside arrows to really thorough look at each of them. Zoom into the the image quality of the individual cameras. These 01225 822743. In the event of your disc
auto-rotate the camera in that direction or click the required close-up shot by simply clicking the include a detail picture, a skin shot, plus indoor and being physically damaged, please see the
inside arrows to manually rotate the camera to the relevant thumbnail image or pressing the number outdoor shots. See a large version of each shot by back of the disc case for details of how to
position you want. key shown below each one. clicking the thumbnail or pressing the number key get a free replacement.
displayed below each image.

Extensis Portfolio 5
Whatever the size of your photo collection, it has never been easier to catalogue and search your images
* SOFTWARE
SPECIFICATIONS
PUBLISHER EXTENSIS
PRODUCT STATUS FULL VERSION FOR PC AND MAC
CONTACT INFORMATION WWW.EXTENSIS.CO.UK
AS SOLD FOR APPROX $199
SERIAL NUMBER INTERNET ACCESS REQUIRED
D
eciding how to store and organise your
digital photographs can be a difficult
choice to make. Many people simply
create a folder on their hard drive each time
they have finished a new batch of photos, giving
the folder a suitable name but doing nothing to REGISTER THE PROGRAM CREATE A CATALOGUE ADD IMAGES TO CATALOGUES
make individual pictures easily identifiable.
01 Pay a visit to www.maxpc.co.uk/extensis 02 Launch the program, select the Create A
03 You can add pictures to your catalogue
When the time comes that you are looking for a to obtain your Portfolio serial number. New Portfolio Catalog option and click by simply dragging and dropping from
particular image, you will probably find it hard to Install the program and click on the Personalize OK. Choose where your catalogue should be saved, another folder. Alternatively, you can click Catalog8
track down. button to enter your code. type a name and click save. Add Items and navigate to the relevant folder.
With Extensis Portfolio 5 Desktop Edition you
can organise your photos into galleries which
allow you to preview your images. Spend a little
time giving your pictures descriptions and
keywords and you will be able to conduct
comprehensive searches in future – no more
frantic scrabbling through folders!
Portfolio also lets you stay in sync with other
users by sharing your catalogues over networks
and across platforms. You can import databases of
information into your catalogue, and even export
catalogues or specified items as web pages.
Portfolio does not just work with photos – you can
also catalogue other media files such as sounds, SET CATALOGUE OPTIONS MORE IMAGE OPTIONS VIEW YOUR IMAGES
videos and presentations.
04 You can use the General tab to
05 Move to the Add tab, to set more options.
06 Click OK in the Option screen and your
Another useful feature called Background determine the quality and size of Some digital cameras automatically images will be added. By default,
Cataloging allows Portfolio to check every few thumbnails as well a specifying how keywords are generate thumbnails and you can specify whether Thumbnail view is used, but you can also select List
minutes for new files added to a folder. And any generated from the image path. these should be used in your catalogue. or Record view from the View menu.
new files found will automatically be added to
your viewing window.
When you are searching for images, you can
carry your query over as many catalogues
as you want, even those stored on a network.
To help you protect your images, you can embed
a watermark. The program can be configured for
multiple users, each of which can be assigned
different levels of access rights. For example, you
may wish other people to be able to view and
search you images, but not allow anyone else to
make changes to catalogues.
As you can see Extenisis Portfolio is an
extremely advanced product. There are many CUSTOMISE YOUR VIEW SET DESCRIPTIONS USING KEYWORDS IN SEARCHES
other media managament programs on the
07 From the View menu, you can select
08 Right click on any picture and select
09 Click Catalog8Find, to conduct easy
market but this is by far the most comprehensive Custom View to set various display Properties from the menu. You can enter searches of your images. Some
of its type available. options. You can select what additional information a description for all of your images. If you move to keywords are automatically generated from an
should be displayed with images. the Keywords tab, you can add useful keywords. image's path, but your own will be more useful.

REPLACE KEYWORDS/ VIEW A SLIDESHOW SAVE GALLERY AS WEB PAGE
10 DESCRIPTION TEXT 11 You can view all of the image in any 12 Select the images you would like to
If you accidentally add an incorrect given catalogue as a slideshow. Set the include on a web page and click
keyword or description to your images, you can option you want to use by clicking Catalog8 File8Export8HTML. You can create a page using the
rectify your mistakes in one fell swoop. Click Catalog Slideshow Options and then start the show by standard layout by clicking Export, or select a
8Replace, type in the word to replace and then the clicking Catalog8Slideshow. template to use by clicking Add.
replacement before clicking Replace.
ADD WATERMARKS TO IMAGES PROTECT YOUR IMAGES PRINT YOUR IMAGES

13 You can add a Digimarc watermark to
14 If your galleries are accessible by other
15 While most cataloguing will be
your images to help protect them. Select people you may want to protect them. conducted in Portfolio itself, it can be
the ones you would like to watermark and click You can password protect images to provide four useful to have a hard copy of your thumbnails. Click
Image8Embed Digimarc ID. Select the options you different levels of access by clicking Catalog8 File8Print and make sure you select the Thumbnails
want to use and press the Embed button. Administration and clicking on the Passwords tab. In Catalog option before hitting OK.
Upgrade HTML feature has been updated and you can also distribute images on CD
Upgrade to Portfolio 6 using the free Portfolio browser. You can also email your images from
Readers of Digital Camera Magazine can upgrade to the latest version within the program. When you are copying images from your digital
of Portfolio for just $99. Version 6 can now automatically synchronise the camera to your computer, you can automatically rename files on the fly so
contents of a catalogue with folders on your hard drive, so if you add that they are more recognisable. You can also catalogue images without
more photos to a folder, the catalogue will reflect this. There are now even having to launch Portfolio! All this and more is available in Portfolio
more advanced options for publishing your catalogues – the Export to 6. Find out more about this latest version, visit www.extensis.co.uk
BreezeBrowser 1.4
View and sort your digital photographs, create web-based photo albums and view in-depth EXIF information about your images
* SOFTWARE
SPECIFICATIONS
EXIF DATA A popular tool developed especially for digital camera users. Read
more and find out about its useful features
PUBLISHER BREEZE SYSTEMS
PRODUCT STATUS FULL PRODUCT FOR PC 0NLY
CONTACT INFORMATION WWW.BREEZESYS.COM
AS SOLD FOR APPROX $35
SERIAL NUMBER INTERNET ACCESS REQUIRED
W
hen you take a photograph with your
digital camera, you would be wrong to
think that all that is stored on your
memory card is the image itself. Linked to each
image you take is a range of additional
information such as the model of camera that was
used to take the picture, file size, image
resolution, camera settings in use and the date
and time the picture was shot.
All of this information comes courtesy of EXIF REGISTER THE SOFTWARE SET THE PROGRAM OPTIONS VIEW YOUR PICTURES
(Exchangeable Image File Format) and many
01 Connect to the internet and pay a visit to
02 Click File8Preferences to configure the 03 To open a folder of images in
digital camera owners are not aware of it. This www.breezesys.com/DCMagazine and program to your liking. You can indicate BreezeBrowser, click File8Open. Navigate
information is all well and good, but it is not much enter your name and email address. In the how image should be ordered, setup image to the folder containing your photographs and click
use if you cannot actually read it. While there are program, click Help8About and then press the deletion options and set the options and default OK. The first of your selected images will be
plenty of programs available to help you view, Register button. location for converting photos. displayed in the program window.
tweak and organise your photos, few of them
have any EXIF related features.
This is where BreezeBrowser is different. As
well as providing the standard image preview
option, it also enables you to rename entire
folders of images in one go and also to view
the EXIF information about your pictures. The
program has been designed for use with Canon
cameras, it will work with the vast majority of
digital cameras, although you may find that not
such detailed EXIF information is available to you.
This information can be exported to a text file,
copied from image to image or even changed in
some cases. CHANGE IMAGE VIEW VIEW EXIF INFORMATION EXPORT EXIF TO TEXT FILES
If you would like to find out more about EXIF
04 You can view your images one at a time,
05 You need to be using Main View to see
06 It can be useful to save EXIF information
information try having a look at www.exif.org. or view thumbnails of all of them. Switch EXIF information – double click on a as a separate file from the actual
This sites includes details of the EXIF format, between these views by clicking the second toolbar thumbnail to go to this mode. Exif information is photograph. Click Tools8Export EXIF Data and
specific information about different cameras and a button. Change the size of thumbnails by clicking displayed to the right, and you can view more by choose whether to create a text file for each image
forum for asking and answering questions relating View and selecting a size. clicking the Full Details button. or just one file for all photos. Now click Export All.
to the format.
Upgrade from within the program. The software can be bought for just £23.85 – a saving
Upgrade to BreezeBrowser 2.4 of 10 per cent off the usual price. Before you make this essential purchase you
Readers of Digital Camera Magazine can upgrade to the latest version of can try the software by installing the trial version of BreezeBrowser 2.4 from this
BreezeBrowser at a specially discounted price. BreezeBrowser 2.4 includes a new month’s cover disc.
and improved navigation system to make it even easier to preview your photos. If you would like to take advantage of this special dicount offer, simply visit
There is also a faster HTML page generation feature with powerful watermark www.breezesys.com/DCMagazine and you will be able to purchase the
option, and you can print out high quality contact sheets and full size images software online.
iView Media LE
Organise your digital photographs and create a slideshow from your images with iView Media LE – free on your cover CD
* SOFTWARE
SPECIFICATIONS
GET ORGANISED Got loads of images, then take a look at how iView Media LE can
help you organise your picture collection
PUBLISHER IVIEW MULTIMEDIA
PRODUCT STATUS FULL PRODUCT FOR APPLE MAC ONLY
CONTACT INFORMATION WWW.IVIEW-MULTIMEDIA.COM
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS MAC 0S 8.6 OR LATER
SERIAL NUMBER NONE REQUIRED
W
ith traditional photography you might
collect your images together in bulky
albums and print collections, with digital
photography you have the flexibility to keep your
images in digital format before printing the
pictures you’re especially proud of.
Over time, though, you may find it increasingly
difficult to keep track of photographs you have
taken. While Mac owners have Apple’s free iPhoto
app included in OS X, it only provides basic INTRODUCTION GET STARTED THUMBNAILS
cataloguing functions. Like iPhoto, iView is
01 The purpose of iView Media is to make
02 To create a catalogue of images go to 03 Have a look at the tabs at the top of
designed to make navigating image collections organising your photos much easier. And File8Import Media and either choose the main window. These enable you
much easier than just browsing files and folders once you’ve mastered the basics of setting up and Files and Folders to use images from your hard to view your catalogue in various ways, content is a
on your computer, but iView Media is a far more using the software you can even include audio and drive or choose From Camera to download images list view, thumbnail shows individual thumbnails
comprehensive application. DV video in an iView catalogue. straight from a connected digital camera. and media.
iView supports a wider range of file formats
than iPhoto, allowing you to include DV movie
clips with your image collections and even audio –
this is great for gathering together memories of a
special event or a holiday. You can view the
images in a number of ways, as a list, as a
series of thumbnails or full-screen previews.
iView also gives you more detailed information
on your files including file size, file creator, image
resolution, colour depth and colour profile so you
can make sure images are in a format suitable for
print or for screen use.
Once you have created a catalogue in iView
you can entertain (or bore!) your friends with
the slideshow function, which enables you to SLIDESHOWS SLIDESHOW SETTINGS SIT BACK AND WATCH
create interactive or linear slideshows with
04 Slideshows are a great way to show off
05 In the dialogue you can choose to set
06 You can then choose Make8Run
transitions between frames and include an your photographs. You can create a the duration of each image, transitions slideshow and your slideshow will
audio commentary. slideshow from your images by choosing between them, their size and even include a begin. You can control the playback with the
Make8Setup slideshow. commentary track. controller window.
Upgrade movies on screen at once, easily add detailed labels and annotation to files,
Upgrade to iView Media Pro search for files with an in-depth Find command, edit contrast, brightness and
Digital Camera Magazine has teamed up with iView to offer you the chance sharpness of images and convert files into all manner of different formats.
to upgrade to iView Media Pro for the price of £40 or £45 for the boxed version. You can also take advantage of full AppleScript support. A demo version
IView Media Pro 1.5 includes many professional features for cataloguing of iView Media Pro is featured on the disc so you can try out all the extra
and managing your digital media files. You can drag and drop files into the features for yourself. To order this software and save £20 pay a visit to
browser window, create more advanced slideshows with up to 16 photos and www.iviewmultimedia.com/DCMagazine.
ThumbsPlus 3.3
!
EXCLUSIVE
Organise, locate and preview all of the graphics files on your hard drive as well as printing and converting from one format to another
* SOFTWARE
SPECIFICATIONS
MULTI-FEATURED It’s like a Swiss Army Knife for your images. ThumbsPlus can do a
variety of useful operations from image conversion to printing
PUBLISHER CERIOUS
PRODUCT STATUS FULL PRODUCT FOR PC ONLY
CONTACT INFORMATION WWW.CERIOUS.COM
AS SOLD FOR APPROX £45
SERIAL NUMBER SERIAL NUMBER NOT REQUIRED
T
humbsPlus is a program that can be
used to do as much or as little as you
want. At its most basic, the program is
an extremely useful image cataloguing tool which
enables you to scan your hard drive for pictures
and view thumbnail previews of them. The built-in
image viewer means that by double clicking on
an image, you can view the full sized picture.
A useful feature is the option to print image IMAGE FOLDER SELECTION IMAGE DATABASE IMAGE VIEWER
catalogues. You can define the size that each
01 To view thumbnails of the images
02 To help you find images in the future, 03 If you double click on a thumbnail, you
thumbnail should be printed at to ensure that contained in a folder, use the tree you can add a description and keywords can view images full screen. You can
all of your images will fit on a single page. This structure to the left of the screen to navigate to the to individual files. Right click on an image and select display the editing toolbar by clicking View8Toolbar
can be of use if you print out digital photographs relevant directory. Now click on Update All (second Annotate and enter details on the Database and or by pressing 'T'.
and would like to have a handy reference page to toolbar button). Keyword tabs.
help you track down a particular photo you are
looking for.
Finding images on your computer is made
much simpler by ThumbsPlus as well. You can
add a description and a series of keywords to
files so that in future it will be possible to conduct
extensive searches of the contents of your
hard drive.
ThumbsPlus also features a number of image
editing options ranging from simple rotations and
resizing, to histogram adjustment and effect filters.
You can also convert images from one format to
another, and there is support for a huge range of
graphic formats.
You can also email pictures from within the IMAGE EFFECTS WEB GALLERY BUILDER BATCH IMAGE CONVERSION
program, change your desktop wallpaper, and
04 As well as the basic image-editing
05 Whether you are working with original
06 he batch conversion option is useful
even create web pages from your pictures. This tools available via the toolbar, there are images or those you have made if you need to resize a number of
program is a must for anyone who works with additional functions accessible from the menu. adjustments to, you can create a website to display images or convert an entire folder from one
pictures regularly, providing an essential suite of Special effects can be applied by clicking them. Click Thumbnail8Web Page Wizard and format to another. Click Picture8Convert/Batch Edit
tools for your digital camera shots. Image8Filter and selecting an effect. follow the on screen instructions. to get started.
Upgrade As always there is an evaluation version of the ThumbspLus 5 included on the

Upgrade to ThumbsPlus 5 disc so you can try before you buy. What you will find in the latest version is fine-
The Thompson Partnership is offering a special upgrade price of £45.30 (including tuned and enhanced features that you’ll already be familiar with, from version
VAT and £3 shipping), a saving of over £15. To order, open ThumbsPlus 3.3 and 3.3. Most obviously is an overhaul on the main interface that now enables you to
press [Ctrl] + [F1]. Enter ‘order’ into the search box and then select Order Form - customise the interface with the tools you use most regualry and even alter the
United Kingdom. Enter your details and print the order form out before sending it appearnce of the toolbar buttons. Find out more by visiting the developers web
to the address given. site at www.cerious.com
SECTION #05 RETAILERS
5 steps to safe shopping
To prevent or handle the unlikely event of receiving faulty or
damaged goods, why not follow our checklist below – you’ll
reduce whatever slight chance there is of problems:
1 CHOOSE YOUR SITE OR RETAILER DIGITAL

CAMERA
Overleaf, you’ll find pages of camera retailers who offer MAGAZINE
competing prices and levels of service. Give them a look.
2 USE A CREDIT CARD

If you are buying goods worth more than £100 in total, use a
credit card. This is because in the event of any problems, you are
entitled to claim against the credit card company as well as the
seller (you won’t get your money back twice but the company is
there to claim against if the seller has gone bust.) You might also
get extra insurance, so check with your credit firm.
3 NEVER PAY IN CASH

If you can’t pay by credit card, use a cheque or postal order
instead. Don’t send cash through the mail, even by registered
post. Apart from the risk of theft, you can’t stop payment if you
need to, and it’s impossible to prove how much you sent.
4 KEEP A RECORD
Keep records if you’re paying by credit card over the phone. Print
off web pages after you have entered your details on them. Keep
notes of exact times and the name of the person who took your
order, if you’re paying by phone. Always keep your receipts.
5 DON’T USE A DEBIT CARD

Many debit cards don’t have the protection or insurance options
afforded to credit cards, so avoid using one.
Dealerbank
18 pages of the UK’s camera retailers
Contact our team

To advertise in our Dealerbank section contact
#
We can’t make guarantees on quality of service from our
advertisers, but if you do have problem – or have had
praiseworthy service – we’d like to know. Email us at
our sales team on 01225 442244 or email
letters.dcm@futurenet.co.uk dcamclassifieds@futurenet.co.uk
™
THE UK’s No1 INKJET COMPANY
Web. www.mx2.com
Tel. 01481 740200
Fax. 01481 740300
Email. sales@mx2.com
18L0032 BLK .............£17.99 BC01 BLK.....................£13.90

EPSON
MX2 is the NEW T042440 Yellow ........£9.90 NEW 6656A BLK............£17.95
18L0042 CLR.............£25.85 BC02 BLK.....................£13.75 UK’s largest NEW T042340 Magenta ...£9.90 NEW 6657A TRI -CLR ...£17.99
10N0016 BLK .............£17.90 BC05 CLR ....................£15.90 NEW T042240 Cyan..........£9.90 NEW 6658A PHOTO ......£16.90
10N0026 CLR.............£22.00 seller of NEW T041040 CLR .........£16.90 NEW 8727A BLK............£13.50
BC06 PHOTO...............£13.99
17G0060 CLR.............£17.99 EPSON Inks NEW T040140 BLK .........£17.90 NEW 8728A TRI -CLR ...£15.50
17G0050 BLK .............£17.90 BC10 BLK.....................£23.50 NEW T037040 CLR .........£13.50
BC-20 BLK ...................£16.90 & Photo 6615D BLK............£17.99
13619HC CLR.............£23.90 NEW T036140 BLK ...........£9.99
13400HC BLK .............£17.99 BC-21 Print Head..........£29.99 papers. NEW T033640 Photo Mag..£8.70 6578D CLR............£23.90
12A1970 BLK .............£17.99 BC-22 PHOTO ..............£15.90 NEW T033540 PhotoCyan£8.70 6578A CLR............£38.83
12A1975 BLK .............£28.90 BC-23 BLK.....................£17.99 NEW T033440 Yellow .......£8.90 6614D BLK............£17.90
12A1980 CLR.............£25.90 NEW T033340 Magenta ...£8.90 1823D CLR 30ml ..£23.50
BCI-3 BLK.......................£7.90 NEW T033240 Cyan..........£8.90
12A1990 PHOTO .......£27.99 1816A PHOTO ......£22.99
15M0120 CLR.............£26.45 BCI-3 C/M/Y .........each £5.90 NEW T033140 BLK ...........£8.70 51649A CLR............£17.99
BCI-5 BLK.......................£6.99 NEW T032440 Yellow .......£9.50 51645A BLK............£17.99
BCI-5 C/M/Y each..........£6.90 NEW T032340 Magenta ...£9.50
LEXMARK COMPATIBLE NEW T032240 Cyan..........£9.50 51641A CLR............£23.50
BCI-5 PM/PCeach .........£6.90 51633M BLK............£17.90
C-12A1970 BLK..............£13.90 BCI-6 BLK.......................£6.90
NEW T032140 BLK .........£17.90
T029401 CLR .........£15.90 51629A BLK............£17.99
C-12A1980 CLR..............£14.75 BCI-6 C/M/Y each..........£6.50 T028401 BLK .........£17.99 51626A BLK............£17.99
C-13619HC CLR..............£15.50 BCI-6 PM/PCeach .........£6.50 T027401 PHOTO ...£12.50 51625A CLR............£23.50
C-13400HC BLK..............£14.75 BC-30 BLK.....................£22.90 T026401 BLK .........£14.90
C-17G0050 BLK..............£14.65 T020401 CLR .........£14.50 Hewlett Packard Paper
BC-31 CLR ....................£23.99
C-17G0060 CLR..............£14.65 BC-32 Photo..................£24.99 T019401 BLK .........£16.50 6818 A4 Brochure & Flyer Gloss 160g (50)...£8.99
C-15M0120 PHOTO ........£15.90 T018401 CLR .........£13.99 6984 A4 Photo Quality Paper 160g (25)........£6.90
BC-60 BLK.....................£17.99 T017401 BLK .........£16.90
BC-61 CLR ....................£17.90 6832 A4 Premium Photo Glossy 230g (20)...£9.50
T009401 PHOTO ...£13.90
BC-62 PHOTO ...............£29.99 T008401 PHOTO ...£10.70 6951 A4 Premium Photo Matte 230g (20).....£9.50
INKJET PAPERS BCI-10B
BCI-11B
BLK x3 .................£9.50
BLK x3 .................£6.99
T007401 BLK .........£12.50
T005011 CLR .........£17.90
6040
1847
A4 Premium Photo Paper 220g (15).....£5.99
A4 Photo Glossy Paper 160g (20)........£5.99
MX2’s comprehensive and best selling range of T003011 BLK .........£15.99 51634Z A4 Premium LX 95g (200)...................£10.95
BCI-11C CLR x3 ...............£11.00 T001011 PHOTO ...£15.50
compatible inkjet papers, provides high quality BCI-21B BLK.......................£4.99 20193 PHOTO ...£10.99 1853 A4 Photo Matte 2 sided 135g (100)...£10.50
output and ultimate value for the enthusiast. BCI-21C CLR ......................£9.90 20191 CLR .........£14.90 6050 A4 Iron-on Transfers (10)......................£9.99
BCI-24B BLK.......................£5.90 20189 BLK .........£13.99 6042 Greeting Cards + Env. (20)................... £5.49
20187 BLK .........£12.90 3832 A4 Transparency Film (20)..................£12.00
NEW MX2 BCI-24C
BCI-61
CLR ......................£9.90
CLR ....................£12.99
20138 CLR .........£10.90
PAPERS BCI-62 PHOTO ...............£17.90
See website for full
range of Inks
20110 PHOTO ...£10.90
20093 BLK .........£12.50 H.P. COMPATIBLE
BJI-201B BLK.......................£5.80 20089 CLR .........£14.90 QUALITY RECONDITIONED HP
The UK’s No 1 choice for CARTRIDGES FROM ALPHAJET & IT IMAGE
BJI-201 C/M/Y .........each £5.50 41620 A4 Photo Glossy Paper x50 .....................£12.00
the digital enthusiast C-1823D CLR......................£13.30
introduces a professional 41622 A4 Photo Paper x50..................................£12.50
41624 A4 Premium Photo Glossy Paper x50........£17.50 C-51625A CLR......................£12.99
range of bright white 41328 A3+ Premium Semi-Gloss x20.................£33.95 C-51626A BLK........................£9.99
Glossy, Satin & Matte 41316 A3+ Premium Photo Paper 255g x20......£29.50 C-51629A BLK......................£11.90
inkjet papers for top PP101A4 A4 Photo Paper Plus Glossy (20)........£TBA 41143 A3+ Photo Paper 190g x20 ......................£17.99 C-51633M BLK........................£9.99
41264 A3+ Photo Matte 167g x50.......................£27.99 C-51645A BLK......................£11.50
Quality Photo printing and PP101 6x4 Photo Paper Plus Glossy (20) ......£3.90 41334 A3 Premium Semi Gloss x20 ...................£27.95 C-51649A CLR......................£14.99
the ultimate value. MP101 A4 Photo Matte Paper (50)................£6.90 41315 A3 Premium Photo Paper 255g x20 ........£25.00 C-6614D BLK......................£11.90
PR-101 A4 Glossy Photo Paper (15)...............£8.90 41261 A3 Photo Matte 167g x50.........................£17.99 C-6615D BLK......................£11.90
41142 A3 Photo Paper 190g x20.........................£17.50
M270G A4 Pro Photo Glossy 270g (40).......£12.99 GP-301 A4 Glossy Photo Paper 165g (20).....£6.90 41125 A3 Photo Paper 120g x20.........................£14.90 C-6578A CLR......................£15.99
©
M270S A4 Pro Photo Satin 270g (40)..........£12.99 HR101 A4 Photo Matte Paper 90g (200).....£16.50 41330 Premium Semi Gloss Photo Roll .............£10.90
M220GM A4 Pro Photo Glossy/Matte 220g (50)..£9.99 HR101 A4 Photo Matte Paper 90g (50).........£4.99 41071
41332
A4 Photo Glossy Film x15 ........................£17.90
A4 Premium Semi Gloss 251g x20 ............£9.50
DIGITAL CAMERA FOOD
TR201 A4 T-Shirt Transfers (10)....................£8.50 41287 A4 Premium Photo Paper 255g x20 ..........£8.99
COMPACTFLASH CARDS
M200G A4 Pro Photo Glossy 200g (50).........£9.99 16MB .........................£9.99
41140 A4 Photo Paper 190g x20...........................£6.90 32MB .......................£11.50
M200S A4 Pro Photo Satin 200g (50)............£9.99 CANON COMPATIBLE 41126 A4 Photo Glossy 120g x20 .........................£5.99 64MB .......................£16.90
M150G A4 Pro Photo Glossy 150g (50).........£8.99 41560 A4 ColourLife Photo Paper 245g x20......£11.50 128MB .......................£39.00
EACH DISCOUNT 41342 A4 Matte Archival Paper 192g x50 ............£9.50 256MB .......................£69.99
M220M A4 Pro Photo Matte 220g (100)........£8.90 41256 A4 Photo Matte 160g x50...........................£7.90 512MB .....................£149.00
C-BC01 BLK ........................£9.95........2 PK £17.50 41106 A4 Photo Matte Adhesive x10 ...................£7.90
M180MM A4 Pro Photo Matte/Matte 180g (150)£9.90 41061 A4 Photo Matte Paper 90g x100................£7.90 SMARTMEDIA CARDS
C-BC02 BLK ........................£9.90........2 PK £17.80 16MB 3.3V .................£6.90
M130MM A4 Pro Photo Matte/Matte 130g (200).£9.90 41154 A4 Iron-on Transfers x10............................£8.90
C-BCI-5B BLK ........................£3.99 41176 Photo Stickers 5x4 .....................................£3.99 32MB 3.3V .................£8.90
C-BCI-5 C/M/Y ....................£3.99 41122 10"x8" Photo Card x30 ...............................£9.99 64MB 3.3V ...............£15.90
Photo Glossy Papers 41121 8"x5" Photo Card x30 .................................£4.90 128MB 3.3V ...............£37.90
C-BCI-10B BLK (x3).................£4.99 .......2 PK £8.99
41148 8"x5" Cards + Envelopes x10 ....................£5.90 SECURE DATA CARDS
CP274 A4 ICI Photo Glossy 2 sided 270g (20).......£13.99 C-BCI-11B BLK (x3).................£5.99........2 PK £11.00 41134 6"x4" Photo Paper 190g x20 .........................£4.99 32MB........................£16.90
CPR0A3 A3 ICI Photo Glossy Paper 260g (20).........£17.75 C-BCI-11C CLR (x3).................£7.50........2 PK £13.98 41144 A6 Photo Stickers (5x16)............................£3.90 64MB........................£35.00
41054 A6 Photo Card x50......................................£5.99 128MB......................£57.00
CPR050 A4 ICI Photo Glossy Paper 260g (50).........£16.99 C-BCI-21B BLK ........................£2.75 .......3 PK £7.50 41147 A6 Cards + Envelopes x20 .........................£5.90 MULTIMEDIA CARDS
CPR020 A4 ICI Photo Glossy Paper 260g (20)...........£8.50 C-BCI-21C CLR........................£3.99........3 PK £11.00 See website for full range of Papers 16MB ......................£11.90
CPRO64 6x4” ICI Photo Glossy Paper 260g (20)........£5.50 C-BCI-61C CLR........................£7.99........2 PK £15.00 32MB .......................£13.90
CS26A3 A3 ICI Photo Satin Paper 260g (20)............£17.75 C-BCI 62 PHOTO ..................£8.99........2 PK £17.00 EPSON COMPATIBLE 64MB .......................£29.90
CS2650 A4 ICI Photo Satin Paper 260g (50)............£16.99 C-BJI201B BLK ........................£1.99 .......3 PK £5.50 SAVE UP TO 70% ON EPSON INK NEW XD PICTURE CARDS
MX2 is the UK’s largest seller of EPSON 32MB........................£11.90
CS2620 A4 ICI Photo Satin Paper 260g (20).............£8.50 C-BJI201M Mag.........................£2.50 64MB........................£17.90
Compatible Inks & Print-Rite Ink Products
CP22-3P A3+ Photo Glossy/Photo Matte 220g (20)..£17.99 C-BJI201C Cyn.........................£2.50 are our Best Performing Brand. 128MB......................£44.90
CP22-A3 A3 Photo Glossy/Photo Matte 220g (20)...£15.99 C-BJI201Y Ylw .........................£2.50 EACH DISCOUNT Memory Stick for all SONY equipment
CARDS A5 Glossy Greeting Cards 220g (20)............£7.99 NEW C-T032440 YELLOW..............£5.50......3 PK £14.85 32MB Memory Stick........................£16.90
NEW C-T032340 MAGENTA ...........£5.50......3 PK £14.85 64MB Memory Stick........................£32.00
CP22-A5 A5 Photo Glossy/Photo Matte 220g (20).....£4.75 NEW C-T032240 CYAN ...................£5.50......3 PK £14.85
CP1750 A4 ICI Photo Glossy Paper 170g (50)..........£9.99
STORAGE MEDIA NEW C-T032140 BLK......................£6.50......3 PK £17.97
128MB Memory Stick......................£52.00
CP1720 A4 ICI Photo Glossy Paper 170g (20)..........£4.99 MEMOREX CDR

C-T029401 CLR......................£6.50......3 PK £17.97
C-T028401 BLK......................£6.50......3 PK £17.97
DIGITAL ACCESSORIES
CS50 A4 ICI Photo Satin Paper 170g (50).............£9.99 80/700MB 48 Speed.each 65p/10 PK £5.99 C-T027401 PHOTO ................£6.50......3 PK £17.97 Compact flash & Smart Media
80/700MB.............50 Pack Spindle £16.50 C-T026401 BLK......................£6.50......3 PK £17.97 accessories...
CS20 A4 ICI Photo Satin Paper 170g (20).............£5.99 C-T020401 CLR......................£3.99......3 PK £11.50 6-in-1 Reader/Writer...............................................£17.99
CDR Audio 80min..99p each /10 Pk £9.45 C-T019401 BLK......................£2.50......3 PK £6.99 Dual Compact/Smart Reader/Writer.................... £15.90
Photo Matte Papers CDRW 700/74....99p each /10 Pack £8.99 C-T018401 CLR......................£6.50......3 PK £17.97 Smart Media PCMCIA Adaptor............................. £16.90
CA240 A4 Artist Watercolour Paper 240g (10)........£6.99 Hewlett Packard CDR C-T017401 BLK......................£6.50......3 PK £17.97
Compact Flash PCMCIA Adaptor..........................£5.90
80min/650MB.......79p each /10 Pack £7.50 C-T014401 CLR......................£3.99......3 PK £11.50
CM234 A4 ICI Photo Matte 230g (50)............................£9.99 C-T013401 BLK......................£2.50......3 PK £6.99 Great Prices from MX2 –
MEMOREX MINIDISCS C-T009401 PHOTO ................£6.50......3 PK £17.97
CM1750 A4 ICI Photo Matte 2 sided 170g (50)..............£9.99 C-T008401 PHOTO ................£6.50......3 PK £17.97 THE Place to Buy On or Off-Line Your
80min 5 Pack...........................................£6.75
CM17100 A4 ICI Photo Matte 2 sided 170g (100)..........£12.99 C-T007401 BLK......................£6.50......3 PK £17.97 DVD’S, MUSIC CD’S, GAMES &
C-T005011 CLR......................£3.99......3 PK £11.50
CANA3 A3 Canvas Photo Paper 140g (20).............£13.50 IOMEGA C-T003011 BLK......................£2.50......3 PK £6.99 BOOKS...
CANA4 A4 Canvas Photo Paper 140g (20)...............£5.99 ZIP 100MB PC or MAC............each £6.99 C-T001011 PHOTO ................£3.99......3 PK £11.50
ZIP 250MB PC or MAC............each £9.75 C-20193 PHOTO ................£3.99......3 PK £11.50
CM120 A4 ICI Photo Matte 120g (100)..........................£7.99 C-20191 CLR......................£3.99......3 PK £11.50
Maxell LS-120 120MB Super Disc ...£6.75 C-20189 BLK......................£2.50......3 PK £6.99
Specialist Products C-20187 BLK......................£2.50......3 PK £6.99
IMATION 3.5” DISKS
CMETAL A4 Silver Metallic Film (10)...........................£6.99 C-20138 CLR......................£3.99......3 PK £11.50
Black IBM 1.44Mb 10 Pack.................£2.99 C-20110 PHOTO ................£3.99......3 PK £11.50
CHOLO A4 Silver Holographic Film...........................£7.95 Neon IBM 1.44Mb 10 Pack.................£3.50 C-20093 BLK......................£2.50......3 PK £6.99
CTFR A4 Transfers for T - Shirts etc. (10).............£7.99 C-20089 CLR......................£3.99......3 PK £11.50
MEMOREX DVD STORAGE
CLING A4 Cling Film 720 Dpi (10)............................ £7.50 DVD-R 4.7Gb...........................................£5.90 Vectorjet Refill Kits & Inks
CMAG A4 Magnetic Photo Sheets (5)..................... £7.90 DVD-RW 4.7Gb....................................... £9.49
DVD+RW 4.7Gb...................................... £9.99 Refill your empty cartridges
CLEAR A4 Transparencies for Projectors (20)........ £7.50
CLAM A4+ DIY Laminate for Menus etc. (10)........£6.99 & SAVE £££s
TDK 5.2Gb DVD RAM ......................£12.99
CBUS DIY Laminate for Business Cards (50)........£5.99 Black Refill Kit (50ml)....£4.90 (100ml)..£6.99
CDKIT CD & Zip Kit (50) Free CD Software..........£11.99 © Colour Refill Kit (75ml)....£7.90 (150ml)..£9.99
CDM2 Photo Matt CD Labels 2 per A4 (2x10)........£5.99 DIGITAL VIDEO FOOD Black & Clr Refill Kit (125ml).....................£9.95
CD2 Photo Glossy CD Labels 2 per A4 (2x10)....£6.50 SONY DVM 60min Premium (no chip)......£4.90 Photo Refill Kit (150ml).............................. £9.99
SONY DVM 60min IC Excellence(with chip) £7.90 Black Ink (250ml)...£5.90 (500ml)£16.90
CD3 Photo Glossy CD Labels 3 per A4 (3x10)....£6.50
Panasonic AY-DVM 60min EK (no chip)...£4.90 C/M/Y Inks Each(250ml)..£6.90 (500ml).£16.99
CBC Glossy Business Cards 220g (10x10).......... £5.75 FUJI Hi8 P5-90 Heavy Metal Particle....... £4.99 Photo Inks C/M/Y(250ml).£9.90 (500ml)£17.90 CHART MUSIC CD’S STARTING FROM £7.99.
CAD20 Address Labels (adh) 10 per A4 (10x10)......£5.99 FUJI 8mm P5-60 Metal Particle (2 PK).....£4.20 Cleaning Fluid (125ml).£3.99 (250ml)..£4.90 LATEST DVD RELEASES FROM £14.50
CMOUSE DIY Mousemat Kit (2)....................................£5.90 FUJI 8mm P5-90 Metal Particle (2 PK).....£5.95 Ink Jector Kit (Kit without ink).............£2.90 TOP NEW XBOX, PS2, CUBE & PC GAMES.
P&P ONLY £1.95 PER ORDER. DELIVERY 3 - 7 WORKING DAYS.

MX2 Computers Limited supplies to Home Users Only (sorry we do not supply Business to Business). Prices shown include any VAT & duties where applicable and are Accurate at time of going to Press E&OE.
MX2 Reserves the Right to Change Prices. Please check our Website or Phone Us for up-to-the-minute Prices. The above Trademarks are recognised and used for illustrative purposes only.
I N D E P E N D E N T E X P E R T A D V I C E
www. .co.uk
FUJI KONICA FUJI FUJI

Finepix S304 KD400 Finepix A202 Finepix F401
£298 £338 £128 £298
CANON FUJI NIKON OLYMPUS

Powershot A40 Finepix 2800 Coolpix 2000 C220 Zoom
£208 £238 £158 £178
FREE
20 DIGITAL PRINTS
MAKE & MODEL CAMERA +32MB +64MB MAKE & MODEL
D I G I TA L C A M E R A S
CAMERA +32MB +64MB MAKE & MODEL CAMERA +32MB +64MB
WITH ALL CAMERAS
CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD
Canon Digital Ixus 330.................. £298 £314 £321 Kodak LS443 ................................ £298 see website see website Olympus C50zoom ....................... £418 £432 £443
Canon Digital Ixus V3 .................. £338 £354 £361 Konica KD 3000 ........................... £238 £254 £261 Olympus C5050zoom ................... £588 £602 £613
EXTENDED WARRANTIES
Canon Powershot A100 ................. £98 see website see website Konica KD100 ................................ £88 see website see website Olympus C700 .............................. £378 £389 £400 AVAILABLE FROM £20
Canon Powershot A200 ............... £148 £164 £171 Konica KD220 .............................. £138 see website see website Olympus C730 .............................. £428 £442 £453
Canon Powershot A40 ................. £208 £224 £231 Konica KD300Z ............................. £358 see website see website Olympus camedia c120 ................ £148 £159 £170
Canon Powershot G2 ................... £428 £444 £451 Konica KD400 .............................. £338 see website see website Olympus E20 ............................. £1,098 £1114 £1121 FREE JASC
Canon Powershot G3 ................... £598 £614 £621 Kyocera Finecam S3L .................... £278 see website see website Oregon Scientiﬁc Dshot III .............. £58 £89 £80 AFTER-SHOT SOFTWARE WITH
Canon Powershot S40 .................. £438 £454 £461 Kyocera Finecam S4 ..................... £349 see website see website Pentax Optio 330GS ..................... £248 £264 £271
Canon Powershot S45 .................. £468 £484 £491 Kyocera Finecam S5 ..................... £418 see website see website Pentax Optio 330RS ..................... £298 £314 £321
EVERY PURCHASE
Casio Exilim S2 ............................. £218 see website see website Minolta Dimage 7Hi ..................... £958 £974 £981 Pentax Optio 430 ......................... £418 £434 £441
Casio GV20 .................................. £248 see website see website Minolta Dimage 7i ....................... £678 £674 £681 Pentax Optio 430RS ..................... £428 £444 £451
COME AND MEET OUR
Casio QV2900ux .......................... £308 £324 £331 Minolta Dimage F100 .................. £308 see website see website Ricoh Caplio RR10 ....................... £218 see website see website VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
Casio QV4000 .............................. £368 £384 £391 Minolta Dimage S304 .................. £258 see website see website Ricoh RR30 .................................. £228 see website see website
Casio QVR 3 ................................. £248 see website see website Minolta Dimage X ........................ £238 see website see website Samsung Digimax 230 ................. £168 £184 £191 MISS PIXEL
Casio QVR 4 ................................. £328 see website see website Minolta Dimage Xi .........................£298 see website see website Samsung Digimax 350SE ............. £288 £304 £311
Fuji Finepix 2800 .......................... £238 £259 £260 Nikon Coolpix 2000 ..................... £158 £174 £181 Samsung Digimax 410 ................. £328 £344 £351 FREE
Fuji Finepix 6800 .......................... £328
Fuji Finepix A202 ......................... £128
£339
£142
£350
£153
Nikon Coolpix 2500 ..................... £248
Nikon 3500 .................................. £308
£264
see website
£291
see website
Sony Cybershot DSC-P2 ............... £298
Sony Cybershot DSC-P7 ............... £358
see website
see website
see website
see website
50 DIGITAL PRINTS WITH ALL
Fuji Finepix A203 ......................... £188 £202 £213 Nikon Coolpix 4300 ..................... £398 £414 £421 Sony Cybershot DSC-P9 ............... £398 see website see website CAMERAS OVER £500
Fuji Finepix A204 ......................... £168 £182 £193 Nikon Coolpix 4500 ..................... £518 £534 £541 Sony Cybershot DSCS75 ............... £468 see website see website
Fuji Finepix A303 ......................... £238 £252 £263 Nikon Coolpix 5000 ..................... £698 £714 £721 Sony Cybershot DSC-707 ............. £788 see website see website COMPARE & CONTRAST
Fuji Finepix F401 .......................... £298 £309 £320 Nikon Coolpix 5700 ..................... £868 £884 £891 Sony Cybershot DSC-31 ............... £178 see website see website
DIGITAL CAMERA SPECIFICATIONS
Fuji Finepix F601 .......................... £398 £409 £420 Nikon Coolpix 775 ....................... £218 £234 £241 Sony Cybershot DSC-P5 ............... £398 see website see website
Fuji Finepix S304 .......................... £298 £312 £323 Nikon Coolpix 885 ....................... £278 £294 £301 Sony Cybershot DSC-51 ............... £188 see website see website
SIDE BY SIDE
Fuji Finepix S602 .......................... £538 £549 £560 Olympus C1 (c-you) Zoom ............ £168 £179 £190 Sony Cybershot DSC-71 ............... £278 see website see website
Fuji Finepix M603 ......................... £508 £519 £530 Olympus C220 zoom .................... £178 £189 £200 Sony Cybershot U-10 ................... £185 see website see website
Kodak CX4210 ............................. £118 see website see website Olympus C300z ............................ £258 £269 £280 Sony Cybershot U-20 ................... £228 see website see website FREE MINI TRIPOD WORTH
Kodak CX4230 ............................. £158 see website see website Olympus C3020 ............................ £338 £349 £360 Sony Mavica CD400 ..................... £628 see website see website £8 WITH EVERY CAMERA
Kodak DX4330 ............................. £218 see website see website Olympus c4000z ........................... £378 £389 £400 Sony Mavica MVC FD200 ............. £358 see website see website
READERS AND ADAPTERS Fuji 64MB ......................................................................................... £26 MEMORY STICKS

Fuji ZIO USB Smartmedia reader/writer............................................. £29 Fuji 128MB ....................................................................................... £48 Sony 16MB ....................................................................................... £29
Expert USB Compact Flash reader .................................................... £24 IBM 340MB microdrive .................................................................. £110 Sony 32MB ....................................................................................... £42
Sandisk Compact Flash adapter ....................................................... £15 IBM 1GB microdrive ....................................................................... £238 Sony 64MB ....................................................................................... £62
Sandisk 16MB .................................................................................. £15 Sony 128MB ..................................................................................... £98
SMART MEDIA Sandisk 32MB .................................................................................. £20
Fuji 16MB ........................................................................................... £9 Sandisk 64MB .................................................................................. £28 XD PICTURE CARDS
Fuji 32MB ......................................................................................... £14 Sandisk 128MB ................................................................................ £50 Fuji 16MB ........................................................................................... £9
Fuji 64MB ......................................................................................... £26 Sandisk 256MB ................................................................................ £98 Fuji 32MB ......................................................................................... £16
Fuji 128MB ....................................................................................... £48 Fuji 64MB ......................................................................................... £29
Sandisk 16MB .................................................................................... £9
Sandisk 32MB .................................................................................. £15
M U LT I M E D I A C A R D S
Sandisk 16MB .................................................................................. £19
Fuji 128MB ....................................................................................... £50 share & print
Sandisk 64MB .................................................................................. £28 Sandisk 32MB .................................................................................. £24 B AT T E R I E S A N D C H A R G E R S NO LENGTHY DOWNLOADS
Sandisk 128MB ................................................................................ £52 Sandisk 64MB .................................................................................. £44 4 X 1200 mAh ............................................................................... £6.50
Toshiba 128MB ................................................................................ £50 S E C U R E D I G I TA L
4 x 1800 mAh .............................................................................. £11.50 TO GET STARTED
4 x 1200 mAh & mains charger ................................................... £16.50
C O M PA C T F L A S H ( T Y P E I & I I ) Sandisk 16MB .................................................................................. £22 4 x 1800 mAh & mains charger ................................................... £20.50 1
Fuji 16MB ......................................................................................... £15 Sandisk 32MB .................................................................................. £30 Upload digital images to on-line album.
Fuji 32MB ......................................................................................... £18 Sandisk 64MB .................................................................................. £46
2
All prices include vat (and delivery for orders over £100). Prices subject to change Store, share or order prints.
3
Prints delivered direct to your door.
www. .co.uk FREE 30mb on line photo
FOR ALL THESE GREAT DEALS AND MORE VISIT OUR WEBSITE album storage
FREE registration
call 0870 752 2566 FREE 60 digital prints worth
or fax 01484 845 947 or e-mail sales@internetcamerasdirect.co.uk
£15 with every purchase
*Secure on-line ordering at internetcamerasdirect.co.uk we use a 128 bit model to encrypt your credit card details within the browser on your PC. The details are not
decrypted until downloaded onto our server. This is the most secure model. InternetCamerasDirect.co.uk, Unit 14, New Mill, Brougham Road, Marsden, Huddersﬁeld HD7 over £500
6BJ
www.icdphotos.com
TM
WWW. PHOTOGLOSSY.COM
TEL. 01481 736990
The Digital & Photographic Specialist
FAX. 01481 736991
POST. PLEASE PHONE FOR OUR FREEPOST ADDRESS.
NEW PhotoGlossy.com Ultra White
EPSON
PHOTOGLOSSY
high quality Photo paper range all
for under a Tenner !
PS265 A4 265 gsm Photo Silk x40.....£9.95
PG265 A4 265 gsm Photo Glossy x40.....£9.95
PS215 A4 215 gsm Photo Silk x50.....£9.95
PM225 A4 225 gsm Photo Matte x100.. ..£8.95
DIGITAL
EPSON COMPATIBLE
Each 3 Pack COMPUCOLOR PHOTO PAPERS
NEW T042440 Yellow . . . . .£9.95 A3P260 A3+ 260 gsm Heavy Photo Glossy Paper x40 .........£37.75
CANON COMPATIBLE NEW T042340 Magenta . . . .£9.95 A3260 A3 260 gsm Heavy Photo Glossy Paper x40 .........£29.25
BC01 BLK............................£13.75.............................£9.95 NEW T042240 Cyan . . . . . .£9.95 A4260 A4 260 gsm Heavy Photo Glossy Paper x40 .........£13.99
BC02 BLK............................£13.95.............................£9.95 NEW T041040 CLR . . . . . .£16.95 A3P200 A3+ 200 gsm Ultra Photo Glossy Paper x50............£29.95
BC05 CLR ..........................£15.75 NEW T040140 BLK . . . . . .£17.95
NEW T037040 CLR . . . . . .£13.75 A3200 A3 200 gsm Ultra Photo Glossy Paper x50............£23.50
BC06 PHOTO ......................£13.95 A4120 A4 120 gsm Photo Matte 2 sided x200 ....................£9.95
BC10 BLK............................£23.50 NEW T036140 BLK . . . . . . . £9.95
BC-20 BLK ..........................£16.75...........................£11.00 NEW T033640 Photo Mag . .£8.75 C4T A4 T-Shirt Transfer Paper x15 .................................£8.99
BC-21e Print Head ................£29.95 NEW T033540 Photo Cyan .£8.75 CANVAS A4 175 gsm Photo Canvas Card x10 .......................£4.99
BC-22e PHOTO ....................£15.95 NEW T033440 Yellow . . . . .£8.75 A4BC A4 230 gsm Business Cards x100 ...........................£3.99
BC-23 BLK............................£17.95 NEW T033340 Magenta . . . .£8.75
BCI-3 BLK..............................£7.75 NEW T033240 Cyan . . . . . .£8.75 FOLEX SPECIALIST INKJET PRODUCTS
NEW T033140 BLK . . . . . . .£8.75
CAMERA
BCI-3 C/M/Y ................each £5.95 FC300 A4 True Artists Canvas 300 gsm x3 ...............£4.99
BCI-5 BLK..............................£6.95.............................£3.95 NEW T032440 Yellow . . . . .£9.75 . . . . . . . .£5.95 . . . . . .£17.40 FC150 A4 Canvas Paper 150 gsm x10 ......................£4.99
BCI-6 BLK..................................£6.95 NEW T032340 Magenta . . . .£9.75 . . . . . . . .£5.95 . . . . . .£17.40 FBLK A4 Iron on Transfers for black material x5 .....£7.50
BCI-6 C/M/Y ....................each £6.35 NEW T032240 Cyan . . . . . .£9.75 . . . . . . . .£5.95 . . . . . .£17.40 FG A5 Greeting Cards & Envelopes x10 ..............£5.95
BCI-6 PM/PC ..................each £6.50 NEW T032140 BLK . . . . . .£17.95 . . . . . . . .£6.95 . . . . . .£20.40 FT A4 Iron on Transfers x10 .................................£7.99
BC-60 BLK............................£17.95 T029401 CLR . . . . . .£15.95 . . . . . . . .£6.95 . . . . . .£20.40 FGLO A4 Fluorescent Iron on Transfers x3 ..............£8.99
BC-61 CLR ..........................£17.95 T028401 BLK . . . . . .£17.95 . . . . . . . .£4.95 . . . . . .£14.40 FSLV A4 Silver Reflective Film x5 ............................£4.50
BC-62 PHOTO ......................£29.95 T027401 PHOTO. . . . £12.75 . . . . . . . .£6.95 FADW A4 Glossy White Adhesive x5.........................£4.50
BCI-10B BLK x3 ........................£9.75.............................£4.50 T026401 BLK . . . . . . £14.75 . . . . . . . .£5.95 FADC A4 Clear Permanent Adhesive x5...................£4.50
BCI-11B BLK x3 ........................£6.95.............................£4.50 T018401 CLR . . . . . . £13.95 . . . . . . . .£7.95 FADS A4 Silver Permanent Adhesive x5 ..................£5.50
BCI-11C CLR x3.......................£11.50.............................£4.95 T017401 BLK . . . . . . £16.75 . . . . . . . .£8.25 FCLING A4 Clear Repositionable Film x5 ....................£5.95
T014401 CLR . . . . . . £12.75 . . . . . . . .£3.75 . . . . . .£10.50 FPAD DIY Mousemat Kit x1 ........................................£4.99
BCI-24B BLK..............................£5.95 T013401 BLK . . . . . . . £9.75 . . . . . . . .£2.50 . . . . . . .£7.75
BCI-24C CLR ............................£9.95 FTO A4 Inkjet Tattoos x3........................................ £6.99
T009401 PHOTO . . . .£13.95 . . . . . . . .£8.95 . . . . . .£26.40 FMI A4 Magnetic Stickers (Indoor) 1xA4, 2xA5 ....£4.95
BCI-21B BLK..............................£4.95.............................£2.50 T008401 PHOTO . . . .£10.75 . . . . . . . .£6,95 . . . . . .£20.40
BCI-21C CLR ............................£9.95.............................£3.95 FMO A4 Magnetic Stickers (Outdoor) x2 A4...........£7.99
T007401 BLK . . . . . .£12.50 . . . . . . . .£6.95 . . . . . .£20.40 FPZ A4 DIY Puzzle Jet Kit x1 .................................£7.99
COMPUTER
T005011 CLR . . . . . .£17.95 . . . . . . . .£3.75 . . . . . .£10.50
CANON PAPER T003011 BLK . . . . . .£15.95 . . . . . . . .£2.50 . . . . . . .£7.75
PP101A4 A4 Photo Paper Plus Glossy x20..............£TBA
PP101 6x4 Photo Paper Plus Glossy x20..............£3.95
T001011
20193
PHOTO . . . .£15.75
PHOTO . . . .£10.95
. . . . . . . .£3.75
. . . . . . . .£3.75
. . . . . .£10.50
. . . . . .£10.50
Low Low Media Prices!
MP101 A4 Photo Matte Paper x50 ........................£6.95 20191 CLR . . . . . .£14.75 . . . . . . . .£3.75 . . . . . .£10.50
PR101 A4 Professional Photo Glossy Paper x15 ...£8.75 20189 BLK . . . . . .£14.25 . . . . . . . .£2.50 . . . . . . .£7.75 MEMOREX CDRs from 33p
GP301 A4 Glossy Photo Paper 165g x20 ............£6.95 20187 BLK . . . . . .£12.95 . . . . . . . .£2.50 . . . . . . .£7.75 CDR 80/700 50 on a Spindle............only £16.50
HR50 A4 Photo Matte Paper 90g x50 ................£4.95 20110 PHOTO . . . .£10.95 . . . . . . . .£3.75 . . . . . .£10.50 CDR 80 min 700MB .....69p each/£5.95 10 pack
20093 BLK . . . . . .£12.75 . . . . . . . .£2.50 . . . . . . .£7.75 CDRW 74 min 700MB .£1.20 each/£8.95 10 pack
20089 CLR . . . . . .£14.75 . . . . . . . .£3.75 . . . . . .£10.50
Iomega Zip 100MB PC or Mac .........£6.99 each
FILM
See website for full range of inks Iomega Zip 250MB PC or Mac .........£9.75 each
Maxell LS-120 120MB Super Disc .............£6.99
Amazing EPSON Paper Prices... Maxell DVD Ram 5.2Gb............................£12.99
Memorex DVD-R 4.7Gb..............................£5.75
41377 Premium Glossy Photo Paper Roll 210mmx10m ..£28.99 Memorex DVD-RW 4.7Gb ..........................£9.75
41379 Premium Glossy Photo Paper Roll 329mmx10m ..£36.26
41620 A4 Photo Glossy Paper x50............................£12.50 Memorex DVD+RW 4.7Gb..........................£9.95
41622 A4 Photo Paper x50 ........................................£12.75 Imation 3.5” Black Diskettes 10 Pack .......£2.95
41624 A4 Premium Photo Glossy Paper x50...........£17.75 Imation 3.5” Neon Diskettes 10 Pack........£3.75
41330 Premium Semi Gloss Photo Roll Paper 100mmx8m £10.95
NEW LOWER
C6656A
H.P.
BLK ...................................£17.95
COMPATIBLE 41328
41316
A3+
A3+
Premium Semi Gloss Photo Paper x20 ...£33.95
Premium Photo Paper 255g x20 ..............£29.50
Smart Media PRICES
16MB 3.3V .....................................£6.96
C6657A Tri-CLR ..............................£17.95 41264 A3+ Photo Matte Paper 167g x50....................£27.95 32MB 3.3V .....................................£8.95
C8727A BLK ...................................£13.75 41143 A3+ Photo Paper 190g x20..............................£17.95 64MB 3.3V ...................................£15.95
C8728A Tri-CLR ..............................£15.55 41334 A3 Premium Semi Gloss Photo Paper x20 ...£26.95 128MB 3.3V .................................£38.50
41315 A3 Premium Photo Paper x20........................£24.95
C6578A
C6578D
C6614D
CLR ...................................£23.95 }
CLR ...................................£38.95 ..............£16.95
BLK ...................................£17.95...................£11.95
41261
41142
A3
A3
Photo Matte Paper 167g x50....................£17.95
Photo Paper 190g x20..............................£17.95 Compact Flash NEW LOWER
PRICES
C6615D BLK ...................................£17.95...................£12.95 41332 A4 Premium Semi Gloss Photo Paper x20 .....£9.50 16MB formatted............................£9.95
C1823D CLR 30ml ..........................£23.50 41287 A4 Premium Photo Paper 255g x20 ................£8.95 32MB formatted..........................£11.50
C1816A PHOTO ..............................£23.50 41140 A4 Photo Paper 190g x20................................£6.95 64MB formatted..........................£16.75
51649A CLR ...................................£17.95...................£14.95 41126 A4 Photo Glossy 90g x20 ................................£5.95 128MB formatted ........................£39.50
51645A BLK ...................................£17.95...................£11.50 41560 A4 ColourLife Photo Paper 245g x20............£11.50 256MB formatted........................£69.50
51641A CLR ...................................£23.50 41342 A4 Matte Archival Paper 192g x50 ..................£9.75 512MB formatted......................£149.50
51633M BLK ...................................£17.50.....................£9.95 41256 A4 Photo Matte 167g x50 ................................£7.95
51629A BLK ...................................£17.95...................£12.00 41106 A4 Photo Matte Adhesive x10.........................£7.95 Secure Data Cards
PHOTOPAPER
51626A BLK ...................................£17.95.....................£9.95 41061 A4 Photo Matte Paper 90g x100.....................£7.95
51625A CLR ...................................£23.50...................£12.95 32MB ...................................... ...........£16.75
41154 A4 Iron-on Transfers x10..................................£8.75 64MB ...................................... ...........£37.50
41121 8x5" Photo Card x30 ...........................................£4.95 128MB .................................... ...........£55.00
HEWLETT PACKARD PAPER 41134 6x4" Photo Paper x20 .........................................£4.95
6818A A4 Brochure & Flyer Gloss 160g x50...........£8.50 41176 A6 Photo Stickers x5x4....................................£3.95
6984A A4 Photo Quality Paper 160g x25 ...............£6.95 41054
41147
A6
A6
Photo Card x50 ...........................................£5.95
Cards + Envelopes x20 ..............................£5.95
MultiMedia Cards
6832A A4 Premium Photo Glossy 230g x20...........£9.50 16MB ...................................... ...........£11.95
6951A A4 Premium Photo Matte 230g x20 ............£9.50 32MB ...................................... ...........£13.95
See website for full range of papers 64MB ...................................... ...........£29.95
6040A A4 Premium Photo Paper 220g x15 ............£6.75
DIGITAL
1847A A4 Photo Glossy Paper 160g x20................£5.95
51634Z A4 Premium LX 95g x200............................£10.95 XD Picture Cards
1853A A4 Photo Matte 2 sided 135g x100 ...........£10.75 32MB ...................................... ...........£11.95
6050A A4 Iron-on Transfers x10..............................£9.95 COMPATIBLE 64MB ...................................... ...........£17.95
6042A Greeting Cards + Envelopes x20 ...........£5.75 18L0042 CLR..............£25.89 128MB .................................... ...........£44.95
3832A A4 Transparency Film x20..........................£12.00 18L0032 BLK..............£17.95
New Inkjet Refill Kit & Inks

10N0026 CLR ............£22.50
10N0016 BLK ............£17.95
Memory Sticks for Sony
Refill your empty cartridges & SAVE £££s 17G0060 CLR ............£17.95 ..............£14.70 32MB ...................................... ...........£16.95
Black Refill Kit (50ml) ............£4.95....(100ml) £6.95 17G0050 BLK ............£17.95 ..............£14.70 64MB ...................................... ...........£32.50
Colour Refill Kit (75ml) ..........£7.95....(150ml) £9.95 13619HC CLR ............£23.50 ..............£14.70 128MB .................................... ...........£52.50
Black Ink (125ml) ..................£4.95....(250ml) £5.95 13400HC BLK ............£17.95 ..............£15.75
Colour Inks C/M/Y (125ml)....£5.95....(250ml) £6.95
Cleaning Fluid (125ml) ...................................£3.95
12A1990 PHOTO ........£28.95
12A1980 CLR..............£25.95 ..............£15.95
Digital Video
12A1970 BLK..............£17.95 ..............£14.95 SONY DVM 60min Premium (no chip).................£4.75
COMPUTER
Ink Jector Kit ...................................................£2.95 SONY DVM 60min IC Excellence (with chip)......£7.95
12A1975 BLK..............£28.95
New photo inks available – please call for details 15M0120 CLR ............£26.45 ..............£15.95 Panasonic AY-DVM 60min EK (no chip)........... .. £4.95
P&P ONLY 99P PER ORDER DELIVERY 3-7 WORKING DAYS.

PhotoGlossy.com sells exclusively to Home Users (Sorry, we do not supply Business to Business). All Prices include any VAT & Duties where applicable and are accurate at the time of going to Press E&OE.
PhotoGlossy.com reserves the right to change prices. Please check our website or phone us for up to the minute prices.
The above trademarks are recognised and are used for illustrative purposes only.
www.askdirect.co.uk
C O M E I N T O O U R L O N D O N S T O R E S : K A M L A 2 5 1 T O T T E N H A M C O U R T RO A D. M C D O N A L D 7 0 O X F O R D S T R E E T. H A R P 2 3 7 T O T T E N H A M C O U R T RO A D
DCR-PC101
C-50 ZOOM NV-GS1 MVX2i

£1016
800K Pixel CCD with Superimage Stabiliser
MJU 300
User friendly MDV Camcorder Megapixel MDV Camcorder
10x Optical, 500x Digital Zoom
10x optical Carl Zeiss lens, 120x digital zoom 10x optical 200x digital zoom
Colour Nightview
2.5" touch panel LCD screen 2.5” LCD, SD card compatible
Zoom Microphone & Smart
DIGITAL Super SteadyShot (digital)

image stabilization £877
MARVELLOUS MDV MODEL WITH SUPERB RANGE
OF USER FRIENDLY FEATURES
Windcut
GREAT VALUE MDV MODEL WITH
EXCELLENT SELCTION OF FEATURES!
£385 Wide array of digital effects
TRULY TOP QUALITY MOVIE MAKING MODEL
3.2 Million Effective pixels

2048x1536 Max Res NEW! GR-DVP7 NEW!
DCR-TRV80
NV-GX7
3X Optical Zoom (35-105mm)
TruePic, Digital ESP
£WEB Vertical Ultra compact MDV
10x optical zoom, 200x digital zoom
530 lines horizontal resolution
1600x1200 Digital Stills 10X Optical, 100X Digital Zoom
1.2 Mega Pixel still images
THIS WEATHER PROOF WONDER IS A
1.02 Megapixel Wide
CCD with 1280x960 res £LOW
Carl Zeiss T* lens
Bluetooth, 3.5” LCD screen £919 Bluetooth £680
METAL BODIED PICTURE PERFORMER! Web cam, stills and e-mail movies
STUNNING IMAGE QUALITY FROM THIS GREAT QUALITY MDV CAMCORDER WITH
MARVELLOUS MINIATURE MDV MACHINE FEATURE PACKED MDV CAMCORDER! CAPABLE STILLS SHOOTING TOO!
POWERSHOT
G3
COOLPIX 5700 NEW!
COOLPIX SQ
5.24 Megapixel CCD, 2560x1920 res
8x Optical Zoom-Nikkor lens (35-280mm equiv)
4.0 Megapixel CCD, 2272x1704 res
4x optical zoom (35-140mm equiv)
3MP, 2016x1512 resolution
£WEB
Ultra High-speed Continuous
shooting up to 30 fps £849
Compact Flash card type I or II
EOS-based Shooting Modes
and FlexiZone AF/AE
USB High speed interface £569 3x Optical zoom (37-111mm)
Including brilliant “Coolstation” dock
DIGITAL STILLS
CANON
DIGITAL CAMCORDERS
CANON
SOLIDY BUILT AND PACKED WITH EOS D1S ..........................................£CALL MV5 .................................................£609
SUPERB SHARP SHOOTER WITH ITS OPTICAL ZOOM PHOTOGRAPHIC FEATURES VERSATILE SWIVEL LENSED CAMERA WITH IXUS V3 ............................................£LOW MV5iMC ...........................................£699
GREAT ACCESSORY BUNDLE!
POWERSHOT A200 ............................£139 MV600 - NEW! .................................£WEB
POWERSHOT A40 ..............................£198 MV600i - NEW! ................................£WEB
POWERSHOT G3 ................................£569 MV650i - NEW! ................................£WEB
POWERSHOT S45 ..............................£439 MVX2i ............................................£1016
POWERSHOT S50 .............................£WEB XM2 ................................................£1549
FUJI XL1S .................................................£LOW
C-5050 FINEPIX A202 ...................................£129
FINEPIX A203 ...................................£189
JVC
GR-DVP7 ...........................................£689
ZOOM FinePix FINEPIX A204 ...................................£169 GR-DVP9 - NEW!...............................£WEB
M603 FINEPIX A303 ...................................£244
FINEPIX F401 ....................................£314
GR-DV700 - NEW! ............................£WEB
GR-DV4000 - NEW! ..........................£WEB
£559 DCR-IP55 FINEPIX F601 ....................................£399
FINEPIX M603 .................................£LOW
FINEPIX S304 ...................................£309
GR-DVX25 - NEW!.............................£WEB
GR-DVX95 - NEW!.............................£WEB
GR-D70 - NEW! ................................£WEB
Ultra compact MicroMV
5.0 Effective MP, 2560x1920 res 36 Super CCD 2832 x 2128 output FINEPIX S602....................................£519 GR-D50 - NEW! ................................£WEB
10x optical Carl Zeiss Lens, FINEPIX S602 Pro..............................£644 GR-D20 - NEW! ................................£WEB
3x optical zoom (35-105mm equiv) VGA Movie Mode 120x digital zoom
Accepts xD-Picture Card, SmartMedia,
CF and Microdrive (1GB)
2x Optical Zoom (38-76mm)
High speed continuous shooting
£LOW USB Streaming £1094
Video Mail, Web Browser w/Bluetooth
FINEPIX S2 Pro.................................£CALL
MINOLTA
DIMAGE 7Hi ....................................£949
GR-SX25 - NEW!...............................£WEB
GR-SXM49 - NEW!............................£WEB
GR-FX15 - NEW! ...............................£WEB
ULTRA-BRIGHT LENS PROVIDES PERFECT DIMAGE 7i .......................................£649 GR-FXM39 - NEW! ............................£WEB
DIGITAL PHOTOS! A MEGAPIXEL MULTI-MEDIA MASTERPIECE! UNIQUELY STYLED HANDY MICRO MV MODEL!
DIMAGE Xi ......................................£WEB GR-HD1 - NEW! ................................£WEB
NIKON PANASONIC
COOLPIX SQ - NEW! ........................£WEB NV-GS1 .............................................£385
COOLPIX 2100 - NEW! ....................£WEB NV-GS3 .............................................£459
COOLPIX 3100 - NEW! ....................£WEB NV-GS4 ............................................£499
COOLPIX 3500 ................................£WEB NV-GS5 ............................................£549
COOLPIX 4500 .................................£499 NV-GX7..............................................£680
C50 DSC-U20 COOLPIX 5700 .................................£849
OLYMPUS
SONY
DCR-PC120 ......................................£994
ZOOM C-220 Zoom .....................................£169 CCD-TRV218 - NEW!.........................£WEB
NEW! C-300 Zoom ....................................£239
C-730 Zoom ...................................£399
DCR-TRV14 - NEW!...........................£WEB
DCR-TRV19 - NEW!...........................£WEB
DSC-P72 5.0 million effective pixels, 2560x1920 res
C-50 Zoom.......................................£LOW
C-5050 Zoom .................................£LOW
DCR-TRV22 - NEW!...........................£WEB
DCR-TRV33 - NEW!...........................£WEB
3 Megapixel £WEB Super sharp 3x optical zoom (38-114mm equiv)
2.0 Megapixel, 1600x1200 res
E-20P ..............................................£LOW
MJU 300 DIGITAL - NEW!................£WEB
DCR-TRV38 - NEW!...........................£WEB
DCR-TRV39 - NEW!...........................£WEB
New Scene Selection modes
Memory Stick Pro compatible
TruPic image optimisation
Inc. 32Mb xD card, battery and charger £LOW LCD acts as Viewfinder
Blue, Silver or Black £LOW
MJU 400 DIGITAL - NEW!................£WEB
SONY
DCR-TRV60 - NEW!...........................£WEB
DCR-TRV80 - NEW!..........................£WEB
PERFECTLY PROPORTIONED POCKET-SIZED DSC-P7.............................................£317 DCR-TRV145 - NEW!.........................£WEB
POCKET SIZED DIGI-CAM WITH OPTIONAL 1GB CAPACITY PICTURE TAKER! THIS LITTLE BEAUTY IS THE IDEAL POCKET COMPANION!
DSC-P9.............................................£395 DCR-TRV245 - NEW!.........................£WEB
DSC-P32 - NEW! .............................£WEB DCR-TRV250 - NEW!.........................£WEB
DSC-P52 - NEW! ............................£WEB DCR-TRV350 - NEW!.........................£WEB
DSC-P72 - NEW! ............................£WEB DCR-TRV355 - NEW!.........................£WEB
DSC-U20 - Blue,Black or Silver .....£LOW DCR-TRV950 ...................................£1499
ASK 248 TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD, LONDON DSC-F77 ..........................................£329 DCR-VX2000...................................£2079
DSC-FX77 .......................................£369 DCR-DVD100 - NEW!........................£WEB
NEW MAIL ORDER HOTLINE: 020 7307 8321 DSC-F717 .......................................£LOW DCR-DVD200 - NEW!........................£WEB
LINES OPEN MON-SAT FROM 9:00am TILL 6:00pm
ALL PRICES INCLUDE VAT AT 17.5%. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO AVAILABLITY AND CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. CALL FOR LATEST OFFERS. E&OE.
£ Buyers’ Guide
Buyers’ Guide
Your comprehensive database of best buys and prices – from the reviews pages of Digital Camera Magazine
CAMERAS BELOW £150

Make/model Price Megapixels Description Make/model Price Megapixels Description
SiPix Stylecam Blink £40 0.31 A small, neat, novelty product Digital Dream l’Espion £39 0.3 Fine as a fun toy, but picture quality is lacking
FujiFilm @xia Slimshot £80 0.31 Slimline, light, easy to use – good for children Jessops Fashioncam FC130 £70 1.2 Cheap ‘n’ cheerful with AVI movie mode and webcam
Mustek Gsmart Mini2 £80 1.3 A reasonable price, although slightly fussy Nisis QuickPix 2 £40 0.3 PC webcam with digital stills and AVI movie mode
Creative PC Cam 300 £85 64 x 480 A good, fun, cheap product at a low price Jenoptik JD-C1300 £60 1.3 Can store 60 pics on its built-in 16MB memory. Cheap
Konica KD100 £100 1.3 A neat, well made product for an average price Digital Dream Enigma £80 1.3 CMOS image sensor, SmartMedia storage, average pics
Creative PC Cam 750 £110 1,024 x 768 Standard reproduction with a large internal memory Casio wrist watch camera £120 0.02 Novelty product that rapidly outstays its welcome. Avoid
Samsung Digimax 130 £130 1.3 A well made, standard product – very user friendly Konica Revio C2 £120 1.2 Ultra-compact with decent picture quality and features
Fujifilm FinePx A101 £140 1.3 Basic, easy to use and accurate Jenoptik JDC 1.3 LCD £80 1.2 Entry level camera with LCD display, SD memory storage
HP Photosmart 320 £150 2.14 Sharp, focused and clear images – good value for money Samsung Digimax 101 £100 1.2 User-friendly with decent image quality. Ideal for beginners
£150 PLUS
OLYMPUS CAMEDIA C-120 SONY CYBER-SHOT RICOH CAPLIO RR-30 CANON POWERSHOT A40 NIKON COOLPIX 2500
£170 |2 megapixels DSC-U10 £225 | 3.2 megapixels £230 | 2 megapixels £260 | 2 megapixels
www.olympus.co.uk £200 | 1.3 megapixels www.sony.co.uk www.ricoh-cameras.co.uk www.canon.co.uk www.nikon.co.uk
Robust design and a quick, easy to use, likeable Not so slim-line as its competitors, yet still With so many good cameras at or around the Not a great looking camera with dull, grey styling To fit a well-featured 3x zoom digital camera into
camera, although poor image quality results in a compact and easy to carry. Images are sharp and Ricoh’s price point, it could do with a bit more and underpowered CCD, but excellent manual such a small, sexy package is a real achievement.
disappointing finish well defined appeal. A camera you’ll buy on price alone features and colour reproduction Tiny flash can produce uneven results
Sensor 2.0-megapixel 1/3.2 inch CCD Image size Sensor 1.26-megapixel CCD Image size 1,600 x Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch 3.34MP CCD Lens Sensor 2.1 megapixel CCD Image size 1600 x 1200 Sensor 2.11-megapixel 1/2.7-inch CCD Image size
1,600 x 1,200, 1,024 x 768, 640 x 480 Lens Olympus 1,200 Lens Sony single focal length 5.0mm Focus Ricoh f/2.6-4.7 3x zoom Focus auto, macro Lens 35-105mm equiv, f/2.8 optical zoom lens, 2x 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480
4.5 Focus auto, macro Exposure modes auto Exposure modes Programmed AE, auto Exposure modes Programmed AE, scene modes digital zoom Focus auto, macro Exposure modes Lens 3x zoom Nikkon f/2.7-4.5 Focus auto, macro
Programmed AE Metering Digital ESP, spot AE Metering centre-weighted Monitor 1.0-inch 64,000 Metering multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot auto, program, manual, stitich assist, movie Metering Exposure modes Program AE, scene Monitor 1.5-
compensation +/-2EV, 0.5EV increments Flash auto, pixels TFT reflective LCD AE compensation n/a Monitor 1.6-inch 80,000 pixels AE compensation evaluation and spot Monitor 1.5 inch TFT colour LCD inch TFT color monitor AE compensation n/a Flash
red-eye, off, fill in, slow sync, slow sync with red Flash auto, auto red-eye, forced flash, no flash +/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, slow, approx. 120,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, auto, fill, slow sync, red-eye Video output Movie
eye Video output n/a Movie recording up to 15 Video output n/a Movie recording 160 x 112 in 15 red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 0.3EV increments Flash auto, red-eye auto, forced on, recording 15fps (QVGA frames) for up to 15 secs
secs at 320 x 240 pixels. up to 60 secs at 160 x 120 second clips, no audio Image storage Memory Stick 320 x 240 at 15fps without sound Storage 8MB red-eye on, forced off, slow sync Video output Image storage CompactFlash Batteries lithium-ion
Image storage SmartMedia Batteries 2x lithium Batteries 2x AAA NiMH AC adaptor n/a Weight internal memory, SD card slot Batteries 2x AA AC PAL/NTSC Movie recording 20fps - 320 x 240 10 secs AC adaptor optional Weight 165g (without batteries
batteries/4x AA AC adaptor optional Weight 190g 118g (without batteries or card) Dimensions adaptor no Weight 160g (without batteries or card) or 160 x 120 30 secs Other features optional wide or card) Dimensions 114mm(w) x 59.5mm(h) x
(without batteries or card) Dimensions 123mm(w) 85mm(w) x 29mm(h) x 40mm(d) Transfer USB Dimensions 114mm(w) x 54.5mm(h) x 32.5mm(d) angle, telephoto and closeup lenses Image storage 31.5mm(d) Transfer USB Software NikonView 5 ,
x 65mm(h) x 44.5mm(d) Transfer USB interface Software Pixela ImageMixer, Sony SPVD-008, USB Transfer USB Software Ricoh Gate, DU-10 image CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA alkaline/4x NiMH Arcsoft PhotoImpression, Arcsoft Panorama Maker
Software CAMEDIA Master OS Windows 98, 98 SE, driver OS Windows 98, Me, XP browser & editor OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac batteries Weight 250g AC Adaptor optional 2000 OS Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 9.0-
2000, Me, XP. Mac OS OS 8.6-9.2.2, OS X 10.1.2 or later Dimensions 110mm (w) x 71mm (h) x 38mm (d) 9.2, OS X 10.1.2 or higher
Transfer USB Software RemoteCapture OS Windows
98 SE, 2000, XP. Mac OS
Features 80 1 FINAL SCORE Features 71 1 FINAL SCORE Features 73 1 FINAL SCORE Features 88 1 FINAL SCORE Features 72 1 FINAL SCORE
% % % % %
1
75 1
85 1
77 1
85 1
70
Images 60 Images 80 Images 82 Images 90 Images 67
Build 80 1 Build 90 1 Build 70 1 Build 75 1 Build 72 1
Value 55 1 Value 83 1 Value 82 1 Value 90 1 Value 69 1

£150 PLUS
PANASONIC LUMIX FUJIFILM FINEPIX A303 KODAK EASYSHARE TOSHIBA PDR-T20
DMC-F7-S £280 | 3.2 megapixels DX4330 £300 | 2.1 megapixels
£280 |2 megapixels www.panasonic.co.uk www.fujifilm.co.uk £300 | 3.1 megapixels www.kodak.co.uk www.home-entertainment.toshiba.co.uk
Don't invest till

you've put it to
test. Our digital
buyers’ guide
Although image quality can be weak, this is a great Underneath its modest, slim exterior is an Poor LCD performance and erratic metering The limited specs make the F402 look dear shows you how…
camera for portability and style. A good buy as a extremely capable and likeable camera that aside, this is a decent digital camera for a first- compared similar products. Great appearance and
second camera produces fine results time user average image results
Sensor 2.0-megapixel 1/2.7 inch CCD Image size Sensor 3.3-megapixel 1/2.7-inch CCD Image size Sensor 3.3-megapixel CCD Image size 2,160 x 1,440 Sensor 2.1-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch colour CCD Image Forget movie modes, pretty histograms
1,600 x 1,200 Lens Leica DC Vario Emarit 2x zoom 2,048 x 1,536 Lens Fujinon f/2.8-4.8 3x zoom Focus Lens Kodak Retinar 3x optical, 38-114mm equiv, size 1,600 x 1,200 pixels Lens 8-76mm 2x optical and cameras that turn onto the sound
f/2.8-4.0 Focus auto, macro Exposure modes auto, macro Exposure modes Program AE Metering f/2.8-5.1 Focus auto, macro Exposure modes zoom lens. f/2.8-4 Focus auto, macro Exposure of the national anthem, we’re talking
Program AE, night scene, landscape Metering 64-zone TTL Monitor 1.5-inch 60,000 pixels AE Program AE with scene modes Metering multi- modes auto Metering TTL Monitor 1.5-inch colour about cameras that produce images good
Evaluation, spot rec Monitor 1.5 inch TFT LCD 60,000 compensation +/-2EV, 0.5EV increments Flash auto, pattern TTL Monitor 1.8-inch indoor, outdoor type AE TFT LCD 118,000 pixels AE Compensation n/a Flash
enough to put on your wall. And,
pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.25EV increments on, off, red-eye, slow sync Video output No Movie compensation +/-2EV, 0.5EV increments Flash built- Built-in auto, red-eye Video output n/a Movie
Flash built-in, slow sync Video output PAL Movie recording 320 x 240 at 10fps without sound Other in auto, fill, off, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC recording n/a Other features Exif V2.2 Image unfortunately, not all models will – there
recording Motion JPEG Image storage SD, MMC features Can be connected to computer for use as Movie recording yes, with sound Other features storage SD Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor are a number of features and functions that
Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor optional Weight webcam Image storage x-D Picture Card Batteries on-camera tagging for email, printing, favourtes supplied Software USB driver, ACDSee Weight 170g really are must-haves for the discerning
150g (without batteries or card) Dimensions 2x AA AC adaptor not supplied Weight 145g Image storage 8MB internal, SD card slot Batteries (without batteries or SD card) Dimensions 54(w) x creative photographer.
104mm(w) x 50.9mm(h) x 31.6mm(d) Transfer (without batteries or card) Dimensions 97.0mm(w) CRV3 lithium-ion, 2x AA AC Adaptor not supplied 108(h) x 29.5(d)mm Transfer USB OS Windows 98,
Top on the list then has to be full exposure
USB Software ArcSoft Editing Suite, ArcSoft x 63.9mm(h) x 34.3mm(w) Transfer USB OS Weight 210g (without batteries or card) Dimensions 2000, Me, XP. Mac OS 9.0 or higher
Photoimpression OS Windows 98, 2000, Me, XP Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6-9.2.2, OS X 110.5mm(w) x 66mm(h) x 39mm(d) Transfer USB control, through aperture-priority, shutter
Mac OS 10.0.4 Software Kodak Easyshare OS Windows 98, Me, priority and manual modes. A good range of
2000, XP, Mac OS X aperture settings (eg f/4.5-f/22) and shutter
speeds (eg 1/1000sec to 10 seconds) are
vital too. The serially lazy, or those on a tight
Features 70 1 FINAL SCORE Features 70 1 FINAL SCORE Features 55 1 FINAL SCORE Features 75 1 FINAL SCORE budget, might make do with program modes
% % % %
1
74 1
87 1
63 1
73
Images 61 Images 85 Images 63 Images 70
such as night, portrait and landscape but
Build 85 1 Build 80 1 Build 62 1 Build 85 1 these are only going to take you so far, and
Value 65 1 Value 90 1 Value 70 1 Value 70 1 full automation really will take you nowhere
beyond the realms of the happy snapper.
But it’s also no good making creative use
HP PHOTOSMART 720 OLYMPUS CAMEDIA SONY CYBER-SHOT FUJIFILM FINEPIX F402 of apertures if you can only print postage
£300 | 3.3 megapixels C-300 ZOOM DSC-P71 £300 | 2.1 megapixels stamp size images – go for a resolution
www.hp.com/uk/create £300 | 3 megapixels www.olympus.co.uk £300 | 3.2 megapixels | www.sony.co.uk www.fujifilm.co.uk of at least 3-megapixels if you want
decent size prints – as big as six if you want
to print A4. When considering lens choice,
remember that standard lenses are about
3x in size (forget digital zoom), but go
all the way up to 8x. The longer the
better, really, as you can’t change the lens
once you’ve bought your camera, unless
you’re investing in a digital SLR – the
DIGITAL DIGITAL enthusiasts’ choice.
CAMERA CAMERA
MAGAZINE MAGAZINE
Metering modes are another important
Although bulky in appearance, this is a relaible, It’s a real pleasure to use a camera that has had Easy of use, top components, good value and This small, neat model produces excellent images factor – spot metering will give you much
accuarte camera – if somewhat basic. Performance so much thought gone into it. Excellent features performance, this is a very safe investment for a – thus managing to both look very good and
more scope for manoeuvre when you’ve
is fine and the mono LCD is a nice touch and sharp, colourful images. Recommended first-time digital buyer work very well
Sensor 3.3-megapixel 1 1/8 inch CCD Image size Sensor 3.0-megapixel 1/2.5-inch CCD Image size Sensor 3.2-megapixel 1/1.8-inch 3.3 MS HAD CCD Sensor 2.1-megapixel 1/2.7-inch 2.1MP SuperCCD
mastered the basics of exposure and lighting.
11x14 inches Lens 3x optical Focus auto Exposure 1,984 x 1,488, 1,600 x 1,200, 1,280 x 960, 1,024 x Image size 2,048 x 1,536 - 320 x 240 Lens 3x Image size 2,048 x 1,536 Lens Fujinon f/3.2 fixed Exposure compensation and exposure
modes auto, auto exposure, auto with red-eye , 768, 640 x 480 Lens Olympus lens f/2.9-4.4, 2.8x optical zoom Focus auto, auto macro Exposure focal length lens Focus auto, macro Exposure modes bracketing are two more vital options for
manual strobe (forced on/off) Video output optical zoom Focus auto, manual, macro Exposure modes Programmed AE, scene modes Metering Programmed AE Metering 64-zone Monitor 1.5-inch avoiding the perils of under and
PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 pixels at 20fps modes Programmed AE, compensation, night scene auto, with indication as to ‘wide’ or ‘centre 117,000 pixels AE compensation +1.5/-2EV, 0.3EV
overexposure. Burst mode is useful for those
- 30 secs max Monitor 1.6 inch 110,000 pixel AE Metering Digital ESP, spot Monitor 1.8-inch 61,000 weighted’ Monitor 1.5-inch 123,000 pixels AE increments Flash auto, on, off, slow, red-eye Video
compensation -1.5/+1.5EV, 0.5EV increments Image pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.5EV increments compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, output n/a Movie recording 320 x 240 at 10fps who want to capture moving subjects, and
storage SD card slot Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor Flash auto, red-eye, fill-in, off, night scene Video fill in (forced on), flash off, red-eye Image storage with sound Other features Docking cradle, soft case careful consideration should also be given to
optional Weight 0.59lb (without batteries or card) output PAL Image storage SmartMedia Batteries 4x Memory Stick Batteries 2x AA NiMH rechargeable AC Image storage xD-Picture Card Batteries lithium-ion a camera’s power up time, shutter lag, and
Dimensions 4.7(w) x 2.9(h) x 2.1inches(d) Transfer AA NiMH, 2x lithium AC adaptor optional Weight adaptor optional Weight 284g (without batteries or rechargeable, NP-40 AC adaptor supplied Software recovery time.
USB or HP Photosmart 8881 Software HP Photo 240g (without batteries or card) Dimensions card) Dimensions 124.9mm(w) x 58mm(h) x FinePix Viewer, ImageMixer VCD Weight 125g
Other important features include
and Imaging software, Greeting card creator OS 117.5mm(w) x 66.0mm(h) x 49.5mm(d) Transfer 43.6mm(d) Transfer USB OS Windows 98, ME, 2000. (without batteries or card) Dimensions 77mm(w) x
Windows 98, Me, XP, 2000, Mac OS 9.1 and OS X USB OS TBA Mac OS 8.6-9.01, OS X 69mm(h) x 22mm(d) Transfer USB OS Windows rechargeable battery compatibility; the type
10.1.2 or higher 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2, OSX 10.0.4 of rechargeables used (NiMH are better
or higher than NiCd); the inclusion of a hotshoe for
external flash; custom white balance
settings; and the type of memory cards used
Features 71 1 FINAL SCORE Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE Features 85 1 FINAL SCORE Features 70 1 FINAL SCORE (Compact Flash give the biggest options for
% % % %
1
71 1
90 1
90 1
85
Images 76 Images 80 Images 87 Images 86
storage capacity, but are generally found only
Build 66 1 Build 90 1 Build 90 1 Build 93 1 on high-end models).
Value 70 1 Value 89 1 Value 90 1 Value 90 1

£ Buyers’ Guide
£300 PLUS
CANON DIGITAL IXUS 2 FUJIFILM FINEPIX F401 KONICA KD-400Z MINOLTA DIMAGE F100 TOSHIBA PDR-3310
£329 | 2.1 megapixels £400 | 2.1 megapixels www.fujifilm.co.uk £400 | 4.1 megapixels £400 | 3.95 megapixels £400 | 2.2 megapixels
www.canon.co.uk www.konica.co.uk www.minolta.co.uk www.home-entertainment.toshiba.co.uk
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
Other makers produce excellent all-metal sub- This Finepix is an excellent 2-megapixel ultra- The KD-400 is a remarkable camera. The size, The DiMAGE 7100 has packed virtually every Despite the first- class feature list and build
miniature models, but this latest incarnation of compact camera. It offers lots of style and high build, quality, results and price – all in a package – feature a serious photographer will need into this quality, Toshiba might be asking slightly too high
the Digital Ixus is a beautifully-made classic image quality to back it up are really quite hard to fault very portable, squared-off metal case a price for what are very average images
Sensor 2-megapixel 1/2.7-inch 2.1MP CCD Lens Sensor 2.1-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch Super CCD Image Sensor 4.13-megapixel CCD Image size 2,304 x Sensor 3.95-megapixel 1/1.8-type CCD Image size Sensor 2.2-megapixel 1/1.8 inch CCD Image size
Canon, f2.8-4, 2x optical zoom Focus auto, macro size 1,600 x 1,200 Lens Super EBC Fujinon 38-114mm 1,704 Lens Hexanon 3x optical zoom, 39-117mm 2,568 x 1,928 Lens Minolta GT 28-200mm, 7x zoom 2,048 x 1536 Lens 3x optical, Focus auto, macro,
Exposure modes Program AE Metering Evaluative, 3x optical zoom Focus Auto, macro Exposure Auto, equivalent, f2.8-4.9 Focus auto, macro Exposure Focus Auto, single shot, full time, manual Exposure manual Exposure modes Program AE Metering
spot Monitor 1.5-inch 120,000 pixels AE Programmed AE Metering 64-zone TTL Monitor 1.5- modes Programmed AE Metering Centre-weighted, modes Programmed AE, aperture priority, shutter Evaluation, centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.5 inch
compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, inch colour TFT LCD 114,000 pixels AE Compensation spot Monitor 1.5-inch TFT AE compensation +2/-2EV, priority, manual, scene modes Metering Multi- 110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV
on, off, slow sync, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC +1.5/-2.1EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, red-eye, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, red-eye, night portrait, segment, spot Monitor 1.5 inch TFT colour 110, 000 increments Flash Auto, red-eye, fill in, flash off
Movie recording AVI Other features PC connected slow sync Video output n/a Movie recording up to off Video output n/a Movie recording with sound pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Image storage SD, MMC Batteries 4x AA alkaline AC
shooting, Stitch Assist panoramic mode Image 480 seconds with sound Other features DPOF, Exif Other features In-camera picture re-sizing, voice Flash auto, red-eye, fill flash, cancel Video output adaptor n/a Weight 175g (without batteries or card)
storage CompactFlash Batteries lithium-ion NB-1LH 2.2 Image storage SmartMedia Batteries lithium-ion annotations Image storage SD card, Memory Stick PAL/NTSC Movie recording 35 secs at 15 fps Other Dimensions 91(w) x 57(h) x 31.5(d) mm Transfer
3.7V AC adaptor Supplied Weight 180g (without AC adaptor supplied Software DP Editor, FinePix Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor charger supplied features Interval recording Image storage SD, MMC USB Software USB driver and DiMAGE Viewer OS
batteries or card card) Dimensions 87mm(w) x Viewer, VideoImpression Weight 185g (excluding Weight 198g (without batteries or card) Dimensions Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor sold separately Weight Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Mac OS 8.6 or higher
57mm(h) x 26.7mm(d) Transfer USB Software RAW batteries) Dimensions 85.0(w) x 69.4(h) x 94(w) x 29.5(h) x 56(d)mm Transfer USB Software 185g Dimensions 111(w) x 52.3(h) x 32.0(d)mm
Image Converter, ZoomBrowserEX, PhotoStitch, 27.5(d)mm Transfer USB Software FinePix Viewer, basic manuals and drivers OS Windows 98, Me, 2000 Transfer USB Software USB driver and DiMAGE
RemoteCapture OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac DP Editor, Apple QuickTime 5.0, VideoImpression OS or XP. Mac OS 9.0 or higher Viewer OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Mac OS 8.6
OS 8.6-9.2, OS X 10.1 Windows 98, 2000, Me, XP. Mac OS 8.6 or higher or higher
% % % % %
1
75 1
84 1
90 1
86 1
74
HP PHOTOSMART 850 SONY CYBER-SHOT OLYMPUS CAMEDIA C-730 OLYMPUS C-4000 ZOOM PENTAX OPTIO 430RS
£400 | 4 megapixels DSC-P9 £445 | 3.2 megapixels £449 | 4.1 megapixels £450 | 4 megapixels
www.hp.com/uk/create £430 | 4 megapixels www.sony.co.uk www.olympus.co.uk www.olympus.co.uk www.pentax.co.uk
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
The limited specs make the F402 look dear Sony’s flagship 4-megapixel model is a real class Not the cheapest 3-megapixel camera , but A great range of photographic features, making The Optio 430RS feels like a classy camera, both in
compared to other entry-level snapshot cameras, act, with great performance going hand in hand extremely versatile. Compact, practical and good this suitable for beginners – with great innovative terms of its build quality and the feel of its
but there’s so much more to it than that with smooth ease of use for both the beginner and more advanced user features for the intermediate photographer, too controls. It crams in lots of features, too
Sensor 4.1-megapixel 1/1.8 inch CCD Lens 8x optical Sensor 4.1-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Image size Sensor 3.34-megapixel 1/2.7-inch CCD Lens Sensor 4.13 million pixels 1/1.8-inch CCD Image size Sensor 3.24-megapixel CCD Image size 2,304 x
f2.8-3.1 Focus auto, macro mode Exposure modes 2,272 x 1,704 – 320 x 240 Lens Sony 3x optical Olympus Multivator f2.8-3.5, 10x optical zoom Focus 3,200 x 2,400 (in Print enlarge mode) Lens Olympus 1,712 Lens Pentax power zoom 37.5-112.5mm
Program AE, Aperture priority, shutter priority zoom f2.8-5.6 Focus auto, macro Exposure modes auto, Super-macro Exposure modes Program AE, 3x multivariator zoom lens Focus TTL system iESP auto equiv, f/2.6-4.8 Focus auto, manual, macro
Metering TTL Monitor 2-inch AE Compensation +3/- Program AE, scene modes Metering auto with shutter priority, aperture priority, manual, scene 0.2m–infinity Exposure modes Programmed auto Exposure modes Programmed AE, manual
3EV, 0.5EV increments Flash auto, red-eye, off, on indication to ‘wide’ or ‘centre weighted’ Monitor modes Metering Digital ESP, spot, multi-spot exposure, Aperture priority auto, Shutter priority Metering Multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot
Movie recording 288 x 216 at 15 fps with sound 1.5-inch 123,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, Monitor 1.5-inch 114,000 pixels AE compensation Metering spot, multi-spot Monitor 1.8-inch colour TFT Monitor 1.6-inch TFT AE compensation +2/-2EV,
Other features instant share, optional camera dock 0.3EV increments Flash auto, red eye, fill in (forced +/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, slow LCD AE Compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV increments 0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, red-eye Video
Image storage SD Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor n/a on), flash off Movie recording full screen playback – sync, slow sync with red-eye, second curtain sync Flash auto, red-eye, off, fill-in slow sync Movie output n/a Movie recording up to 30 secs – no
supplied Weight 388g Dimensions 120mm(w) x 16fps – length determined by media capacity Image Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 recording QuickTime Motion JPEG Other features AF sound Other features stereoscopic shooting mode
120mm(h) x 85mm(d) Transfer USB Software HP storage Memory Stick Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor at 15fps without sound Other features twin media area selection system Image storage SmartMedia Image storage 11MB Internal, CompactFlash
Photo and Imaging software, HP memories disk included Weight 206g (without batteries) slots Image storage SmartMedia, x-D Picture Card Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor not supplied Weight Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor optional Weight
creator OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 9.1, OS Dimensions 114mm(w) x 51.5mm(h) x 35.8mm(d) Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor optional Weight 310g 290g Dimensions 110 (w) x 76 (h) x 70 (d) mm 200g (without batteries or card) Dimensions
X 10.1.2 or higher Transfer USB Software Pixela Image Mixer, USB driver (without batteries) Dimensions 107.5mm(w) x Transfer USB Software USB driver, CAMEDIA Master OS 92mm(w) x 59mm(h) x 32mm(d) Transfer USB
OS Windows 98 rev 2, Me, 2000, XP. MacOS 8.6-9.01, 76.0mm(h) x 77.5mm(d) Transfer USB Software Windows 98, 2000, NT, XP. Mac OS 9, OS X or higher Software ACDSee image cataloguing & editing
OS X or higher USB driver, CAMEDIA Master OS Windows 98, 2000, package OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6
NT, XP. Mac OS 9, OS X or higher or higher
% % % % %
1
72 1
86 1
88 1
90 1
79

£300 PLUS ; GLOSSARY
Aperture Opening in a camera’s lens that controls
the amount of light that’s let through to the image
NIKON COOLPIX 4300 PANASONIC LUMIX FUJIFILM FINEPIX F601 MINOLTA DIMAGE F300 sensor. Measured in F-stops, wide aperture settings
£450 | 4 megapixels DMC-L40 £490 | 3.1 megapixels £500 | 5 megapixels like f2.8 let in a lot of light, but give you a limited
www.nikon.co.uk £470 | 4 megapixels www.panasonic.co.uk www.fujifilm.co.uk www..minolta.co.uk depth of field. Narrower apertures like f22 let in less
light, but deliver a greater depth of field. Aperture
Priority Exposure mode setting that enables you to
select the desired aperture, while the necessary
shutter speed for correct exposure is calculated by
the camera. Autoexposure Lock Enables exposure
readings to be taken from a particular subject or
scene, and the frame then recomposed with the
original reading intact. Useful for dealing with
problematic lighting conditions. Autofocus Lock
Enables you to focus the lens on a specific point in
DIGITAL
the frame and recompose the shot while keeping
CAMERA
MAGAZINE the original focal point. Achieved in most cameras by
Overall, this delivers terrifically sharp results A good, fast lens and excellent results for a good Good range of features and excellent images. The A good revamp of an excellent camera – great half-pressing the shutter button, before the shutter is
combined with great exposure control and price. Sadly, the picture-taking experience is only drawbacks are barrel distortion and the size value too, especially with the bundled 64MB SD finally fired. Burst Mode Sometimes called
photographic options dulled, by poor, bulky design of the SM card when shooting in 6MP mode card. Advanced controls can be slightly fiddly continuous mode. Enables several shots to be taken
Sensor 4.13-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Nikkor, Sensor 4-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Leica DC Sensor 3.1-megapixel 1/1.7-inch SuperCCD Image Sensor 5.3-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Minolta in quick succession at a faster rate than single-frame
f2.8-4.9, 3x optical zoom Focus auto, macro Exposure Vario Summicron, f2-2.5, 3x optical zoom Focus auto, size 2,048 x 1,536 Lens Super EBC Fujinon 36- GT f2.8-4.7, 3x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, mode. Achieved by writing to memory after all shots
modes Programmed AE, scene modes, manual macrov Exposure modes Programmed AE, aperture 108mm, 3x optical zoom Focus auto, macro macro Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter have been taken, avoiding recovery delay. The speed
Metering 256-segment matrix, centre-weighted, priority, shutter priority Metering Multi-pattern, spot Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter priority, priority, aperture priority, manual Metering 256 at which this can be done and the number of frames
spot, AF spot Monitor 1.5-inch 110,000 pixels AE Monitor 1.8-inch 110,000 pixels AE compensation aperture priority, manual Metering 64-zone TTL, multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot Monitor that can be exposed in a single burst varies between
compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, +/-2EV, 0.25EV increments Flash auto, on, off, slow spot, average Monitor 1.5inch colour TFT LCD 1.5inch 110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, cameras. Camera Meter Measures the amount of
on, off, slow sync, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC sync, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie 110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV 0.3EV increments Flash auto, red-eye, slow, on, off light reflected from a scene through-the-lens so the
Movie recording QVGA 15fps Other features 12 recording QuickTime Motion JPEG Other features increments Flash auto, red-eye, slow sync Video Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 correct exposure is set. Some cameras offer several
scene modes Image storage CompactFlash Batteries Voice annotations Image storage SD card slot output PAL Movie recording 544 seconds with at 15 fps with sound Other features automatic metering modes – centre-weighted concentrates on
lithium-ion EN-EL1, 7.4v AC adaptor Weight 230g Batteries Lithium-ion CGR-S602E, 7.2v AC adaptor sound Other features DPOF Image storage digital subject program selection Image storage SD the central portion of a subject; centre-partial and
(without batteries or card) Dimensions 95mm(w) x Weight 400g (with battery and card) Dimensions SmartMedia Batteries lithium-ion AC adaptor Batteries 2x AA AC adaptor not supplied Weight spot isolate a specific area, while full-frame
69mm(h) x 52mm(d) Transfer USB Software 105mm(w) x 77mm(h) x 65.6mm(d) Transfer supplied Weight 220g (without battery) Dimensions 185g (without batteries or card) Dimensions evaluative mode uses the whole frame area for
NikonView 5 OS Windows 98SE/Me, 2000 or XP, Mac USB Software SD Viewer for DSC, ArcSoft PhotoBase, 72.0mm(w) x 93.0mm(h) x 34.0mm(d) Transfer 110mm(w) x 52.5mm(h) x 32.5mm(d) Transfer USB greater accuracy. CCD Sensor used to convert light
OS 9.0-9.2, OS X 10.1.2 ArcSoft PhotoImpression, ArcSoft Panorama Maker, USB Software DP Editor, FinePix Viewer, VideoImp, Software Minolta DiMAGE viewer OS Windows98, into image data. CCD sensors used in digital cameras
USB driver OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Mac OS Adobe PhotoDeluxe OS Windows98, Me, 2000, Me, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2, OS X 10.1.3 or higher are made up of a number of CCDs arranged together.
9, OS X XP. Mac OS 8.6 or higher CMOS Another type of image sensor. Cheaper to
produce than CCDs, but often considered less efficient
and inferior in quality, though this is not always the
Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE Features 88 1 FINAL SCORE Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE case. Compression Enables image files to be
% % % %
1
82 1
82 1
90 1
87
Images 95 Images 85 Images 90 Images 90 reduced in size. Useful for saving storage space, or
Build 70 1 Build 72 1 Build 95 1 Build 81 1 reducing the time required to send a file over the
Value 72 1 Value 83 1 Value 85 1 Value 88 1 internet. Compression can be lossy, which involves
discarding image information (e.g. JPEG), or lossless,
which compresses at a lesser rate but maintains the
same amount of information (e.g. TIFF LZW). Depth-
OLYMPUS CAMEDIA C-50 NIKON COOLPIX 4500 PANASONIC LUMIX CASIO QV-5700 of-Field Distance in front and behind the point of
£550 | 5 megapixels £550 | 4 megapixels DMC-LC5 £600 | 5 megapixels focus that remains sharp. Relational to aperture, focal
length and proximity to an in-focus subject. Short
www.olympus.co.uk www.nikon.co.uk £600 | 4 megapixels www.panasonic.co.uk www.casio.co.uk
focal length lenses, small apertures, and large
distances to the point of focus give the greatest
depth-of-field, while long focal lengths, wide
apertures, and close proximity to the point of focus
give the least depth-of-field. Digital Zoom Isolates a
specific area of an image and enlarges it, resulting in
a loss of image information. Some cameras use
interpolation to maintain file size, but with some loss
of quality. Most software packages do a better job of
cropping and interpolation. dpi Used to describe the
number of dots a printer is capable of producing in a
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
single inch, with bigger DPI resolutions indicating
higher quality. Effective Pixels Number of pixels that
You might expect a pocketable compact camera to Nikon’s done a brilliant job with the image The DMC-LC5 is easy to handle and comes with an The Casio’s well made, well designed and handles
can be said to play a part in the image. The effective
sacrifice features and image quality, but the C-50 quality, build and finish. First class images oversized 2.5-inch LCD. Picture quality is superb for well. But it’s marred by some quirky design points
pixel size gives the only accurate clue to the amount
makes few concessions in either direction are guaranteed its detail, saturation, contrast and tonal range and unpredictability, which is a real shame
of information a camera can record. Exposure The
Sensor 5.4-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Image size Sensor 4.13-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Nikkor Sensor 4.0-megapixel 1/1.76-inch CCD Lens f2.0 - Sensor 5.36-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Canon,
amount of light that falls on to an image sensor
2,560 x 1,920 Lens Olympus f2.8-4.8 3x optical zoom f2.6-5.1, 4x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, macro 2.5, 2x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, Exposure f2-2.5, 3x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, infinity,
between shutter opening and closing; varied through
Focus auto Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter priority, modes Auto, Program AE, shutter priority, aperture macro Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter
the size of the lens aperture and duration the shutter
priority, aperture priority, manual, scene modes aperture priority, manual, scene modes Metering priority, manual Metering Multi, centre-weighted, priority, aperture priority, manual, Best Shot modes
is kept open. If less light is received than the image
Metering Digital ESP, spot Monitor 1.5-inch 134,0000 matrix, centre-weighted, spot, AF spot Monitor 1.5- spot, averaging Monitor 2.5-inch 205,000 pixels AE Metering Multi-pattern, centre-weighted, spot
sensor requires to render a scene correctly, then
pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV increments inch 110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, Monitor 1.8-inch 122,100 pixels AE compensation
underexposure occurs. If more light than required is
Flash auto, on, off, red-eye, slow sync, slow sync with increments Flash auto, on, off, slow, red-eye Video on, off, red-eye, slow sync, hot shoe with contacts for +2/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, red-eye
received, then an image will be overexposed.
red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 at external flash units Video output PAL/NTSC Movie Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240
Exposure Compensation Enables you to override
320 x 240 15fps QuickTime Other features TruePic 15fps with sound Other features Swivelling body recording up to 160 seconds 320 x 240 QuickTime AVI format with sound Other features 100+ Best
the camera meter and expose by a number of stops
image processing and Pixel Mapping Image storage Image storage CompactFlash Batteries lithium-ion, Motion JPEG Image storage SD Batteries lithium-ion Shot settings transferable from CD Image storage
more or less than the designated amount. Often
x-D Picture Card Batteries lithium-ion LI-10B AC EN-EL1 AC adaptor n/a Weight 360g (without AC adaptor supplied Weight 360g (excluding CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor supplied
used when meters misdiagnose exposure; e.g. with
adaptor supplied Weight 194g (without batteries) battery or card) Dimensions 130mm(w) x 73mm(h) batteries) Dimensions 127.5mm(w) x 82mm(h) x Weight 335g (excluding batteries) Dimensions
overly light or dark scenes, or backlit subjects. F-stop
Dimensions 99.5mm(w) x 58.5mm(h) x 41.5mm(d) x 50mm(d) Transfer USB Software Nikon View 5, 63.4mm(d) Transfer USB OS Windows 98 SE, Me, 118mm(w) x 74.5mm(h) x 64.5mm(d) Transfer USB
Measurement relating to aperture choice. Fill-in
Transfer USB Software Windows 98, 2000, NT, XP. Photoshop Elements 1.0, FotoStation Easy OS 2000, XP, Mac OS 9.0, OS X or higher Software Photo Loader, Photohands OS Windows
Flash Method of using a flashgun to neutralise harsh
Mac OS9 or higher Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 9.0-9.2, OS X 98/Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6-9.0, OS X 10.1 or higher
shadows cast by direct sunlight. The flash is normally
10.1.2 or higher
set to half or quarter power to ensure that natural
light is still the ‘key’ light in the shot. Flash output
Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE Features 95 1 FINAL SCORE Features 70 1 FINAL SCORE Features 92 1 FINAL SCORE compensation Similar to exposure compensation,
% % % %
1
88 1
91 1
89 1
84
Images 90 Images 93 Images 65 Images 87 offering adjustment of flash power to alter the
Build 83 1 Build 94 1 Build 85 1 Build 86 1 meter’s chosen exposure. Useful for fill-in flash.
Value 89 1 Value 83 1 Value 65 1 Value 90 1 1

£ Buyers’ Guide
£600 PLUS
RICOH RDC-I500 CANON POWERSHOT G3 FUJIFILM FINEPIX M603 OLYMPUS FUJIFILM FINEPIX
£610 | 3.2 megapixels £700 | 4 megapixels £700 | 3 megapixels CAMEDIA C-5050 S602 PRO
www.ricoh-cameras.co.uk www.canon.co.uk www.fujifilm.co.uk £650 | 5 megapixels www.olympus.co.uk £700 | 3.1 megapixels www..fujifilm.co.uk
DIGITAL DIGITAL
CAMERA CAMERA
MAGAZINE MAGAZINE
Over-priced and the the i500’s connectivity tools The PowerShot G3 has many new features, but it’s The M603 is far too expensive for what it does as A classic Olympus shape with excellent finish, A great camera – in particularly for professionals
are complex and expensive. Underneath though, fiddlier and fussier than the old G2. At this price, it a still camera, so you have to really want that layout and design coupled with first rate results who will embrace the studio flash capability and
is a pretty fascinating and capable camera has also got some serious 5-megapixel rivals movie mode to make it worth buying make the C-5050 the best in its class increased storage capacity
Sensor 3.34-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Ricoh, Sensor 4.1 megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Canon Sensor 3.3-megapixel 1/1.7-inch SuperCCD Lens Sensor 5.3-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Olympus Sensor 3.3-megapixel 1/1.7-inch SuperCCD Lens
f2.6-3.4, 3x zoom Focus auto, manual, macro f2.0-3.0, 4x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, macro Super EBC Fujinon f3.2, 2x optical zoom Focus auto, f1.8-2.6 3x optical Focus auto, manual, macro, super- Super EBC Fujinon f2.8-3.1 6x optical zoom Focus auto,
Exposure modes Programmed AE Metering multi- Exposure modes Programmed AE, aperture priority, 20cm in macro mode Exposure modes Program AE macro Exposure modes Programmed AE, aperture manual, macro, super-macro Exposure modes
pattern, centre-weighted, spot Monitor 2.0-inch shutter priorityshutter-priority, manual, scene modes Metering 64-zone Monitor 2.5-inch 118,000 pixels AE priority, shutter priority, manual, scene modes Programmed AE, aperture priority, shutter priority,
200,000 pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.25EV Metering evaluative, centre-weighted, spot, AF spot compensation +1.5/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash Metering digital ESP, spot, multi-spot Monitor 1.8-inch manual, scene modes Metering 64-zone, multi-
increments Flash Auto, flash off, forced flash, Slow Monitor 1.8-inch TFT AE compensation +2/-2EV, auto, on, off, slow, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC 114,000 pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV pattern, spot, average Monitor 1.8-inch 110,000
sync, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie 0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, slow, second Movie recording 640 x 480 at 30fps Other features increments Flash Auto, on, off, slow, slow 2nd curtain, pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV increments
recording AVI Other features voice memos, email curtain, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie LCD cover/shade, docking cradle, soft case, MicroDrive red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 Flash auto, on, off, slow, red-eye, slow with red eye
and image upload capability Image storage recording 320 x 240 at 15fps with sound Image slot Image storage x-D Picture Card, MicroDrive x 240 at 15fps Other features multiple memory card Video output PAL Movie recording 640 x 480 at 30
CompactFlash Batteries lithium-ion DB-20L 3.7V AC storage CompactFlash Batteries lithium-ion, BP-511 Batteries lithium-ion, NP-60 AC adaptor supplied slots Image storage x-D Picture Card, SmartMedia, fps with sound Other features dual media slots,
adaptor supplied Weight 295g (excluding battery) AC adaptor supplied Weight 410g (without batteries Weight 210g (without battery or card) Dimensions CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor supplied external flash sync Image storage CompactFlash,
Dimensions 141.9mm(w) x 78.2mm(h) x or card) Dimensions 121mm(w) x 73.9mm(h) x 64.5mm(w) x 93.3mm(h) x 31.6mm(d) Transfer USB Weight 125g (without battery or card) Dimensions SmartMedia, MicroDrive Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor
30.3mm(d) Transfer USB Software Internet Explorer 69.9mm(d) Transfer USB Software ZoomBrowser EX, Software FinePix Viewer, ImageMixer VCD OS 77mm(w) x 69mm(h) x 22mm(d) Transfer USB supplied Weight 150g (without battery or card)
plug-in for Windows, RDC-I mounter for Mac OS PhotoRecord, PhotoStitch, RAW image converter, Windows 98, Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2, OS X Software Olympus CAMEDIA Master OS Windows 98, Dimensions 121mm(w) x 81.5mm(h) x 97mm(d)
Windows 98, Me, 2000. Mac OS 8.6-9.0 Photoshop 5.0LE OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac 10.0.4 or higher Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6-9.2.2, OS X 10.0.4 or higher Transfer USB Software FinePix Viewer, DP Editor,
OS8.6-9.2, OSX 10.1 or higher VideoImpression OS Win98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6-
9.2, OS X
% % % % %
1
73 1
81 1
78 1
96 1
90
MINOLTA DIMAGE 7I SONY CYBER-SHOT DSC- NIKON COOLPIX 5700 MINOLTA DIMAGE 7HI SIGMA SD9 DIGITAL SLR
£799 | 5.24 megapixels F717 £1000 | 5.0 megapixels £1000 | 5.0 megapixels £1640 | 3.4 megapixels
www.minolta.co.uk £850 | 5.0 megapixels www.sony.co.uk www.nikon.co.uk www.minolta.co.uk www.sigmaphoto.com.
DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
A very good, versatile, quick camera. Let down Easy-to-use features, friendly layout of controls and Brilliantly well made, designed and so great to The DiMAGE 7 did not just introduce new levels of The image technology has clear potential and it’s
slightly by noise levels at the higher ISO settings a first-class lens. Let down by sloppy software and use. Sadly, image quality does not reflect resolution, it brought truly intelligent, practical, clear what the Faveon chip is capable of but users
and occasionally slow focusing slightly sluggish operation otherwise excellent results brilliant design too. A wonderful camera may be disappointed with image quality
Sensor 5.24-megazpixel 2-3 type CCD Image Sensor 5.24-megapixel 2/3-inch CCD Lens Carl Zeiss, Sensor 5.24-megapixel, 2/3-inch CCD Lens Nikkor Sensor 5.2-megapixel, 2/3-inch CCD Lens Minolta GT Sensor 3.5-megapixel Foveon X3 CMOS chip Lens not
size 2,568 x 1,928 Lens Minolta GT 28-200mm, f/2-2.4, 10x zoom Focus auto, manual Exposure f2.8-4.2 8x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, macro f2.8-3.5, 7x optical zoom Focus auto, manual, macro supplied Focus n/a Exposure modes Programed AE,
7x optical zoom Focus auto, continous, manual, modes Programmed AE, shutter priority, aperture mode Exposure modes Programed AE, aperture Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter priority, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual Metering 8
macro Exposure modes Programmed, aperture priority, full manual, scene and movie. Sony exclusive priority, shutter priority, manual Metering 256- aperture priority, manual, scene modes Metering zone evaluative, centre-weighted, centre Monitor
priority, shutter priority, manual Metering multi- NightShot and NightFrame modes Metering multi- segment matrix, centre-weighted, spot, spot AF multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.8- 1.8-inch 130,000 pixels AE compensation +3/-3EV,
segment, centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.8 pattern, centre-weighted averaging, spot Monitor 1.8- Monitor 1.5-inch 110,000 pixels AE compensation inch 118,000 pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV 0.5EV increments Flash not supplied Video output
inch AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV inch 560 x220 pixels TFT colour AE compensation +2/- +2/-2EV. 0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, slow increments Flash auto, on, off, fill-flash, red-eye, rear- PAL/NTSC Movie recording n/a Other features
increments Flash Pop-up ADI with red-eye and 2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, forced, off Video synch (Night Portrait), red-eye Video output sync Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x interchangeable lenses Image storage Compact
pre-flash TTL Video output PAL/NTSC Movie output PAL/NTSC Movie recording MPEG EX/HQX PAL/NTSC Movie recording QVGA 15fps with sound 240 at 15fps with sound Other features flash sync Flash, MicroDrive Batteries 4x AA, 2x CR123A for
recording 60 seconds with sound Other Other features MPEG video recording, hologram AF Other features Flexible Program mode, auto- socket for use with studio lighting systems Image camera functions AC adaptor supplied Weight 580g
features Interval recording Image storage system, manual white balance, spot metering Image bracketing with 3 or 5 shots, electronic SLR-style storage CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor (without batteries or lens) Dimensions 152mm(w) x
CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor n/a storage Memory Stick Batteries NP-FM50 7.2v Info viewfinder Image storage CompactFlash Batteries supplied Weight 530g (without batteries) 120mm(h) x 79mm(d) Transfer USB and FireWire
Weight 525g Dimensions 117mm(w) x Lithium AC adaptor supplied Weight 696g with battery lithium-ion EN-EL1 7.4v AC adaptor Supplied Weight Dimensions 117mm(w) x 90.5mm(h) x 112.5mm(d) Software Sigma Photo Pro OS Windows 98 SE, Me,
90.5mm(h) x 112.5mm(d) Transfer USB and Memory Stick Dimensions 127.5(w) x 82(h) x 480g (without battery) Dimensions 108mm(w) x Transfer USB Software DiMAGE Viewer OS Windows 2000, XP. Mac 9.2.1, OSX 10.1.1 or higher
Software USB driver, DiMAGE Viewer OS 63.4(d)mm Transfer USB, USB2.0 OS Windows 98, Me, 76mm(h) x 102mm(d) Transfer USB Software Nikon 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6-9.2.2, OS X 10.1.5
Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6 or higher 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6 View 5 OS Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 9.0- or higher
9.2, OS X 10.1.2 or higher
% % % % %
1
89 1
84 1
88 1
90 1
79

A4 INKJET/DIRECT PRINTERS ; GLOSSARY
1 Focal Length The distance between a camera’s
image sensor and the optical centre of a lens. The
CANON S530D CANON BUBBLEJET S820 CANON S900 EPSON STYLUS greater the focal length, the larger a given subject
£250 £219 £329 PHOTO 925 will appear in the lens. Longer focal lengths also
mean a reduced angle-of-view. Image Quality
www.canon.co.uk www.canon.co.uk www.canon.co.uk £220 www.epson.co.uk
Setting Enables you to vary the quality of image
capture, and thus the file size. Most cameras have
Basic, Normal, Fine and High settings, with the
former offering the smallest file size and the latter
offering the largest. Reductions in size are achieved
by either compression or a reduction in resolution.
Lower settings are ideal for web images, but the
best quality should be used for printing.
Interchangeable Lenses Lenses that can be
removed from a camera. Most commonly found in
digital SLRs, giving you the ability to choose lenses
DIGITAL DIGITAL
CAMERA
MAGAZINE
CAMERA
MAGAZINE of varying focal length and speed. Interpolation
The act of increasing or reducing the number of
Print technology bubblejet & separate print head Print technology bubblejet Print technology bubblejet Print technology Micropiezo Inkjet
pixels in an image through computer calculation,
Maximum vertical resolution 2,400dpi Maximum vertical resolution 2,400dpi Maximum vertical resolution 2,400dpi Maximum vertical resolution 5,760dpi
which involves making estimates from the known
Inks cyan, magenta, yellow, black Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Photo Cyan, Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Photo Cyan, Photo Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Photo Cyan, Photo
values of existing pixels in the image. Interpolating
Direct printing crop, zoom, enhance image Photo Magenta Magenta Magenta
up involves an inevitable loss of quality. ISO The
Maximum print width 216 mm Direct printing n/a Direct printing n/a Direct printing crop, zoom, enhance image,
sensitivity setting of a camera’s image sensor to
Borderless printing yes Maximum print speed (mono) 4ppm Maximum print speed (mono) 7ppm add effects
light. Smaller ISO settings such as ISO100 offer the
Extra ports digital camera Maximum print speed (colour) 4ppm Maximum print speed (col) 7ppm Maximum print width 216mm
least sensitivity but the greatest quality, while
LCD mono Maximum print width A4 Maximum print width A4 Borderless printing yes
higher ISO settings, such as ISO 1600 offer a greater
Dimensions 430mm(w) x 301mm(h) x 188mm (d) Borderless printing yes Borderless printing yes Extra ports USB
sensitivity to light but poorer quality, often in the
Software ZoomBrowser, PhotoRecord, Image Browser, Extra ports USB + parallel Extra ports USB LCD mono
form of noise. Greater sensitivity allows you to
PhotoStitch, EasyPhotoPrint LCD n/a LCD none Dimensions 492mm(w) x 290mm (h) x 228mm (d)
achieve faster shutter speed times, or smaller
Dimensions 430mm(w) x 294mm(h) x 177mm (d) Dimensions 443mm(w) x 319mm (h) x 185mm (d) Software PhotoQuicker, ImageFramer, preview
aperture settings, in low-light situations. JPEG A
Software PhotoRecord, ZoomBrowser, PhotoStitch Software ZoomBrowser monitor
popular image file format that uses compression.
ImageBrowser
Megapixel Term given to describe one million
pixels. Memory Card Storage medium or ‘film’ of
digital cameras. Come in a number of formats, with
the most popular being SmartMedia and
CompactFlash. Card apacities range from 1MB to
1GB in size. Noise Undesirable image artefacts
introduced through software processes such as
Features 61 1 FINAL SCORE Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE Features 71 1 FINAL SCORE interpolation and compression. Common to higher
% % % %
1
72 1
95 1
90 1
63
Images 75 Images 95 Images 90 Images 60 ISO settings of digital cameras. Optical Zoom Type
print speed 90 1 print speed 90 1 print speed 90 1 print speed 55 1 of lens that varies focal length through the position
Value 71 1 Value 90 1 Value 90 1 Value 63 1 of lens elements which, unlike with the digital
type, results in no loss of image resolution or
quality. Pixel Smallest part of a digital image. ppi
Number of pixels per inch in an image. ppi
EPSON STYLUS HP DESKJET 5550 HP PHOTOSMART 7350 LEXMARK Z65P resolution can be altered for any image, no matter
PHOTO 950 £149 £200 £150

how great the total number of pixels. Changing the
ppi of an image, say from 72ppi to 300ppi, doesn’t
£379 www.epson.co.uk www.hp.com www.hp.com www.lexmark.co.uk alter the number of total pixels in the image, but it
does alter the output size. 300ppi is considered the
usual resolution for high-quality prints. RAW High-
quality uncompressed file format used with in
digital cameras. Resolution Total amount of
information in an image in pixels. A four megapixel
camera is capable of producing an image of 4
million pixels in size. Sharpness Setting Varies the
sharpness of an image in-camera. Shutter
Mechanical device inside a camera that controls the
duration that light is allowed to fall onto the image
sensor. Shutter Speed Time that the camera’s
shutter is held open for a single exposure. High-end
Print technology Micro Piezo Print technology Thermal inkjet Print technology Inkjet with PhotoRET IV Print technology Inkjet cameras usually offer settings of 1/2000sec to
Maximum vertical resolution 2,400dpi Maximum vertical resolution 4,800dpi max vertical resolution 4,800dpi Maximum vertical resolution 4,800dpi 30secs. Longer shutter speeds are required for
Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Photo Cyan, Photo Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Photo Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Photo Cyan, Photo Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black lower light levels at a given aperture. Shutter
Magenta Direct printing n/a Magenta Direct printing n/a Priority Exposure mode setting that enables you to
Direct printing n/a Maximum print speed (mono) 17ppm Direct printing crop, zoom, enhance image, add Maximum print width 216mm select the shutter speed, while the necessary
Maximum print speed (mono) 8.8ppm Maximujm print speed (colour) 9ppm effects Borderless printing no aperture for correct exposure is calculated by the
Maximujm print speed (colour) 8.5ppm Maximum print width A4 Maximum print width 216mm Extra ports none camera. SLR Type of camera that reflects, via a
Maximum print width A4 Borderless printing only 4 x 6 Borderless printing yes LCD none mirror, the image formed in a lens directly into a
Borderless printing yes Extra ports USB 2.0 Extra ports USB Dimensions 445mm(w) x 533mm (h) x 331mm (d) camera viewfinder. Enables the photographer to
Extra ports USB, bi-directional parallel interface LCD none LCD mono Software Adobe Photoshop Elements, Fotoscale see the exact image that will be transmitted to the
LCD none Dimensions 456mm(w) x 385mm (h) x 156mm (d) Dimensions 475mm(w) x 390mm(h) x 160mm (d) image sensor once the shutter is fired. Most SLR
Dimensions 515mm(w) x 333mm(h) x 209mm(d) Software n/a Software Album printing, Photo Director cameras also have interchangeable lenses. TIFF
Software PhotoQuicker 3.1 High-quality image file format that usually works
without compression (though lossless compression
is possible). Superior to JPEGs but produces bigger
file sizes. White Balance Designed to correct colour
casts created by differing colour temperatures. e.g
overcast weather tends to cause a blue colour cast,
indoor tungsten lighting an orange cast. Some
cameras handle this automatically, while the more
Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE Features 80 1 FINAL SCORE Features 68 1 FINAL SCORE Features 56 1 FINAL SCORE sophisticated models give you the option of manual
% % % %
1
88 1
75 1
67 1
54
Images 85 Images 75 Images 75 Images 55 control for different light sources.
print speed 85 1 print speed 60 1 print speed 50 1 print speed 50 1
Value 87 1 Value 75 1 Value 65 1 Value 50 1

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE CLASSIFIED
TO ADVERTISE HERE please email dcamclassifieds@futurenet.co.uk

NEXT STEPS
NEXT ISSUE On sale everywhere 10th April
It’s a dog’s life Future Publishing,

30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW
Customer services [t] 01458 271 100

[w] www.digitalcameramagazine.co.uk
When design writer Jerome Turner set up a website EDITORIAL & ART
Nick Merritt Managing Editor
for his friends, little did he know how inexplicably [e] editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
Rob Mead Acting Editor
popular his shots of dogs in cars would be… [e] rob.mead@futurenet.co.uk
Paul Tysall Acting Art Editor
[e] paul.tysall@futurenet.co.uk
Kai Wood Deputy Art Editor
W
hen it comes to finding answers to life’s unanswerable questions, [e] kai.wood@futurenet.co.uk
“where’s that dog going?” is hardly likely to the phrase on most Elizabeth Raderecht Operations Editor
people’s lips. Unless you happen to be Jerome Turner, that is. A Vicky West Sub-editor
freelance design writer for Digital Camera Magazine’s sister title, Computer Arts, EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Jerome found himself asking this question and started taking pictures of dogs in Joe Apice, Steve Bavister, Mat Broomfield,
cars which, in turn, became a website posted for the amusement of his friends. Joe Cassels, Tim Daly, Ed Davis, Stuart Dredge,
Mark Harris, Matt Henry, Derek Lea,
Only then the rest of the world caught onto it and the site became an inexplicable Pete Martin, Aidan O’Rourke
hit, with Jerome eventually guesting on V Graham Norton, the online version of
PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTORS
BBC’s Newsround and having his site written up in the arts and culture section of (Where not credited inside)
the San Francisco Examiner. Future Network Photo Studio, Getty Images UK,
The site, at www.dogsincars.co.uk, now receives thousands of hits a day from Rex Features UK
the USA to Finland, Russia to Italy, and Jerome finds his inbox stuffed every
morning with yet more pictures of pooches in Peugoets, Pontiacs and Primeras.
ADVERTISING
©WWW.DOGSINCARS.CO.UK 2003
He’s even started getting hate mail (the sure sign of a site’s popularity), and is [t] 020 7317 2600
thinking of turning the project into a book. Which only goes to show what one Michelle Blackwell Ad Manager
man’s slightly quirky hobby can do when you make the pictures of it available to [e] michelle.blackwell@futurenet.co.uk
Ben Shoesmith Sales Executive
the citizens of the world wide web. Who said the internet was dead? [e] ben.shoesmith@futurenet.co.uk
[t] 020 7317 0259
NEW MEDIA
James Brown Group New Media Manager
[e] james.brown@futurenet.co.uk
Next month – on sale 10th April

Jeremy Ford Senior Disc Editor
[e] jeremy.ford@futurenet.co.uk
James Guest New Media Development
[e] james.guest@futurenet.co.uk
■ 100 ways to improve any photo

Steve Pashley Online Editor
[e] steve.pashley@futurenet.co.uk
From composing your shots to making the most of available light – we CIRCULATION AND MARKETING
reveal the top techniques that pros use to get the best out of their Clare Tovey Production Manager
Diane Ross Production Coordinator
cameras. PLUS: creating reflections in Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop tips Mike Thorne Team Buyer
Jamie Malley Circulation Manager
■ All-in-one printers on test

Fiona Tully Marketing Manager
Marie Spicer Subscriptions Executive
Your printer can do more than just output photos – the right one can SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Dave Taylor Group Publisher
be used as a scanner and fax machine too. Six of latest models on test John Weir Publishing Director
Colin Morrison Managing Director
Greg Ingham CEO
■ Free photo supplement Printed in England

© Future Publishing Ltd 2003
Your 20-page guide to making the most of your digital camera
■ Serif PhotoPlus 6.0 – free! Disclaimer

This amazing image-editing app would cost you £69 Getup&go section, tear-out factsheets and gatefold covers
are published in UK editions of the magazine only. All
in the shops, but it’s yours free next issue contributions to Digital Camera Magazine are accepted
on the basis of a non-exclusive worldwide licence to
2-CD or DVD versions!

publish or license others to do so, unless otherwise
agreed in advance in writing. We reserve the right to edit
■ Don’t forget to reserve a copy of letters. We cannot accept liability for mistakes or
misprints, or any damage to equipment or possessions
Digital Camera Magazine at your newsagent, Plus 8 pages of great ideas and events for you arising from use of this publication, its discs or software
or subscribe (see page 76 for full details) to GetUp&Go to! ■ Due to unforeseen circumstances, it may sometimes be
necessary to make last-minute changes to advertised
content, for mag and discs.

PART
FREE 20-PAGE SUPPLEMENT! IDEAS, HELP, TIPS & ADVICE 01
PART
02
PART
03
w digital camera
2 How to choose the right ne
NEW USERS GEE!T

– we reveal how
2 Taking your first digital photo
w to fix them
2 Common mistakes and ho
STARTED HER
gon explained
2 All the key concepts and jar
PLUS! DISCOVER HOW YOUR DIGITAL CAMERA

AD
HELPS YOU TAKE BETTER PICTURES

4 VI
CE
BUYING A NEW CAMERA YOUR CAMERA EXPLAINED IMAGE EDITING FIRST STEPS
We reveal what photographic
features you should expect for
your money
8 How it works and when to
use the right settings at the
right moments
8 How to get started with PC
image-editing software – and
improve your images
WELCOME DIGITAL CAMERA FIRST STEPS
4
BEGINHERE
Today’s digital cameras are convenient, powerful, flexible and affordable.
Why would anyone want to buy an old-fashioned film-based model now?
hen it comes to choosing a new camera, digital offers some clear advantages: You don’t have
W to drop off your snaps at the chemist, you don’t have to wait while your pictures are processed
to see how well they’ve turned out, and you don’t have to spend a fortune on film buying and
processing costs. Thanks to the camera’s built-in memory, your images are stored instantly and can be
reviewed on location via the built-in LCD, giving you the opportunity to try and take the shot again. The
latest five and six megapixel cameras deliver comparable image quality to many an analogue snapper
too, and you can easily output the pictures you want using a suitable photo printer hooked up to your PC.
Best of all since your images are digitised you can edit them to your heart’s content: too much sky in
7
FAMILY SNAPS Saving precious

the picture? Use a cropping tool to get rid of the unwanted portion. You can correct colour imbalances,
memories is easy with a digital camera lighting, even add special effects to your shots and when you’re done, can easily email them to friends,
post them onto a website or create a slideshow burned onto CD-ROM. Digital Camera First Steps will
show you how to do all this and turn taking taking digital pictures into a hobby that will last a lifetime.
Nick Merritt, Managing Editor

editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
STEP BY STEP
WHY GO DIGITAL? JARGON
From choosing and using a camera to making the most of your pictures, First
Steps will show you how. Here’s our guide to your free magazine highlights
CHOOSING YOUR CAMERA INFO BOX FIRST SHOTS TOP TIPS
Your introduction to the If you’re confused about Your guide to the essential These handy boxes give Everything you need to Your at a glance guide to
exciting world of digital a technical term, don’t features you should look you more detail about a know about taking your making the most of your
photography and how it worry – you’ll find one of for in a new camera, plus particular aspect of digital first digital pictures, from digital images
compares to the film- these handy helpers at the our picks of the current photography, from camera image composition to your
based cameras we’re all so top of every page crop – no matter what technology to image- camera’s settings
familiar with your budget editing software
8 8
4
GET YOUR PICS ON TO A PC!

For essential advice on copying, printing and editing
your pictures, turn to the Digital Darkroom on page 16
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINEFIRST STEPS |03

CLOSE-UP DIGITAL VERSUS TRADITIONAL
JARGON:
35MM EQUIVALENCE
? The zoom range of a digital camera’s lens is often quoted as the equivalent value to a 35mm
camera, so a typical wide angle to short telephoto 3X zoom lens would be 35-105
The digital
difference
So you want high quality as well as speed and ease of use? Then it’s
time to take a fresh look at digital photography...
ot so long ago, serious photographers wouldn’t give a photography as a method of bridging the gap (and selling more kit),
N sideways glance at a digital camera – and with good

reason. In their infancy, digital cameras could only provide
until digital photography became firmly established. We’ve now
reached the point where the whole industry is going digital.
small, low-resolution photos of dubious quality. With weighty price One of the main reasons for change is the way we’re now using
tags, these gadgets also represented poor value for money compared photographs. Of course, there’ll always be a place for gathering
with conventional cameras. But times have changed both quickly and round and boring your family and friends with all your holiday snaps,
radically. Future Publishing’s own professional photo studio now but nowadays we want to send photos around the office or
shoots the majority of its shots on digital, and all the photos of across the world with the ease of email attachments. The
cameras in this magazine were taken digitally. multimedia capabilities of modern PCs also make them ideal for
As with so much in the digital realm, prices have fallen while showing photos in all their glory, from simple individual shots to
quality has improved out of all recognition. You can get hold complete slideshows, maybe even with music and narration to
of a brand-new digital camera that will provide excellent results provide a soundtrack.
for under £300. And, digital photography has numerous benefits And, let’s face it, scanning photos into your PC is a time-
compared with using film. For starters, a single roll of quality consuming chore compared with the speed of digital downloading.
film, coupled with processing costs, will set you back around £10 a On top of that, the quality of scanned photos (called reflective
time. A digital camera running on rechargeable batteries, on the scanning) is never the best. Contrast and colour are normally
other hand, has running costs of next to nothing. You’re saving leeched out of photos, with flat, dull images being produced in
money with every picture you take. comparison to the originals. That’s why professional designers insist
on scanning transparencies, not prints.
The way of the future Photos produced on a camera don’t suffer from unwanted
It’s a little known fact that, because conventional mass- scanning attributes, but digital cameras themselves vary greatly in
market photography was nearing the end of its life- terms of quality and features provided. So what should you look for
cycle, manufacturers brought in APS when making a purchase?
04 | DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINEFIRST STEPS

ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER (EVF)
These are typically found on more expensive digital cameras, and are a smaller version of the LCD
back panel. Low refresh rates can cause problems when panning to follow moving objects
You can get hold of a brand-new digital camera

that will provide excellent results for under £300.
And digital photography has numerous benefits…
7
Image-editing software can take your
flawed original and make it sparkle
* FORMATS
interpolation software on a scanner. The results are definitely
Zoom lenses second-best and often lead to unwanted pixellation (a blocky
Unless you’re spending a few grand, digital cameras don’t have PHOTO FORMATS appearance) of the image.
removable lenses, so you’re stuck with what’s on the camera. It’s There seems to be no limit to
therefore vital to make sure the zoom lens offers a good range, from how you can transform your photos Bigger is better
once you have transferred them
wide-angle to medium telephoto in focal length. What you’re after to your PC. Carry out subtle
One figure you’ll always see quoted on a digital camera’s
here is the ‘optical zoom’ range of the camera. It’s normally quoted retouching to boost contrast or specifications is the number of megapixels it has. It pays to go large,
as a multiplication factor, say 2x or 3x. remove slight flaws, or go for it and even though it’ll cost more. A megapixel is basically a million pixels,
add special effects to make a new
To avoid confusion, the focal length itself is quoted as an and these are the dots that make up the big picture. As a rough
kind of reality.
equivalent figure to what the lens would offer if it was mounted on The best images come from the guide, a 2-megapixel camera gives a maximum resolution of around
a 35mm film camera. For example, a typical 3x zoom lens might best source material. To capture the 1,600 x 1,200 pixels, which is a safe minimum for sharp
offer a range of 35-105mm. This gives a good wide-angle ability, highest-quality images, choose the 10 x 8-inch prints. Go for a 3-megapixel camera or above if you
High or Fine setting on your camera.
and a medium telephoto setting, which is ideal for portraiture. want to print full A4 photos and get the best quality.
This will capture an image in TIFF or
The optical zoom range of a digital camera is often enhanced with RAW formats, which preserve detail At the other end of the scale, photos for sending via email or
a digital zoom feature. If a camera has a 3x zoom lens with a well. Lower-quality settings typically posting on a website need to be much smaller to keep the file size
maximum focal length equivalence of 105mm, a 2x digital zoom use the JPEG format: this may down, so if you’re not interested in printing to paper, a single-
capture the same number of pixels
facility will take that up to 210mm. It’s not all good news, however: megapixel camera will suffice. Naturally, multi-pixel cameras have
as superior settings, but the detail
7
the camera is having to make a best guess of what’s between the retained is not as accurate. Once you’ve transferred your photos onto your computer, you can edit, resize and
pixels it can actually see, working in much the same way as add effects to them using image-editing programs like Adobe Photoshop Elements

CLOSE-UP DIGITAL VERSUS TRADITIONAL
JARGON:
SCENE MODES
?
Many digital cameras have Scene Modes such as portrait, sport and landscape. These adjust the exposure
for greater depth of field, faster shutter speeds and so on. They’re are ideal for beginners who want to
capture the moment without racking their brains working out the optimum exposure settings
REMOVABLE However, almost all new digital cameras come with some form of
removable storage, usually in the form of flash memory cards. These use
STORAGE MEDIA solid state chips to store your images. Unfortunately there is no agreed
standard, so each manufacturer is free to choose its own. The most
With digital cameras, the image is popular formats at present are CompactFlash and SmartMedia, although
Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick and xD-Picture cards are all fast gaining
captured by the image sensor and then ground with capacities ranging from 1MB to 1GB.
stored elsewhere.… As far as performance goes, there is nothing really to choose
between them, so the main thing is to check that the digital camera you
With traditional cameras, the film is used to both record and store the buy will support one even if there isn’t one included in the package. To be
image. Older digital cameras and those at the very bottom of the market honest, even if your camera comes with an 8MB card, you will probably
only have built-in fixed storage that can’t be removed or increased. This want to buy at least a 64MB card or higher for a 3-megapixel camera.
means that you can only capture about 12 pictures at a time before you You should also ensure that the format you choose is compatible with
need to download them to your PC’s hard disk. other devices you already own or plan to buy in future. SD and Memory
low-resolution options, so you can cut down on the size and fit more being the most popular. All memory card formats are available in a
photos onto your memory card before each download to the PC. wide range of capacities from 1MB up to 1GB, although most
cameras come with cards of between 8MB and 32MB as standard.
Monitoring results Some cameras also give you the ability to use more than one kind
Only the cheapest digital cameras come with no LCD panel. This little of card. Cameras with SD slots, for example, often also accept
colour screen on the back of the camera might drain the batteries at MultiMediaCard (MMC) cards, while some CompactFlash cameras
a rate of knots, but does give you the option of reviewing shots as can handle Hitachi’s 1-inch Microdrive hard disk as well.
you take them, and reshooting if necessary. It also provides a quick Unlike film, you can reuse memory cards as often as you like,
7
Budget cameras often use AA cells,

but can run out of power quickly
and easy way of navigating the camera’s features and options, such erasing them each time you’ve downloaded your photos to your PC
as changing the picture size and quality settings. and then filling them up again with pictures. With prices dropping
LCD panels aren’t all created equal. The LCD panel can be quite rapidly, we reckon it makes sense to stock up with a couple of cards
dim, especially on budget cameras, which is fine if you’re indoors or if you’re taking your camera on holiday or extended photo-shoots. A
out on a cloudy day, but in bright sunlight they can be almost pair of decent capacity 128MB SD cards, for example, can be yours
impossible to view. A good tip for preserving battery life is to use the for less than £100 if you shop around, saving you the hassle of
optical viewfinder for composing shots: turn the LCD off until you scurrying back to the PC to offload your pics.
really need to use it.
What’s on the menu?
Power up A good menu system is vital for adjusting camera settings without
Some digital cameras eat batteries for breakfast, lunch and tea. If faffing around. If it takes too long to make adjustments, you risk
you’re not careful, you’ll be shelling out the money you save on film missing the photo opportunity. Try the camera before buying, if
and developing on Duracells. Rechargeable options are best, but possible, to see how logical you find its menu interface. For example,
cheap NiCad cells are a pain, as you have to drain them completely if you need to switch to manual to adjust the depth of field or
before recharging, otherwise they run out sooner each time you use motion-blur for panning shots, it helps to do this quickly.
them. NiMH or lithium-ion batteries are a better option, and worth Upmarket digital cameras make the most of their buttons
investigating even if your chosen camera doesn’t come with one. and LCD panel to provide a complete operating interface that
Size not only matters but varies when it comes to batteries. Many should be both quick and easy to use. All too often, though,
cameras at the lower end of the price scale run on standard AA-size essential features end up being tucked away somewhere that is not
batteries (normally four). They may be quite bulky, but they do have only difficult to access, but means that you’ve probably forgotten
the advantage that you can easily pick up a fresh set if you run low where they are when you want to use them. A good interface can
on power when you’re out and about. mean the difference between getting the shot you want and
missing the moment.
Improve your memory
While conventional cameras store their images on film, digital Getting flash
cameras stash their photos on removable memory cards. Some Budget digital cameras have only rudimentary flash facilities – on or
cameras also have built-in flash memory, but even most of off. Some don’t have a flash unit at all, making night-time or indoor
these take optional memory cards as well. There’s a shooting a non-starter. As you move up the price range, you should
wide variety of memory card formats, with Secure find that more flash settings become available to you.
Digital (SD), CompactFlash and Memory Stick A popular flash option in most digital cameras is red-eye

DIGITAL ZOOM
This is very much the poor relation of optical zoom, and only used as a last resort to boost the zoom offered by
the lens. Similar to ‘interpolation’ on scanners, digital zoom tries to guess what lies between the pixels that the
camera can actually see, and fill in the missing dots. Jagged edges and lack of sharpness are the usual results
Stick slots, for example, can increasingly be found in camcorders, PDAs, Image compression formats like JPEG can reduce file sizes
and even phones, enabling you to share your cards – and therefore your tenfold, enabling you to carry more images on your card, but with
images – with other devices. The other crucial factor is price. At £30, 64MB some loss in quality.
cards are relatively cheap, but larger capacity cards can cost up to £800.
From card to PC
How many photos? To transfer images that are stored on your flash
The number of photos you can fit on, say, an 8MB card depends on card to your PC, most cameras have a USB or
the file size of the images; and the file size of the images depends serial sockets. However, it’s time-consuming to
on a number of factors such as resolution, compression, colours, your transfer images and can exhaust your camera’s
camera model, and the shooting conditions. For example, on the Minolta batteries. For quick access to your images, buy a
DiMAGE X, a 1.9-megapixel camera, you will get seven best- card reader that plugs into your PC.
quality shots on the 8MB SD card supplied. On the Nikon CoolPix 4500,
7
a 4-megapixel camera, you will only get one shot on its 16MB You can transfer images from memory card to
CompactFlash card if you go for full size and resolution. your PC quickly and easily using a card reader
reduction. This flash mode fires off small pre-flash strobes to narrow features that image-editing software can
the pupils of your subject and decrease the effects of red-eye. Let’s offer. Let’s say you’ve got a telephone wire
not forget that easy photo-manipulation is a huge bonus of digital running across that beautiful blue sky in your
photography, though: with a software package like Paint Shop Pro or favourite holiday snap. With conventional film
Photoshop, you can quickly edit out red-eye after the event. photography, you’d be stuffed. In the digital realm, you can pick up
Another good flash mode to have up your sleeve is slow-sync the cloning tool in your image editor and paint over the wires with
flash. This is great for night scenes where you want to keep the adjacent strip of sky. With a little practice, the results will be
background detail while highlighting your main subject. It’s also perfect: the same goes for painting over spots and blemishes on the
excellent for capturing night-time lights in cityscapes while faces of your loved ones.
accentuating the foreground. There will always be times when you want to have prints. Top-
Most manufacturers have extensive websites, normally listing quality photo printers like the Epson Stylus Photo 915 or Canon
each of their cameras’ specifications. Check what flash modes a S830D cost between £150 and £200, but you can get good results
camera has while you’re deciding what to buy. from more affordable printers like Lexmark’s £100 Z65. To get the
best results, use proper glossy photo paper – preferably made by the
Making connections company that manufactured your printer. Bear this in mind and you’ll
Getting your photos out of the camera and onto the PC should get the best of both worlds: the versatility digital photography offers
be speedy, so beware of old digital cameras with a serial connection. and stunning prints.
Apart from compatibility problems with Windows XP, downloads
7
will be slow enough to make conventional film developing an Check the capture resolution before choosing your camera. The maximum resolution
is the maximum image size that the camera can capture, measured in pixels
attractive option. USB is the way to go, offering downloads of
seconds rather than minutes. Some of the newest cameras have
USB 2.0 ports to make transfers even quicker, but you’ll need a USB
2.0 card to take advantage.
Another option is to invest in a USB card reader, so you can simply
insert your card into the reader. They’re easy to use and won’t drain
your camera’s batteries during the transfer. Readers are readily
available for all memory card formats, including CompactFlash,
SmartMedia, Secure Digital (SD) and Memory Stick for around £20.
Making more of photos

With digital photography, taking photos is only the start. While it’s
impractical to install your own conventional film darkroom in the
home, all you need for creating dazzling special effects with digital
photos is a humble PC. There are some great photo-editing software
packages on the market, most well under £100. You might also get
some good software supplied with your camera.
Apart from sharpening up images, adjusting the brightness,
contrast and colour balance, and so on, there are plenty of useful

CLOSE-UP USING YOUR CAMERA
Anatomy
of a camera
The inside track on the most critical components
of a digital camera
t’s easy to let technology get the better of you but, taken
I one at a time, the high-tech components that make up a

modern digital camera are surprisingly easy to come to
2 2
terms with. While prices and feature-sets can vary tremendously,
with models costing anything from £100 to £10,000, the basics
remain the same across the board.
2
Many of the components are similar, if not identical to those in
conventional film cameras, while others are modified or completely
different. But once you’ve got a grounding in what the salient parts
are for and how they work, the bigger picture is clear to see.
ZOOM LENS Most digital BUILT-IN FLASH Built-in flash
camera zoom lenses provide units on digital cameras
a 2x or 3x optical zoom aren’t that powerful, but are
2
range, with a typical 35mm- usually adequate for shooting
MODE DIAL While all digital cameras have
camera-equivalent focal at distances of up to around
automatic program modes for adjusting
length of around 35-70mm five metres in the dark, or for
shutter speed and lens aperture settings,
or 35-105mm, respectively. providing fill-in flash for
more advanced models also have
The zoom lens is almost backlit subjects. A common
aperture-priority, shutter-priority and
always motorised, so you can flash mode includes red-eye
metered manual-exposure modes. The
adjust its setting with the reduction, which is important
mode dial enables you to switch between
simple use of a pair of when the flash unit is
modes quickly and easily.
buttons. The optical range of mounted close to the lens.
the lens is usually enhanced
by a (not such high-quality)
digital zoom feature.
BATTERIES Even the most

efficient digital cameras need
a lot of power, which is why
most models now come with
Lithium-Ion rechargeable
cells. Some budget cameras
still stick to single-use AA
alkaline batteries, which is
convenient, but can prove
expensive if you use
the LCD to frame to
frame your shots.

IN
You can find out more about latest camera technologies, hardware and prices at our
4
FO
RM
website, as well as helpful advice on how you can make the most of your photos. Simply
AT
IO
N
point your browser at www.digitalcameramagazine.co.uk
OPTICAL VIEWFINDERS Just like

a viewfinder on a compact
camera, this gives you an
approximate view of what will
fit into the composition of your
photo. It reacts correspondingly
to adjustment of the zoom
lens but, there will be small
changes in perspective when
you’re right up close, due to
the offset between the
viewfinder and the actual lens.
In this case, switch to viewing
the subject through the LCD
back panel.
2 2 LCD BACK PANEL Many people like to use the

LCD back panel for composing shots, but it
takes a heavy toll on battery life, so it’s best
THE CCD The Charge Coupled Device is the
imaging unit, where the camera changes picture
information into a digital code for storing on the
to reserve its use for reviewing shots after memory card. The CCD is similar to those used in
you’ve taken them, and for navigating the camcorders and some photo scanners.
camera’s set-up menu system. Cheaper
cameras tend to have relatively dim panels
that aren’t easy to see on sunny days.
PC CONNECTION Most
cameras now come with a
USB connector for rapid
2 2 2
image transfer between the
TOP LCD PANELS The top panel commonly provides
memory card and your
basic camera information, like what quality setting or
computer. A few models also
flash mode is in use, as well as how many shots are
offer the even quicker USB
available before the memory card becomes full. It’s
2.0 standard, but both
also a good place to keep an eye on battery life.
methods will rapidly drain
your camera’s batteries. A
separate memory card
reader (around £20) is
your best bet for
data transfer. VIDEO CONNECTION Want to MEMORY CARD SLOT Digital
show off your photos on the cameras store photos on
telly, or record a slideshow to removable memory cards
your VCR? The video output instead of conventional film.
featured on many digital There are a wide range of
cameras enables you to formats and capacities, so
connect it to a choose the one that best
range of video meets your needs and
equipment. budget. Prices are falling
2
rapidly so you can snap up
64MB cards for as little as
£20, although larger capacity
cards are more convenient
when it comes to taking
CANON photos on holiday or at
POWERSHOT G3 extended photo shoots.
Price £700
Memory 32MB Compact Flash
Battery life 450/1,050 shots (monitor on/off)
Contact www.canon.co.uk

CLOSE-UP CAMERA BASICS
FOCAL LENGTH MEGAPIXEL
JARGON:
Small focal length lenses produce a wide-angle effect, capturing a greater portion of a scene, Digital photos are made up from arrays of dots, or pixels, each with their own colour and
? while long focal length lenses (telephoto) have a more telescopic effect. Focal lengths for digital
cameras are normally quoted the equivalent for a 35mm conventional film camera
brightness. A 1-megapixel image contains one million dots, and a 1,600 x 1,200 pixel image
would be just under 2 megapixels
3 IN DETAIL
WHERE TO BUY
While there’s always a lot to be said
for buying something in a shop and
walking away with it under your
arm, you can make great savings on
the net. As a case in point, we set
What camera?
There’s a wealth of camera styles on the market, with feature sets and price tags to suit
off in search of the Canon PowerShot every need and budget. Which one’s right for you?
G3, which has an RRP of £699. The
best price we found on the high
street was at Jessops, who was
selling the G3 at £599. Online,
ou can pick up a digital camera for under £50, or spend
Y
however, we saved a further £49 at
www.camerasdirect.co.uk, while over £5,000. With the wide spread of prices comes an
at www.empiredirect.co.uk it
equally diverse range of options, but choosing the right
was on sale for only £549 (plus it
also offers online finance from camera for you needn’t be a technological assault course. Let’s start
£24.48 per month). Other good simple and work our way up.
places to try online include
www.1stcameras.com,
www.pixmania.co.uk and
Point and click
www.unbeatable.co.uk. Also, For the happy snapper, a £50 camera offers the ultimate in ease of
don’t forget to check out the ad use – just point and shoot. There are no exposure settings to worry
pages in Digital Camera Magazine about, no focusing required and no fancy settings to get to grip with.
for some of the best deals around.
Everything’s automatic. Almost as much a fashion accessory as a 7
digital camera, one example of this breed – the 0.1 megapixel Digital All but the most basic digital cameras have a colour LCD back panel for reviewing
Dream L’espion – even doubles as a key ring. your shots, but using the LCD can be surprisingly tricky and battery-consuming
While sub-£50 are as cheerful as they are cheap, there’s precious

little to be had in terms of versatility and the usual maximum
resolution of 0.3 megapixels (640 x 480) is only really high to a 38mm lens on a film compact – something between wide
enough for emailing snaps to friends, rather than printing quality angle and standard focal lengths. It’s much better to pay an extra
photos. Most cameras in this price bracket only have a fairly small £50 or so and you’ll be spoiled for choice in the hotly contested
amount of internal memory for storing shots, and can’t use memory £200 market. For this money, you can expect to get a motorised
cards. This means you can only take a few photos before having to zoom lens with auto-focus, a good automatic metering system for
* WEB LINKS download them to your PC and make space for more – not good for
taking on holiday.
adjusting to a wide range of light levels, and sharp pictures of at
least 2 megapixels – just about big enough for decent 10 x 8-inch
WEBSITE prints via a desktop photo inkjet printer.
www.camerasdirect.co.uk are
Compact but clever
totally up front about whether or not
items are in stock – something you The most popular type of digital camera is the zoom compact. These The bigger picture
should always check for when are similar in looks and construction to traditional compact 35mm If you want optimum quality for full A4 printing, you really need
buying online. cameras, but offer all the advantages of digital. Starting at around to go for a camera with at least 3 or 4 megapixels. In the current
£150, cameras like the HP PhotoSmart 320 and Mustek MDC-3000 market, that means moving up to a £300 camera, while top-
have built-in flash and can use interchangeable memory cards to of-the-range examples will cost £400 or more. Higher quality
extend your shooting range. Once you’ve filled up one card with optics, more zoom range and extra features (like advanced
shots, just slip another one in and keep on shooting. shooting modes) will take the price up to around £1,000 or so on a
The big drawback with cameras at this price is almost always sliding scale. Spend more than this, and you should also get
the lack of a zoom lens. They’re usually fitted with focus-free the luxury of interchangeable lenses, like on a conventional 35mm
2
fixed-focal length lenses of around 5mm, which is roughly equivalent SLR camera.
DIGITAL DREAM FUJI RICOH NIKON KODAK PENTAX OLYMPUS CANON

L’ESPION FINEPIX A202 CAPLIO RR120 COOLPIX 2500 EASYSHARE DX4330 OPTIO 330RS C4000Z POWERSHOT G3
SPECIFICATIONS
AT-A-GLANCE
STREET PRICE £40 £150 £200 £250 £300 £370 £450 £600
IMAGE SIZE 0.1MP 2.1MP 2.2MP 2MP 3.1MP 3.2MP 4MP 4MP
ZOOM LENS No No 38-114mm 37-111mm 38-114mm 37.5-112.5mm 32-96mm 34-102mm
MEMORY TYPE 2MB Internal x-D card SmartMedia CompactFlash Int plus MMC/SD Int plus CF MMC/SD CompactFlash
BATTERIES 1 x AAA 2 x AA 4 x AA 4 x AA 2 x AA Lith-Ion 4 x AA Lith-Ion
MAINS No No No Yes Opt Opt Opt Yes

CCD
A Charge Coupled Device is an integrated circuit that converts image information into an
electrical signal. CCDs are very fast and accurate, and are also used in camcorders and scanners
2 2 2
LENS Use the zoom lens for FLASH Use flash when VIEWFINDER Use this lens for
image capture lighting conditions are low shot composition
3 IN DETAIL
MEMORY CARDS
The only limit to how many photos
you can take between download
sessions is the amount of available
memory you have. The good news
How it works
Digital cameras pack a lot of high technology into their diminutive
is that the cost of memory cards frames. Here’s the science bit…
has plummeted over the past few
years, so having several cards to
take with you when you go out
n terms of optics, most compact digital cameras work in for reviewing shots and for navigating the camera’s menu system.
I
shooting is an affordable option.
The two most common formats pretty much the same way as a conventional compact The set-up menu is used in conjunction with various buttons to set
of memory card are SmartMedia film camera. Unlike SLR cameras, a separate viewfinder shooting modes and the quality of the shots.
and CompactFlash. SmartMedia
enables shot composition, free of the main image capturing lens, so For downloading your photos onto a computer, most modern
cards are wafer thin and connect to
the camera via an exposed gold there’s no prism and flip-up mirror to complicate the process. The cameras use a USB connection, as it’s far faster than older style serial
edge connector, while chunkier principle difference is that, once the shutter opens, light falls onto a port connections. If you’re stuck with a serial port camera, it’s worth
CompactFlash cards are a bit more CCD chip that converts all the image information into an electronic investing in a separate USB card reader to plug into your PC, which
robust and have concealed
connections on one edge.
signal rather than onto light-sensitive film. This is then processed into should cost around £25.
Relative latecomers to the digital data that is recorded on the camera’s internal memory, or a The more you spend on a camera, the more frills you can expect
memory card market include slot-in memory card. to get. These might include aperture or shutter priority exposure
MultiMedia cards, SecureDigital
modes, and fully manual modes as well as the ubiquitous program
Memory cards, XD Picture cards and
Sony’s proprietary Memory Sticks. Anatomy of a camera auto-exposure mode. You’ll also get more megapixels for bigger
All cards are available in a wide Apart from the very cheapest models on the market, most digital pictures and possibly a better zoom range. Other features might
range of capacities, from as little as cameras have a broadly similar set of kit. For optical quality, the include the ability to capture short bursts of video and sound as well
4MB up to 128MB or more,
most important part is the lens – usually a motor-driven zoom lens as standard, still pictures.
depending on the type. When
choosing a card, you need to know offering focal lengths from wide angle to short telephoto. A small
what format your camera takes but flash unit is often close by, for low-level lighting shots, and the close
do shop around as prices vary
considerably. A great place for
picking up memory cards on the
cheap is 7dayshop.com, at
The more you spend on a
www.7dayshop.com which, for camera, the more frills you
3
example, is currently offering 64MB

SmartMedia cards at £15.49, plus
95p post and packing.
can expect to get
proximity often leads to red-eye problems. This is why many digital
cameras incorporate red-eye flash mode, which fires a number of
pre-flash pulses to narrow a subject’s irises.
On the back of the camera, you can expect to find the LCD screen,
2 2 2
7
Cards are available from 4MB up to

128MB or more. Check what format LCD The screen for NAVIPAD Menu MODE Buttons for
you camera takes and shop around reviewing shots and buttons for changing selecting individual
navigating the menu the camera’s settings shooting modes

CLOSE UP Get started
CAMERA SHAKE
JARGON:
Any movement in the camera while the shutter is open causes a blurring of the captured
? image. The effect becomes more noticeable with longer exposures, or when using long
telephoto lenses, where keeping the camera still becomes critical
First shots
Get to grips with your new camera and take pictures to
treasure from the off, with our simple guide
* USEFUL INFO
igital photography is extremely beginner-friendly because
D it’s such an immediate process – you can see straight

away if you’re doing something wrong when you’re out DIGITAL ZOOM
Ready to roll
If your camera has a zoom lens, you can zoom in or out to capture
with the camera. Experimentation is the fastest route to success but, Once you get going with your digital the portion of the scene you want, without missing anything out or
before you even take your camera out on the road, the first step is camera, you might start thinking capturing unnecessary periphery that will distract from the main
that all things digital are good, but
to get intimately familiar with all the controls and functions. this isn’t the case when it comes to
subject. Don’t make your zoom lens do all the work, though, as
Nobody finds operator’s handbooks a thrilling read but it really digital zoom. Cameras that don’t moving your view point even a small amount can make a big
pays to find out all the intricacies of how your camera works. Take have zoom lenses, and even most difference to shot composition, adding much more interest to
that do, have a digital zoom option.
time to familiarise yourself with all the available shooting modes any scene.
This magnifies the central portion of
and practise all the functions until they’re second nature. This can the scene to fill the whole frame. Keep checking the effects of different shooting modes and
be an expensive process with a film camera but with digital, A camera with a 3X optical zoom methods by downloading test shots to your PC and analysing them
there’s no cost involved in practising shooting and evaluating the range from the lens and a on screen – even the best camera-based LCD panel is only any good
2X digital zoom would offer a total
results. Take photos of anything and everything, just to get a feel as a rough guide to photo quality. Once you’re familiar with all the
zoom range of 6X. That seems like
for how things work. good news but the digital zoom controls and confident enough to get into some serious shooting, it’s
process relies on the camera time to get out and about. Before you go, though, make sure you
On the button guessing what’s in between the have fresh batteries that will last the distance and take spares if
pixels it can actually see and fudging
The mechanical process of taking a photo isn’t just about a quick needed. There’s nothing worse than missing shots because your
the results. What you typically get
dab on the shutter release button. Even in fully automatic mode, out of all this is photos that lack batteries are flat and you should always be aware that batteries
your camera has a lot to do. A light press on the shutter release sharpness and have objects with which look fresh in the warmth of your home can look very second-
will instigate the auto-focus and exposure metering systems, so jagged edges, especially if there hand when they get into the cold outdoors. If you’re using
are diagonal lines involved. For
you need to allow time for this to happen. If you don’t, you might rechargeable batters, you don’t need to run them flat before
the best results, keep the digital
be alarmed at the lag in response between pressing the shutter zoom turned off and change your recharging unless they’re old-style NiCAD cells. More modern NiMH
release and the taking of the picture. viewing position when taking the equivalents don’t suffer from “memory effect” so you can top them
As you press more firmly on the shutter release to take the shot, photo instead. up at any time without worrying about impairing their useful life.
aim for a gentle squeeze rather than a sudden click. This will lessen The golden rule of taking advantage of photo opportunities is to
the effects of camera shake, which will produce blurred results. have your camera with you. It might sound obvious but how many
Especially in low lighting conditions, which need longer shutter of us have missed great shots simply because we left the camera at
speeds, camera shake can be a real problem so hold the camera home? With the small size of compact digital cameras, there’s no
gently but firmly with two hands rather than just one, or rest excuse not to slip one into a spare pocket or bag when going out.
your hand on a convenient solid surface if possible. Finally,
don’t be in too much of a rush to release the pressure on Close in on the target
the shutter release and move the camera when you As a general rule of thumb, the closer you are to a subject, the
think the exposure is completed. better the results will be. Pick out the main person or object you

MEMORY EFFECT
IN
Compose your landscape shots according to the rule of thirds, where imaginary lines dissect the
4
FO
This is a drawback of using NiCAD rechargeable batteries. If they are repeatedly recharged without first
RM
image horizontally and vertically. Aim to make two-thirds of the image either land or sky, or split it
AT
being completely discharged, the memory effect causes them to only be useful down to the previous
IO
N
level of charge, effectively making them run out much sooner than expected. into equal thirds. Go to www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/education/programs/composition
7
COMPOSITION Always try to get some foreground detail into your landscape shots to TOP TIP
add interest and perspective to your pictures
want to capture in a scene and move in for best effect. It’s tempting
01
AVOID FINGER TROUBLE
to use the telephoto setting of a zoom lens to cut down the legwork The viewfinder lens is separate to the main
image lens on a compact digital camera, so
but you’ll end up losing depth of field, so only small parts of the it’s possible to have your finger obstructing
scene will be in focus, and the overall perception of space between the main lens without even seeing it
through the viewfinder. Mind where
foreground and background objects will be flattened. you put your hands!
The exception that proves this rule is portrait photography. It’s

often best to keep some distance in this case as the close proximity
TOP TIP
of a camera lens can be very off-putting for people being
photographed and they’ll look ill at ease and not very natural as a 02
result. The small depth of field, throwing the background out of focus POWER UP
Even if you think your batteries are really
can also make the person stand out much better in the composition. fresh, take a spare set with you, especially
if it’s cold out. Also, switch off the camera’s
Another good trick for taking portraits is to get people to carry on LCD panel whenever possible to conserve
doing whatever they’re doing, rather than assuming static poses battery life.
with a fake grin plastered across their face. Again, you don’t have
film and processing costs to worry about, so take a series of photos
in quick succession and you’ll find the one that comes out best TOP TIP
normally isn’t the one you thought would be just right. 03
GET MORE SUPPORT
Don’t be fussy To avoid camera shake in low light
7
conditions, use a tripod if possible. If not,

Simple shots nearly always work best. Fussy backgrounds and OFF-CENTRE Moving your main subject to the side of your frame makes for a more rest your hand or elbow on anything sturdy
natural picture, especially if it’s a posed shot like this one that’s available, or crouch down and rest
compositions produce photos where everything is vying for attention
your elbow on your knee if all else fails.
and nothing stands out. If you can’t compose all the elements in a Be off-centre
picture yourself, like in landscape photography, take time to move It’s a common mistake to always put the main subject of a photo
around and experiment with different vantage points, as well as slap dab in the middle of the frame. With portrait shots, you can
TOP TIP
changing the height you’re shooting from, to simplify photos as
much as possible.
easily end up with something that looks like it should be stuck in the
back page of your passport, whereas moving the main subject 04
Whole books have been written about landscape photography but elsewhere within the boundaries of the overall composition can KEEP IT WARM
If you leave your camera somewhere cold,
if there’s one thing you need to know, it’s that you should always try make things much more interesting. like in the boot of a car overnight, the lens
will mist up with condensation when you
and include foreground objects in your photos. Grand vistas lose a lot One thing to be aware of when shooting the main subject off- bring it in to the warm. This isn’t a problem
in the translation when reduced to a photographic image, so you centre is that most auto-focus lenses adjust themselves to make the other way around so always keep your
camera somewhere warm if possible.
need foreground objects to give a sense of scale and perspective. whatever’s in the middle of the shot sharp. This can throw the object
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINEFIRST STEPS|013

CLOSE UP Get started
SCENE MODES
JARGON:
These dedicated modes attempt to select all the camera’s ideal exposure settings for a wide range of different shooting
? conditions and types of scene, such as backlit portraits, city night scenes and so on, effectively giving you expert
knowledge at the press of a button. However, they’re not infallible
3 IN DETAIL
bullet and accept the fact that you’ll get relatively few shots on your
Auto focus memory card in super-high-quality mode but another annoying spin off is
If the auto-focus system in your THE SIZE ISSUE that the camera takes longer to write all that extra data to the memory
camera is trying to focus on a card, meaning it won’t be ready to take subsequent shots for a longer
moving target, it can keep hunting In digital photography, the camera resolution period of time after each exposure. To get things right for every type of
and lose the plot completely. Also, if affects the sort of shot you can reproduce use, experiment with your own camera in all the quality and image size
a scene has little contrast or modes you have available.
definition in it, like a hazy Many digital cameras coming onto the market boast four, five or even six
landscape, the camera can’t find megapixel capability, but how many do you really need? If you’re
anything to focus on in the first intending to view your photos purely on screen, the maximum resolution
place. Either case means that you you’ll probably need is 1024x768 pixels, which equates to less than a
can end up missing the shot. single megapixel. A typical 2 megapixel camera, shooting at 1600x1200
To get around the problem, see resolution will allow you the luxury of cropping pictures slightly without
if your camera has a manual focus having to enlarge them to fill the screen, losing quality as a result.
mode and then use this to focus on Things get a bit more complicated when printing, as sharp prints on photo
an area into which the fast moving quality paper demand much higher resolutions. For example, a 10x8 inch
object will be travelling, or, in the print from an inkjet printer really needs a minimum of 3 megapixels,
other case, pick your own point in though you can get away with 2 megapixels if the printer has built-in
3
that hazy distant landscape. The smoothing in its software driver for printing digital photos.
only drawback is that many It’s not just the resolution that you’re shooting at that has a major
cameras simply don’t have a effect on image quality, but the degree of compression you choose.
manual focus mode. What they For example, a 2 megapixel camera shooting in high quality mode
do tend to have instead, though, might squeeze 128 shots onto a 64MB memory card, but this will drop
is manual options that enable you to just 45 shots in super-high-quality mode, or increase to around 650
to set the lens focus to infinity or to in standard mode.
a length of around 2.5 metres, at In standard quality settings you can be assured of some unpleasant
7
the press of either of a couple of compression artefacts in your photos, though most of these will be ironed CCD: This is the heart of the camera, where resolution determines image
buttons. This suits most out in high quality mode. For the best quality, you simply have to bite the quality dependent on compression and the size of the prints you reproduce
eventualities when auto-focus fails.
you’re photographing out of focus. If the object is to one side of the Fully exposed
centre, lightly press and hold the shutter release with the object in The easiest and most convenient method of exposure control is to
the centre of the frame and then, while still maintaining that use the fully automatic exposure mode, or Program mode offered by
pressure on the shutter release, recompose the shot before finally a digital camera. However, many cameras also offer aperture-priority,
releasing the shutter. shutter-priority and metered-manual modes, giving you more
The same rule applies when taking photos of two people standing freedom of expression. Other cameras supplement or substitute
next to each other. If you’re not careful, the camera still focuses on these modes with dedicated scene modes, for portrait, landscape,
the empty space between your two subjects, bringing something in backlit and other types of photo.
7
CLOSE UP A telephoto zoom setting the far-off background into perfect sharpness while leaving both While the basic Programme mode usually gets things right, it
and wide lens aperture produce a small
depth of field, ideal for throwing the your main subjects horribly blurred. To beat the problem, focus on pays to learn how different aperture and shutter speeds affect your
background out of focus one of your subjects and then swivel the camera round to photography, so you can use them to best effect. In aperture-priority
recompose the shot. mode, you can adjust the aperture to the setting you want and the
camera’s light meter will adjust the shutter speed accordingly. Small
Send in the clouds apertures have large F numbers, like F11 or F16, and give you a long
A lot of photographers seem to assume that bright sunny days are depth of field, bringing near and far objects into focus. However, this
essential for the best results. However, that’s seldom the case; in will mean longer shutter speeds, and there’s a danger that camera
fact the opposite can be true since gloomier atmospheric conditions shake could be a problem. Large lens apertures of F2.8 or F4 give
can make for fantastic landscape and portrait shots. you a small depth of field, ideal for isolating objects against a blurred
When you’re shooting portraits, forget what your camera manual backdrop, and you’ll get the bonus of faster shutter speeds for
7
PANNING Using a small lens aperture tells you about having the sun over your shoulder so that your sharper handheld images.
and wide angle zoom setting, you can
subject is illuminated by the sun. This simply means that your
keep near and far objects in focus with
long depth of field subject will have the sun in their eyes and you’ll end up with a Shutter/aperture priority
perfectly lit shot of them squinting into the lens. Shutter-priority modes work the same way, but you decide on the
However, it’s equally true that harsh shadows can ruin a good shutter speed you want and let the camera work out the aperture
portrait, which is why some of the best people shots are setting. To freeze fast-moving objects, you need to go for as fast a
taken on a cloudy day, when even, soft lighting allows shutter speed as possible in the available lighting conditions, or use
for natural expressions and flattering results to the camera’s built-in flash for short-range shots. Last but not least,
come through. metered manual mode gives you full flexibility over both aperture

IN
If there’s one straightforward rule for portrait photography it’s always focus on the eyes.
4
FO
FILL FLASH
RM
Use your image editor to sharpen eyes, remove unsightly blood vessels or shadows, plus
AT
A subtle flash mode which is used to fire a low-level flash is sufficient to illuminate areas of
IO
N
shadow in a backlit scene darken and enlarge pupils for that friendly, dilated look…
7
7
PRE-FOCUS So that you don’t miss the action, pre-focus the camera by lightly pressing PANNING Following fast-moving objects by “panning” the camera, even while the shutter is open, creates motion blur in the
the shutter release button, then wait for the right moment to take the shot background and gives the illusion of speed. Use a slow shutter speed for the best effect here
*
and shutter speed, and is useful if you want to take a light reading pulses to narrow your subject’s irises and reduce red-eye will only
from the main object in a scene with complex lighting conditions. USEFUL INFO put them on edge and jeopardise natural-looking results. A much
better idea is to edit any red-eye out of the shot afterwards using an
AS SEEN ON TV
Being flash Computer screens and print-outs image editing package – that’s what they’re there for.
The flash is the most neglected part of most digital cameras. It’s aren’t the only place to view your
not just there for shooting in the dark and can add a lot to creative photos. Many digital cameras Keep a check
feature a video output as well as
compositions. For example, if you want to photograph someone in If a shot is important to you, don’t wait until you get home and
the more common USB port for
bright sunlight, it’s often best to have them turn their back to the connecting them to a PC. You can download your images before finding out that it hasn’t worked.
sun so that they’re backlit and then to illuminate their face with use the video output to connect Check your valued shots as you take them, reviewing them on the
the flash. This technique is called “fill flash” and it usually works very them to any TV set that has a video camera’s LCD panel. It might not show the finer points of a shot but
input and, if they don’t, they’ll
well. But don’t just save the effect for sunny day portraits – it’s also at least you’ll be able to tell if your subject has blinked, or if
probably still have a SCART
great for making objects stand out in bright surroundings, day or connector which you can buy an something else has gone disastrously wrong. A digital camera gives
night, so check if your camera has a setting for forcing the flash to adaptor for so that you can connect the beginner so much freedom to experiment that you’d be foolish
fire even if its metering system thinks there’s enough light in the the digital camera direct to the TV. to waste the opportunity of checking your pictures as you go. You’ll
Using this setup, you can view
scene and doesn’t want to use the flash. photos you’ve taken without the
also be able to delete unsuccessful shots after taking them, freeing
Another popular flash setting is the anti red-eye flash. However, hassle of downloading them first. up space on your camera’s memory card for more good shots to
we would strongly advise against using it. The rapid firing of light take home.
EXPOSURE Assuming that your camera’s Programme mode suggests an exposure setting 1/125th of a
second at F8, here’s how alternative apertures work out for a range of different shutter speeds.
SETTINGS The overall exposure is the same in each case, but there’s differing depth of field and
susceptibility to camera shake to consider
SHUTTER SPEED APERTURE DEPTH OF FIELD CAMERA SHAKE ALERT
1/30 F22 Excellent Wide angle to telephoto
1/60 F11 Very Long Standard to telephoto

1/125 F8 Long Short to long telephoto
1/250 F5.6 Average Medium to long telephoto

1/500 F4 Short Very long telephoto
1/1000 F2.8 Very Short Safe

1/2000 F1.9 Minimal Safe

CLOSE-UP DEVELOPING PHOTOS
TRANSPARENCY ADAPTOR
JARGON:
This is a unit that sits above a flatbed scanner’s platen (often replacing the lid) and contains a light source and mounting system for
? holding transparencies. It enables film, such as 35mm slides or negatives, to be scanned in, instead of the more usual ‘reflective
scanning’ process for paper-based prints
Digital
darkroom
There’s no need to black out the room or splash around in nasty chemicals.
Digital developing is quick, clean and powerful
hen it comes to photography, digital cameras and from excellent music and movie features built in, there are
* USEFUL INFO W computers are like two sides of an equation – one
without the other doesn’t quite add up. Even with
brilliant facilities for organising, viewing and even creating
slideshows and screensavers from your digital photos, using
PROFESSIONAL PRINTING conventional film photography, much of the truly creative work is nothing more than Windows itself. When it comes to compatibility,
Even the best dedicated photo ink-
jet printers can make your paper- done in the dark, as printing experts bring out the full potential of most of the world talks PC rather than Mac.
based prints look a bit, well, inky. For a photo – something that’s always been denied to all but the most
the very best results, it pays to use a fervent amateurs. In the digital domain, though, setting up a How much?
professional printing service. The
darkroom is as easy as plonking a computer on a desk and With continually increasing performance and static or falling prices,
easiest way to do this is to take your
camera into a high street digital connecting your camera to it. Mind you, there are still a few you can expect to get a great PC without breaking the bank.
developer and choose the shots you important points to bear in mind. Unlike gameplay, digital photography doesn’t demand the fastest
want printed. However, we’d processing or most exotic hardware, so you don’t need ‘bleeding
recommend editing your photos first
in your digital darkroom, before
What system? edge’ technology. One particularly good PC manufacturer is
taking the memory card into the When it comes to choosing a computer, the basic choice boils Evesham, on 0870 160 9500 or www.evesham.com, who are
shop for printing the images. down to whether you go for an Apple Mac or a PC. Apples are better than most for technical support and are currently offering
Another option is not to go to the easier to use, especially if you’ve never used a computer before, AMD Athlon 1700+ based PCs, complete with 17-inch screens,
shops at all, but to order your prints
online. Do shop around, though,
and are still the darlings of professional image-manipulation from as little as £499.
because prices can vary considerably. experts. However, PCs give you much more processing power per Coupled with the right software (see page 18), a PC of this
Bonusprint charges just 25p for a 6 x pound, and offer you a lot more choice when it comes to buying specification is more than up to whatever your digital camera can
4 inch photo, while Jessops’ prices
software and extras. throw at it. And when it comes to throwing images at the PC, the
are slightly higher at 34p. PhotoBox
is another popular UK digital printer One of the things that has let the PC down slightly in the past preferred method is USB. Older cameras relied on serial port
and, while the price of 49p per print has been its fiddly operating system, which was anything but connections, which were incredibly slow by comparison. USB is
is expensive, this drops if you order intuitive. That’s been well and truly put right with Windows XP, much faster and the new USB 2.0 standard is 40x faster again,
larger quantities. Similarly, Fujicolor
though, which offers many benefits for digital media users. Apart though few cameras currently have the new version installed.
charges 45p per print, without
discounts for larger quantities.
Another bonus is that you
don’t have to have your prints on
paper, because ‘gift’ ideas often
include T-shirts, mouse mats, place
mats, mugs and so on. Check
out all the online suppliers for a full
list of options.
CLICK HERE
Bonusprint www.bonusprint.com
Fujicolor Use www.msn.co.uk
Jessops www.jessops.com
MSN Photos http://photos.
msn.co.uk
PhotoBox www.photobox.co.uk
7
Supanet www.supanet.com Subscribe to MSN 8 and get your free copy of Picture It! Express – a digital darkroom Create your own online community and share your digital photos with the world at
that enables you to share pictures in email http://photos.msn.co.uk, which enables you to add, view and share photos online

AMD ATHLON
This is a popular rival make and model of PC processor to the Intel Pentium 4
chip, offering excellent performance at a slightly more competitive price
3 IN DETAIL The easiest way of getting

WHO NEEDS IT? your photos online is to join
We reckon that using a digital
camera without a PC is pretty
barmy but, if you’re determined
an online community
not to give house room to a
computer, you can just about do digital from now on, the chances are that you’ve got a few
without the technology. Some
albums’ worth of prints lying around as well. With a scanner, you
printers, the best of which are
supplied by HP, can accept memory can digitise these quickly and efficiently, building them into your
cards direct from your digital computer-based photo albums and editing the images with
camera and have all the controls for software on your PC – just as you would with native digital photos.
colour printing, complete with an
Flatbed scanners always work best but you don’t need anything
information and menu screen, built
into the printer itself. with a higher resolution than 600dpi for scanning photos. The
7
Jessops has its own complete software package for ordering prints online, which This enables you to use the exception is if you want to scan transparencies as well, in which
you can download for free at www.jessops.com
printer as a complete printing case you should go for a 1,200dpi or 2,400dpi scanner. You can
system for your digital camera but,
get dedicated film scanners but they’re very expensive, whereas
of course, you’ll have to forego
Perfect printing most of the other advantages of the quality on flatbed scanners with transparency adaptors has
The second most important piece of kit for your digital darkroom, sharing your photos online, become very good over the past year or so, thanks to better CCD
after the PC itself, is a good quality photo inkjet printer. The emailing them to friends and so on, technology in the imaging units (similar to that used in a digital
unless you have a PC on your desk
difference between these and standard colour inkjet printers is at work and a particularly
camera itself). As for printers, top companies for scanners include
that standard models work on a four-colour system, creating all understanding boss. Epson and HP, though Canon is currently our pick of the crop.
the available colours at their disposal by mixing CMYK inks (cyan,
magenta, yellow and black). However, dedicated photo printers Get online
almost always use an extra two colours, adding ‘photo cyan’ and One of the biggest pains of prints on paper is that they have to
‘photo magenta’ to bring the total number of ink chambers up to physically be in the same room as the person who wants to see
six. This allows much more accurate reproduction of the vivid them. That might sound obvious, but it really does pose a huge
colours found in photography that can’t be produced with a simple problem if you want to share your photos with friends and family
four-colour process. around the country, or even around the world. Thanks to the net,
High-quality photo printers, with massively high print though, you can make your digital photos available to anyone,
7
resolutions start at surprisingly cheap prices. The Epson Stylus HP’s standalone Photosmart 7550 anywhere on the planet. Even if they don’t have a PC, they can
photo printer sells for around £270. For
pop into their nearest library or internet café to browse your shots.
more info, call HP on 08705 474 747
Digital photography doesn’t The easiest way to get your photos online is to join an online
community, like the ones hosted on Microsoft’s MSN Photos. This
demand the fastest processing system enables you to sign up for free and then create your own
community for showcasing your shots, which you can arrange into
or most exotic hardware… individual categories and portfolios. Naturally, you can also join up
to other online communities at MSN Photos to view other people’s
Photo 830 is a good example, combining high-speed, six-colour pictures that they’ve put in the public domain, though you get the
printing and a top print resolution of 5,760dpi (dots per inch) at a final say over who is allowed to see your own work (see
street price of around £95. One thing you do have to watch for, http://photos.msn.co.uk for details).
though, is the price of consumables. Premium quality glossy photo The much vaunted MSN 8 adds even more features, but it does
paper can work out at around 70p per A4 sheet and the ink to cost £6.99 per month to subscribe to the service (after a two
cover it can cost that much again. Always check the price of month free trial period). The photography benefits include more
replacement ink cartridges and how long they’re estimated to last space to create your online collections, and a ‘free’ copy of the
before choosing an inkjet printer – all the most popular surprisingly feature-rich Microsoft Picture It! Express 7.0 for editing
manufacturers supply this information online. and enhancing your images, and adding special effects. Find out
more about MSN 8 subscriptions at www.msn.co.uk.
Scanning alternatives The one essential ingredient for any digital darkroom is a good
Another item that should be high on your shopping list is a good image-editing package. To find out how to pick the best, just turn
quality scanner. Even though you might be shooting exclusively the page…

The worlds first 17"notebook.
You might want to take a photo.

iPhoto on the new Powerbook Power Mac G4 series. You’ll also find a huge choice of software,
The next big thing from Apple: the new 17-inch PowerBook G4. Featuring monitors, compatible printers, scanners and other accessories.
the largest, most spectacular display ever to grace a portable, miraculously
engineered into a 1-inch-thick notebook that’s ultralight and ultradesirable. Peace of mind
In addition to the quality and value that’s part of the package when
you buy at John Lewis, a free two-year guarantee is included too.* iLife system requirements
The new PowerBook gives you supercomputing power in a choice of three • Mac PowerPC G3 or G4 processor.
ultrafast portables. They range from a 12-inch model — the smallest, most • 256MB of physical RAM.
affordable PowerBook G4 ever — to the 15-inch Titanium beauty, and the Knowledgeable service • Mac OS X v10.1.5 or later
world’s first 17-inch notebook computer. So you can be as effective on the Customers return to John Lewis time and again because they know the • 2GB disk space(Apple SuperDrive required for iDVD)
road as you are at your desk — accomplishing everything from rendering sales assistants are fully trained by Apple. This means that you, the customer,
huge image files to crunching digital video — faster than ever before. can rest assured that you will get the best product to suit your needs.
iLife – Connecting lives Buying made easy

Through iPhoto 2 iLife enables you to organise, edit and share your Buying Apple equipment from John Lewis is one thing. But the story
digital photos – and even set them to music. Besides letting you enhance doesn’t end there. Not only will your Apple be delivered free but installation
your digital photos with a single click of your mouse, iPhoto 2 gives you professionals can help you set up your computer for a small charge. All in
a Retouch wand tool that makes blemishes disappear like magic. Naturally, all, John Lewis offers a service that is designed to make buying and using
you can access you photo albums directly from iMovie and iDVD, and bring your Apple easier than ever.
in music for your slideshows from iTunes.
Want to know more? Visit your nearest John Lewis.
John Lewis – All under one roof
John Lewis department stores stock the complete range of Apple products
including the brand new and faster iBook, iMac, PowerBook and
*
See in store for details.
Please note camera as pictured above sold separately.

D.C.W

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

D.C.W

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

2 CDS FULL VERSION OF THE BRILLIANT EXTENSIS PORTFOLIO!

The definitive guide to better photos

132 pages of photo ideas,

2 AVOID PHOTO MISTAKES

2 6 WEB ALBUM PROGRAMS RATED

your questions answered at www.dabs.com/help choose from over 34,000 products

Award Winning Service www.dabs.tv

See our website for latest prices

NEW has a self-portrait function.

Capture motion images and sound and transfer

The PowerShot A40 is an entry-level zoom digital Armchair Electronics only

• Videotape your album

your camera with a whole host of • Card reader can connect to TV or PC

Canon MV5IMC Multi-Media

only only An ultra compact multi media camcorder that

Pinnacle Studio 8 only

The UK’s No.1 IT and Technology online retailer

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 005

006 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

package every month

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 007

SHOT OF THE MONTH

05 02 WIRED ICE Faye White

03 LIFEGUARD STATION Richard Hughes

04 REFLECTIONS Colin Spencer

05 TUMBLING (II) June Marie Sobrito

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 009

James’s career soon progressed and he

James decided to undertake a post graduate

01 ICE HOCKEY 02 SARAH

010 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

AREA equivalent to 37-111mm in a 35mm camera.

Historic day of protest against war on Iraq

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 013

More than a hard drive…

It's your digital life

Now - with the touch of a button -

Personal Storage 5000LE

For PC and Mac.

YOUR GUIDE STEVE BAVISTER

bavister@easynet.co.uk PORTFOLIO STEVE BAVISTER

016 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

Low shooting angle

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 017

Shrubs and trees, too, are worth 2 PARKS AND GARDENS

2Geese are readily accessible

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 019

1 FOOD FOR BIRDS

■ Blackbirds – fruit in general; oatmeal

It's important, of course, always to put out quality food,

020 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 021

ENHANCE COLOURS TO BE MIXED USE AN ADJUSTMENT LAYER CONVERT TO MONOCHROME

022 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

; 4 200 WAYS TO IMPROVE

MAKE A CAREFUL SELECTION CHOOSE COLOURS SET UP GRADIENT TOOL PROPERTIES

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 023

The fun and easy way to share your home

For more information call

OLYMPUS C-5050 PAGE

SIGMA SD-9 PAGE

PAGE PAGE PAGE