4. Taking full advantage of the zooming function
1. Introduction
Standard zoom lens is included in the basic digital SLR camera kit. Zooming is the function used for capturing a wide area or enlarging the size of a distant subject. Anyone can use it easily, but with a knack of maximizing the lens performance, you can take a more impressive photo. In this issue, I would like to describe them to you.
2. Basics of zooming
As mentioned above, zooming can change the shooting area. The wide-angle (W) mode captures a wide area, while the telephoto (T) makes a distant subject larger in the photo.
Let's check the number of focal length
Which property of the lens is changed by zooming? The answer is the focal length. It is represented in millimeters. Just remember that the smaller number is wide-angle, while the larger number is telephoto. The smaller the number, the larger the wide-angle, capturing a wider area. On the other hand, the larger the number, the more telephoto the focal length, making the size of a distant subject bigger. In sports stadiums, professional sport photographers use ultratelephoto lenses whose focal length is 300 mm or 400 mm.
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The area where the number of focal length is small, is called "wide-angle." Lenses with short focal lengths are suitable for taking a picture of a wide area.
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The area where the number of focal length is large, is called "telephoto." Lenses with long focal lengths are suitable for making a distant subject larger in the resulting photo.
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The biggest advantage of SLR cameras is that they allow using interchangeable lenses with various focal lengths.
* Tip!
The Nikon SLR system allows you to mount on a digital SLR camera many lenses that were available in the era of film cameras. When using the same lens, note that the focal length in the case of a digital SLR camera is about 1.5 times longer than that of film camera because the CCD of the digital SLR camera is smaller. This is a great merit for photographers who want to make a distant image larger.
Let's understand the basic zooming effect
The zooming function of SLR and compact digital cameras is absolutely the same, so anyone can use it easily. Once again, remember that the wide-angle mode captures a wide area, while the telephoto mode enlarges the size of a distant subject. To put it another way, the former dwarfs a distant subject, while the latter narrows the shooting area. These two descriptions use different wordings but have the same meaning. The nuances are different, aren't they?
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Take a picture, adjusting the zooming without changing the physical distance between the subject and the camera.
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I took this photo in the wide-angle mode. The shooting area is wide but the subject is small.
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I took this photo in the telephoto mode. The shooting area is narrow but the subject is large.
Let's know the real pleasure of zooming
After you become familiar with the zooming operation, fix the zoom lens to the wide-angle or telephoto mode, and then take a photo by approaching the subject or moving away from it. First of all, let's compare two photos: one is taken at a short distance and in the wide-angle mode, the other at a long distance and in the telephoto mode. You will be surprised by how different the photos look even though the subject is the same. This is the real pleasure of zooming.
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Approach the subject to take a photo in the wide-angle mode, and then move away from it to take a picture in the telephoto mode. What's the difference?
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This photo was taken at a short distance and in the wide-angle mode. The subject looks so powerful, as it were about to jump out of the photo, because of the extreme perspective.
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The photo looks like a portrait of a sport star because the background of the person is very simple.
3. Using a telephoto lens
The zoom lens provided as standard equipment with the basic kit is practically sufficient, but you may not be satisfied with it when taking a picture of your children playing sports or performing on the stage where you cannot get closer to them. In this case, I recommend that you try a telephoto or zoom lens with a long focal length. Only by replacing the standard lens provided will you be able to easily take photos as you have never taken before. In this section, I would like to introduce some tips for how to use a telephoto lens (135 mm).
Let's pay attention to camera shake
Most failed pictures taken with a telephoto lens are caused by camera shake. Even a small movement of the camera significantly blurs the resulting photo because the telephoto lens magnifies a small area.
The best method for preventing camera shake is to fix the camera to a tripod. If you are holding your camera in your hand to take a picture, you must set a high ISO sensitivity and increase shutter speed. Digital SLR cameras can provide satisfactory image quality up to ISO 800. Please try to take a photo at high sensitivity.
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This photo appears to be out of focus, but this is caused by camera shake.
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Setting the ISO sensitivity at a high value increases the shutter speed, reducing the shaking amplitude.
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Nikon's VR (Vibration Reduction) lenses have the function for reducing camera shake.
Let's blur the background
Telephoto lenses blur the background and foreground of a subject. To enhance this effect, you need to increase the distance between both of the background and foreground and the subject in focus. For more information, see the section "What is focus?" under "3. Understanding focus."
In addition, fully open the lens aperture-set the smallest f-number. The background of the resulting photo will be considerably blurred. Remember to set "A" (priority is given to the aperture) for the exposure mode for convenience.
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Turn the exposure mode dial to the position A (priority is given to the aperture), and use the control dial to specify the smallest f-number.
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The background is sharp because a large f-number was set.
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The background is blurred because a small f-number was specified.
Let's capture motion
Pictures are stationary. Accordingly, to give the feeling of a subject in motion, you need to capture a sharp image of the moving subject or take full advantage of the shaking effect. The resulting image varies depending on the shutter speed, so try several times while changing the shutter speed. You cannot get a good photo with only one or two shots. The most important thing is to challenge repeatedly. Remember to set "S" (priority is given to the shutter speed) for the exposure mode for convenience.
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Turn the mode dial to the position S (priority is given to the shutter speed), and use the control dial to specify the shutter speed.
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The instantaneous movement of the subject is captured sharply because the shutter speed was high.
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The motion of the subject is expressed as shaking because I set a low shutter speed and tracked the subject through the viewfinder.
4. Using a wide-angle lens
Wide-angle and telephoto lenses not only cover different shooting areas, but also have a variety of opposite characteristics. A wide angle lens gives perspective to the photo and deforms the subject. It slightly blurs the background and foreground, that is, the background, foreground, and subject are all in focus. To take full advantage of wide-angle lenses, you must understand these properties fully.
Let's hold your camera at the same level as the subject
Most people stand and hold their cameras. As a result, when you take a photo of a child with a wide-angle lens, your camera looks down on the subject. This presents a photo showing a child with a head bigger than expected. You should be able to see the same image through the viewfinder, but it is hard to notice during shooting.
Be careful to lower the camera position and hold your camera horizontally. If you do this, the subject will not be deformed. I used a 12 mm lens to take the following photos.
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Hold your camera level with the subject, do not hold it while in a standing position.
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I took this photo in a standing position. It shows a surprisingly bigheaded person; very interesting indeed.
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I took this photo with my camera held at the level of the subject's navel. No deformation appears and the image is powerful.
Let your wide-angle lens get as close to the subject as possible!
Wide-angle lenses cover a wide area. This means that the background of the subject can include many unnecessary things, which blur the purpose of the resulting photo.
Therefore, get as close to the subject as possible. This is the most important knack when using a wide-angle lens.
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The background contains many things that detract attention from the subject. This kind of photo is useful to show circumstances, but . . .
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This portrait is good because I chose a simple background, held my camera vertically, and moved a step closer to the boy.
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This photo seems to show the boy's emotional condition because I moved one more step closer to him.
Let's take a picture with the fixed focal length.
A wide-angle lens focuses not only on the subject but also on its background and foreground, resulting in a sharp photo. This means that you can roughly bring your camera into focus.
For example, if you turn the automatic focusing mode OFF and set the distance scale at a fixed value such as "two meters," your camera will focus on the subject with high probability. These settings allow you to take a picture of a moving subject while following it, without worrying about the automatic focusing action of your camera. Please try it.
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Set "M" (manual focusing mode) for the focusing mode of the lens or camera.
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Set the distance scale at an appropriate value. If your camera has no scale, focus on the subject through the viewfinder.
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Take a photo while keeping in mind the specified distance. No need for focusing action allows speedy operation, enabling you to take a picture of the subject with an unexpected look.
Finally
Do you understand now that there are many unknown tips for the zooming function that anyone can use?
However, don't let this knowledge confuse you at a photographic site. I would like you to use your hands to learn these skills while using the zooming function by a step-by-step trial. You will soon find yourself attaining better photographic techniques.
