Photography

Product Review: JVC Everio GZ-MG330

2008-09-09T23:12:59Z

For many family chroniclers, the two golden rules of a good camcorder are portability and usability. If these two criteria are at the top of your list, the JVC Everio GZ-MG330 is an excellent choice.

The MG330 is small—really small—weighing in at just under 13 oz (including battery). Measuring just 4 1/2 inches on its longest size, this camcorder is easily carried and can be held comfortably for long periods of time. Paired with a small case, the MG330 can be slipped into a backpack or purse for easy portability, or can even be carried on your belt.

In function, the MG330 has a slick interface and a 30MB hard-drive that compares to those mini-DV camcorders like a DVD player compares to a VCR. Instead of rewinding, fast-forwarding and constantly guessing where one clip ends and another begins, you can simply scroll through a visual list of clips and select one for viewing. The camera's unique user interface includes a "laser-touch" control bar—a cool touch-sensitive blue strip on the left side of the screen that replaces a scrolling wheel. The well-designed menu options make it easy to configure and use the camera and to play back video.

The MG330's LCD screen is 2.7 inches, but there is no corresponding viewfinder, which means that in certain light situations your subject may be difficult to follow. It also features an impressive 35x zoom, although even the image stabilization feature may not be enough to make video shot at maximum zoom watchable.

There are some cool bells and whistles, too, such as the ability to add an "event" icon to your video, which will help when you want to organize your video later on. An added bonus is the availability of the MG330's DVD burning counterpart (the ShareStation), which can be purchased as an add-on for less than $200. The ShareStation doesn't require a PC—simply dock your camcorder and the unit automatically burns your video onto DVD.

The MG330's 30MB hard-drive is enough to capture 7 hours of video at ultra-fine resolution, but here's where this camcorder falls short. The MG330 records using MPEG-2 format, and when playing video back on even a reasonably large television screen you are likely to notice compression artifacts (blocky areas similar to what you might see on a low-quality JPG image). This problem gets worse, obviously, as bit rate is decreased, and the lower bit rates are barely even worth considering if your goal is to take quality video. Also patently useless is the MG330's still image feature—even at the highest resolution these images look bad, and are too poor quality to print. If you plan to use your MG330 to document a family outing or vacation, you will need to have a still camera on hand as well, as the MG330 does not function as a replacement.

I still give this camcorder pretty high marks, though, especially for parents who already have a lot of stuff to carry around on family outings, or for active people who don't want to weigh themselves down with equipment when outdoors. The MG330 is practical and records acceptable video without the need for removable storage media, which in itself is worth the price of this camera.

The JVC Everio GZ-MG330 retails for between $350 and $450.

Low-Light Photography: To Flash or Not to Flash?

2008-09-02T22:14:17Z

I can't stand flash photography. Sure, I use it in my studio, but umbrella lighting is vastly different from the kind of flash photography the average hobbyist might use—or the kind that I use myself when I am out taking pictures of my family. I don't typically haul around a flash unit, cables, umbrellas and other equipment I might need to get a decent, artificially lit photograph (I already have too much baggage with three kids in diapers), so I rely on my camera's on-board flash or the ISO adjustment feature, neither of which give perfect results.

Over the years, though, I've discovered by trial-and-error some good ways to get decent results in low light without the need to carry around a lot of extra stuff. Here are a few tips:

Make your aperture as wide as it will go. This may mean you'll need to buy a lens for your camera that is capable of a wide aperture (many typical zoom lenses are not). I have a 50mm fixed focal-length lens that I use when I know I'll be shooting in low light conditions—it stops up to f/1.8, which gives me greater flexibility when lighting is less-than-adequate.
Find a stable surface to rest your camera on, and use the self-timer. A fence-post, the hood of a car, a picnic table—these things can all double as a tripod. The more stable your camera is, the slower your shutter speed can be. Slow shutter speeds and wide apertures mean you can shoot in low light without having to adjust your ISO or use a flash. Better still, if you use your self-timer you can almost eliminate camera shake because you won't need to touch the camera to take a photograph.
Alternately, if you can't find a stable, safe surface to use as a tripod, you can try simply leaning on something solid, striving to keep your arms as still as possible. If you work at this you may be able to get your shutter speed down to 1/15 or even lower without any noticeable camera-shake.
If your camera has a RAW setting, use it. The RAW setting captures greater detail, so low light images can be more easily enhanced in Photoshop or another image processing package.
Set your camera to a higher ISO. The problem with this option, of course, (whether on a film camera or a digital camera) is grain. In traditional photography, the reason for visible grain is the emulsion, which is courser in high-speed film than in low speed film. Digital photography has a similar problem, though for a different reason: in digital film, images shot at a high ISO appear grainy because there is less range between highlights and shadows, so the camera is capturing a smaller sample of photons.
Depending on your point of view, grain can be a good thing or a bad thing. Grainy images can be artistic if they're well constructed, or they can be ugly if your ultimate goal is simply capturing a moment. Fortunately, you can do something about grain after the fact—software like Photoshop can help reduce grain in an image, or you can use a tool designed specifically for that purpose such as "Noiseware" or "Noise Ninja."
Use your flash. I hate this option because flash photos look flat and usually feature harsh shadows behind the subject, but there are things you can do to improve some of these problems. You can minimize harsh shadows by using an attachment that "bounces" the flash, or by wrapping the flash in a piece of white cloth to diffuse it. You can also move your subject away from any vertical backgrounds (such as a wall or a curtain). Some cameras will allow you to reduce the intensity of your flash, which can also help (though you may need to do adjustments afterwards). But ideally, if you want to use a flash it's best to buy a detachable one that can be held off the camera and pointed at the subject from an angle—this will cause the shadow to drop mercifully out of sight.

Spontaneity is the key to taking good everyday photos, so if documenting your family is important too you it's a good idea to practice shooting in low light, using as little extra equipment as possible. Remember that trial and error may be the best way to find what works for you, so keep these tips in mind and keep on shooting.

Should I go digital?

2008-07-25T19:54:28Z

If you've spent much time in the camera department of your local electronics store, you might get the impression that film is dead. Clearly, digital cameras rule the marketplace, and if you've yet to make that intimidating switch it may be because you're wondering what a digital camera can bring you that your faithful old film camera cannot.

The answer isn't simple (if it was, you'd already have made your decision). Contrary to what the sales guy at that electronics store might have told you, film is not really dead. Many professional photographers continue to use film because digital is simply not as good at capturing detail, especially in black and white. Film is still higher resolution, too (which means it can be printed in larger format), although the difference in this area diminishes with each new generation of digital cameras that come on the market.

In general though, the benefits of film for the average consumer are becoming less and less obvious. Film is slipping out of the mainstream and into the realm of the professional and the artist, and many of these folks are even beginning to abandon film as digital SLRs become better and better at what they do.

So what does a digital camera do that a film camera doesn't? For me, the most compelling reason to switch was that digital was simply liberating. With film, I always seemed to be holding back, my financial concerns constantly warring with my inner photographer. Film is expensive, and it's hard to shake that desire to release the shutter only when the moment is perfect—and as any photographer can tell you, if you wait for a perfect moment it's usually gone by the time you've pressed that button. With digital, this concern vanishes and you become free to click with abandon. Memory cards are reusable and they hold hundreds of photographs. Images can be previewed and instantly deleted if they aren't up to your standards. And if you have an off day, you can simply delete everything and start over without having to put out money for another roll or film.

Another selling point for digital is that you don't need to pay a lab to develop and print every image you capture (which always includes the bad with the good). Even when using a printing service (vs. a home photo printer), you'll still be saving money over traditional roll-by-roll film developing. Why? Because you only pay for the best images, the ones you've chosen yourself.

Finally, digital is more appealing to a lot of people because of the ability to enhance images before printing them. There are many software products that make this easy for even the non-savvy computer user. Red eye can be fixed with a single click. Color balance and exposure can be adjusted with one menu selection. In this way digital is infinitely more forgiving than film, and although your initial investment will be higher (digital cameras are still more expensive than film), your ongoing expenses will be significantly less than what you are used to paying.

The downside to digital? Unless you market your work or you regularly print large-format images, there aren't really a lot of downsides once you've spent the money on your camera. If you take a lot of artistic photos, especially in black and white, the loss of detail in highlights and shadow may be a genuine concern for you. But if your primary use for a camera is family photography, chronicling your travels or simply the pursuit of a hobby, digital is probably a good choice for you. And it is true what they say—technology moves fast. As time passes film photographers will have fewer and fewer purchasing choices, although there will most likely always be a place for film with artists and traditionalists. Hobbyists and those who enjoy technology, however, will likely keep following the digital road. Your task is to decide which one of these photography styles best describes you, and make your choice based on how you see yourself using a camera in the years to come.