Catching That Baby On Film

In the many types of pictures you capture as a photographer, baby shots may be the most difficult.  Even if you are not a professional photographer but you are trying to get a great looking portrait of your own child, getting them to cooperate is a major undertaking.

The first rule to live by with baby photography is that, as a matter of fact, they ARE the boss of the shoot.  The entire process has to be built around the fragile mood of the child.  But there are a couple of tricks of the trade you can use to get the best shot of that sweet baby.

Baby’s respond well when they are fed and rested, with people they know and trust and when they get all the attention.  So right off the bat, you as mom and dad can see to it that the shoot happens when requirement number one has been met.  Now, that is not always easy.  If you have an appointment to take the baby to the get his or her portrait made at the local photography studio, that mood may not be the way you want it to be.

That is why, if at all possible we would discourage taking the shots in a studio.  If you can set up a shoot at the baby’s home, where there is a comfortable setting and much that is familiar around, you have many more opportunities to get that smile that will make the portrait of a lifetime there.  Now that calls for a “house call” by the photographer but if he or she is a photographer that wants only the best shot of the child, they will work with what you want.

Another advantage of scheduling the shoot at home is that you know when the baby usually is at his or her best so you can schedule it when that time of day is just right.  In fact if the photographer can show up during nap time, there is plenty of time to stage the shot before the angel awakens.  And by eliminating the car ride to the studio, you take away a huge risk of that fragile mood going south en route.

A second tip comes from the fact that babies like people they know.  So if the photographer has time to meet the child, play with him or her and get a rapport started, then they will be more receptive to playful direction to get the shot you want.  You will have to be clever how you introduce the camera as it can either be an object of fear or looked upon as a toy and the baby will want to play with it.

As far as the camera goes, think about the kind of equipment you will utilize to get that perfect baby portrait.  You want it to be portable, so you can do those on location shots that work so much better.  It should be small, both for portability and to not alarm the child.  Digital is best because you can shoot lots of photos and never have to reload.  But make sure it’s a good quality piece of equipment that will shoot at a high resolution so when you get that prefect shot, it will transfer to a portrait printing nicely.

By setting up the room with the kind of backdrops that will create a good portrait, you can then have the baby begin to play with his or her toys and interact with parents, siblings or the photographer in a happy way.  Before long that sound of the camera clicking and even the flash will become familiar and the baby won’t pay it any mind.

The best shots are of the baby laughing.  Try to get on the same level with the child as he or she plays.  Mom and dad know the faces or games that always get a giggle, so exploit their inside information extensively.  The baby will enjoy getting to know you and hearing those familiar games coming from you should do well at getting that sweet laugh or smile you want.

By learning the baby’s personality and how to get in sync with the child, you can coax pictures from the shoot that might other wise be impossible to get.  And that is what you want to capture a portrait of a baby that will last a lifetime.

Review: Kodak EasyShare Sport C123

Kodak EasyShare Sport C123 Review

 

The Kodak EasyShare Sport C123 is an extreme sports camera. This means that you can take your camera with you literally any where you go. You don’t have to worry about the weather. You can easily capture under water photos or even your favorite sport in the rain.

 

The Kodak EasyShare Sport C123 is a cost effective sports camera. In fact, this camera offers many more features than any other camera in its bracket. Not everyone can afford a high end camera. If you are a high school student then you cannot afford to buy a professional sports camera and this is where Kodak EasyShare fills the gap.

 

Kodak EasyShare Sport C123 Product Description

 

The Kodak EasyShare Sport C123 is among the best cameras in its category. When you see all of its features you will understand why. Here are some of the cameras best features:

 

• It’s pocket size. It is just 6.2 ounces in weight which makes it very light and easy to carry. Moreover its physical dimensions include 3.6×1.2×3.6 inches. Overall it is a small and light weight camera which you can keep in your pocket and carry any where you want.
• It is available in many colors; the new model blue is by far the best.
• Be it any kind of adventure sport, from hiking, rock climbing to under water diving. This tiny little camera can survive it all. Moreover its light weight makes it easy to carry with you anywhere you want. It will be there to capture all of those extreme moments.
• It is a 12 Mega Pixel Camera with 2.4 inch LCD and comes with face detection technology.
• Includes AA batteries which are very powerful and last for quite some time.
• It allows you to easily share pictures with friends and tag them in the photos taken by the Kodak EasyShare Sport C123. You will be happily sharing you pictures with all your friends by use of the simple sharing feature.
• Smart capture adjusts the settings to capture the perfect picture.

 

Share Button

 

The Kodak EasyShare Sport C123 comes with a unique share button feature which enables you to share your pictures on any social networking site. All you have to do is press the sharing button and choose your favorite social networking site like Facebook, Twitter etc. Your photos will be automatically uploaded and shared with your friends on that particular social networking site. You can even tag your friends in these photos and make them aware of the images you uploaded.

 

Smart Capture

 

This feature will automatically adjust the camera settings to give you the best picture possible. It will detect what type of scene the camera needs to use. It will automatically adjust to give you sharp pictures. It will also clean up the picture to give you true to life colors.

 

Waterproof and Dustproof

 

The Kodak EasyShare Sport C123 allows you take images underwater as well as many other extreme conditions. It can take pictures as well as record videos up to 10 feet under water. It is also dust proof and therefore can be taken on hiking trips to capture pictures there without risking the photo or video quality. The dust proof feature allows you to shoot with this camera in any kind of natural surroundings. It also has the underwater white balance that helps to make the blue tones of underwater images unnoticeable. The pictures will be lively and have true colors without the usual blues that disrupt the quality of images taken under water.

 

Pros

 

• Highly waterproof.
• Highly dust proof.
• Can survive any kind of environment and therefore can shoot in extreme conditions.
• Produces clear underwater pictures by removing the blue effects of water.
• Sharing feature allows you to share pictures and automatically tags them in Facebook.
• Face detection software is also available.
• Very affordable price.
• Good for kids.

 

Cons

 

• It is not a digital camera and therefore does not have all of the technical features of a digital camera.

 

What Customers Say

 

Customers give this camera a four star rating on Amazon.com. Most users feel that for the price it is available at it offers way more than one can ask for. Many customers agree that the camera gives good quality under water photos. It is great for every day use and it also holds up well in salt water. One customer was unhappy about the battery life saying that it was extremely poor.

 

Recommendation

 

All in all this is an inexpensive camera that takes decent pictures in any environment. If you are looking for a camera for a kid then this is highly recommended as it is the best camera for rough usage and adventure sports. You can purchase this camera online at Amazon.com. You can typically save about 20%. Plus the Kodak EasyShare Sport C123 is available for free shipping as well.

 

 

 

Review: Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS

Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera

 

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS is one of the best digital cameras produced by Canon. It is considered the thinnest digital cameras in the world with extremely efficient shooting capabilities even in very low lighting situations. The Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 will stand out from the crowd of the other digital cameras due to its great look and awesome features. It is the slimmest as well as the best resolution digital camera available in the market.

 

Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 Product Details

 

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 weighs about one pound, so it is a very light weight camera. The product dimensions are 3.6×0.8×2.2 inches. One non standard battery is also included with it. It is a great digital camera to own. Once you switch it on you will be amazed to find out the great functionalities and features that it holds. In fact it is the slimmest point and shoot camera available in the world.

 

Some of its important features are:

• It is a 12 Mega Pixel Digital Camera
• It has 5x zooming features
• It has a 2.7 inch LCD
• High Definition videos

 

You will stand out from the crowd with this camera in hand. It delivers some picture perfect still images as well as great 1080p High Definition videos.

 

Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 Product Features

 

Some of the major features of the Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS are as follows:

• It is the thinnest digital camera of the world and comes with a 24 mm wide angle lens.
• It has 5x zooming features.
• It also comes with optical image stabilizer which is allows you to take pictures of moving objects without any blur.
• The processor used is DIGIC 4 Image processor and it plays a major role in shooting in low lighting situations.
• The camera is 12.1 Mega Pixel strong, meaning it captures very high resolution images.
• It also accommodates high speed Burst Mode which enables you to do some high speed shooting in a point and shoot camera situation. It can capture at speeds up to 8.0 fps.
• Higher level ISO settings make it a good product in terms of noise reduction.
• The Super Slow Movie Motion allows you to watch high speed videos at a much slower rate.
• Lastly the Dynamic IS features allow stabilization of optically shot videos.
• 32 pre-defined settings for point and shoot situations.

 

These features are the reasons why Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 is much better than the other digital cameras available in the market.

 

High Image Quality

 

Due to the 12.1 Mega Pixel feature it gives high quality images. All the above mentioned features and many others not mentioned here are responsible for the incredible image quality delivered by this camera. You will never regret buying this product.

 

Incredible Video Footage

 

With the optical zoom quality you can now zoom in and zoom out without any kind of noise. The video quality is that of 1080p High Definition. The optical zooming feature available in it makes it better than the other alternative products available in the market. It also reduces noise to a very considerable level.

 

Pros

 

• High image quality.
• HD video recording facility.
• Noise reduction due to optical zooming.
• Very fast booting time software.
• Computer connectivity is great.
• Comes with high quality memory card and battery.
• High speed shooting for a point to shoot camera.
• Automatically selects best settings.

 

Cons

 

• Manual settings are a bit complex to understand.
• It sensors are sometimes over sensitive, you have to be careful with that.

What Customers Say

 

Customers have given this digital camera a four star rating on Amazon.com. Most find this camera incredible. Its features like optical zooming, fast speed shooting and many more make it much better than the other digital cameras in its class. The high image quality and High Definition video recording make it even more worthwhile and that is why most buyers love it.

 

Customers find it quite easy to use and its fast booting feature along with great computer connectivity make it a great digital camera to buy. If you are thinking about purchasing a digital camera then Cannon PowerShot ELPH 300 is the way to go.

 

Recommendation

 

If you want a compact digital camera that takes great pictures then this is the camera for you. The HD video capabilities are definitely a plus. It is highly recommended inexpensive camera for those who love to capture the moments all around them. With its extended graphic functionalities you will be able to experience various aspects of photography and take some extremely unique and incredible photos. It is a must buy product for all photography lovers. You can find this camera on Amazon.com for a lower price. The Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS is also eligible for free shipping through Amazon’s free super saver shipping program.

Review: Nikon CoolPix P300

Nikon CoolPix P300

The Nikon CoolPix P300 compact digital camera was created with the enthusiast photographer in mind. The main competitors for the P300 are probably Olymps XZ-1, Panasonic LX5 and PowerShot S95 from Canon. One of the advantages of the P300 over its competitors is the fact that is offers a CMOS sensor of 12.2 MP which is considerably smaller than what the others offer. Other features of this model include the optical zoom lens of 4.2, which has a 24-100mm focal range. The ISO goes from 160 to 3200 and the camera is also capable of recording Full HD videos which have stereo sound, an LCD screen with 920k dots and a size of 3 inch, plus the ability to shoot seven photos at a speed of 8 fps. The CoolPix P300 is offered in black only and it costs a bit over $300.

Thanks to the fact that it’s lighter and smaller than the bigger P7000 model from the same series, the Nikon CoolPix P300 probably competes more with the PowerShot G12 from Canon. Thanks to its size, you should find this camera easy to carry around with you, both during travels and during nights out. Its measures are 103mm by 58.3mm by 32mm. As for its weight, it has under 200gr.

The focal range and the zoom lens capabilities are sufficient if you’re interested in taking photos of landscapes, but it will also do well if you’re interested in portraits. Thanks to the small size of the camera’s sensor, you will notice that the background isn’t blurred at the same level as you would find on cameras that it competes against. Even though this is a pretty normal compact camera, the resulting images are decent and the build quality is a solid one, even though the model is light. This is achieved with the help of a chassis made from magnesium alloy. All in all the quality of the build is similar to what you can expect on models which are more expensive.

The P300 comes with a system for image stabilization and reduction of vibrations, something that a lot of compact cameras have these days. The system allows you to take photos with a slower shutter speed and still get a decent photo. Other than that, you don’t notice a big difference in the way the camera handles when this feature is activated. As for the battery of the camera, it allows you to take around 240 photos when it’s fully loaded.

Conclusion

When you look at the specs, the P300 from Nikon will be a clear winner against its competitors, thanks to the extra megapixels, the larger LCD, the fast shooting mode, the Full HD video recording. There are some downsides though, where the camera doesn’t do as good, like the missing RAW mode, the small sensor and some problems with the way the camera was designed. The RAW mode especially is something which shouldn’t be missing, since all the direct competitors of the Nikon CoolPix P300 offer it.

Review: Canon PowerShot A3300 IS

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS

The PowerShot A3300 IS from Canon is the model which was designed to replace the A3100 model and it’s considered the best model from the entire line-up of PowerShot models. The A3300 IS comes with a image sensor of 16MP, an optical zoom lens of 5X (which include an image stabilizer), an LCD screen of 3 inches and a light and slim body which is available in four colors.

Among the other features you will notice the fact that it can record at 720p quality, the 32 different shooting modes, the creative filters, the auto correction for red eye, the Face Detection, as well as the image processing engine called DIGIC 4. This model is offered in five colors: black, blue, silver, pink and red. Right now it’s the model which occupies the spot at the top of the A series PowerShot cameras.

A3300 IS is a digital camera which is easy to use and small, something which is useful for a lot of people that need a point and shoot model, easy to carry and available wherever you are, either during holidays or during a night out.

The camera’s flash is located above the lens, which has the potential of being a problem when it comes to red eye. The focal range goes from 28 to 140mm.

One useful little feature which we hope that every camera will implement is the discreet mode, which is available on the command dial. This mode makes the camera really quiet during its operation, so you don’t get a loud beep every single time you take a photo, which announces what you’re doing to the world.

The LCD is 3 inches and it occupies quite a bit of the back of the PowerShot A3300 IS. The right side has the buttons, which leaves little room for your fingers.

A lot of people don’t understand the terms used to describe the capabilities of the cameras. If you’re curious about names like the DIGIC 4 processor, you should know that it’s a digital imaging processor from Canon, at its 4th version. This version was launched in 2008 and it comes with the ability to record HD videos, better noise reduction and fast image processing. Once you take a photo, the camera gets the image through the processor, which boosts the necessary colors, compresses the file and sharpens the image, so you get a better result.

Conclusion

All things considered, the A3300 IS is not an impressive new camera, it doesn’t come with any revolutionary features, but it does offer decent value for the money. It’s built well, it offers you a proper quality of image and there is very good control of the noise, considering the small sensor and the resolution which is offered.

The camera is easy to use, it has intuitive controls and a clear menu, so even beginners should find it easy to handle on a daily basis. Considering what you’re paying for it, the PowerShot A3300 IS is definitely worth it and it will probably surprise you in a nice way.

Review: Samsung EC-WB700

The Samsung EC-WB700

The Samsung EC-WB700 is a digital camera which has an optical zoom of 18X and a megapixel count of 14. The camera also offers an LCD screen of 3 inches, manual controls, the ability to record videos at HD quality (720p), a HDMI port and a few smart filters which can prove fun. The camera comes both in black and silver variants.

There is a Schneider lens installed on this camera, which is known for its quality. The optical zoom can be used with the help of a rocker switch, which is installed around the release of the shutter. At the top of the camera you will also find a command dial, as well as a power button.

The back of the camera is a normal one, with a 3 inch LCD screen and to its right a set of navigation controls. A nice feature to have is the record button, which allows you to start a video recording with just a push of a button, instead of using the menu system to activate it. Besides the regular buttons found on a compact camera from Samsung, this model also has a function button which can be customized. The user has a choice to use that button to control either the white balance, the ISO or the exposure compensation.

There is an fn button which is used to activate a small menu where you can find the options which are most used. Among them you will find the ISO, resolution, quality of image, metering, focusing, image stabilization and smart filters.

The build quality of the Samsung EC-WB700 is very good. It is not a small camera, thanks to the big lens barrel, which is necessary for the optical 18X zoom provided.

The battery of the camera is a Lithium Ion model which is rechargeable and it’s all done directly from the camera, with the help of a USB cable and a plug. The USB which is connected to the plug can be disconnected and used for the computer connection as well. The memory used on this camera can be either SDHC or SD, while most other models from Samsung use MicroSD. Both the battery and the memory can be found at the bottom of the camera, together with a quality tripod bush which is made from metal.

The camera is quite responsive and it takes less than a second to start, from the moment you press on the power button to when the camera is capable to take a photo. A bit of a problem as far as speed is concerned is the flash, which takes around 4 seconds to recycle, though sometimes it can be even more.

All things considered, the WB700 is quite capable and it also looks good as well. The interface is easy enough to use and any photographer can handle it, from beginners to professionals if needed. Since it has both a smart auto mode and manual controls, the Samsung EC-WB700 has something for everyone.

Review: Sony NEX-C3

Sony NEX-C3

The Sony NEX-C3 camera which is considered the lightest and smallest model in the world which has an interchangeable lens. The camera also has a sensor which is APS-C sized, which means that it offers the image quality you would get from a DSLR, though the package is lighter and smaller. The C3 comes with a CMOS sensor of 16.2 MP which is called Exmor APS HD. The camera can record videos at HD quality (720p), it can take photos in burst mode at a speed of 5.5 fps and it has an LCD of 3 inches, an autofocus system with 25 points and an exposure meter with 49 segments. The battery life is very nice, with the ability to take 400 photos before having to recharge it. The camera comes with a 18-55mm kit zoom and it has variants in pink, black or silver. The design of the NEX-C3 is basically the same as the model from last year, the NEX-3.

The NEX-C3 is both lighter and smaller than its predecessor, but it’s still a solid camera. It’s a bit too large to carry around in a pocket when the lens is attached. The grip is a bit smoother and less bulbous, which is an improvement over the NEX-3 model. When the kit lens is attached, the model is a bit top heavy, something which can’t be avoided.

You can tilt the LCD screen both forward and back and you can use it for compositions both at high and low angles.

The biggest selling point of the Sony NEX-C3 seems to be the fact that it is the lightest and smallest camera with interchangeable lens in the world, with a depth of 33mm and a weight of just 225gr, which includes the lens mount and the camera grip. The ISO range is between 200 and 12800, which is quite impressive and about the same as what you can expect from a DSLR in the mid-range.

One downside is the lack of image stabilization in the body of the camera, so it’s only offered through the lens. The kit which is offered together with the camera is optically stabilized and it works well overall.

When it comes to the image quality, you can shoot in RAW format, but you can also take JPEG and RAW images at the same time. The level of compression for the JPEG files also varies and you can select either Normal or Fine.

The NEX-C3 continued the work done by its predecessors and improved a bit on them, by offering a bigger megapixel count, a better user interface which can now be used by beginners easier and a lighter and smaller body. It might not be enough to make owners of NEX cameras to give up their old models for the new ones, but if you’re looking for a new camera, the Sony NEX-C3 can be a very good option. It also comes with an improved number of picture effects and a better battery life.

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