Photography Stack Exchange
Photography Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
19
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5 answers

What type of cloth is safe to clean lenses?

Usually, we purchase a camera cleaning kit that comprise a cleaning solution, cleaning brush, cleaning cloth and a air blower. I was wondering if we can use other cleaning cloth (such as spectacle cleaning cloth, laptop screen cleaning cloth) to…
Jack
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What is a great portrait lens for Nikon (under $1000)?

I am currently shooting with a Nikon D90 and use the kit 18-105 lens and a 50mm f/1.8. Mostly I shoot as a hobby but lately I've been asked to do some family and engagement shoots. The 50mm is lovely, great depth of field, great sharpness, great…
newfie_coder
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What are the criteria to decide whether a photo is "technically correct" or not?

Here and there, I hear people saying a photo is "technically correct". How can I tell whether a photo is technically correct or not?
Amit
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3 answers

Are digital sensors sensitive to UV?

Is there any way, shape, or form that ultraviolet light is recorded by a digital sensor? Ideally, this question is related strictly to the sensor, without even a glass lens in between which could cut or block UV light. But of course I don't take…
jfklein13
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2 answers

Do rounded edges on aperture blades improve image sharpness, and how?

In the description for the XF lenses for its new X-Pro system, Fujifilm crows: The [XF lenses] all offer precise control over depth-of-field and deliver excellent out-of-focus bokeh thanks to the design of the molded aperture diaphragm blades. The…
mattdm
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3 answers

Why does a 15-second exposure on my camera actually last 16 seconds?

I was doing a test and wanted the shutter to stay open for 15 seconds -- no problem, I have a 15-second exposure setting in my camera. It seemed to stay open for about an extra second, though, so I started timing it. The 15-second setting takes…
user2910
19
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7 answers

How to respond to requests to commercially use one's photos without compensation?

I am an amateur photographer and every now and then, I get an email along these lines: Hi there, I really like your photo of X [LINK] and would like to use it in my/our magazine/brochure/website. Unfortunately I don't have a budget to pay you for…
Daniel Pietzsch
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19
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6 answers

Why do my prints look different from what I see on my computer monitor?

I haven't printed any of my photos yet but I decided to give it a try. I am thinking of getting a printer of my own but before that I wanted to see how they would look. So, I simply printed one at the office in the regular laser printer. To my…
sfactor
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1 answer

What does "viewfinder magnification" mean?

Viewfinders (both optical and electronic) typically come with two stats: magnification and coverage. The latter measuring how much of the actual exposed area (film or sensor) one sees. But what is magnification?
subsub
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8 answers

Is there photo analysis software which will pre-sort images by identifying potential technical problems?

I recently went on vacation and took close to 1,000 photographs. As usual there are some good ones, bad ones, blurry ones, etc. In order to expedite post-processing, I was wondering if there is any software out there that can "pre-screen" a batch…
RyanKDalton
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6 answers

How to take photos of large groups (over 100 people)?

I recently had been called to take a photo of a 100+ group. The photos were taken inside with some bright lighting. Subjects were sitting in 4 rows of a choir seats. There were fluorescent and flood light overhead. I also brought three flashes with…
xsaero00
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19
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6 answers

Why are greycards used for white balance?

I know 18% grey cards are supposed to provide a neutral color to set custom white balance. But why are grey cards used instead of pure white ones? My assumptions: Is a specific greytone easier to produce than pure white? Does white stain so much…
Ria
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19
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6 answers

Why are push/pull zooms relatively rare?

The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM has a push/pull zoom mechanism instead of a zoom ring. Other lenses, like the Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 AF that was released in 1988, use this type of zoom too, but lenses with a push/pull zoom are very rare…
Arseni Mourzenko
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What does it mean to "kill the ambient"?

I have heard of a technique called "killing the ambient" in flash photography. What does it mean and how do I do it? This similar existing post I believe is separate enough to warrant this question - What exactly is flash sync speed, and should it…
dpollitt
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Is a UV Filter required/recommended for lens protection?

Is it still required/highly recommended that I buy a UV or similar filter to 'protect' the front element of my lens? I ask because this advice has been around for 30 years and you would think that the lens maker would have solved this problem with…
pitosalas
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