My new Sony - oh NO!!

[twoaussies]

I had just put my new Sony A100 together, battery charged. It was getting dark and we were having dinner when I glimpsed two black ears on the deck. Our cat was at the door, hair fluffed out and twice his size.
IT WAS A BEAR. Grabbed camera, the bear took off up the driveway and I was after it. Fortunately a small bear and I thought I could outrun it to the house.
But these are what appeared on the camera
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/159uf5oTynZWjY4axyaKBaKVQPgx_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=159uf5oTynZWjY4axyaKBaKVQPgx)
Oh NO, my new camera was not working.
But with not too much work this is what came out. Just a quick job, perhaps someone can improve on it.
Now I am absolutely thrilled with my camera. What an auspicious start. Jean
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1katQsZVelybmpkjTad9GXGCrKZb_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1katQsZVelybmpkjTad9GXGCrKZb)

[cats4jan]

Where there are small bears - there are probably protective mommy's. Look out.

There have been a lot of sightings of bears in residential areas in so many states this year. WOW

Can't believe you could get that photo from that blackness.

[jo]

Isn't it amazing what photoshop can extract! Good shot, Jean! A little scary, though, to have bears at your window.

[LeeOtsubo]

Hope you don't mind but this is a perfect shot to demonstrate why Auto Mode is not the best use of a camera, especially a dSLR. (If you don't want me to post this, let me know and I'll delete it.)

Here's the EXIF data for this photo (thanks for using Resize instead of Save for Web which strips out the EXIF).

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1CPCzM4Kk0422NtM1Oz94CSb0CMcb1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1CPCzM4Kk0422NtM1Oz94CSb0CMcb1)

From this, I deduced you were in Auto Mode. If it were in P, Tv, Av or Manual, I think that would be reflected in the Exposure Program entry. In Auto, the A100 takes control of everything including ISO but limits ISO to the range 100-800 even though you have 1600. Next, it decided to fire the flash which has a Guide Number 12 (a large firefly is brighter :D). That, in turn, locked your shutter speed to 1/125", not enough time to gather enough light, and it forced ISO to 400. That's a full stop below the 800 it should be able to select in Auto.

As a result, the histogram looked like this:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/15kUSoSfNajvXbZwxg5MIMgio2kcfX1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=15kUSoSfNajvXbZwxg5MIMgio2kcfX1)

This shows that all the pixels are crammed into the first ~32 dark pixel values available to the camera. It's using about 1/8th of the sensor's dynamic range. When the pixels are spread out to produce your final image, it has huge gaps in between pixel values which result in banding. That also emphasizes the noise in the image (all the red, blue, green and white specks in the final photo).

I know the A100 is brand new but I hope this shows that it can perform better than PHD Mode (press here dummy).

[lindajay]

Jean, great picture with your new Sony!

I'd like to second what Janice said, though. I lived 25+ years in Alaska with the bears. Those little blackies don't seem very intimidating, but they can do severe damage. And if you happen to come between the cub and its mama, you are putting yourself in great danger. No more running after Blackie, Jean! ;)

[twoaussies]

Lee, I was so excited I just clicked and clicked - not scared at all. The camera was on Auto and I havent learned anything else yet. Shall print out your advice and try and think about it next time. Everything you wrote makes sense (even though I am new to this camera).
I sure hope there is a next time; though we are leaving the mountains of N.C. next week for Florida. While there are bears there, have only seen bobcats in our back yard.
I know, it was really stupid to walk after the bear, but anything for a good shot. And I am old enough to think that headlines "Old woman gets mauled chasing bear" would be interesting. Good on my epitaph!!!

[LeeOtsubo]

Lee, I was so excited I just clicked and clicked - not scared at all. The camera was on Auto and I havent learned anything else yet. Shall print out your advice and try and think about it next time. Everything you wrote makes sense (even though I am new to this camera).
I don't mean to come across as "preachy" but a photograph is created in your mind before your release the shutter. I'm glad the info makes sense and I hope you're able to put it to good use.

...And I am old enough to think that headlines "Old woman gets mauled chasing bear" would be interesting. Good on my epitaph!!!
It's better to die doing what you love and enjoy than of a heart attack, sitting in an office, trying to close one more deal. Besides, bears don't attack cameras so your grandkids will inherit a great camera. :D

[Wendy]

Jean ...

Wow ... not sure under the circumstances I would stopped to alter the sertting of my camera :D:D:D ... for me it would have been a quick point, shoot and run :)

Wendy

[twoaussies]

Lee, I love your philosophy. I have printed your info and will heed it. Have a hummingbird outside the window about ten feet away. I just took the screen off the window and am waiting for him to come back. Jean

[twoaussies]

Thanks Wendy, a girl after my own heart. I can just see my kids saying "Mom get closer to the bear, we want your camera".

[Wendy]

Jean ...

Oh I love that one :D:D

Wendy

[LeeOtsubo]

Lee, I love your philosophy. I have printed your info and will heed it. Have a hummingbird outside the window about ten feet away. I just took the screen off the window and am waiting for him to come back. Jean

For hummingbirds, turn on your flash (assuming you're within 8-10 ft). It will probably default to fill flash mode. That will help define the rapid wing movements. I'm sitting in my office, watching hummers outside my window, thinking I should try that this evening after my new lens arrives. Isn't the internet a wonderful tool for procrastinaters? :D

[msbrad]

WOW! so glad you posted Jean,
Now nothing personal, but I could envision the headline, as I do not see you outrunning the bear!
I too, would have just clicked and reclicked to get the photo.
Happy you got the shot!

Lee, I so appreciate your input on the topic. I always learn from what you've written. I've not used an auto setting for a long time now...
m

[troush]

While I'm trying to use M more, I find in action situations (kids playing, bears running away ;) ) it is hard to "think" about what settings to use. I know it takes practice, but sometimes letting the camera think for me so I can capture the fun is better...

-Trish

[LeeOtsubo]

While I'm trying to use M more, I find in action situations (kids playing, bears running away ;) ) it is hard to "think" about what settings to use. I know it takes practice, but sometimes letting the camera think for me so I can capture the fun is better...

-Trish

That's where experience comes into play. If you take enough photos, you start to remember what settings to use before the situation arises. When you pick up the camera, your mind immediately notes the lighting conditions and your hands automatically set it to an approximate exposure. You then assign 2-3 brain cells to keep an eye out for changing conditions. It's a lot like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time. :D

[twoaussies]

Oh Michelle, you are so right. Our house is below the road level and there are 18 stairs, I can just see me rolling head over heels down the stairs. Oh well, got to go sometime!!
Lee, Many questions. Had I been thinking with a couple of those brain cells what should I have set the camera to??? Should I have gone for speed or more light?
"Here is the EXIf data for this photo". Where on earth did you get that from? I could not enlarge it to see the writing.
And how did you get the histogram? Can I now get rid of the noise in the image? Or too late?
Here is the hummer - about fifteen feet from the window. I have a 70-200 lens on PHD mode. http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Uzvn5KNyEQoKk1gwslgaJAhiPazU11_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Uzvn5KNyEQoKk1gwslgaJAhiPazU11)
So much to learn, so little time. I need all the advice I can get Jean

[LeeOtsubo]

...Lee, Many questions. Had I been thinking with a couple of those brain cells what should I have set the camera to??? Should I have gone for speed or more light?
"Here is the EXIf data for this photo". Where on earth did you get that from? I could not enlarge it to see the writing.
And how did you get the histogram? Can I now get rid of the noise in the image? Or too late?
Here is the hummer - about fifteen feet from the window. I have a 70-200 lens on PHD mode.
So much to learn, so little time. I need all the advice I can get Jean

You would have set it for less speed (slower shutter) and more light. I would have set ISO to 1600 (assuming the A100 produces acceptable noise at 1600). You should also accept that you were pushing that little A100 beyond its capabilities. Your lens probably has a max aperture of f5.6 which is way too slow for such conditions. For such conditions, I would have used a lens with a max aperture of f1.8 or f1.4. Also, a powerful external flash would have been useful.

I use a tool call Opanda IExif which reads the Exif data by simply right-clicking a photo on Windows PCs. All digital cameras store Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format) data. Studying the Exif can help you become a better photographer.

I copied the histogram directly from PSE5. I use a tool called SnagIt but you can do the same by pressing PrtScn (print screen) on your keyboard and cropping in PSE5.

Doubtful you can do much about the noise at this point because the original photo was taken under such extreme conditions. Also, I imagine you shot JPEG instead of RAW. Try the Noise filter in PSE5.

re: hummer - Check to see which AF point is active when in Auto Mode. It looks as if the camera locked AF on the leading edge of the feeder and not on the bird itself. At 200mm at f5.6, you have less than 5" DoF. If the feeder is 10" across and you're focused on the leading edge, the hummer is outside the DoF limits. Also, almost every consumer zoom lens is a bit soft (blurry) at the extremes. The usable focal length on your 70-200 is probably about 85-90 on the wide end to 180-185 on the long end. IOW, you'll get the sharpest photos if you avoid the extremes.

Gotta go, FedEx just pulled up with my new lens.

[pixlbandit]

Gosh, a bear on your deck--forget the shot! I'd probably have grabbed the cat (tasty morsel) and run to the nearest closet to hide. When motivated, bears have no problem whatsoever breaking windows to get whatever they are after.

Vicki (who has been known to chase after peeping toms and whatever...)