Panasonic TZ-40 & TZ-35 Launched

Panasonic has launched its 2013 range of travel zoom cameras

    

TZ 40 (ZS 30) Key Features

• 18.1 megapixel
• 20x optical zoom(40x intelligent zoom)
• Wifi with NFC
• 24mm lens(focal range of 24-480mm at F3.3 – F6.4)
• slow motion videos @ 220 fps

TZ-40(ZS 30) COMPLETE SPECIFICATION CLICK HERE

TZ-35 (ZS 25) Key Features

• 20x optical zoom
• 16.1 megapixel
• 3 inch LCD
• supports FULL HD VIDEOS

TZ 35(ZS 25) COMPLETE SPECIFICATION click here

Latest Canon Powershot SX240 HS (SX260 HS) Zoom Test Video

Unleashing The True Power Of Canon Powershot Cameras With CHDK

Words such as RAW files, bracketing, full manual control, over exposure, zebra mode, live histogram, grids etc are usually limited to DSLR cameras, although Canons powershot cameras come with full manual controls, they fail to provide users with the premium DSLR features. Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK) is a project started by Andrey Gratchev to help users get the maximum out of their Canon cameras.

 

How CHDK works?

Every camera has a firmware in it; CHDK adds some more functionality to it. CHDK custom firmware works independently i.e. it will not make changes to your original firmware. The custom firmware has to be stored into the SD card due to which users have the option of starting up the camera with original firmware or CHDK custom firmware. the custom firmware can be deleted at any point of time without making permanent changes to your camera.

CHDK Highlight Features

Professional control - RAW files, bracketing, full manual control over exposure, zebra mode, live istogram, grids, etc.

Motion detection - Trigger exposure in response to motion, fast enough to catch lightning.
USB remote - Simple DIY remote allows you to control your camera remotely.
Scripting - Control CHDK and camera features using ubasic and Lua scripts. Enables time lapse, motion detection, advanced bracketing, and much more.

Click here for the list of complete features

 

Click here to Download latest CHDK custom firmware for your canon camera

Loading CHDK firmware in SD card

Installing CHDK firmware into your camera

Complete CHDK FAQ

Disclaimer: Loading CHDK into your camera will void your camera warranty. since CHDK firmware doesnt edit the original firmware there is minimal chance of the camera being damaged.

Instruction Manuals Of Various Travelzoom Cameras

Below are the user manuals of some of the best travelzoom cameras of 2012

(since the manuals are in PDF format, it will take some time to open in the browser)

Canon Powershot SX240/SX260 HS  (click on accept and download)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30/ ZS20

Nikon Coolpix S9300/S9200 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V

Canon PowerShot SX240 HS Slow Motion Videos

240 fps

120 fps

Canon PowerShot SX240 HS Videos(Zoom test)

How to Take HDR Photos

The Art Of Clicking Prefect HDR Photos

It’s a known fact that taking HDR photos is not a child's play, but due to the advent of modern digital cameras and sophisticated software this work can be done without much of a hassle. High dynamic range pictures are essentially photos where there is a higher range between the lightest and darkest colors of the image which makes it appear very vibrant. HDR traditionally is a topic of professional photographers but nowadays even amateurs are asking the question How to Take HDR Photos? This article will answer all your doubts regarding HDR photos.

Below are the methods by which a true HDR photo can be achieved.

• ·  Taking multiple pictures with different exposure setting and then combining them together to form a single HDR image with a professional software.
• ·    Using modern digital camera’s built-in HDR modes.
• ·     Aperture priority mode.

The Most Common Method

Those who don't have HDR modes in their cameras should try this method. Basically you have to click 3 or more successive images with varying exposure. But to succeed in this method first you will need to have a tripod because all the consecutive images you click should be same, meaning it should cover the exact frame. This is important because when you combine the images if your pictures even slightly differ from each other then the end result will fail badly. Therefore a tripod is a must. Some digital cameras come equipped with a feature called as auto bracketing; this feature essentially clicks 3 different shots with varying exposure setting therefore eliminating the need of manually clicking 3 different shots. Therefore auto bracketing is a very useful feature for taking HDR photos. If your camera doesn’t have auto bracketing, then the manual method is your choice. 

HDR Mode In Camera

Nowadays sophisticated cameras such as travel zoom, micro four thirds or mirror less cameras have this mode built-in wherein the camera on its own takes many shots of different exposure to automatically combine them into HDR photo. The advantage of this mode is that the camera does everything for you and you have to only press the shutter button once. Another plus point is the elimination of a tripod which will help many who don’t own one. But one must remember that cameras which click HDR photos on their own cannot produce results like the manual method, although they are very much usable for an average amateur photographer. Some cameras take 3 shots while others might take 6 or 9; this all depends on the camera you own.

The Actual Method



-2 EV                                   0 EV                                    +2 EV

The manual method can be used on any types of camera let it be a cheap digital camera to a DSLR. First of all assemble your camera properly on a tripod where the probability of wind or disturbance is less, this is because the less you camera moves the better the HDR photo will be. Then you have to venture into your camera exposure setting which is called as EV. We will assume that the HDR photo is to be made from 3 photos. So for the first photo select exposure of (-2) which is -2 EV. The second picture should be clicked with 0 EV which is the normal exposure and lastly the third image should be clicked with +2 EV. Once clicked see if all 3 images are same, if there is some differences clip the sides of the image or try the method once again with better accuracy. Once done you have to use professional software to assemble these images into a single HDR photo. There are many free and paid software’s out there which you can get hold of. Photomatix Pro is cheap as well as very much effective software to do so. For getting a better dynamic result you can try clicking 6 pictures which will increase the range of your HDR photo. for this you have to select exposure as (-2,-1,0,+1,+2)EV for the corresponding pictures. But remember as pictures increase the margin of error also increases therefore HDR pictures should be taken patiently with good accuracy. Usually cameras store pictures in JPEG format but if your camera supports RAW format then select it because RAW format can store lots more detail and gives you the freedom of post processing which cannot be done in JPEG images. One more thing to remember is that while clicking this images you need to select a common aperture for all the images, this can be done by using manual mode in your camera. Therefore clicking a good HDR photo is not rocket science and just needs patience and good accuracy. Therefore everyone who has the question “How to Take HDR Photo” Should try these methods and hence will surely succeed in getting a good HDR photo.

Final HDR Photo

Disclaimer: This article is purely for amateurs as there are lots more further detailing in HDR photography.