P1:FMK WY037-FM WY037-Grotta-v5 September1,2004 10:5 PC Magazine® Guide to Digital Photography i P1:FMK WY037-FM WY037-Grotta-v5 September1,2004 10:5 ii P1:FMK WY037-FM WY037-Grotta-v5 September1,2004 10:5 PC Magazine® Guide to Digital Photography Daniel Grotta and Sally Wiener Grotta Wiley Publishing, Inc. iii P1:FMK WY037-FM WY037-Grotta-v5 September1,2004 10:5 PCMagazine®GuidetoDigitalPhotography Publishedby WileyPublishing,Inc. 10475CrosspointBoulevard Indianapolis,IN46256 www.wiley.com Copyright(cid:1)c 2004byDanielGrottaandSallyWienerGrotta PublishedbyWileyPublishing,Inc.,Indianapolis,Indiana PublishedsimultaneouslyinCanada eISBN:0-7645-7933-9 ManufacturedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 XX/XX/XX/XX/XX Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystemortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical, photocopying,recording,scanningorotherwise,exceptaspermittedunderSections107or108ofthe1976UnitedStatesCopyrightAct, withouteitherthepriorwrittenpermissionofthePublisher,orauthorizationthroughpaymentoftheappropriateper-copyfeetotheCopyright ClearanceCenter,222RosewoodDrive,Danvers,MA01923,(978)750-8400,fax(978)646-8600.RequeststothePublisherforpermission shouldbeaddressedtotheLegalDepartment,WileyPublishing,Inc.,10475CrosspointBlvd.,Indianapolis,IN46256,(317)572-3447,fax (317)572-4355,e-mail:[email protected]. LimitofLiability/DisclaimerofWarranty:Thepublisherandtheauthormakenorepresentationsorwarrantieswithrespecttotheaccuracy orcompletenessofthecontentsofthisworkandspecificallydisclaimallwarranties,includingwithoutlimitationwarrantiesoffitnessfora particularpurpose.Nowarrantymaybecreatedorextendedbysalesorpromotionalmaterials.Theadviceandstrategiescontainedhereinmay notbesuitableforeverysituation.Thisworkissoldwiththeunderstandingthatthepublisherisnotengagedinrenderinglegal,accounting,or otherprofessionalservices.Ifprofessionalassistanceisrequired,theservicesofacompetentprofessionalpersonshouldbesought.Neitherthe publishernortheauthorshallbeliablefordamagesarisingherefrom.ThefactthatanorganizationorWebsiteisreferredtointhisworkasa citationand/orapotentialsourceoffurtherinformationdoesnotmeanthattheauthororthepublisherendorsestheinformationthe organizationorWebsitemayprovideorrecommendationsitmaymake.Further,readersshouldbeawarethatInternetWebsiteslistedinthis workmayhavechangedordisappearedbetweenwhenthisworkwaswrittenandwhenitisread. Forgeneralinformationonourotherproductsandservicesortoobtaintechnicalsupport,pleasecontactourCustomerCareDepartment withintheU.S.at(800)762-2974,outsidetheU.S.at(317)572-3993orfax(317)572-4002. Wileyalsopublishesitsbooksinavarietyofelectronicformats.Somecontentthatappearsinprintmaynotbeavailableinelectronicbooks. LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Grotta,Daniel,1994- PCmagazineguidetodigitalphotography/DanielGrottaandSallyWienerGrotta. p.cm. Includesindex. ISBN0-7645-7372-1(pbk.) 1.Photography–Digitaltechniques–Handbooks,manuals,etc. 2.Digitalcameras–Handbooks,manuals,etc. I.Title:Guide todigitalphotography. II.Grotta,SallyWiener,1949- III.PCmagazine(NewYork,N.Y.) IV.Title. TR267.G762004 775–dc22 2004015688 Trademarks:Wiley,theWileyPublishinglogoandrelatedtradedressaretrademarksorregisteredtrademarksofJohnWiley&Sons,Inc. and/oritsaffiliates,intheUnitedStatesandothercountries,andmaynotbeusedwithoutwrittenpermission.PCMagazineandthePC MagazinelogoareregisteredtrademarksofZiffDavisPublishingHoldings,Inc.Usedunderlicense.Allrightsreserved.Foveon,thestylized“F” logo,X3,andtheX3logoareregisteredtrademarksofFoveonInc.Allothertrademarksarethepropertyoftheirrespectiveowners.Wiley Publishing,Inc.,isnotassociatedwithanyproductorvendormentionedinthisbook. iv P1:FMK WY037-FM WY037-Grotta-v5 September1,2004 10:5 Credits EXECUTIVEEDITOR EDITORIALMANAGER ChrisWebb MaryBethWakefield SENIORDEVELOPMENTEDITOR VICEPRESIDENT&EXECUTIVEGROUP KevinKent PUBLISHER RichardSwadley PRODUCTIONEDITOR FeliciaRobinson VICEPRESIDENTANDPUBLISHER JosephB.Wikert COPYEDITOR FoxxeEditorialServices LAYOUT,PROOFREADING,ANDINDEXING TechBooks About the Authors DanielGrottaandSallyWienerGrottaaretopnamejournalistsandconsultantsinthefieldofdigital photography.Infact,they’vebeencoveringdigitalcamerasandtheindustrysincetheearly1990s.As AmyWohl,therenowncomputeranalyst,hassaid,“Ifyoudon’tknowtheGrottas,youdon’tknow imaging.”Amongtheearliestphotographerstousedigitalequipment,theybrokethestoryofdigital photographyforsomeofthetopnationalmagazines(includingPCMagazine’sfirstroundup)andhave continuedtowriteaboutitformanynewspapers,magazines,andonlinepublications.Together,they havewrittenmorethan1,000high-techarticles,reviews,columns,andfeatures,plusfive(nowsix) books.Inaddition,theyhavelecturedandtaughtdigitalphotographyandimagingatmanyschools, conferencesandothervenues,includingthePCMagazineDigitalUtravelingworkshops,whichwill bepremieringautumn2004. TheGrottas’company,DigitalBenchmarks,isaninternationallyrespectedindependentdigitalcam- eraandimagingtestlab.Usingnewindustry-standardteststhatDanielhelpeddevelop,DigitalBench- marks Lab puts digital cameras and related hardware and software through extensive low-level and experientialtests. WhiletheGrottashavetestedandreviewedmostofthedigitalcamerasthathavebeenintroduced formorethanadecade,technologyisonlypartofthestory.TheGrottasareprofessionalphotographers whosepictureshaveappearedinmanypublicationsthroughouttheworld.Theyunderstandwhatit takestogetagreatpictureinallkindsofsituations,fromAntarcticatotheAmazonrainforest,from war zones to the most difficult shot . . . the group family picture. Regardless of how many cameras theyhavehandled,theyhaveneverlostsightofthewholereasontheystartedwithallthis...their fascinationwithhowmuchmoreoftheworldtheycansee,enjoy,andcapturethroughacameralens. An Internet search on their names will bring up literally many hundreds of hits—mostly links to their reviews, articles, and speaking engagements. Or you can check out their Web sites: www.DigitalBenchmarks.com,www.TheWellConnectedWoman.com,andwww.Grotta.net. v P1:FMK WY037-FM WY037-Grotta-v5 September1,2004 10:5 Fortwowomenofvision...oursisters, AmyWienerSosnovandLeeYeager vi P1:FMK WY037-FM WY037-Grotta-v5 September1,2004 10:5 Acknowledgments In summer 1991, we spent a weekend with Fred Shippey and Katrin Eismann at the soon to be opened Kodak Center for Creative Imaging (CCCI) at Camden, Maine, discovering the amazing potentialofthe$25,000prototypeKodakDCS-100digitalcameraandanewimage-editingprogram calledPhotoshop.Sincethattime,wehavebeenindebtedtonumerousindustryexperts,associates, andfriends—starting,ofcourse,withFredandKatrin.Othermentorsandassociateswhohavealways beengenerouswiththeirknowledge,information,andfriendshipincludeDr.AlEdgar,Dr.BobGann, ProfessorEdGranger,JohnLarish,Dr.JoeRunde,andDr.JulieSkipper. Wehavebeenveryfortunatetohaveworkedovertheyearswithsomeofthebesteditorsandlab techniciansinthebusiness.OurthankstooureditorsandassociatesatPCMagazine,pastandpresent, includingSarahAnderson,GlenBousseauBecker,JamieBsales,SeanCarroll,StephanieChang,Jenn DeFeo,LauraDelaney,DanEvans,RichFisco,CraigEllison,RoyGoodwin,BenGottesman,Matthew Graven, Lori Grunin, Bill Howard, Vicki Jacobson, Jeremy Kaplan, Konstantinos Karagiannis, Carol Levin,DonLabriola,BillMachrone,CarolMangis,PeterMcKie,GlennMenin,MichaelMiller,John Morris, Brian Nadel, Ann Ovodow, Melissa Perenson, Robyn Peterson, Alfred Poor, Laarni Ragazza, RobinRaskin,CharlieRodriguez,PaulRoss,NickStam,SharonTerdeman,DonWilmot,andLance Ulanoff.AspecialthankyoutoM.DavidStoneandJanOzer,PCMagazinecontributingeditors,for theirsuggestionsandinputintotheprinterandvideochapters.OurthankstoMarkPopeofZiffDavis forfirstfieldingourideaforthisbook.AndtotheteamatJohnWiley&Sons,includingChrisWebb, our acquisitions editor, for his perseverance, respect, and patience; Kevin Kent, our development editor, for his guidance, open communications, and clear-headed editing; and Felicia Robinson for shepherdingallourartthroughproduction. We’veenjoyedournumerousconversationswithfellowphotographers,manyofwhomsharedtheir expertknowledge,tips,andtechniquesandallowedustoreproducetheirbeautifulphotographsand digitalart.OurthankstoBenGottesman,GregGorman(andhisassociateTrishSword),JohnIsaac, LewisKemper,MichaelLewis,PeterReadMiller,SteveRosenbaum,andMarilynSholin. Naturally,thisbookcouldn’thavebeenwrittenwithoutsupportiveinteractionandcommunication with numerous companies and people in the digital camera and imaging industry. Cameras and other equipment were loaned to us by Canon, Concord, Casio, Eastman Kodak, Epson, FujiFilm, Hewlett-Packard,KonicaMinolta,Kyocera,LexarMedia,Lexmark,MonacoSystems,Motorola,Nikon, Olympus, SanDisk, Sigma, SmartDisk, Sony, and Sony Ericsson. Software was provided by ACD Systems, Adobe Systems, Corel Corporation, Extensis, Jasc, Macromedia, Microsoft, Mountaincow, PhotoParade,Picasa,Roxio,andothers.Quiteafewindividualshavebeeninstrumentalinhelpingus withinformation,illustrations,software,andtheloanofdigitalcamerasandotherdevices,including KimAgricola,NicoleAndergard,IqbalArshad,CyndiBabasa,PamBarnett,JoslynBeloff,RitchBlasi, Elissa Brown, Michael Bourne, Teresa Bridwell, Paul Buckner, Christie Burgner, Nancy Carr, Rick Champagne, Dario Chiarini, Sally Smith Clemens, Kevin Connor, Jenny Cooley, Alex Curyea, Leah Barret Demers, Brett Denley, David Dickstein, Patricia Doherty, Anna Doi, Caitlin Donahue, Karen Drost, Gabrielle Elmer, Steve Everett, Kim Evans, Bonnie Fladung, Rosemary Flynn, Bill Giordano, KeithGordon,JessicaGould,LeighGrimm,JenniferGurien,JoAnnGuear,JimGustke,DanHarlacher, Kylie Ware Heintz, Adam Hersh, Scott Houchin, Jennifer Hudson, Ross Jacobs, John Jatinen, Ann Johnson, Elisha Joseph, Roxanne Jurtschenko, Jay Kelbley, Kelly Kessler, Monisha Khanna, John vii P1:FMK WY037-FM WY037-Grotta-v5 September1,2004 10:5 viii Acknowledgments Knauer, Thomas Knoll, Andy LaGuardia, Mats Lindeberg, Ryan Lucklin, Chris MacAskill, Jeffrey Mandell,MichelleMartin,StephnaMay,AnneMcIntosh,NateMurphy,GrantMyre,CherylBalbach Nelson, Scott Nelson, Brenda Ning, Joe Paglia, Jim Peyton, Jon Piazza, Allison Pankrantz, Darrin Peeple,JimPeyton,NicoleRamirez,JoanRankin,MaryResnick,JeffRavencraft,CrystalRevak,Dora Ricci,JacobRice,MichelleRichardson,SteveRosenbaum,MikeRubin,JonSienkiewicz,ChrisSluka, KristineSnyder,AndersSteele,MichaelStevenson,DeborahSzajngarten,MinTak,ChrisTaylor,Karen Thomas,LizTobey,PatriciaTrapaga,RosemaryValenta,LydaVelez,MikeVirgintino,SaurabhWahi, Lisa Walker, Mark Weir, Gwyn Weisberg, Aaron Wessels, Chuck Westfall, Laura Whitby, Merritt Woodward,ClaudineWolas-Shiva,MikeWong,DavidYang,EricZakarov,andmanyothers.Software instrumentalinourtestingandinpreparingourmanuscriptincludesACDSystemsACDSee,Adobe Photoshop Creative Suite, DO Labs DOX digital camera testing software, TechSmith SnagIt screen capture utility, Microsoft Office, and Monaco Optix color calibration. So many people were so very helpfulthatithasbeendifficulttokeeptrack.Ourapologiesifweinadvertentlyleftanybodyout.Our heartfeltthankstoall. Our thanks, also, to our assistant Jacob Rae, for all his support and long hours of testing digital cameras.Everyoneshouldhaveadrummerdoingtimingtestsforthesakeofconsistentandreliable results. Andtothetwopeoplewhoarealwaysthefirsttoreadourcopyandgiveusvaluedfeedback,our deepgratitudeandlovetoEdithandNoelWiener. P1:FMK WY037-FM WY037-Grotta-v5 September1,2004 10:5 Contents at a Glance Acknowledgments ...........................vii Introduction .............................. xix PartI UnderstandingYourCamera Chapter1 TheDifferencesbetweenDigitaland FilmPhotography ............................3 Chapter2 ChoosingtheBestDigitalCameraforYou.........29 Chapter3 GettingtoKnowYourDigitalCamera ............53 Chapter4 NecessitiesandNiceties ......................71 PartII Photography: The Play of Light and Color on theHumanImagination Chapter5 UnderstandingFileFormats ...................89 Chapter6 UnderstandingExposure .....................109 Chapter7 Focus....................................129 Chapter8 UsingYourCamera’sColorControls ............141 Chapter9 ControllingandAddingLight .................161 Chapter10 RecordingVideoandAudiowith YourDigitalCamera ........................179 Chapter11 DigitalPhotographyTipsandTricks ............193 PartIII PhotographywithaPurpose Chapter12 PrinciplesbehindGreatPhotography ...........203 Chapter13 FamilyandFunPhotography..................221 Chapter14 ABusinessTool ............................235 Chapter15 PhotographyforEmailandTheWeb............249 Chapter16 CameraPhones ............................271 PartIV IHaveMyPictures,NowWhat? Chapter17 GettingYourPhotosoutofTheCamera .........287 Chapter18 EditingYourPictures........................299 Chapter19 Display,Show,andShare.....................319 Chapter20 PrintingYourPhotos ........................331 ix