Are you considering travelling, but are unsure of how to travel with your DSLR camera? The team at Kirk’s Cameras firmly believe that if you have the opportunity to capture beautiful, memorable images with a DSLR camera, be sure to take it along! Here are a few tips on travelling with your DSLR camera:

Take any camera related stock that you have - just incase! Make a list of the camera equipment you have, the DSLR, lenses, back-up cameras, batteries, memory cards, USB cords, filters and other accessories that you may require. If you come across items you need, but do not have them around the home, be sure to purchase them well before your departure date.

Be sure to consider where and how you are going to travel. Will you have to carry your DSLR camera and all of it’s equipment around with you? Is your hotel or apartment safe enough to store your camera and it’s accessories when you do not need it? What sort of facilities are there for you to buy extra accessories if necessary, and are they in the area?

Think about what type of images you wish to capture. Depending on your scenery and tastes, you may require certain lenses - such as wide angle for landscapes and zoom for those up-close shots. Carrying around many lenses may be difficult, so be sure to take along the most versatile of your selection.

If you are travelling to more moist or wet zones, be sure to pack plenty of waterproof items such as plastic bags to store your camera and accessories in if necessary - particularly during emergencies or sudden downpours! You will feel far more comfortable if your camera is safe and dry at all times.

Finally, if you are considering taking quick and easy shots, and would like to have a plan B, take along a digital ‘point-and-shoot’ camera. Be sure to come on in to Kirk’s Cameras prior to your trip to obtain all of the items you will require!

The team here at Kirk’s Cameras understand that many of our customers are first-timers when it comes to DSLR cameras - and we would like to assist you in understanding ISO sensitivity. Be sure to look out for more of our simple, easy DSLR and Digital Camera tutorials and educational blogs!

ISO (’International Organization for Standardization’) sensitivity expresses the speed of photographic negative materials. Prior to ISO, this was expressed as ASA - standing for American Standards Association. ISO denotes how sensitive the image sensor is to the amount of light that is present at the time of photography. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive the image sensor and therefore the possibility to take pictures in low-light situations. In simple terms, ISO will help you to take images in the best lighting conditions at the best quality possible as per you settings.

In the past, ISO was a far more technical matter. Prior to digital SLR cameras, a photographer would have needed to physically change to a different roll of film if they required a different ISO speed. With the dawn of digital technology, you can simply dial the ISO straight in comfortably and easily - meaning that all of your images are on the one memory card.

The most common ISO speed settings are 100, 200, 400 and 800. Depending on your digital camera model you may also have them in the range of 64, 100, 160, 200, 400, 640, 800, 1600 and perhaps beyond. Some general tips to remember as a beginner would include:

• Use an ISO of 100 or 200 when taking photographs outside in sunny conditions.
• If the sky is overcast or it is evening time, then use an ISO within the range of 400 to 800.
• Night time or in cases of low light you might need to set your digital camera ISO to 1600.

The lower the ISO number, the slower the speed, the higher the ISO number, the faster the speed. A lower ISO will provide better image quality, however a higher ISO will capture the image you desire in low-light conditions. It is all about practice, trial and error in order to get your ISO settings perfect - we recommend you spend time getting the ISO perfect prior to taking your ideal photos. Good luck, and don’t forget to come into Kirk’s Cameras today for all of your camera needs!

If you are a fan of landscapes, and would love to be able to capture some of the incredible ones that Australia has to offer, then Kirk’s Cameras can help you out! We love to take images of any landscapes, from moutains to oceans to sunsets - and we have some of the best tips for shooting your ideal landscape perfectly.

Research
It is crucial that you are aware of what you are shooting, as every location has different specifications. Ensure that you do your research on the area - where the best spots are, what the weather conditions are typically like and what time of the day will suit the image. It is great to be informed, as this will make you feel at ease and comfortable during your shooting. Generally, it is best to avoid shooting images around mid-day, as the lighting can be too harsh.

Tripod
Always ensure that you pack a tripod if you plan on shooting a landscape. Tripods are great for any photographer of any skill level, are simple to come by and can range to suit any budget.
Even if the day is bright, you may need to use a small aperture to achieve a great depth of field. In this case, you may be using a low shutter speed – which leads to camera shake if you are not able to hold the camera steady in your hands. This is why a Tripod can be a fantastic buddy to take along with you!

Filters
Filters are important when shooting strong landscape photos. There are different types of filters that are commonly used for capturing a landscape – polarizers and neutral density filter. Polarizers are useful in reducing glare from reflective surfaces, such as water. Neutral density filters will stop a specified amount of light entering the camera.

Lenses
When shooting a landscape image, it is generally best to make use of a wide-angle lens, as it will capture as much of the scene as possible in one frame. Of course, it is always wise to pack any other favourite lenses you may have, as they can produce unusual effects and also provide high quality, great landscape photos.

Composition
Just because a beautiful image is sitting right infront of you does not mean that you can disregard the composition rules! Ensure that you have certain subjects in the foreground, mid-ground and background, as this will definately assist with the end result of the image.

The friendly team at Kirk’s Cameras can provide you with everything that you will need on your journey to capture some beautiful landscapes - so come on in or give us a call today!

Using a camera flash always comes in handy when shooting images indoors, during the night or on a cloudy day. They can bring out the best in a darker, dimmer photo - often capturing elements in a scene that the human eye would not normally recognise. Not only does it light up and brighten a deep, dark situation, it also brings focus and sharpness to the final image. The team at Kirk’s Cameras are often asked many questions about how to use the camera flash, and we would love to share some of our flash secrets with you today. Read on to find out some basic tips on using the flash to enhance your photos beautifully.

It is highly important to know the advantages of using the flash on your camera. These include:
Versatility - the quality of light may be adjusted various ways to suit you.
Portability - most flashguns can fit inside your pocket or in a small bag and are easily portable. Adjustability - brightness may be changed according to the distance from subject and lens aperture that is required.

It is also, however, important to recognise and work with the disadvantages of using a flash. These include:
Limited range - most flashes have a range of only a few meters, meaning less coverage.
Short duration - this limits the range of shutter speeds.
Heavy battery consumption - this limits the time you have to capture the perfect picture.

One of our very first tips to remember is to choose a flashgun that is right for you and your camera. The main types of flashguns include Hot Shoe Mounted, Bounce flash, Hammerhead flash, Ringflash and Slave flash. These all range in requirements and skill levels, and it is best to speak to a professional about your needs prior to purchasing - ensure that it is right for you!

Shutter speed plays a huge role in making the most of your flash, only working well at certain shutter speeds available on your camera. For example, if the shutter speed is set faster than your flash sync speed, you risk having only part of the picture frame exposed. It is also important to adjust the aperture, which controls all of the light entering the lens.

For something a little different, try using the flash on a lovely sunny day. Often a burst of flash can eliminate unwanted shadows on your subject’s face. It can make an image appear more natural, and light it up perfectly for the environment. Making the most of a camera flash is all about experimenting, so be sure to carry your camera everywhere, and practice, practice, practice!

We all know the amount of times that a link on the Internet captures our eye; screaming an incredibly low price for that certain camera you’ve been searching for. These ‘exciting’ finds can, quite often, be ‘Grey Imports’. A Grey Import is an item that is sold and purchased via an unauthorised camera reseller. Grey Import or Grey Market items are typically sold on the Internet, where they cannot be easily viewed and inspected.

Grey Market merchandise is imported and sold via methods that are not standard in the given industry. Typically in the camera industry, a manufacturer works alongside an importer who sells the product to distributors a specific, local region. These distributors go on to sell the authorised goods. Grey Market items are not certified and cannot be supported by the authorised importer or manufacturer.

Selling and purchasing goods via the Internet and over international borders is becoming a  highly popular way to shop. Grey Imports are most common in the photographic and electronic markets, where - via the Internet - they cannot be inspected. It is crucial that you know exactly what you are purchasing, and if this item will comply with Australian standards. Here are a few problems you will discover when buying a Grey Import:

• Functionality - The camera does not function efficiently, or sometimes does not function at all.
• Features - Often the camera does not have the key features or abilities that it should ideally have.
• Damage - With bad storage and shipping, these cameras can often be damaged.
• Technical Support - These cameras generally will have no technical support available.
• Australian Standards - Grey Imports will not comply with Australian Standards.
• Warranty - Often the warranty is only valid in the country of issue.
• Manual - Photocopied manuals are often supplied, in languages other than English.
• Software - Any downloadable software available on the Internet will not be compatible with the camera.

Noise can be frustrating when it appears in your photos, especially when you don’t want it there! Whilst it can be a great way to achieve a funky, modern effect, it does take away from the sharpness and clarity of your photo. Increasing the ISO allows you to capture sharp pictures in low light situations by increasing the camera’s sensitivity, but it can also add unwanted digital noise to your picture. So, what are some ways of correcting noise and emilinating it from your photos?

To begin, it is important to know exactly what noise is and what to be looking out for. Dots, speckles and smudges of random color are generally what makes up digital noise on your photograph. It is most visible in places such as within skin tone or on a backdrop, where the tone should be even but becomes unstable. Digital noise can have a ‘grainy’ appearance; and this can often be appealing when attempting to achieve a unique style.

There are two great ways to eliminate digital noise - via your digital camera and on your computer. In order to reduce noise on your camera, use higher ISO values only when you require it - so the lower your ISO level, the less noise will appear in your photos. Many modern digital cameras have a noise-reduction mode and if so, ensure that it is switched on. Get to know your camera, what it likes to take and in what conditions.

To further eliminate noise, the next step can only be performed on your computer - so it’s time to get computer savvy! Transfer your photos to your computer and select your favourite image editor program. If you do not have one on your computer, have a look online and download a basic model. Programs such as PhotoShop and Paint Shop Pro often will have a noise-reduction filter that you can use to get rid of noise. Make sure you gain a good knowledge of the program that you are using, and understand how to use it effectively.

By this point, your images should have a very low level of noise apparent, if any!

There is nothing more frustrating when you find that perfect shot, take a snap and the discover seconds later that it was a blurry mess. Blurred images can be caused by a number of reasons, such as a shaky hand, slow shutter speeds and your camera focusing incorrectly. So, how can blurry images be prevented on my digital camera?

Steady Hands
Even when shooting in a clear situation with great lighting, you may move the camera slightly without realizing it.  To help reduce blurred images, hold the camera as steady as possible and take extreme caer when lining up the shot via the LCD screen. If you are using a viewfinder to capture your shots, steady the camera against your face.
Digital cameras can be prone to camera shake when taking hand-held shots and zooming in on a subject - so it isn’t always your unsteady hand! To help prevent blur, shutter speed should be set at a faster rate than the focal length.

Focus
Most modern digital cameras will indicate when they achieve correct focus, generally on screen or via a small sound. In order to gain the best focus possible, aim the camera at the object that you are attempting to capture and press the shutter-release button to the halfway mark. You will feel a slight click at this halfway point and the camera should focus well. This is the point in which you are able to press the shutter-release button fully and take your picture.
In some circumstances, particularly in low lighting, a digital camera may have some trouble focusing. Auto focus modes on your digital camera will work best when there is contrasting colour or light between a subject and the background.

Slow Shutter Speed
If lighting is particularly low, wide apertures and slow shutter speeds will automatically selected by the digital camera. Most people are unable to achieve taking sharp shots that are hand-held when the shutter speed is below 1/60th of a second.  Be sure to increase lighting within the room, heighten the ISO setting or use a tripod.

Fast Shutter Speed
Attempt to freeze the image by using a faster shutter speed. Using a faster shutter speed will ‘freeze’ the image momentarily, and give you a sharper shot. If you do not have the option of altering the shutter speed, select a Sports or Outdoors mode, as these are developed to also freeze the frame.

Image quality is one of the most important aspects to consider when purchasing a digital camera - if not the most important. Every photographer, no matter what experience level, wants to have those beautiful, sharp photos, but does higher resolution make the image quality better?

It is important to firstly understand what image resolution is. Image resolution describes the detail a photo or image holds. The higher the resolution - the better the detail within your photo. Resolution can be measured in a number of ways, however most typically via megapixels, and the more megixels you have the higher the image detail or resolution.

So, essentially, image quality based on higher resolution is very dependent on the photographers desired outcome. If you wish to have a a sharp and detailed image, then certainly, the higher the resolution the better the image quality. However, if you are quite an expressive or artistic photographer, you may feel that image quality is not necessarily a measure of the sharpness and detail of the picture - it may be, to you, that colour or richness defines the image quality. 

It is also very dependent on your camera and its megapixels, meaning that the less megapixels your camera has the lower the resolution and therefore the image quality. This is often based heavily on the amount of money you spend on your camera - typically a more expensive camera will have more megapixels or higher resolution in general. At Kirk’s Cameras we can guide you as to which cameras have the best resolution for the best prices - so give us a call or come on in!

Unlike decades ago, it is now possible to purchase a digital camera or ‘digicam’ that can fit in the palm of your hand. They are light weight, thin and attractive, coming in many colours shapes and styles. But what enthralls most of Kirk’s Cameras photographers is the digicam’s vast array of funtions.

Our team are commonly quizzed the efficiency of a digital camera’s video filming abilities. The prospects of owning one camera to take both images and video footage are endless - it is simplicity in its finest form. However, we tell our customers that whilst this is a great convenience, it is important to understand that in spending a little more on your digicam and its accessories you can obtain the results of owning both a sole digital camera and camcorder, all in one.

Do your research prior. Make sure you read reviews and know your specifications. It is also useful to be aware of what you are going to generally be capturing on your digicam - whether you need something light weight, or something with higher megapixels. Most importantly, if you wish to purhase a digicam to capture a lot of video footage, you will need a fast and good quality memory card. A San Disk 2, 3 or higher will give you the best video results, and despite its price, it will last you for a long period of time. Our friendly team at Kirk’s Cameras are more than happy to see customers come in with a list of questions, so come on in and ask away!

Kirk’s Cameras encounter many people purchasing their first Digital SLR (DSLR) Camera. Many come to our Melbourne based store asking for a DSLR to help them take magnifcent quality photos. What a number of people are not aware of is that it is not only your DSLR camera that will help you on your way to becoming a great photographer, it is also your lens.

There are several different types of lenses, with many different abilities and functions. For photographers who are keen being on the move, their is the Fixed Focal Length Lens. This lens has a ‘no zoom’ capability - meaning that to zoom in and out your must come closer to or move further away from your subject. In contast, a Zoom Lens enables the photographer to zoom in and out quickly and simply, bringing more or less of your chosen image into view.

Want a photo of that tiny butterfly with all it’s beautiful markings? You’re after a Macro Lens. This lens gives you the advantage of taking extremely close up images, with fantastic definition and quality. If you wish to take a photo of a wide expanse, such as 180 degrees, you will need a Fisheye Lens. A cirular Fisheye Lens can give a rounded effect to the image, if that is what you desire.

Finally, there is a Lens Doubler, which is a lens that is added to another lens. So, if you have a 50mm lens on your DSLR and you add a Lens Doubler, you will wind up with a 100mm lens. When you come on down to Kirk’s cameras be sure to speak to our experienced staff about your specific needs, and we will find you the perfect lens to match not only your camera, but also your photo!