Shortcourses-Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom Photography

A ShortCourse Book
Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom Photography

Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom Photography

This clearly written and easy-to understand short course on your Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom explains step-by-step how, why and when you use your camera's controls for better pictures. This guide is available as a traditional 108 page large-format (8.5 by 11) spiral bound book printed in black and white.

Introduction

New, a Short Courses digital photography book for people who own the Olympus C-2100 digital camera and want to get better pictures. This beautifully written and illustrated guide, drawing on the much more comprehensive information on the ShortCourses Web site,pulls together answers to the questions you might have about using the Olympus C-2100, including the following:

Using Program Mode
Using Buttons, Dials, and Switches
Using Menus
Reviewing Images Frame by Frame
Managing the Displayed Image
Using Quick View
Selecting an Image Quality Mode
Changing Image Size and Compression
Changing Exposure Modes
Using Shutter-Priority Mode
Using Aperture-Priority Mode
Using Scene Program Mode
Using Manual Mode
Turning Image Stabilization On and Off
Using the Selftimer/Remote Control
Increasing Sensitivity (ISO)
Selecting Image Sharpness
Increasing Sharpness of Moving Objects
Turning Full-Time Autofocus On and Off
Choosing an Autofocus Mode
Using Manual Focus
Using Focus Lock
Increasing Depth of Field
Using Focus Lock for Maximum Depth of Field
Using Focus Lock for Minimum Depth of Field
Decreasing Depth of Field in Automatic Mode
Conveying Motion
Changing the Metering Mode
Using Exposure Compensation
Using Exposure Lock
Bracketing Your Shots
Specifying Bracketing Exposures
Using Multi-Metering
Adjusting White Balance
Zooming the Lens

Turning Digital Zoom On and Off
Using Auto Flash
Using Flash Correction
Using Red-eye Reducing Flash
Using Fill-in Flash
Using Slow Sync Flash
Turning off the Flash
Using Extension Flash
Taking Macro Close-ups
Increasing Depth of Field in Close-ups
Taking Panoramas
Using Sequential Photography
Taking a Movie
Playing a Movie
Turning Sound on and Off
Creating an Index of Movie Frames
Editing a Movie
Scrolling through Movie Frames
Using Special Effects
Erasing All Images
Formatting a SmartMedia Card
Changing the All Reset Command
Changing the Sleep Mode Timer
Adjusting the Beeper
Changing Record View Setting
Controlling Filenames
Adjusting Viewfinder and Monitor Brightness
Setting the Date and Time
Selecting Feet or Meters
Giving a Slide Show
Adjusting the Index Display
Creating a Print Order
Capturing Sound When You Take a Picture
Capturing Sound After You Have Taken a Picture
Turning the AF Illuminator On or Off

The book is designed to work with the www.shortcourses.com site. The book explains how to get better pictures but you'll find more on that subject on the site. In addition, there is lots of information on the site about what you can do with your pictures after you've taken them.

Contents

Chapter 1
Camera Controls and Creativity

Jump Start: Using Program Mode
Jump Start: Using Program Mode, Continued
Using Buttons, Dials, and Switches
Using Menus
Managing Your Images
What is a Digital Photograph?
How a Digital Camera Works
Choosing Image Quality and Size
Choosing Exposure Modes
Using Shutter-Priority Mode
Using Aperture-Priority Mode
Using Scene Program Mode
Using Manual Mode

Chapter 2
Controlling Sharpness

Eliminating Camera Movement
Sharpness Isn’t Everything
How to Photograph Motion Sharply
Focus and Depth of Field
Controlling Depth of Field
Capturing Maximum Depth of Field
Using Selective Focus
Conveying the Feeling of Motion

Chapter 3
Controlling Exposure

How your meter works
How exposure affects your images
When automatic exposure works well
When to override automatic exposure
How to override automatic exposure

Chapter 4
Capturing Light & Color

Where does color come from?
Color balance
Color balance and the time of day
Sunsets and sunrises
The moon
Weather
Color choices
Photographing at night
Light: its direction
Light: from direct to diffuse
Using light and color creatively

Chapter 5
Understanding Lenses

How a Lens Works
Zoom Lenses
Normal Zoom
Wide-Angle Zoom
Telephoto Zoom
Portraits with a Zoom Lens
Perspectivein a Photograph

Chapter 6
Using Automatic Flash

How Automatic Flash Works
Portraits with Flash
Using Fill Flash
Using Slow Sync Flash
Using Available Light
Using the FL-40 Dedicated Flash

Chapter 7
Exploring Close-up Photography

Macro Lenses
Focusing and Depth of Field
Exposures and Backgrounds
Arranging Lighting
Using Flash in Close-ups

Chapter 8
Special Features

Panoramic Images
Sequential Photography
Capturing Movies
Special Effects

Appendix

The Camera's Controls

Preface

A great photograph begins when you recognize a great scene or subject. But recognizing a great opportunity isn't enough to capture it; you also have to be prepared. A large part of being prepared involves understanding your camera well enough to capture what you see. Getting you prepared to see and capture great photographs is what this book is all about. It doesn't matter if you are taking pictures for real-estate ads or self-expression, there's a lot here to help you get better results and more satisfaction from your photography

To get better, and possibly even great photographs, you need to understand both concepts and procedures; the "whys" and "hows" of photography.

Concepts of photography are the underlying principles that apply regardless of the camera you are using. They include such things as how sharpness and exposure affect your images and the way they are perceived by viewers. Understanding concepts answers the "why" kinds of questions you might have about photography.
Procedures are those things specific to one kind of camera, and explain step-by-step how you set your camera's controls to capture an image just the way you want to. Understanding procedures gives you the answers to the "how" kinds of questions you might have.

This book is organized around the concepts of digital photography because that's how photographers think. You think about scenes and subjects, highlights and shadows, softness and sharpness, color and tone. The procedures you use with the Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom camera are integrated throughout the concepts, appearing in those places where they apply. This integrated approach let's you first understand the concepts of photography and then see step by step how to use the Olympus C-2100 in all kinds of photographic situations.

To get more effective, interesting, and creative photographs, you only need to understand how and when to use a few simple features on your camera such as focus, exposure controls, and flash. If you've previously avoided understanding these features and the profound impact they can have on your images, you'll be pleased to know that you can learn them on a weekend afternoon. You can then spend the rest of your life marveling at how their infinite variety of combinations makes it possible to convey your own personal view of the world. You'll be ready to keep everything in a scene sharp for maximum detail or to blur it all for an impressionistic portrayal. You'll be able to get dramatic close-ups, freeze fast action, create wonderful panoramas, and capture the beauty and wonder of rainbows, sunsets, fireworks, and nighttime scenes.

As you explore your camera, be sure to have fun. There are no "rules" or "best" way to make a picture. Great photographs come from using what you know to experiment and try new approaches. Digital cameras make this especially easy because there are no film costs or delays. Every experiment is free and you see the results immediately so you can learn step by step.

This book assumes you've mastered the mechanics of your camera. It's about getting great pictures, not about installing batteries and connecting your camera to your computer. That information is well presented in the user guides that came with your camera, however it is summarized in the Appendix of this book, however it is summarized in the Appendix of this book.

Click to order a copy of the printed book for $24.95US.