New Camera

[Ernie]

Got a new digital camera. Certainly not an SLR, but a bit more bells and whistles than a point and shoot. It's a Kodak Z612 with 12x optical zoom, 6.1 mp. We have had a couple other Kodaks and have liked them, so I stuck with them. There were other models with higher mp, but they had lower optical zoom. Anyway, most of my pix get severely compressed for the web site anyway and I never print any larger than 4x6 inches. Couldn't beat the $160 price tag either ($250 list). Kodak must have newer models coming out soon. My question is... what can I do better for snapping flower pix other than just using the built in macro setting??? I can adjust...
Aperture
Shutter speed
Exposure compensation
Flash brightness (should I even be using a flash???)
ISO
What would you folks recommend? Thanks!

-Ernie

 

[SlipperFan]

Small aperture (Looks like a large number, but that's because it's really a fraction, f/16 is really 1/16, and is a smaller opening than, say, f/5.6). Smaller apertures = greater depth-of-field, critical with close-ups.

Tripod is a must for close-ups. Not only because of camera shake, but if you use smaller apertures, that means you'll also be using slower shutter speeds.

If you use a flash, try bouncing it off a white wall or ceiling. Direct flash flattens and usually produces glare and hot spots. If you can use window light, that might be better. you can use a reflector card to bounce light into shadows.

You can set ISO? If so, use a smaller number, like 100. Especially if you are using a tripod, slower shutter speeds shouldn't be a problem. Generally, larger ISO numbers will result in "grainier-looking" images.

 

[li'l frog]

Some of the newer digital camers have a function that reduces 'bounce' -- it is supposed to eliminate the blurry, out of foucus pics from jittery hands or wind-blown subjects. Will this reduce the need for a tripod?

 

[Ernie]

Another reason I liked this model is it has image stabilization. I'd still imagine one would still need a tripod especially in macro with high optical zoom. I'll try both to test the image stabilization.

-Ernie

 

[SlipperFan]

Some of the newer digital camers have a function that reduces 'bounce' -- it is supposed to eliminate the blurry, out of foucus pics from jittery hands or wind-blown subjects. Will this reduce the need for a tripod?

I doubt it.

Let us know what you learn, Ernie.

 

[Ernie]

So far, learned that in some modes it has a blinding white "laser" that fires pre-flash making it hard to sneak up on people.

-Ernie