Last Full Moon of 2012

There's really nothing special about the moon tonight. In fact, it looks like any other full moon. However, for "lunatics" and night sky observers out there, it's a special full moon as it's the last one for the year 2012. I waited for the moon to rise. Good thing the sky was clear. I also captured long exposure shots of the eastern sky.

Christmas Eve Halo

If anyone looked at the sky on Christmas Eve, they would have seen a beautiful gibbous moon and the shining Jupiter nearby. Here in General Santos City, the sky was veiled by some cloud cover. I did, however, get lucky when I got the chance to photograph the halo. This was when everyone was helping themselves to the Christmas buffet.

If my memory serves me right, a halo forms when the moon (or sun) shines through a layer of cirrostratus clouds. Last night, the appearance of the halo with the Jupiter in it thrilled me. Here's the photo.

 

How was your Christmas Eve?

Where Do Birds Go When It Rains?

On December 4, 2012, Mindanao was hit by a strong typhoon, locally called Pablo. South Cotabato, the province where I live in, was placed under Storm Signal Number 1. That meant a rainy, windy weather, but what we experienced was nothing more than an ordinary rainy day.

In the afternoon, I saw a few birds flying around the neighborhood, so I took my camera and captured a few photos. It seemed as though the birds were enjoying the rain.

A Brown Shrike on a grapefruit twig

The same Brown Shrike on a TV antenna

Two Sunbirds basking in the rain

A young Glossy Starling looking for ripe blackberries

Three Glossy Starlings enjoying the wet, gloomy weather

How to Photograph the Moon with a Superzoom Camera?

Superzoom point-and-shoot cameras are slowly gaining popularity over the years. They are cameras that look like DSLRs but are truly point-and-shoots at heart. They have DSLR-like functions yet have a basic 1/2.3” sensor. What makes them awesome is their long-zoom lenses that go above 20X. They have versatile capabilities that allow you to shoot wide landscapes and get close-up snapshots of birds.

Many enthusiasts use long-zoom P&S cameras to take photos of the moon. I own a Panasonic FZ47, a humble megazoom camera, which is the cheapest in its category. If you have other bridge camera, you can use it to photograph the moon.

Look at the phase of the moon. How you set your camera depends on the phase of the moon. A crescent moon is difficult to photograph without a tripod. A full moon, on the other hand, can be photographed handheld. I suggest shooting in manual mode. Zoom in your camera above 300 mm or above 10X, unless you want your moon to appear like a tiny disc in your photo.

A crescent moon 2-3 days before or after new moon can be photographed at slow shutter speeds of 1/4-1/10 seconds. You can use ISO 400-800, whichever allows you to come up with a properly exposed photo without the obvious noise. Small sensors are susceptible to image noise. You can use longer exposures (and possibly lower ISO) to expose the earthshine, the dark part of the moon subtly lit by earth’s reflected light.

4s ISO 100

1/4s ISO 400

As the illuminated side of the moon gets progressively larger in the succeeding nights, you can use faster shutter speeds, say 1/30-1/50 seconds at ISO 200-400.

1/50s ISO 400

The first quarter and last quarter moon has enough light to allow you to use shutter speeds faster than 1/60s at ISO 100-200. If you’re shooting handheld, make sure to hold your hands steady and shoot several photos so that at least one or two of them come out sharp. This is your opportunity to capture the craters on the moon nicely.

Last Quarter (1/80s ISO 400)

The gibbous phases and the full moon are easy to photograph because of their natural brightness. You wouldn’t need a tripod. You can shoot at low ISO (100-200) and fast shutter speeds (1/100s-1/800s). You can even go to Program mode and use Spot metering, which automatically exposes the bright disc of the moon quite well.

1/400s ISO 400

1/250s ISO 160

1/200s ISO 100

Should you go past the optical zoom? The Panasonic FZ47 only has 24X zoom, equivalent to 600mm on a 35mm DSLR. A full moon image taken at 600-mm looks like a small disc. If you want a larger moon image, you can go past the optical zoom and continue to zoom in until the moon covers a huge part of the LCD screen. Many point-and-shoot cameras have intelligent zoom feature that allow you to go farther than the optical zoom limit at lower resolution. Another way to make the moon bigger in your photos is through cropping. Set your camera’s resolution to 10 or 12 MP. Then crop your photos. Make sure to check the cropped photos if they look decent enough. Cropping can make image noise and artifacts to become more obvious. 

12 MP Image

cropped version of the same photo

November 28 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

The clear night sky allowed me to take photos of the moon that was passing through the penumbral shadow of the earth. The change in its brightness was too subtle to be significantly observed by the human eye, but the camera sensor is more sensitive to such changes. Here are some of the lunar photographs I took on the night of November 28.

8:50 PM (Philippine Time)

9:52 PM

10:04 PM

10:22 PM

10:32 PM

10:32 PM 

10:50 PM

11:03 PM 

11:32 PM

Guide to Point-and-Shoot Camera Buyers

If you are buying your first camera, your choice probably starts with point-and-shoot cameras. The point-and-shoot market is a vast market filled with beginners and amateurs who are either interested in learning photography or just plain casual snapshooters. There is nothing wrong with both types of people. And if you fall in either category, don’t demean yourself.

By this time, various brands of point-and-shoot cameras have emerged in the market. In fact, the range of these cameras have widened since they became popular decades back. Now there are different types of P&S cameras, which can also be called compacts. All camera manufacturers have a point-and-shoot line to please the other market, which includes people who don’t have the means to buy or use a DSLR gear.

So if you are a first-time buyer, what should you buy? Since there are different types of P&S camera out there, it pays to know what the specific camera for you. It all depends on your needs.

Are you going to print large posters?

Most probably, you are not. So, it makes sense to not go after large megapixels. A lot of people looking for cameras on the stands ask how many megapixels a camera has. That’s a ridiculous question from someone who would simply post photos on Facebook or making 5x7 prints. If you like high-quality posters, you shouldn’t be on this page. You should be looking for a DSLR camera.

Most point-and-shoot cameras sport 12, 14, and 16 megapixels. These are meaningless numbers since most casual snapshooters don’t need more than 3 or 5 megapixels. Compact cameras have small sensors that it’s pointless to do a lot of cropping or make a lot of large prints, which only magnify image noise and artifacts. Also, you don’t want to shoot in maximum resolution because that would eat a lot of space on your memory card.

What kind of situations would be shooting in?

Most point-and-shooters just want simple portraits they can quickly post on the internet. If this is the case, any basic P&S camera in the market can suffice for your simple needs of snapping. Any cheap camera for major manufacturers can meet that requirement. Keep in mind that any camera less than $200 shall offer basic shooting features and acceptable image quality in bright light. None of these cameras will create impressive photos in low light; you have to use their small built-in flash units for that purpose and expect brightly lit faces against dark backgrounds.

One problem with cheap cameras is the shutter lag. All P&S cameras, even the expensive ones, have shutter lag. This is a limitation that becomes noticeable when you are taking pictures of pets and kids moving around.

Have you used a P&S camera before and you want to upgrade?

Manufacturers have improved point-and-shoot cameras, which are becoming more capable over the years. An owner of a basic P&S camera who wishes to learn more about photography will realize soon that his little tool is no longer adequate for his growing needs. There are two options here. One is to buy a DSLR camera and exploit the steep learning curve or buy an advanced point-and-shoot camera.

As you ascend through the price range of P&S cameras, you will meet the superzooms and the advanced P&S. These two types of cameras are for different types of enthusiasts. The superzoom cameras are essentially P&S cameras with 1/2.3” sensors, and they can come as pocket zooms and DSLR-type superzooms, sporting 12x-50x optical zoom power. These are for people who like close-up shots of distant subjects. Pocket or compact zooms (Canon PowerShot SX260 HS, Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20, Sony CyberShot HX20V, or Nikon Coolpix s9300) are friendlier to travelers who don’t like bulky gear. DSLR-type megazooms (Canon SX40 HS or Panasonic FZ150) offer more optical zoom though, but the images they produce are not necessarily better than their smaller brothers.

The advanced point-and-shoot cameras (Canon S100 or Olympus XZ-1) have bigger sensors and wider apertures than any P&S cameras in the market. Hence, they offer better image quality than ordinary cameras or even superzooms, especially in low light. Most professional photographers have any of these pricey P&S in their pockets, because these are more convenient and offer better image quality than most compacts.

Do you travel a lot?

A lot of travelers do not like lugging DSLRs and lenses with them. That would just spoil their tour. Travelers who seek convenience can look at various models of compact zooms or advanced compacts. However, they should bring extra batteries in case their cameras run out of juice in the middle of their tour. There are only a few cameras nowadays that use AA batteries, which is convenient for travelers. A few existing is the budget compact zoom of Canon, the Canon SX130 IS or its newer version the SX150 IS. Reviews say they offer good image quality but have awful shutter lag and flash recycling times.

GPS-enabled cameras have also become popular among travelers. These cameras can log the location where the photo was taken, but they exhaust battery power upon activating the GPS feature. Some people disregard the function though.

Do you like taking photos of concerts and shows?

Cheap point-and-shoot cameras are never built for these situations, wherein DSLR cameras would flaunt their capabilities, but there are capable P&S cameras for such difficult photographic situations. Advanced compacts have good low light capabilities for indoor concerts and events, but don’t expect DSLR-like quality. Superzoom cameras are good for outdoor daytime concerts or shows, especially if you are far away from the stage. Indoors, they will struggle for sure.

Final Thoughts

Many people look for an all-around camera, but there is no such thing. You have to trade something for something. For advanced compacts, you have to trade zoom capability for better images. For basic compacts, you have to trade image quality and performance for price. Eventually, you will buy any camera and you will have to make the most out of it. Creative photographers will figure out how to work around limitations of their gear.

Birds in the Neighborhood

Sometimes I get away from my desk to take snaps of birds flying around the neighborhood. Ever since I owned a capable camera, I have learned to take snaps of these flying creatures. Whenever they settle on a cable or a twig, I get the opportunity to take snapshots of them. So far, I have taken photos of 6 types of birds.

Chestnut Munia

Red Turtle Dove

Birding has become more of an addiction than a hobby. I get a certain kind of satisfaction every time I get a good photo of a bird. It’s not easy to take shots of these birds. You have to be not too near but not too far. I’m using a superzoom point-and-shoot camera with a telephoto reach of 600mm. With this camera, I can get good shots of birds like the chestnut munias or tree sparrows 5-10 meters away. If they are too far, I can only manage to get small, unflattering images of them.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Olive-backed Sunbird

I used to take bird photos using the Auto or Program Mode, but I’ve been learning to use the Manual Mode recently to get more precise settings. It took me a few months to gain confidence to switch to the M mode on the dial. But with the right settings, I can get really nice shots.

Asian Glossy Starling

Young Asian Glossy Starling 

Because birds like to move a lot, it’s sensible to use fast shutter speed. I can get sharp bird shots at shutter speeds less than 1/100 s. This fast shutter speed demands a lot of light. Hence, the best times for me to take photos are during sunny days. My camera can manage to get decent photos only up to ISO 400, so it’s extremely challenging to get good snaps during cloudy days.

Yellow-vented Bulbul

Becoming a Snapshooter

I never thought I would love to have cameras. Photography wasn’t something I wished to learn, but here I am writing this post.

My interest in shapshooting started when my ex-boss from Davao City spent her birthday here in GenSan. She and her family spent two days here. Together with a friend, I toured them to Sarangani Highlands, Plaza Heneral Santos, and Queen Tuna Park. We didn’t have much time to visit other places. Anyway, they had their cameras with them, and they took a lot of photos. I figured out that if I had a camera with me, I would have taken photos too and have my own photographic mementos too.

So, I decided it was time to own a camera. I didn’t know about cameras back then. My budget was only fit for a cheap gadget. My first choice was Samsung ES65, a cheap point-and-shoot thingy that I used for four short months. It was quickly replaced by another cheap model, a Canon PowerShot A495. Both cameras were classed in the budget category, but the latter took better photos. My father uses Samsung ES65 now.

I learned about taking snapshots with the Canon A495, a humble gear that runs on AA batteries. It’s the cheapest camera then, available at local stores for about Php 3,500. You really couldn’t complain if you’re just after a device that lets you take snaps. It became my companion for over a year. 

Point-and-shoot cameras are pretty easy to use. If you own a compact model, you probably like the fact that it’s really a point-and-shoot thing. There is no thinking about the settings. Many people who use cheap cameras just point them at their subject and press the shutter button, nothing complicated.

I learned to take pictures with my humble little guy. Most of my photos were random shots I took whenever I wanted to take a break from work. I would take snaps of my cute, little niece. My photos were mostly flowers, places, and small insects. The snapshots fill my Facebook account. I seldom post photos on Flickr. I did have a Blogger account where I used to upload photos, but it was compromised.

While Samsung ES65 was a downright terrible camera, Canon A495, on the other hand, had its share of downsides. One thing I used to complain about it is its sluggishness. It takes a while to get a shot. It’s okay if you’re taking shots of still subjects, but not if you’re taking shots of moving kids or animals. I had two pairs of rechargeable batteries for that little gear, but months of daily snapshooting exhausted both pairs. Soon, I will have to buy another pair, although I seldom use the cheap guy now.

If there were two things that the humble Canon camera taught me, those were pre-focusing and composing. It made me learn about things like ISO or white balance. I love doing macro shots with that camera. Some of my best close-up shots were taken with that camera.

However, the limitations were already overwhelming, and I was itching to buy another buddy, this time one that had a long zoom. The reason I wanted to own a long zoom camera is to be able take photos of the moon. It sounds silly, but that was really the reason. I get envious when I see photos of the moon on the internet.

So, I bought my third camera, a Panasonic FZ47, a superzoom camera with 24X optical zoom. A superzoom camera is what they call a camera with more than 10X optical zoom. Superzooms are becoming popular in the market of snapshooters and enthusiasts. They are also chosen by a number of travelers. Essentially, they are P&S cameras with long zooms. They are made of sensors whose size is similar to those of small compacts. Superzooms look like DSLR camera, but the image quality isn’t the same.

Anyway, having moved from a small compact Canon to a bulky long-zoom Panasonic, I was thrilled at the versatility of my new gadget. Also, it gave more controls, which made shooting in difficult situations a little more manageable. In four months, I was able to take thousand of photos, including those of the moon, birds, people, and places. I became an enthusiast, someone who would often spend weekends going outdoors to take photos of anything. With Panasonic FZ47, I learned to make finer adjustments of the aperture and shutter speed. I also learned how to shoot in the manual mode, something I thought I would never learn.

The Host during Mr. and Ms. GenSan Pageant 2012

I may never upgrade to a DSLR gear. The FZ47 is already too bulky for me that sometimes I feel like leaving it at home. DSLRs are bulkier than superzooms. I don’t think the superior image quality is worth all the weight, cost, and hassle. But who knows, I might get tired at the noisy images produced by my current snapshooting companion and find myself holding a bulky thingy.