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cmc0 goes "Snapshot Crazy" with his S700i Picture Taking Guide! |
cmc0
Joined: Apr 12, 2004
Posts: 34
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Before I begin, I just want to say that I am sorry for the delay. I've have been busy with work so my free time has been very limited these past few weeks. Establishing that, I present to you my S700i Photo Guide, it will be broken down into 3 parts, Part One which is this thread will basically go over the features of the S700i's camera and how to produce that "award winning shot", Part Two which will be posted by the end of the week will have actual pictures I have taken with the S700i and Part Three will be a "S700i vs. Digital Camera shoot off: Which one is more useful to the Average Joe?"
With all of that side, here's a breakdown of my guide:
1: Introduction
2: Basic Operation of S700i's Camera
3: Shoot Mode
4: Resolution
5: Night Mode
6: Self Timer
7: Effects
8: Light
9: White Balance
10: Spot Photometry
11: Shutter Sound
12: Auto Camera Off
13: Reset File Number
14: Save to
15: Other Features
16: Tips for Taking Good Pictures
17: Conclusion
Introduction:
Since the first cameras were introduced in the 1800's, photography has changed the way we are able to visualize history and events. From the first daguerreotype portraits to today's Digital SLR models, technology has allow photos to come alive with vivid detail that the mind is able to encompass, showing that a picture truly is "a thousand words". Technology has also allowed for new advances, including the camera phones, we have today. Once considered a luxury to those only in the Far East, camera phones have reached the western world, changing the way we use and define a "mobile phone". As technology moves forward, so do camera phones coming from the first models that required camera attachments to today’s model that break through the mega pixel barrier. One of newer models to hit the western world by storm is the S700i from Sony Ericsson. With a sleek silver finish and a 180 style swivel not accepted outside of Japan, the S700i begs for attention but it also packs in a rack of features including a powerful 1.3 Mega pixel Camera just waiting to be used to it's full potential. With that said, cmc0 is here in order to put this new toy to full use, after all, $700 doesn't just buy you style, it gives you functionality in a sleek package that can't be ignored:
Basic Operation of S700i's Camera:
Sony Ericsson knows that in order to sell a product you have to have a defining selling point. The K700i was a model that was able to bring a full multimedia platform into a 3oz package at an affordable, but with the release of the S700i, SE would run into a wall if it was just the same phone with a different shell at double the price. So in order to combat this, we are also given a Memory Stick Duo slot allowing an additional 128MB of storage and at the same time, a powerful 1.3 Mega pixel Camera capable of 1280x960 pictures. the UI of the S700i's camera follows closely to a Sony Cyber shot camera, giving the user that camera feel and also adding in a 8x digital zoom for close-ups. While a nice touch, the zoom is not very useful because unlike a optical zoom, it basically just zooms in on the full frame giving a more pixilated shot and a less clear view of the object in question (see picture 1). So for the zoom, I do not recommend it all as I advise you to get as close to the object as you can in order to get that perfect shot.
Shoot Mode:
This is a nice feature to have which can really improve you’re photos. It basically allows you to control how you want the S700i to take the pictures, Normally, meaning you push the shutter button and one picture is taken, Burst 4 which allows for a rapid succession of 4 snapshots and With Frame which allows the phone to take one picture for each frame to lens moves. In reality, it doesn’t really improve quality but it really nice when taking pictures of moving objects as you get more control over the movement instead of just a blur (see pictures 2-5).
Resolution:
Plain and simple, this just allows you to set which resolution you want the pictures to be saved as. Changing the resolution doesn’t really make much of a difference so for a good shot, I recommend using 1280x960 and from there, you can resize in order to improve picture quality
Night Mode:
Now this gets a little tricky, Night Mode is used on most cameras by increasing the exposure time of the lens in order to let in more light onto the picture. The S700i does a pretty bad job with or without the night mode (see pictures 6-7) because of the fact the small lens is unable to let in much extra light but it can help a little bit in those dire situations where you need to get in that perfect shot in the dark as noted above. As with all cameras, because of the fact the lens is being exposed for a longer period of time, you should make sure and I can not stress this enough, KEEP THE PHONE STILL AT ALL TIMES!. If you don’t the picture will become even more faded with added noise and bad artifacts. This would be my ultimate tip if you are going to take snapshots on the Las Vegas Strip!
Self Timer:
Also, pretty simple, it basically allows you to take a picture without actually pushing the shutter button. Good for self-portraits.
Effects:
Another cute feature brings out the fun in a person by letting you add effects to the picture, such as black and white pictures, solarized pictures, sepia (light brown) toned pictures etc. Not really useful but cute (see pictures 8-11)
Light:
I am going to be direct when I say this, this light or flash feature is a joke. It offers next to no light when taking a picture in dark environments and it provides an uneven balance as some areas can receive some light and some areas get none. I only recommend it if you need to find you’re keys in a dark parking lot or when the nearest flashlight in a power outage is the Home Depot down the street. This light offers no help if you want to take a good picture, bar none.
White Balance:
Many times, you want to take a picture but are unable to get that perfect shot because of low light, but after you realize S700i’s built in light does nothing you want to give up. But there is hope, white balance! Basically, in the digital camera world, white balance is used to adjust the camera’s lens to adapt to the certain lighting setting you are in, therefore adding artificial lighting to you’re shot and bringing out more detail. I can confidently say, the White Balance on the S700i actually works and if you select the right light setting (Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent etc) it can actually make a huge difference, even more so than the flash (see pictures 12-14)
Spot Photometry:
By definition, the spot photometry is used in digital cameras to measure the light level of a certain object in the picture and adjust the camera's white balance to match the light aimed on the subject. In theory, most cameras including the latest models from Canon and Kodak do a pretty good job at centering light but unfortunately, the S700i's lens does a poor job of centering light, causing a "fade effect" instead of producing a even balance of light throughout the whole picture (see picture 9). Though this may be the case, the S700i is still able to center a good portion as long as you are able to aim the spot as precise on the subject, keep the light balance on you're subject nice and even with the background and avoid shadows or dark areas when taking shots. When we are introduced to newer camera phones with more detailed lens, this will become less of a problem but for now, it is required to take a good picture in areas where there is uneven light as we all know SE's flashlight is a joke.
Shutter Sound:
Pretty basic, it just allows you to change the shutter sound to whatever you want Also, there is ongoing debate to whether you can turn off or on the sound when taking shot HERE. So far, it looks like it may be based on you’re firmware customization whether or not you get the shutter sound (Asian and Vodafone customizations have the sound, European versions do not)
Auto Camera Off:
Another simple feature, just allows you to change how long you want the S700i to keep the camera mode on before going to standby.
Reset File Number:
This is also a basic feature, it will just reset the photo count so if you have taken 56 photos, and it’ll reset the photo count from DSC000056.jpg to DSC000001.jpg
Save to:
Another basic feature just lets you decide where you want to save the picture to, the phone memory or an external memory stick.
Other Features:
So far, the S700i has become my main driver, in both basic photography and in mobile communications, but the extra touches just add the icing on the cake. I really go for the new “My Pictures” folder on the S700i,makes viewing and browsing pictures a whole lot easier compared to the T6xx, and the added screen size makes them more enjoyable than the K700i
Some things I don’t like include the fact you can’t use the camera with the keypad down (probably to prevent voyeurism) and the fact for such a advanced phone, there is no macro mode for close up shots.
Tips for Taking Good Pictures:
So, with my guide wrapped up here are a few steps to help you get that perfect shot:
1. I can not stress this enough, YOU MUST HOLD STILL WHILE TAKING A PICTURE (even more so when using night mode) it is absolutely necessary in order to avoid a blurry shot with a lot of noise
2. Use the right camera settings, some like white balance and night mode can make or break a shot while some like the flash or spot photometry don’t help at all. Make sure you are able to differentiate which settings are needed to take the perfect shot. For instance, don’t use the night mode with the incandescent white balance on a 90F degree sunny day!
3. Take all shots in as much light as you can, the S700i has a flash that is no good, make sure you use whatever light you can get to you’re advantage for that perfect shot.
Conclusion:
The S700i comes off as a camera in a phone’s body or a phone in a camera’s body but in general, it requires a lot of technique in order to get that perfect shot and I hope I am able to help you get that perfect shot more easily. So what are you waiting for, get snapping! | |
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masseur
Joined: Jan 03, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Sydney, London
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excellent! I'll add a link to this in the Answers to the most common questions on Esato Forums (FAQ style)
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Krubach
Joined: Dec 05, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Sunny Portugal! :)
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Great Great Great Great Great Great Review!!!
Congratulations!
We don't have sticky topics here on Esato but this should be one of them!
[addsig] |
axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Londinium
PM, WWW
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Excellent review....Well done mate! 
[addsig] |
manunitedfan
Joined: Oct 10, 2004
Posts: 85
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crap review |
Skrue
Joined: Dec 15, 2002
Posts: > 500
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still about 3 more days till i get my s700i and ive already bookmarked this topic...thanx 
This message was posted with a Nokia 5110i with bluetooth, colored and 2.0 megapixel camera |
Tychomatic
Joined: Oct 18, 2004
Posts: 29
PM |
Nice basic review there
I have a couple of suggestions of my own, feel free to add them to your article if you wish.
Timer - Not only is the timer useful for self portraits, it can really help get a very steady shot (hence MUCH better picture) Instead of trying to hold the camera in an awkward position to take a shot, use the timer and rest the camera on a rock, ledge, table or whatever you find. This way you'll get a perfectly steady shot and the overall quality will be much better.
Camera light or 'flash' - I agree the camera is pretty useless but in some circumstances it can help. If your subject is fairly close and you get the light sources just right it can bring out nice results. |
govigov
Joined: Jul 30, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Back home - Cochin
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hey... good going..... well done!!! i am saving it for further detailed reading.... |
cmc0
Joined: Apr 12, 2004
Posts: 34
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Quote:
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On 2004-10-27 20:12:55, Tychomatic wrote:
Nice basic review there
I have a couple of suggestions of my own, feel free to add them to your article if you wish.
Timer - Not only is the timer useful for self portraits, it can really help get a very steady shot (hence MUCH better picture) Instead of trying to hold the camera in an awkward position to take a shot, use the timer and rest the camera on a rock, ledge, table or whatever you find. This way you'll get a perfectly steady shot and the overall quality will be much better.
Camera light or 'flash' - I agree the camera is pretty useless but in some circumstances it can help. If your subject is fairly close and you get the light sources just right it can bring out nice results.
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Nice suggestions. The timer can help for holding the camera still and I also agree about the light, if you're up close, it can help but if you're up that close, I would rather have a macro mode instead of a flash |
cmc0
Joined: Apr 12, 2004
Posts: 34
PM |
Quote:
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On 2004-10-27 19:43:58, manunitedfan wrote:
crap review
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If you don't like it, it doesn't help you to be rude. Let's see you post a better and more detailed guide before you judge, otherwise as the saying goes "put up or shut up"
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apotts
Joined: Aug 27, 2003
Posts: 117
From: UK
PM |
A couple of corrections:
The white balance mode discussion is entirely incorrect. It has nothing to do with "low light". It simply controls the "colour temperature" of the photo (or the "tint" if you like). Our eyes and brains cope with viewing a white object under a yellow or blue light, but the camera cannot, without help. In Auto, it takes a stab at the colour temperature, but if you manually set it you will get better results. It will stop pictures indoors looking orange, and so on. If you forget to set it, or use Auto and get poor results, an image manipulation program can fix the error.
Spot photometry just meters the light level at the centre of the screen, as opposed to an average over the whole image. Trouble is you can't "hold" the exposure with a shutter half-press, so the correctly exposed subject has to be in the centre of the frame.
Without spot (identity removed owing to no permission):
With spot:
You have not discussed the big gotcha with this camera - Auto ISO mode. It is stuck in Auto ISO mode, and you have no real idea about how it's increasing the ISO, and the grain that goes with it. The aperture is fixed at f4. So it adjusts exposure time and ISO. Typical figures are (shutter - ISO):
Bright outdoors 1/288 - 160 (up to 1/1231)
Murky outdoors 1/25 - 200
Indoors (daylight) 1/13 - 1600
Indoors dim 1/5 - 3200
Indoors lit by incandescent 1/17 - 2000
Night club 1/5 - 4000
High ISO = grainy image
Slow exposure = blurry image.
On my real camera, I would only go to ISO 400 in a real emergency, 100 is normally my limit. Here we are going grainy when the sun goes in. Likewise we are breaking the "slowest shutter when handheld" rule at all times when indoors.
Because the aperture is fixed, you will always get the lens aberration (blurring) at the edges, regardless of light level.
So, light it well, and hold it steady. Understand that you will get grainy pics at anything but high light levels. Likewise you will get blurry shots inside. Put the camera down and use the self timer to eliminate camera shake. You may notice there are some very good shots lurking around here - all are taken at very high light levels.
Have a look at the hole the light has to go through. Pinhead, at most!
PS [edit] You can't have a macro mode - this is a fixed focus lens, with no moving parts, so you can't shift any optics to get a very close focus (macro).
Finally - the challenge is on! Given such a basic camera, are you good enough to take a good photo with it? When I was learning, we were given a box brownie and told to try and get something "interesting" out of it. We used its limitations to generate "interesting".
[ This Message was edited by: apotts on 2004-10-28 00:16 ] |
liamski
Joined: Mar 13, 2003
Posts: 201
PM |
Quote:
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On 2004-10-27 20:55:08, cmc0 wrote:
Quote:
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On 2004-10-27 19:43:58, manunitedfan wrote:
crap review
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If you don't like it, it doesn't help you to be rude. Let's see you post a better and more detailed guide before you judge, otherwise as the saying goes "put up or shut up"
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I actually think he was joking... it smacks of Brit humour... don't worry about it.
It's a great review |
cmc0
Joined: Apr 12, 2004
Posts: 34
PM |
apotts,
thanks for the input. I'm sorry I did'nt go into more detail on the white balance. I actually know that it adds a certain color tint to the photo(which is what I meant by artifical lightning). ,just that I was going for a "beginner's guide" method by describing what the average person would notice from using the white balance. I'm sorry I wasn't more descriptive. Same with the Spot Phometery, I knew it measures the light level at the center of the screen (I thought that's what I said, sorry again if my wording is difficult to understand!)
Good point about the fixed aperature and the Auto ISO. I guess SE did't bother to think the user needed that much control for their S700i pics so it was'nt added. I guess since the lens is a fixed focus lens, that also may be why SE wanted to keep more things auto, not just forget to add a macro mode.
Thanks for the input as it's always apprieciated apotts and everyone here at Esato, if my dialect or wording is diffcult to understand, feel free to let me know
[ This Message was edited by: cmc0 on 2004-10-28 01:58 ]
[ This Message was edited by: cmc0 on 2004-10-28 02:04 ] |
joven
Joined: Jun 25, 2004
Posts: 73
From: Malaysia
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nice review |
putra123
Joined: Feb 04, 2002
Posts: 32
From: USA
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Can anybody tell me the examples of when i should pick one of the white balance settings in the camera? I usually take pics in the club. I dont know much about digital cameras or any cameras . Thanks u guys. | |
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Posted: 2004-10-27 19:23
