Capture the Moment Monday

Dave Berry, Director of the Photography Department at Computer School for Seniors will be sharing his insightful Photo Tips with you every Monday for Capture the Moment Mondays.

3 DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex)

 Questions you were afraid to ask--Part 3

1.) What's with "equivalent" focal lengths? Why do you sometimes call a 50mm a 75mm equivalent?
It refers to the corresponding focal length on a traditional 35mm film camera or full-frame DSLR. Because most DSLR sensors are much smaller than a 35mm frame film, they record on the center of the image circle cast by the full frame 50mm lens, producing images with the same field of view as those as those a 75mm lens would capture on a 35mm or full frame SLR.(The difference in area is called the crop or lens factor.

2.) Can my camera keep pace with the latest high speed memory card?
The newest model can, and manufacturers are always working on improving image transfer speeds and reducing the time it takes for ever larger image files to clear the camera's buffer. But another benefit of high speed cards is their ability to transfer images to your computer quickly. To make them run at top velocity, always use a compatible card reader.

3.) Does it harm flash cards to reformat them frequently?
Nope. In fact the experts encourage it. Reformatting scrubs images, file names and other image related data from the card, freeing up memory so you can keep shooting. It's best to reformat the card in the camera, rather than on your computer, to ensure they work together properly.

Dave Berry shares his Photography Tips at Computer School for Seniors (www.cs4seniors.com).