Posts Tagged ‘digital photography’

Many people have asked about repairing their front covers/flaps on their Canon PowerShot SD series cameras, so I’ve written up some instructions. Our lens barrier repair kit is a little tricky to replace on Canon SD series cameras but definately not impossible for you to do yourself. You will need patience, a good eye and a steady hand as well as a small screwdriver. We use dental picks, they work great!

To start, you will need to turn on the camera and extend the lens, then open the battery door to turn off the camera and keep the lens out. This allows you to easily work on the lens barrier assembly.

First the part we need is the ‘barrel drive ring’, it’s the ring with the small piece that sticks down into the lens. Most cameras have a drive ring, but some do not. If you don’t see one in your kit then your camera does not need one. Be certain that it will rotate slightly after installation, otherwise it is probably not installed properly and can cause the lens to get jammed.

Next we will install the barrier plates or ‘flaps’ with the springs attached. There is a small little tab that holds the spring in place when you put it on the ‘flap’ or ‘barrier plate’ as they are actually called. They are TINY, they are hard to hold and if you drop it… please take my advice and don’t drop it, ok? If you do lose some springs, we have them available on their own in our store for you to purchase.

Gently put the flap in the hole with the spring laying towards the post that the free end will mount on; then with something with a very small tip (we use dental picks!) gently grab the loop of the spring and stick it on its post.

If you do this with the lens covers or ‘flaps’ in the open position they will stay in place once you get them properly seated. If everything pops off, just start again. Try not to stretch out the springs, they need to remain tight for the assembly to work properly.

Then gently put on the barrier cover, it’s a flat plastic ring. The tabs on the outer barrier cover match up with small slots in the lens housing and it will lock into place. Be gentle, don’t force anything too hard or you will break it and the parts will not hold it place.

Now it’s time to test your skills! Now we put the battery in and while crossing our fingers, turn the camera on! Did it work? Did it go flying across the room with a cute little *SPROING!* and maybe all the parts scattered all over the place? I hope not, but you’re not alone I’ve been there too.

Once you have it working smoothly …you’re almost done with your first camera repair!

Next put the dual sided tape on the barrier cover. VERY IMPORTANT: Peel the tape off the yellow backing paper but DO NOT remove the paper from the side that is cut to match the shape of the tape!! If you take off the small paper part it will ruin the tape because it will fold and stick to itself. Bye bye tape!

The tabs of the tape fold over the edges, if they stick out the lens cover will not fit properly and can jam up the lens. Line up the tape tabs, starting at the 11 o’clock position and then fold down the tabs and press them in.

Now put on your chrome or black lens cap, line up the cap with the small indentation at the bottom, you’ll see how it goes on easily.

Fire up the camera again and admire your handywork! Congratulations you now know more about Canon camera repair than the Geek Squad, and they told you it would be two hundred dollars and take 3-4 weeks to repair. Whatever Geek Squad… Whatever.

Hmm… I think I’m seeing the beginning of something big here; affordable do it yourself Canon digital camera repair

The time for friends and family to gather and enjoy the holidays is upon us. The tips today are about recording the memories that fill the holidays.

1. Play with the Depth of Field – Instead of snapping a picture in front of the tree, place your subject in the background, increase the aperture on your camera to the lowest setting (like around f/5.6 to f/1.4).  Focus on your subject in the background and the tree in the foreground will be twinkling and blurry.
2. Work in the background – Candid shots are more natural and can be amazing.  Stand back away from the holiday festivities for a few moments and capture those un-rehearsed moments.
3. Accessories - Use props, clothing and other items to jazz up your holiday pictures.Try festive hats, decorations or gift pacakges.
4. Capture the Action – Gift opening can be hectic enough without worrying if you got the shot or not.  To take the stress out of the moment, put your camera into “auto-mode” or better yet “Continuous mode” and just start snapping away.
5. Avoid the flash – When it’s possible, don’t use the flash to help eliminate red eye.  Use the “red-eye reduction” mode on your camera.Some cameras do have automatic red eye correction which is nice.
6. Don't be afraid of the dark - To photograph the tree with it's colorful lights, turn off the lights in the room and turn up your ISO setting.  An ISO of 800-1600 should do the trick.  You’ll need to hold the camera steady so your photos don’t come out fuzzy.  Either use a tripod and your cameras timer function or try setting your camera down on a solid surface.
7. Head outdoors – To get crystal clear pictures at night use a tripod. Turn up the ISO setting to 800 and lower the aperture so lots of light gets in.Remember to set the flash to "Off".  A word of caution if its really cold outside.  Cold temps tend to drain the juice out of your batteries rather quickly.  Make sure your camera is fully charged.If you plan on being outdoors for some time, make certain to try and keep your camera warm.  Hold your camera close to your body as this will keep it warm and then pull it out when you are ready to take the photo.
8. Let there be peace – Don’t forget to photograph the quiet moments this holiday season.Nothing can be more magical than watching a child listening to their grandparent reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas".
9. Know when to use the flash – Sometimes you just need to use your camera’s flash.Try to stand about 12 ft from the subjects of your photo so that the flash is bright enough but not so bright that they are blinded by it or overexposed.
10. Capture the preperations – We sometimes forget to record the experience of everything behind the scenes while preparing for the festivities.  Do include the baking of the treats, shopping for gifts, decking the halls and the wrapping of the presents.
11. Find a different angle - Try standing off to the side, zoom in, and use the rule of thirds.
12. Be in the pictures too! – Many photographers end up not being in any of the pictures, give your camera to others and let them take some snapshots also.  Remember your family won’t care how you looked but they will remember you were there, not only in their memories but in the photos as well.

Hopefully some of these hints will help you create better photographs and get more enjoyment from your camera!

If you ever notice that your camera isn’t working properly and you are in need of somewhere reliable specializing in Sony digital camera repair or Canon digital camera repair; look no further than a quick Google search to point you in the right direction. For example if you need a Sony digital camera shutter button repair you can get it done right with little effort.

The continuing development of digital camera technology offers near limitless choices for the professional and amateur alike when looking to achieve the best photographs possible. The variety of cameras available is huge, ranging from tiny compact point and shoot cameras to very large professional digital SLRs. Each type of camera available has pros and cons associated with it, so shopping for the right camera can be confusing. Camera preference will come down to the features and specifications that the individual desires, there is no one camera that will please everyone.

With any digital camera, there will be an assortment of features and utility levels which will make a good camera well above a thousand dollars. The current leading digital camera brands include Canon, Nikon and Sony.

Probably the most essential parts of a digital camera are the lens, viewfinder and the LCD screen. Proper cleaning and care of these parts will prolong the use of your camera. The fragile parts of the camera like the LCD screen should be well protected and not bumped or banged. Also don’t store a battery against the LCD inside your case; you might end up having to pay for a camera LCD screen repair Purchasing some good quality lens cleaning items such as a brush or blower and lens cloth and cleaning solution can be important. A lens blower can help remove dust and dirt, while a cleaning solution and cloth can remove debris that the blower cannot. One simple way to protect your camera lens is to always put the lens cover back on when you are done taking pictures.

Be sure to store your digital camera properly when not in use. It is recommended that the camera be stored in a cool and dry space. Remember to always guard the camera against extreme heat and cold. Always remove the batteries from your camera when it will no be used for any length of time. And just as a precaution, magnets of any kind should be kept away from the camera body and definately the memory card.

Besides just the camera itself, you should also remember to take care of your accessories such as memory cards. As these accessories are small, they should always be handled with utmost care. It should not be taken out while in the process of transferring images from the camera. It should be stored appropriately to prevent misplacement and ensure safety.

Taking good care of your camera is important so that it will be with you for a long time. You should look for overall brand reliability before making your purchase, and Canon has a great rating; but this does not mean that the camera won’t suffer from normal wear and tear just from normal use. As much as possible, to avoid having to find a Canon camera repair shop you need to protect it from impact damage, water exposure, sand and dust and extreme tempertures.

If you notice any damage or malfunction to any part then it is important to find someone who can affordably provide you with reliabledigital camera repair services. Keep in mind that a good digital camera is not cheap, and it pays off in the long run to take good care of it.