The focal system of Canon compact cameras is dominantly based on an autofocus system. Only some cameras in the higher price range allow manual focusing. The autofocus system is augmented by special focus modes such as Macro or Infinity, which can be set manually. Over the years, the focus system has become more and more [...]

Custom Curves are another option in the CHDK to control the outcome of a shot. Curves are applied after an image has been taken; they don’t influence exposure settings such as aperture or sensor speed. They simply modify the digital data delivered by the sensor before it’s packed into a JPEG file. This can make [...]

Most Canon compact cameras have rather limited flash functionality. My SD1100, for example, supports the following modes: Automatic, Off, and On (in manual mode). Red-eye correction and a red-eye lamp can be switched on, and in manual mode there is a Slow Sync option. However, there is no way to control the flash power. This [...]

In the past, night photography has not been easy with digital cameras. At high ISO values, the noise in the image goes up. Shooting at low ISO values is not always possible — lack of a tripod may be just one reason. And at long exposure times, the camera’s sensor tends to produce artifacts: hot [...]

One amazing feature of the CHDK is the provision for ultra-short shutter speeds. Before we go into the details, let’s take a look at general shutter technology. Traditional cameras from the analog era use mainly two types of shutters. One is the focal plane shutter, which is also used in DSLRs. Here, two curtains move [...]

Another convenient way to control exposure is the Zebra feature. While the histogram informs you about the tonal range of the complete image, the Zebra feature identifies image areas that are under- or overexposed. These areas are displayed with a pattern overlaid on the image to make them stand out visually. When enabled in the [...]

Your camera probably does have a histogram, at least in Review Mode. However, this histogram is only shown after an image has been taken. The CHDK has a bit more to offer. One option is showing a Live Histogram on the display. The histogram can be shown when the shutter button is half-pressed (Shoot) or [...]

Apart from setting a fixed ISO value in manual mode, the native Canon exposure system provides two automatic ISO modes. These modes try to find a suitable compromise between sensor speed and exposure time when shooting in low light. The mode ISO AUTO puts the emphasis on image quality. It uses lower ISO values and [...]

As already mentioned, the CHDK allows overriding aperture, exposure time, ISO speed, and flash power. This works in all camera modes, automatic and manual. So, for example, if the camera is in automatic mode and you override the exposure time only, the camera will automatically choose the right aperture; the camera will be in Shutter [...]

• Popular
• Latest