Photo/Camera advice please

Hi All

Just wondering if anyone has a BRIDGE CAMERA. similar to the FujiFilm FinePix S200EXR

I am looking for any tips and tricks or advice that would help me improve my skill at taking images of Bonsai Members Bonsai Trees and Accent Plants

Look forward to hearing from anyone thank-you

Take care

Jim thelad look after each other and all your Bonsai trees[/i]

Hi Jim,

I had a Fuji Finepix (S2000hd I think) and they take fairly decent photo's. Mine didn't survive a fall from the Falkirk wheel though. The replacement from the insurance company isn't as good.

I place my camera on a solid, level base at roughly the same level as the top of the pot. I try to get 15-20 feet distance between the camera and the tree.

Set the camera to the Landscape setting and use the zoom to get the photo you want. I use the Timer function, set to 3 seconds, just press the button, stand back and the camera takes the photo. This eliminates any chance of blurring.

The editing function on the camera comes in useful if you want to zoom in a bit further or crop the photo.

Hope this helps a bit, post your results here, you'll get plenty of praise or critisism

I'll say here what I tell all aspiring bonsai photographers:

It is NOT the camera. You can take good bonsai (or other) photos with any of today's digital cameras (barring, of course, cell-phone cameras, and even they are getting better).

It is lighting, shutter speed and f-stop, and for smaller trees, the ability to focus close up that determines the quality of the photographs you take.

There are, I am sure, web sites that explain in some detail the ins and outs of still-life digital (and other) photography. I know there are books. Even older books will tell you what you know, because the setups for film and digital are identical.

So Google "still life photography how to" and see what comes up.

In fact, go here: http://octavia.zoology.washington.edu/bonsai/photography/CrowsGuide.html

Not all digital cameras have manual control of the f-stop and shutter speed. Many of todays 'point and shoot' camera's have various settings (landscape, portrait, sport, nighttime, cloudy, etc ,etc) which alter the f-stop and shutter speed, but you have no manual control.

Jim the Lad's camera is a 'bridge' camera which will have a 'programme' or 'user' setting which will allow manual control over the f-stop and shutter speed, but in my experience using a pre-programmed setting does the job fine. I suggested using the Landscape setting as the f-stop is set to ''infinity' - I've found this to be ideal for taking photo's against a plain background.

I totally agree.

Some of these cameras are pretty intelligent. In some cases, however, the autofocus "feature" can be a pain whn it refuses to fix its focus on the part of the picture you want, but concentrates on some bright object, or the front edge of a table. That can be worked around once you figure out what has happened. And the light meter can be fooled by a too-bright background.

Landscape isn't as good for pictures of tiny trees, but would be fine for "standard" bonsai.

[i][i][i][i]Hi Paul

So sorry for the delay I am having a hard time with both my shoulders at the moment

Many thanks for getting in touch and all the way from Falkirk that brings back memories as I lived in Denny from 1946 before joining the Forces in 1966 A very very bad year for Scottish Football supporters

Sorry you had a mishap with your Fuji Finepix S2000hd, I presume the S200exr has the same workings What camera do you have now!!!!

Thanks for your comments they will come in handy At The Wirral Annual Bonsai Society Show on the 13th /14th August I took some of last years show 2010 but was not confident enough to post them on IBC and I was really please as I also got some advice from Kev Bailey that day about the Panasonic Lumux I was using then

I was fortunate enough to be in the company of Paul Goff (and stood back in amazement as the and another gentleman whom i admire saying goes) As he was demonstrating at the Society's meeting on the aspects of Taking Professional Images And was even more IMPRESSED when I saw the camera Paul was using on the night was a Fuji Camera

I have not tried to use the Edit Functions on the camera yet as I usually do that on the computer but I will have a wee go next week when I get back to the Wirral

I am the one at the moment that's responsible for the images on our Blog

http://wirral-bonsai.blogspot.com

SO I am trying to improve and take decent images of Members Bonsai Trees and Accent plants

Your advice will be handy thanks again




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Hi Jim L

Thanks for given your advice and I agree some of the Camera's these days are so intricated with all the settings and modes for this and for this What ever happened to the old Brownie or The Box Camera and i am sure a lot of US never ever use ALL the settings to the maximum unless your a Professional Like Paul Goff and Scottish Gentleman Craig Cousin

Using a light meter is something I know nothing about and would not know where to start or how to use one at the moment . I have used the landscape setting in our back Garden or yard as our friends from across the Large Pond call it

During Club meeting I tend to use the Sport Setting so i can get Members and the Bonsai tree without any "Blurring" then for Static Trees I use Two settings between Pro Low-Light ( tho i am not fond of this setting as the room the meetings are held in are NOT all that good for light in my opinion The other setting ia Auto and most of the time I use Manual Focus or Auto focus for ACTION shots

Hope you can make head or tail out of what I have said and guide me if you think theres something i am missing or doing wrong

many thanks for your input Jim and the link for "Old Mister Crow's Guide 2 Photographing Bonsai"

I was fortunate enough to receive this link from Kev Bailey which I was thankful for and find it fascinating to read but thanks again for pointing me in that direction

Take care and look after each other and All of Your Bonsai Trees

Jim thelad


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Hi Paul

Back again yes the[b] bridge' camera has these programmes and user settings and I will be practicing using the Landscape setting to experience what it can do and many thnaks for your opinion about the Landscape Setting

Now Paul rack your Brains and what SETTINGS would you suggest to use in a room or a Hall with some times LOW or MIXED Lighting !!!

After experiencing Paul Goff at Work I am sorry to say there NO way i could ever afford to use the equipment or replicate the set-up that Paul uses

Being Retired (or just TIRED ) and on a extremely LOW BUDGET plus 2 Knackered Shoulders I am limited what I can spend and use But I am willing to learn get lots of advice and use information that's given to me to the best of my advantage

Did you ever used the White Balance FINE ADJUSTMENT on your Fuji Finepix Camera !!!!

Guess being a late late starter to The Art Of Bonsai and Digital Camera I have a lot of reading ,hard work and most of all Practice to get through before I am much older

Thanks a Million Paul and your advice on the Fuji has been really helpful and who know you me see my images in the SUNDAY POST next to OOR WULLIE or The BROONS page

Take Care Hope life up in The Falkirk Area and the weather is kind for you and your Bonsai Trees

Jim thelad

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