Post-Processing

The important thing is to remember never to change the original file. Always save the edited version as a copy, or make a copy and then work on that. (You could even make the folder 'Read only' when you transfer the photos to the computer, just to be sure.) ... then if you make a complete hash of it, the original is always there to go back to.

Sharpening should be the last step in processing the photo, and that includes resizing.

I normally take the JPEG from the camera, process it without any sharpening, and save it as an uncomressed TIFF. Then if I need a version of it for some purpose, I can take the TIFF, resize it if required, sharpen it, and save as a JPEG. In this way I always have the processed but unsharpened TIFF available from which to make any sized JPEG version I require.

Sharpening

I often apply a little sharpening to the photos, to help them 'pop', and particularly for images from the A40 because I find the image straight from the camera  is a little soft.

Many digital cameras apply sharpening to the photo in the camera. This can make a camera look better than it really is - especially compared to a camera that doesn't do this. More expensive cameras often give the user the option of whether to apply sharpening or not, and even how much. However, some consider it better to have a camera that, if it cannot provide the option in camera, leaves the sharpening to the user - how much sharpening to add is often a matter of taste.

On the other hand, I sometimes wish the photos from the A40 were a little sharper straight from the camera.

Several editing programs have an 'Unsharp Mask' function. It's an odd name to give that function, since it actually does the opposite. I believe it has some historical significance - something to do with making the image sharper by masking the unsharp bits.

Generally I would start with a raduis of about 0.6, and a percentage of somewhere between 50 and 100 - that may be all that's needed with a nicely focused photo. For the A40 in particular, I would probably start with a radius of 0.8, and perhaps go up to a percentage of 140.

I wouldn't normally use a radius of more than 2.5, or a percentage of more than 160, but there are no rules.Too much sharpening can give false outlines or halos to some elements in the photo, and can cause graininess.

A Threshold of 0 to 2 would normally be fine, but if the photo has areas that should remain smooth, like areas of skin in portraits, then I might increase the Threshold to 6 or 7.

From Ramon G Castaneda:, in the rec.photo.digital newsgroup:

Notes:

1. Having the Brightness and Contrast on the computer monitor set appropriately will help ensure that everyone sees the same thing in the final photos. For information on recalibrating the computer monitor see http://www.aim-dtp.net/aim/calibration/blackpoint/crt_brightness_and_contrast.htm

EXIF data

The camera adds EXIF data to the JPEG files, and this includes details of the camera settings for the photo.

To quote Kodak (http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib4317.shtml):


There is a common format for part of this data, but there's another field in the EXIF information known as 'MakerNote', which different manufacturers use to store further information in different ways for specific cameras, and this is where much of the info for the A40 is tucked away. This will be missed by ordinary EXIF viewers, unless it is particularly taken account of

There's a good breakdown of the Canon EXIF MakerNote at:
http://www.burren.cx/david/canon.html

Notes:

1. If a JPEG is saved as a TIFF, then the EXIF information will be lost. Use something like 'Exifer' to save the EXIF information in a separate file, which can then be added back into a JPEG.

Composition

The rule of thirds

(... though I'm sure rules are made to be flouted when necessary.)
Imagine lines splitting the area into thirds horizontally and vertically, and then position the point(s) of interest at one of the four points of intersection ... it often makes a more satisfying composition.

Photographing Sunsets

Photographing the sun

As a general rule, anything that will damage your eye is also likely to damage the electronic sensors in digital cameras. So pointing the camera directly at the normal sun is not a good idea - at least not for more than a fraction of a second. However, if the sun is obscured, behind clouds or a tree, or is around sunrise or sunset, and can be looked at comfortably without risk to the eyes, then it should be OK for the CCD too.

(Note: digital cameras often don't have a shutter mechanism as such, and it may be possible for the CCD to become damaged just by leaving the camera accidentally pointing towards the sun. A lens cap is a good idea on bright sunny days.
This is also something to be watched out for on cameras that can take time-lapse photos, as when someone with a Nikon 990 took timelapse shots of the street outside, and  got the path of the sun permanently etched on his CCD.)

Photographing Sunrises/Sunsets

Where possible, use a low ISO number, set focus to infinity, and make sure the flash is off .

Use spot metering or centre-weighting, and fix the exposure on a bright area of the sky near to the sun. If you don't have spot metering, then meter on a bright area of the sky with the sun not in the frame.

And use Exposure Bracketing, or take several shots with Exposure Compensation, varying the exposure by perhaps as much as two stops either way.

When photographing sunrises or sunsets, the following tips might help:

• Go high (hill) or wide (beach), where you can get an unrestricted view of the horizon, and so see the sun get as low and as red as possible. And keep the horizon away from the centre of the composition, perhaps about a third of the way up from the bottom.
  
• Longer exposures will probably require a tripod (or at least for you or the camera to be braced against something) - but beware of leaving the camera on a tripod pointing at an uncomfortably bright sun. Use the self-timer.
• Zooming will make the sun appear larger in the sky.
• Clouds will often take on spectacular colours.
• Some under-exposure can help make the colors richer.
• A person or tree can add an interesting silhouette.
• Some of the best sunsets are after the sun has set.
• Consider using a lens hood.

Filters and Sunsets

Suppose one is taking a picture, not of the sunset itself, but of an scene around sunset, then metering on the scene can cause the sky to become washed out, and metering on the sky can cause the scene to be under-exposed. In this case, a graduated neutral density, or grad grey, filter can help even up the exposure.

A Neutral Density filter will have the effect of adding more stops to the camera, so will allow a darker picture or a longer exposure

A Polariser will also act as a modest neutral density filter, and may accentuate the colours, though bear in mind that under normal conditions a polariser will have greatest effect at 90 degrees from the sun, and least effect when pointing in the direction of the sun.

Enhancing filters, such as Didymium filters have often be used with film photography to enhance the reds of sunsets. For example, the Hoya Enhancing filter removes a portion of the spectrum in the orange region - an effect which can similarly be achieved in post-processing.

Lens Cleaning

Don't make a habit of cleaning the lens too often - only clean the lens when it needs it. The odd bit of dust or fluff won't normally affect image quailty, but scratches on the lens eventually will.

If there's water on the lens, touch the tip of a clean dry tissue to the water to soak it up.

Don't use a cloth on the lens if there any particles on the lens that might scratch it - use a lens brush, or puff of air (not canned/compressed air which may contain propellants), to gently remove any dust or fluff.

For fingerprints and other smudges, a lens pen works very well, but before using it one should use the brush end to remove any particles. There are several brands - I have a Jessops lens pen. Some brands come in large and small sizes, and the small one would be better for the A40.

Modern microfibre cloths also work very well on fingerprints and other smudges, but using a totally dry cloth on a dry lens might not be best - breathe on the lens first to provide a little moisture. (It's been suggested that a sip of vodka before breathing on the lens works even better!)

The lens coating is fairly tough, but the minerals in crusty or dried on liquid or dirt (seawater, rain, mud, ...) can be even harder. In this case use some lens cleaning fluid (or maybe isopropyl alcohol if you have any), but it is important not to put the fluid directly on the lens - it might seep round the edges, entering the camera and causing more problems. Instead, put a little on the corner of the cloth and apply this gently to the lens, using a dry bit of cloth to finish.

I first bought a cheap lens cleaning kit from Jessops - it included lens cleaning fluid and blower brush, which will probably be useful.

It also contained lens cleaning tissues, which were surprisingly hard (use once - folded, fanned or rolled and torn to make a brush - use only with lens cleaning fluid - never use dry on a dry lens), a cloth (not microfibre) which kept shedding fluff from the edges, and cotton buds which also shed fibres.

The best equipment would probably be a lens pen, and/or microfibre cloth and blower brush, a soft tissue to soak up water droplets, and some lens cleaning fluid for problem dirt.

Note:

1. To avoid fingerprints, it might be an idea to make sure the lens is retracted before handing the camera to others to view photos.
2. Keep cloths clean and protected.
3. With cloth or lens cleaning tissue, use an outward spiral motion - don't rub back and forth.
   

Printing at home

While the Canon S830D printer will print straight from CF cards, according to http://www.powershot.com/powershot2/directprint/index.html, the A40 is not compatible with the S830D

UK Printing Services

I've only had photos printed online. I used Photobox, and the prints were dispatched first class the same day.

Back in November 2002, 'alexd' posted the following in rec.photo.digital: