Sony DSC-H2 questions

[Disney*Dreamer]

I am just trying to learn everything I can about manuel mode. I understand that some things cannot be set ahead of time, but I am wondering about the things that can. So if you know any of these please let me know. I want to get the best possible pics that I can out of this camera. Then maybe when I learn what I am doing, I can justify buying something better.

Af Mode : Single, Monitor, or Continuous (And what does it mean?)
Digital Zoom : Smart, Precision, or Off
Red Eye Reduction : On or Off
Expanded Focus : On or Off (What does this one mean?)
Flash Sync: Front or Rear (What does this one mean?)
Steady Shot: Shooting or Continuous
Conversion Lens : (I am assuming this one means if I have an extra lens attached)

Sharpness: Normal,+, or-
Contrast: Normal, +, or -
Metering Mode: Spot, Center, or Multi

I kinda understand Aperature, Shutter Spead, and Iso, but feel free to give me any pointers. Some of the pics I see on here are just amazing, and I hope to actually do this professionally one day, but I have to learn first.

Thanks!

 

[Disney*Dreamer]

Also, when I bring the pics onto the computer and into photoshop they are 39.111 inches by 26 inches, and 72 pixals per inch, should I change that at all before printing? I have been changing it to 6x4 and 300 pixals per inch. And I am sure that is wrong.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

These settings are nearly the same on all cameras, so I'll tell you what I know:

Af Mode : Single, Monitor, or Continuous (And what does it mean?)

Auto-Focus mode. Not sure about Monitor, but Single means it only autofocuses when you press the shutter button and continous means it's always autofocusing on whatever the camera is pointing at.

On most cameras Continuous means that the camera is more closely focused on what you're aiming at before you even click the shutter, and it's generally faster ... but, it uses more battery power because the camera is always focusing.

Digital Zoom : Smart, Precision, or Off

Best to just set this Off. Digital zoom does nothing more than crop the image and most computer PP software does a much better job.

Red Eye Reduction : On or Off

There's lots of different ways Red Eye Reduction works, usually by flashing some other light (or the main flash) to get subjects pupils to contract. If you take lots of portraits it's best to leave it on.

Expanded Focus : On or Off (What does this one mean?)

No idea ... must be a Sony-only thing....

Flash Sync: Front or Rear (What does this one mean?)

This is for using the flash in conjunction with slower shutter speeds; it will fire either just as the shutter open (Front) or, just before it closes (Rear). Front is usually the "default" and Rear can be used for more creative effects like a picture of a car that's both sharp AND has trailing taillights.

Steady Shot: Shooting or Continuous

Steady Shot is Sony's name for Image Stabilization (IS). It either comes on only when you take a picture (Shooting) or it's on all the time (Continuous).

You'd probably have to do a couple of tests to determine which is best for you and your camera.

Conversion Lens : (I am assuming this one means if I have an extra lens attached)

Yes. It adjusts the AF program (and probably some other things) to compensate for the additional lens.

Sharpness: Normal,+, or-

One of the JPEG processing options, just like running a sharpness filter in PP software.

Contrast: Normal, +, or -

Another one of the JPEG processing options, just like modifying the contrast in PP software.

Metering Mode: Spot, Center, or Multi

Controls the way the camera evaluates the light when picking Exposure settings in partially auto modes (like Aperture Priority). Spot takes the reading only off the spot directly in the center of the viewfinder. Center uses the whole area being exposed but takes the center area more into account than the fringes. Multi looks at the whole image and tries to pick the best "all around" setting.

Multi is generally best for "normal" images or shots outdoor in sunlight where the scene is evenly lit. Whereas Spot and Center are good for concerts and other things that are mostly dark except for a single spot-lit subject or small spot-lit subjects grouped together; in conditions like this, Multi will sort-of average all of the bright and dark areas and (usually) gives exposure settings that blow all of the spot-lit subject's highlights.

 

[Disney*Dreamer]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write all of that out. I wish I had known about the Metering Mode when we were at Ak watching Lion King. Sounds like it could have helped.