FOR THOSE OF you who don’t know me, I am Model Aviation’s
advertising representative. Not that that matters, but as part of my
job I create many of the advertisements you see on a monthly basis.
When creating these ads, I take pictures of the products—many
pictures! I also help out with event coverage, and I have grabbed a
few Model Aviation covers along the way.
One thing that has surprised me is the number of people who
approach me during events or trade shows and ask about my camera
equipment. After learning that I shoot exclusively digital, they ask
my opinion on cameras, lenses, techniques, etc. It’s quite flattering.
Because of that (and a bit of prompting from Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt), I’ve taken to my keyboard to share information about
how to digitally capture model aircraft successfully.
Not too long ago, digital photos were considered far inferior to
traditional film. Because of rapid improvements in technology in the
past few years, digital cameras have made huge strides to the point
where digital is nearly the equivalent of film.
When used by a professional, traditional film is still superior to
the best digital pictures. However, since most camera owners are not
professional photographers, digital photography is a viable
alternative that could be considered when shooting pictures of model
aircraft.
Digital Terminology: For someone who is new to digital
photography, the buzzwords and terminology can be confusing.
With few exceptions, the features in today’s digital cameras aren’t
even an option with traditional film. Following are some of the most
common terms and their definitions.
• Artifacts: These appear in digital images when they are
compressed. You’ll see them as clusters of noise that usually appear
as squares. The more the image is compressed, the more artifacts
will be visible.
• Buffer: Memory in the camera where the digital photo is stored
before being written to the memory card. A large buffer will allow
you to take more photos before the camera pauses to write them to
the memory card.
• Card Reader: An accessory device that connects to a computer. It
August 2003 67
■ Mark Lanterman
allows you to remove the memory card from your camera and
transfer the pictures into your computer. This is normally attached
via a USB or FireWire port and will transfer pictures at a much
faster rate than using the camera’s built-in data port.
• Charge Coupled Device (CCD): This is one of the two main types
of image sensors used in today’s digital cameras. When the shutter is
pressed, the sensor is struck by light coming in through the camera
lens. The sensor is made up of pixels—in some cases several
million.
• Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): The other
These are styles of digital cameras. Top two are point-andshoots.
At lower left is SLR style, which normally has higher
resolution and larger zoom. At lower right is top-of-the-line, true
SLR with interchangeable lenses. These have the most features
and are the most expensive.
■ Mark Lanterman
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 67
of the two main types of image sensors
used in today’s digital cameras. Although
it’s not as widely used as CCD sensors, it
works much the same as a CCD sensor.
• Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (CMYK):
A process used in printing, sometimes
referred to as four-color process. Model
Aviation (as well as most other
magazines) is printed using this
technique. All digital photos must be
converted to this process to print
correctly.
• CompactFlash: The most common type
of memory card. There are two kinds:
Type I and Type II. Although they vary in
thickness, both are roughly the size of a
matchbook. This is by far the most
popular type of storage in digital cameras.
They also come in a wide variety of sizes
as large as 1 gigabyte (1,000 megabytes).
• Depth of Field (DOF): The portion of
the image which is in focus. The shorter
the focal length, the greater the DOF. The
camera’s f-stop also affects the DOF. A
larger opening (smaller f-stop) will give a
short DOF, and a smaller opening (larger
f-stop) will give a larger DOF.
• Digital Zoom: Magnification obtained
by electronically enlarging the photo.
Many cameras can do this, but it should
be used only when no other options exist.
Enlarging a photo in this manner causes
extreme loss of image quality, resulting in
jagged, fuzzy photos. In most cases the
photo can be enlarged with much better
results using computer software.
• Dots Per Inch (dpi): A measurement of
a digital camera, printer, monitor, etc. used
to describe its resolution. Most computer
monitors are 72 dpi, and most printed
photos (such as in this magazine) are 300
dpi. The higher the dpi, the greater the
resolution of the device.
• F-stop: Inside the camera’s lens is an
aperture that works just like the iris in your
eye. The size of the opening can be changed
automatically or manually, depending on
the camera. The amount of the opening is
given a number, or f-stop.
Lower numbers (e.g. f-2.8) will allow
more light through the lens, allowing you to
take the shot using a higher shutter speed.
Higher numbers (e.g. f-22) will allow less
light through the lens, requiring a slower
shutter speed.
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): Technology for
transferring files between digital devices,
such as a camera and a computer, at high
speed. A FireWire connection is typically
faster than a USB connection. FireWire was
developed by Apple Computer and is
widely used in most computers. However,
only higher-priced digital cameras have this
capability.
• Focal Length: The amount of
magnification of the lens. A zoom lens will
give you an adjustable focal length
(normally 28-200mm).
• Gigabyte (GB): Measurement of data
storage equal to 1,000 megabytes.
• Histogram: A graphic representation of
the range of tones (dark to light) captured in
a photo. Some digital cameras include this
feature to give a precise check on a photo’s
exposure.
• Image resolution: Commonly referred to
as the number of pixels in a digital photo.
• ISO: This is one of the few terms that
came over from traditional film
photography. Film is rated to tell its
sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO
number, the more likely the film is to
capture a fast-moving or dimly lit object.
The numbers 100, 200, 400, and higher are
printed on film packages.
Digital-camera manufacturers have
adopted the same rating system for
describing the sensitivity of the camera’s
imaging sensor. Some digital cameras
include a control for adjusting the ISO
speed, and others adjust the ISO
automatically, depending on the lighting
conditions.
• JPEG: A compression method used
within a file format, such as the EXIF-JPEG
format common to digital cameras. This is a
“lossy” format, which means that image
quality is discarded to compress the image.
Most cameras have several settings for
JPEG compression. When selecting a low-
The same model photographed at ground level approximates the view you would have
of the full-scale subject. This angle maximizes the model’s scale “look.”
Shooting a model at eye level can show a great deal of detail and color, but this isn’t
always the best way—especially with a Scale subject.
68 MODEL AVIATION
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 68
August 2003 69
compression (high-quality) setting, the loss
of image quality is not as noticeable.
• Media: The storage vehicles on which
digital photos are recorded. Digital
photography storage media include
CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards,
Sony’s Memory Stick, and CDs and DVDs.
• Megabyte (MB): A measurement of data
storage equal to 1,024 kilobytes.
• Megapixel: A measurement of a camera’s
imaging sensor. One megapixel equals one
million pixels.
• Memory Stick: This chewing-gum-size
memory card was developed by Sony and is
used in most of its digital cameras.
• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH): A type of
rechargeable battery. Its chemistry gives it
up to twice the lifespan of Ni-Cd batteries.
• Optical Zoom: The magnification obtained
by adjusting a camera’s lens. With the
exception of lowest-priced cameras, most
digital cameras have a minimum zoom of
2x. Some go as high as 10x.
• Pixel: Think of this as the building block
of a digital photo. Each digital photo is made
up of thousands (or millions) of these.
• Red, Green, Blue (RGB): The system in
which most electronic displays (televisions,
monitors, Liquid Crystal Display screens,
and digital cameras’ imaging sensors) work.
• Shutter Lag: The amount of time that
passes between when you press the trigger
and when the camera takes the picture. In
this case, less is more; many inexpensive
cameras can have shutter lag of a second or
more. This takes a huge amount of planning
and luck to shoot anything that’s moving.
• Shutter Speed: The amount of time it takes
for the shutter to open and close. The shutter
opens, exposing the camera’s sensor to light,
thus taking the picture. The shutter speed is
normally automatic, but it can be adjusted
manually on more advanced cameras. The
higher the shutter speed, the quicker the
camera can take the picture, giving less
chance of the model being blurry in the
photo.
• SmartMedia: Another type of storage
format which is a wafer-thin, matchbooksize
memory card. It is widely used in lessexpensive
digital cameras.
• Universal Serial Bus (USB): Type of
technology for transferring files between
digital devices, such as a camera and a
computer, at high speed. It’s not as fast as
FireWire, but it is more commonly used in
digital cameras, card readers, etc.
• White Balance: Compensation for different
colors of light emitted by different light
Paying attention to the background can make all the difference in a shot. In this photo
the subject is in focus, and so is the background.
By shooting the subject with a longer-focal-length lens, you minimize the depth of field,
making the subject pop out from the background.
Try something different next time, such as shooting into the sun. Here the sun’s
reflections give a welcome, dramatic look to an otherwise average subject.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:25 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Flash can be your best friend on a sunny day. This biplane’s
upper wing casts a shadow, hiding all scale detail. In these
situations use flash to “fill,” or add light to, dark areas.
Look at this
issue’s cover.
Sometimes you
have to fake it to
get a great shot.
With the help of
others you can
capture subjects
that would be too
dangerous, or
maybe even
impossible,
otherwise.
sources (including the sun). Not all digital cameras have this, but it
is a great feature to have. If you’ve ever taken indoor photos and had
them come out with a green or blue tint, using white balance can
compensate for this and produce natural tones.
Advantages of Digital Photography:
• Digital photography gives immediate results. Almost all digital
cameras on the market today have Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
screens to give you immediate feedback on your photos. Most LCD
screens show the image in real time, allowing you to compose and
shoot without having to look through a tiny viewfinder. The screen
also allows you to play back previously taken images so you can
make sure you have the shot you want before leaving for home.
Since there’s no film developing with digital photos, the images
are ready to be uploaded to the computer as soon as you arrive
home. There they can be cropped, edited, and printed within
minutes.
• Digital photography can offer outstanding control over your
images. As you become more familiar with your digital camera, you
can explore features such as white balance, ISO sensitivity, fill flash,
and more. You can do all of this by pushing a few buttons or rotating
a few controls. And since digital cameras give immediate results,
you’ll know instantly whether or not your experiment worked.
But that’s just the beginning. Once the files are transferred to
your computer, photo-editing software will give you the chance to
sharpen and enhance your photos. A high-end software package such
as Photoshop can give you the ability to add outstanding special
effects to your pictures.
• Digital photography lets you shoot as much as you like. The only
limits are the size of your memory card and the life of your batteries.
With a couple of good-size 64 MB, 128 MB, or larger memory cards
and a couple sets of rechargeable batteries, you can literally shoot all
day long, taking hundreds of pictures without stopping.
• Digital photography is more affordable than film in the long run.
The initial cost of getting started in digital photography is more than
traditional film. A good digital camera, a few sets of rechargeable
batteries, and a couple of memory cards can cost $1,000 or more.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 70
However, you have all you need once
you purchase these items. With digital, you
basically spend everything up front. With
film, you pay the cost of film, the cost of
developing, and the cost of making prints
during the life of the equipment.
Choosing a Digital Camera: There are
hundreds of digital cameras out there, from
simple point-and-shoot models up to
expensive 35-millimeter (mm) SLR (Single
Lens Reflex) equivalents with
interchangeable lenses.
Which one is right for you? It depends
on two things: the type(s) of photos you
want to take and what they’ll be used for.
Types of photos are as follows.
• Ground Shots: I categorize this as any shot
where you can get close to the subject; e.g.,
a model sitting on the ground, someone
posing with a model, shots of subjects in the
pits, etc.
Most digital cameras can adequately take
ground shots. Being close to the subject
eliminates the need for a large zoom. These
photos are normally taken outside, so white
balance is not as critical. There’s usually not
a great deal of action in these pictures, so a
high ISO or high shutter speed may be
unnecessary.
• Action Shots: As the name implies, these
are photos in which the subject is moving;
e.g., a model taking off or landing, action in
the pits, etc.
These pictures require a bit more in a
camera. Since the subject is in motion,
higher shutter speeds and higher ISO
settings are required to “freeze” the scene. If
you’re photographing a model landing or
taking off, you’ll need a bit of zoom since
you won’t be very close to the aircraft.
These photos will normally be taken
outside, so white balance may not be
critical. You’ll need a camera with a
minimum of shutter lag to help capture the
moment.
• Flying (or Flight) Shots: These are photos
in which the model is flying in the air, in a
typical pattern, from a safety standpoint,
hopefully a fair distance from the camera!
The only difference between these and
action shots are that in this case the model is
normally flying at full speed, high in the air.
This is where you need the biggest zoom
lens you can find. I recommend taking
flying shots with a minimum lens of
200mm. You’ll need a camera with
minimum shutter lag, higher shutter speeds,
and higher ISO settings.
• Miscellaneous Shots: This is where we
include shots of Indoor Free Flight and
electric models, museums, trade shows, and
club meetings.
For such photos you need a little bit of
everything. Since these environments are
poorly lit, high ISOs (or a flash) are
mandatory. Zoom can help you “reach out”
and fill the frame with the subject. Since
indoor venues contain a wide variety of
light sources (incandescent, fluorescent,
halogen, etc.), the biggest feature you’ll
need is white balance; it will ensure that
what you capture on film will have the same
color balance as what you see with your
eyes.
What will you do with the photos? The
whole reason for taking pictures is to
capture the moment so you can share it with
others. The medium through which you
share your photos will have a bearing on the
resolution (number of megapixels) your
digital camera should have.
If you’re shooting only to send photos
via E-mail or post them on the Internet,
most any resolution of camera will do. Most
computer screens run at a resolution of 72
dpi, so a small 2-megapixel camera can take
a photo that is larger than a computer
monitor can display.
However, if you’re going to print your
photos on one of today’s higher-quality
color printers, in a club newsletter, or in a
magazine, things change quite a bit. The
biggest difference is that the camera’s
resolution is more critical.
Although there are a few exceptions, the
general rule is that to get the best-quality
print from your photo, it must be printed at a
resolution of 300 dpi. To figure out how big
a photo from a camera can be requires a
little math.
Before I give you the math behind
megapixels and print size, I’ll put it in a
scenario with which a modeler can identify.
Let’s say you have a 40-size glow engine.
The two-blade propeller you would
typically use with it is a 10 x 6 or a 10 x 7.
This will let the engine turn at an rpm that
allows it to produce peak power.
You could use the same engine with a
larger propeller, but the larger the propeller,
the more useless the power plant. As the
propeller diameter increased, you would
continually have to select propellers with
lower pitches to keep the engine working at
its peak output rpm. Doing this could make
the propeller pitch so small that you could
not propel the airplane at flying speeds, and
you would make the propeller act as a brake
rather than thrust.
A similar thing happens when you
enlarge digital photos. You can blow them
up as big as you want, but as you do you
sacrifice image quality to the point where a
good, sharp photo is a large, blurry mess.
I’ll use a 3-megapixel camera to
illustrate. Most cameras of this resolution
are roughly 2,048 pixels wide and 1,536
pixels high. (Refer to the camera’s
specifications to learn the sensor’s size.) To
figure the largest high-resolution photo the
camera can produce, divide the width by
300 and divide the height by 300. In this
case you end up with a 300 dpi photo that is
roughly 5 x 7 inches. The larger the
camera’s sensor, the bigger this highestresolution
image can be.
If you want to print larger photos, such
as for an 8 x 11-inch magazine cover, you’ll
August 2003 71
When thinking about how to save
your files, you may be tempted to choose
a high-compression JPEG format. That
will create smaller files, but it does so by
removing the detail from the photos.
The top image is from a TIF file. It
has no compression and contains all of
the detail the camera can capture.
The middle image is from a highresolution
JPEG. Although it looks good,
if you look closely you will see that some
of the detail has been lost.
The bottom image is from a lowresolution
JPEG, which looks much
worse. Notice the artifacts and jagged
edges.
It’s always best to save your images
using the highest quality your camera will
allow. This will give you the most
flexibility when sharing and printing your
photos. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo was saved in TIF format. It
contains all of the resolution that the
camera can capture.
This image was saved as a highresolution
JPEG. Although a bit of
information was lost to make the file
smaller, the detail is still good.
This image was saved as a lowresolution
JPEG. The high
compression makes files smaller so
you can shoot more, but the
compression loses detail and creates
artifacts, making the photo unusable.
Don’t Compress Your Images!
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 71
72 MODEL AVIATION
need to shoot with a minimum of a 5- or 6-
megapixel camera. As you’ll read later, the
camera I use to shoot magazine covers can
take a high-resolution photo that is roughly
11 x 14 inches.
Sometimes computer software can
enlarge digital photos without losing too
much of the original quality. Programs such
as Photoshop and Genuine Fractals can
easily enlarge photos, but you must take
care when doing this.
What do I use? I carry two digital cameras
when I’m covering an event. I have a small,
3-megapixel camera with a 3x zoom which
I use for many of the ground shots. It
doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of
more advanced cameras, but it takes good,
sharp photos (as large as 5 x 7 inches) with
a minimum amount of effort. The LCD
screen on the back can be rotated so I can
hold the camera at all sorts of weird angles
while keeping my clothes cleaner and
making my life a bit easier.
The camera I use most is a 6-megapixel
SLR which uses interchangeable lenses
carried over from traditional 35mm
equipment. Although this camera is quite
expensive, its long list of features gives me
the best chance to capture high-resolution
photos in any condition (pictures up to 11 x
14 inches or smaller photos which can be
tightly cropped). I carry two lenses for this
camera: a 28-200 zoom for the ground and
close-in shots and a 170-500 zoom to
capture models in the air or a candid shot
across the field.
In each camera there’s an IBM
Microdrive: a tiny hard drive in the case of
a CompactFlash card but with a huge
capacity (up to 1 GB). This gives me the
capability to shoot hundreds of photos
during an event without running out of
storage room.
I also have a couple dozen rechargeable
AA NiMH batteries that I use for power.
Each of the cameras takes four batteries at a
time, and I can easily go through a couple
of sets a day when I’m busy shooting.
Using NiMH batteries instead of Nickel
Cadmiums (Ni-Cds) gives me longer
shooting time—sometimes up to twice as
long. (Many cameras require specially
shaped batteries made by the manufacturer.
Watch Your DPI!
Looking at the accompanying photos, notice that the 72 dpi photo shows many jagged
edges and isn’t as sharp as the 300 dpi photo. If you want to submit your photos to a club
newsletter or magazine, you need to make sure that they are of a high enough resolution
for printing.
When a digital camera stores an image, it is written at 72 dpi. A 3-megapixel camera
captures a photo that is roughly 28 inches wide and 21 inches tall. To reformat the photo
for printing, you need to convert the photo to 300 dpi.
This is not simply resizing the image; you are exchanging the photo’s size for
resolution. Converting that same 3-megapixel photo to 300 dpi results in a picture that is
7 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Almost any photo software can do this conversion for you. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo is printed at 72 dpi: the same
resolution as a computer screen. Notice
jagged edges and lack of detail.
The same photo is printed at 300 dpi. At
this resolution it contains all of the detail
and crispness you need.
In this case, it would be a good idea to
purchase an extra or two.)
What camera do I recommend? Regardless
of the camera(s) you choose, you’ll never
find one that does it all. Even the most
expensive SLRs don’t have every feature in
one package. The best compromise is to find
a camera that will shoot the majority of the
pictures you want to take and do a good job.
These days, probably the best
compromise is a 4- to 6-megapixel SLRstyle
camera with a 6x (or longer) zoom
lens. I recommend that the camera use
CompactFlash cards for storage. A movable
LCD screen makes taking some photos
easier, such as low-to-the-ground shots or
those over a crowd. Other nice features are
user-adjustable white balance and at least a
two-frames-per-second frame burst mode.
Probably the most important feature to
consider is the shutter’s lag time. It’s
common for lower- and midrange cameras to
have lag times upward of a half second or
more. The lower the lag time, the more
likely it is that you’ll be able to capture what
you’re after.
I would love to name specific cameras
for you to look at, but by the time this article
is printed it is likely that the models
mentioned would no longer be sold. I would
generally consider cameras from
manufacturers such as Canon, Fuji, Minolta,
Nikon, and Olympus. Among these
manufacturers there are easily a dozen
cameras that meet the criteria I’ve
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70,71,72,75,76,78
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70,71,72,75,76,78
FOR THOSE OF you who don’t know me, I am Model Aviation’s
advertising representative. Not that that matters, but as part of my
job I create many of the advertisements you see on a monthly basis.
When creating these ads, I take pictures of the products—many
pictures! I also help out with event coverage, and I have grabbed a
few Model Aviation covers along the way.
One thing that has surprised me is the number of people who
approach me during events or trade shows and ask about my camera
equipment. After learning that I shoot exclusively digital, they ask
my opinion on cameras, lenses, techniques, etc. It’s quite flattering.
Because of that (and a bit of prompting from Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt), I’ve taken to my keyboard to share information about
how to digitally capture model aircraft successfully.
Not too long ago, digital photos were considered far inferior to
traditional film. Because of rapid improvements in technology in the
past few years, digital cameras have made huge strides to the point
where digital is nearly the equivalent of film.
When used by a professional, traditional film is still superior to
the best digital pictures. However, since most camera owners are not
professional photographers, digital photography is a viable
alternative that could be considered when shooting pictures of model
aircraft.
Digital Terminology: For someone who is new to digital
photography, the buzzwords and terminology can be confusing.
With few exceptions, the features in today’s digital cameras aren’t
even an option with traditional film. Following are some of the most
common terms and their definitions.
• Artifacts: These appear in digital images when they are
compressed. You’ll see them as clusters of noise that usually appear
as squares. The more the image is compressed, the more artifacts
will be visible.
• Buffer: Memory in the camera where the digital photo is stored
before being written to the memory card. A large buffer will allow
you to take more photos before the camera pauses to write them to
the memory card.
• Card Reader: An accessory device that connects to a computer. It
August 2003 67
■ Mark Lanterman
allows you to remove the memory card from your camera and
transfer the pictures into your computer. This is normally attached
via a USB or FireWire port and will transfer pictures at a much
faster rate than using the camera’s built-in data port.
• Charge Coupled Device (CCD): This is one of the two main types
of image sensors used in today’s digital cameras. When the shutter is
pressed, the sensor is struck by light coming in through the camera
lens. The sensor is made up of pixels—in some cases several
million.
• Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): The other
These are styles of digital cameras. Top two are point-andshoots.
At lower left is SLR style, which normally has higher
resolution and larger zoom. At lower right is top-of-the-line, true
SLR with interchangeable lenses. These have the most features
and are the most expensive.
■ Mark Lanterman
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 67
of the two main types of image sensors
used in today’s digital cameras. Although
it’s not as widely used as CCD sensors, it
works much the same as a CCD sensor.
• Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (CMYK):
A process used in printing, sometimes
referred to as four-color process. Model
Aviation (as well as most other
magazines) is printed using this
technique. All digital photos must be
converted to this process to print
correctly.
• CompactFlash: The most common type
of memory card. There are two kinds:
Type I and Type II. Although they vary in
thickness, both are roughly the size of a
matchbook. This is by far the most
popular type of storage in digital cameras.
They also come in a wide variety of sizes
as large as 1 gigabyte (1,000 megabytes).
• Depth of Field (DOF): The portion of
the image which is in focus. The shorter
the focal length, the greater the DOF. The
camera’s f-stop also affects the DOF. A
larger opening (smaller f-stop) will give a
short DOF, and a smaller opening (larger
f-stop) will give a larger DOF.
• Digital Zoom: Magnification obtained
by electronically enlarging the photo.
Many cameras can do this, but it should
be used only when no other options exist.
Enlarging a photo in this manner causes
extreme loss of image quality, resulting in
jagged, fuzzy photos. In most cases the
photo can be enlarged with much better
results using computer software.
• Dots Per Inch (dpi): A measurement of
a digital camera, printer, monitor, etc. used
to describe its resolution. Most computer
monitors are 72 dpi, and most printed
photos (such as in this magazine) are 300
dpi. The higher the dpi, the greater the
resolution of the device.
• F-stop: Inside the camera’s lens is an
aperture that works just like the iris in your
eye. The size of the opening can be changed
automatically or manually, depending on
the camera. The amount of the opening is
given a number, or f-stop.
Lower numbers (e.g. f-2.8) will allow
more light through the lens, allowing you to
take the shot using a higher shutter speed.
Higher numbers (e.g. f-22) will allow less
light through the lens, requiring a slower
shutter speed.
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): Technology for
transferring files between digital devices,
such as a camera and a computer, at high
speed. A FireWire connection is typically
faster than a USB connection. FireWire was
developed by Apple Computer and is
widely used in most computers. However,
only higher-priced digital cameras have this
capability.
• Focal Length: The amount of
magnification of the lens. A zoom lens will
give you an adjustable focal length
(normally 28-200mm).
• Gigabyte (GB): Measurement of data
storage equal to 1,000 megabytes.
• Histogram: A graphic representation of
the range of tones (dark to light) captured in
a photo. Some digital cameras include this
feature to give a precise check on a photo’s
exposure.
• Image resolution: Commonly referred to
as the number of pixels in a digital photo.
• ISO: This is one of the few terms that
came over from traditional film
photography. Film is rated to tell its
sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO
number, the more likely the film is to
capture a fast-moving or dimly lit object.
The numbers 100, 200, 400, and higher are
printed on film packages.
Digital-camera manufacturers have
adopted the same rating system for
describing the sensitivity of the camera’s
imaging sensor. Some digital cameras
include a control for adjusting the ISO
speed, and others adjust the ISO
automatically, depending on the lighting
conditions.
• JPEG: A compression method used
within a file format, such as the EXIF-JPEG
format common to digital cameras. This is a
“lossy” format, which means that image
quality is discarded to compress the image.
Most cameras have several settings for
JPEG compression. When selecting a low-
The same model photographed at ground level approximates the view you would have
of the full-scale subject. This angle maximizes the model’s scale “look.”
Shooting a model at eye level can show a great deal of detail and color, but this isn’t
always the best way—especially with a Scale subject.
68 MODEL AVIATION
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 68
August 2003 69
compression (high-quality) setting, the loss
of image quality is not as noticeable.
• Media: The storage vehicles on which
digital photos are recorded. Digital
photography storage media include
CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards,
Sony’s Memory Stick, and CDs and DVDs.
• Megabyte (MB): A measurement of data
storage equal to 1,024 kilobytes.
• Megapixel: A measurement of a camera’s
imaging sensor. One megapixel equals one
million pixels.
• Memory Stick: This chewing-gum-size
memory card was developed by Sony and is
used in most of its digital cameras.
• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH): A type of
rechargeable battery. Its chemistry gives it
up to twice the lifespan of Ni-Cd batteries.
• Optical Zoom: The magnification obtained
by adjusting a camera’s lens. With the
exception of lowest-priced cameras, most
digital cameras have a minimum zoom of
2x. Some go as high as 10x.
• Pixel: Think of this as the building block
of a digital photo. Each digital photo is made
up of thousands (or millions) of these.
• Red, Green, Blue (RGB): The system in
which most electronic displays (televisions,
monitors, Liquid Crystal Display screens,
and digital cameras’ imaging sensors) work.
• Shutter Lag: The amount of time that
passes between when you press the trigger
and when the camera takes the picture. In
this case, less is more; many inexpensive
cameras can have shutter lag of a second or
more. This takes a huge amount of planning
and luck to shoot anything that’s moving.
• Shutter Speed: The amount of time it takes
for the shutter to open and close. The shutter
opens, exposing the camera’s sensor to light,
thus taking the picture. The shutter speed is
normally automatic, but it can be adjusted
manually on more advanced cameras. The
higher the shutter speed, the quicker the
camera can take the picture, giving less
chance of the model being blurry in the
photo.
• SmartMedia: Another type of storage
format which is a wafer-thin, matchbooksize
memory card. It is widely used in lessexpensive
digital cameras.
• Universal Serial Bus (USB): Type of
technology for transferring files between
digital devices, such as a camera and a
computer, at high speed. It’s not as fast as
FireWire, but it is more commonly used in
digital cameras, card readers, etc.
• White Balance: Compensation for different
colors of light emitted by different light
Paying attention to the background can make all the difference in a shot. In this photo
the subject is in focus, and so is the background.
By shooting the subject with a longer-focal-length lens, you minimize the depth of field,
making the subject pop out from the background.
Try something different next time, such as shooting into the sun. Here the sun’s
reflections give a welcome, dramatic look to an otherwise average subject.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:25 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Flash can be your best friend on a sunny day. This biplane’s
upper wing casts a shadow, hiding all scale detail. In these
situations use flash to “fill,” or add light to, dark areas.
Look at this
issue’s cover.
Sometimes you
have to fake it to
get a great shot.
With the help of
others you can
capture subjects
that would be too
dangerous, or
maybe even
impossible,
otherwise.
sources (including the sun). Not all digital cameras have this, but it
is a great feature to have. If you’ve ever taken indoor photos and had
them come out with a green or blue tint, using white balance can
compensate for this and produce natural tones.
Advantages of Digital Photography:
• Digital photography gives immediate results. Almost all digital
cameras on the market today have Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
screens to give you immediate feedback on your photos. Most LCD
screens show the image in real time, allowing you to compose and
shoot without having to look through a tiny viewfinder. The screen
also allows you to play back previously taken images so you can
make sure you have the shot you want before leaving for home.
Since there’s no film developing with digital photos, the images
are ready to be uploaded to the computer as soon as you arrive
home. There they can be cropped, edited, and printed within
minutes.
• Digital photography can offer outstanding control over your
images. As you become more familiar with your digital camera, you
can explore features such as white balance, ISO sensitivity, fill flash,
and more. You can do all of this by pushing a few buttons or rotating
a few controls. And since digital cameras give immediate results,
you’ll know instantly whether or not your experiment worked.
But that’s just the beginning. Once the files are transferred to
your computer, photo-editing software will give you the chance to
sharpen and enhance your photos. A high-end software package such
as Photoshop can give you the ability to add outstanding special
effects to your pictures.
• Digital photography lets you shoot as much as you like. The only
limits are the size of your memory card and the life of your batteries.
With a couple of good-size 64 MB, 128 MB, or larger memory cards
and a couple sets of rechargeable batteries, you can literally shoot all
day long, taking hundreds of pictures without stopping.
• Digital photography is more affordable than film in the long run.
The initial cost of getting started in digital photography is more than
traditional film. A good digital camera, a few sets of rechargeable
batteries, and a couple of memory cards can cost $1,000 or more.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 70
However, you have all you need once
you purchase these items. With digital, you
basically spend everything up front. With
film, you pay the cost of film, the cost of
developing, and the cost of making prints
during the life of the equipment.
Choosing a Digital Camera: There are
hundreds of digital cameras out there, from
simple point-and-shoot models up to
expensive 35-millimeter (mm) SLR (Single
Lens Reflex) equivalents with
interchangeable lenses.
Which one is right for you? It depends
on two things: the type(s) of photos you
want to take and what they’ll be used for.
Types of photos are as follows.
• Ground Shots: I categorize this as any shot
where you can get close to the subject; e.g.,
a model sitting on the ground, someone
posing with a model, shots of subjects in the
pits, etc.
Most digital cameras can adequately take
ground shots. Being close to the subject
eliminates the need for a large zoom. These
photos are normally taken outside, so white
balance is not as critical. There’s usually not
a great deal of action in these pictures, so a
high ISO or high shutter speed may be
unnecessary.
• Action Shots: As the name implies, these
are photos in which the subject is moving;
e.g., a model taking off or landing, action in
the pits, etc.
These pictures require a bit more in a
camera. Since the subject is in motion,
higher shutter speeds and higher ISO
settings are required to “freeze” the scene. If
you’re photographing a model landing or
taking off, you’ll need a bit of zoom since
you won’t be very close to the aircraft.
These photos will normally be taken
outside, so white balance may not be
critical. You’ll need a camera with a
minimum of shutter lag to help capture the
moment.
• Flying (or Flight) Shots: These are photos
in which the model is flying in the air, in a
typical pattern, from a safety standpoint,
hopefully a fair distance from the camera!
The only difference between these and
action shots are that in this case the model is
normally flying at full speed, high in the air.
This is where you need the biggest zoom
lens you can find. I recommend taking
flying shots with a minimum lens of
200mm. You’ll need a camera with
minimum shutter lag, higher shutter speeds,
and higher ISO settings.
• Miscellaneous Shots: This is where we
include shots of Indoor Free Flight and
electric models, museums, trade shows, and
club meetings.
For such photos you need a little bit of
everything. Since these environments are
poorly lit, high ISOs (or a flash) are
mandatory. Zoom can help you “reach out”
and fill the frame with the subject. Since
indoor venues contain a wide variety of
light sources (incandescent, fluorescent,
halogen, etc.), the biggest feature you’ll
need is white balance; it will ensure that
what you capture on film will have the same
color balance as what you see with your
eyes.
What will you do with the photos? The
whole reason for taking pictures is to
capture the moment so you can share it with
others. The medium through which you
share your photos will have a bearing on the
resolution (number of megapixels) your
digital camera should have.
If you’re shooting only to send photos
via E-mail or post them on the Internet,
most any resolution of camera will do. Most
computer screens run at a resolution of 72
dpi, so a small 2-megapixel camera can take
a photo that is larger than a computer
monitor can display.
However, if you’re going to print your
photos on one of today’s higher-quality
color printers, in a club newsletter, or in a
magazine, things change quite a bit. The
biggest difference is that the camera’s
resolution is more critical.
Although there are a few exceptions, the
general rule is that to get the best-quality
print from your photo, it must be printed at a
resolution of 300 dpi. To figure out how big
a photo from a camera can be requires a
little math.
Before I give you the math behind
megapixels and print size, I’ll put it in a
scenario with which a modeler can identify.
Let’s say you have a 40-size glow engine.
The two-blade propeller you would
typically use with it is a 10 x 6 or a 10 x 7.
This will let the engine turn at an rpm that
allows it to produce peak power.
You could use the same engine with a
larger propeller, but the larger the propeller,
the more useless the power plant. As the
propeller diameter increased, you would
continually have to select propellers with
lower pitches to keep the engine working at
its peak output rpm. Doing this could make
the propeller pitch so small that you could
not propel the airplane at flying speeds, and
you would make the propeller act as a brake
rather than thrust.
A similar thing happens when you
enlarge digital photos. You can blow them
up as big as you want, but as you do you
sacrifice image quality to the point where a
good, sharp photo is a large, blurry mess.
I’ll use a 3-megapixel camera to
illustrate. Most cameras of this resolution
are roughly 2,048 pixels wide and 1,536
pixels high. (Refer to the camera’s
specifications to learn the sensor’s size.) To
figure the largest high-resolution photo the
camera can produce, divide the width by
300 and divide the height by 300. In this
case you end up with a 300 dpi photo that is
roughly 5 x 7 inches. The larger the
camera’s sensor, the bigger this highestresolution
image can be.
If you want to print larger photos, such
as for an 8 x 11-inch magazine cover, you’ll
August 2003 71
When thinking about how to save
your files, you may be tempted to choose
a high-compression JPEG format. That
will create smaller files, but it does so by
removing the detail from the photos.
The top image is from a TIF file. It
has no compression and contains all of
the detail the camera can capture.
The middle image is from a highresolution
JPEG. Although it looks good,
if you look closely you will see that some
of the detail has been lost.
The bottom image is from a lowresolution
JPEG, which looks much
worse. Notice the artifacts and jagged
edges.
It’s always best to save your images
using the highest quality your camera will
allow. This will give you the most
flexibility when sharing and printing your
photos. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo was saved in TIF format. It
contains all of the resolution that the
camera can capture.
This image was saved as a highresolution
JPEG. Although a bit of
information was lost to make the file
smaller, the detail is still good.
This image was saved as a lowresolution
JPEG. The high
compression makes files smaller so
you can shoot more, but the
compression loses detail and creates
artifacts, making the photo unusable.
Don’t Compress Your Images!
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 71
72 MODEL AVIATION
need to shoot with a minimum of a 5- or 6-
megapixel camera. As you’ll read later, the
camera I use to shoot magazine covers can
take a high-resolution photo that is roughly
11 x 14 inches.
Sometimes computer software can
enlarge digital photos without losing too
much of the original quality. Programs such
as Photoshop and Genuine Fractals can
easily enlarge photos, but you must take
care when doing this.
What do I use? I carry two digital cameras
when I’m covering an event. I have a small,
3-megapixel camera with a 3x zoom which
I use for many of the ground shots. It
doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of
more advanced cameras, but it takes good,
sharp photos (as large as 5 x 7 inches) with
a minimum amount of effort. The LCD
screen on the back can be rotated so I can
hold the camera at all sorts of weird angles
while keeping my clothes cleaner and
making my life a bit easier.
The camera I use most is a 6-megapixel
SLR which uses interchangeable lenses
carried over from traditional 35mm
equipment. Although this camera is quite
expensive, its long list of features gives me
the best chance to capture high-resolution
photos in any condition (pictures up to 11 x
14 inches or smaller photos which can be
tightly cropped). I carry two lenses for this
camera: a 28-200 zoom for the ground and
close-in shots and a 170-500 zoom to
capture models in the air or a candid shot
across the field.
In each camera there’s an IBM
Microdrive: a tiny hard drive in the case of
a CompactFlash card but with a huge
capacity (up to 1 GB). This gives me the
capability to shoot hundreds of photos
during an event without running out of
storage room.
I also have a couple dozen rechargeable
AA NiMH batteries that I use for power.
Each of the cameras takes four batteries at a
time, and I can easily go through a couple
of sets a day when I’m busy shooting.
Using NiMH batteries instead of Nickel
Cadmiums (Ni-Cds) gives me longer
shooting time—sometimes up to twice as
long. (Many cameras require specially
shaped batteries made by the manufacturer.
Watch Your DPI!
Looking at the accompanying photos, notice that the 72 dpi photo shows many jagged
edges and isn’t as sharp as the 300 dpi photo. If you want to submit your photos to a club
newsletter or magazine, you need to make sure that they are of a high enough resolution
for printing.
When a digital camera stores an image, it is written at 72 dpi. A 3-megapixel camera
captures a photo that is roughly 28 inches wide and 21 inches tall. To reformat the photo
for printing, you need to convert the photo to 300 dpi.
This is not simply resizing the image; you are exchanging the photo’s size for
resolution. Converting that same 3-megapixel photo to 300 dpi results in a picture that is
7 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Almost any photo software can do this conversion for you. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo is printed at 72 dpi: the same
resolution as a computer screen. Notice
jagged edges and lack of detail.
The same photo is printed at 300 dpi. At
this resolution it contains all of the detail
and crispness you need.
In this case, it would be a good idea to
purchase an extra or two.)
What camera do I recommend? Regardless
of the camera(s) you choose, you’ll never
find one that does it all. Even the most
expensive SLRs don’t have every feature in
one package. The best compromise is to find
a camera that will shoot the majority of the
pictures you want to take and do a good job.
These days, probably the best
compromise is a 4- to 6-megapixel SLRstyle
camera with a 6x (or longer) zoom
lens. I recommend that the camera use
CompactFlash cards for storage. A movable
LCD screen makes taking some photos
easier, such as low-to-the-ground shots or
those over a crowd. Other nice features are
user-adjustable white balance and at least a
two-frames-per-second frame burst mode.
Probably the most important feature to
consider is the shutter’s lag time. It’s
common for lower- and midrange cameras to
have lag times upward of a half second or
more. The lower the lag time, the more
likely it is that you’ll be able to capture what
you’re after.
I would love to name specific cameras
for you to look at, but by the time this article
is printed it is likely that the models
mentioned would no longer be sold. I would
generally consider cameras from
manufacturers such as Canon, Fuji, Minolta,
Nikon, and Olympus. Among these
manufacturers there are easily a dozen
cameras that meet the criteria I’ve
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70,71,72,75,76,78
FOR THOSE OF you who don’t know me, I am Model Aviation’s
advertising representative. Not that that matters, but as part of my
job I create many of the advertisements you see on a monthly basis.
When creating these ads, I take pictures of the products—many
pictures! I also help out with event coverage, and I have grabbed a
few Model Aviation covers along the way.
One thing that has surprised me is the number of people who
approach me during events or trade shows and ask about my camera
equipment. After learning that I shoot exclusively digital, they ask
my opinion on cameras, lenses, techniques, etc. It’s quite flattering.
Because of that (and a bit of prompting from Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt), I’ve taken to my keyboard to share information about
how to digitally capture model aircraft successfully.
Not too long ago, digital photos were considered far inferior to
traditional film. Because of rapid improvements in technology in the
past few years, digital cameras have made huge strides to the point
where digital is nearly the equivalent of film.
When used by a professional, traditional film is still superior to
the best digital pictures. However, since most camera owners are not
professional photographers, digital photography is a viable
alternative that could be considered when shooting pictures of model
aircraft.
Digital Terminology: For someone who is new to digital
photography, the buzzwords and terminology can be confusing.
With few exceptions, the features in today’s digital cameras aren’t
even an option with traditional film. Following are some of the most
common terms and their definitions.
• Artifacts: These appear in digital images when they are
compressed. You’ll see them as clusters of noise that usually appear
as squares. The more the image is compressed, the more artifacts
will be visible.
• Buffer: Memory in the camera where the digital photo is stored
before being written to the memory card. A large buffer will allow
you to take more photos before the camera pauses to write them to
the memory card.
• Card Reader: An accessory device that connects to a computer. It
August 2003 67
■ Mark Lanterman
allows you to remove the memory card from your camera and
transfer the pictures into your computer. This is normally attached
via a USB or FireWire port and will transfer pictures at a much
faster rate than using the camera’s built-in data port.
• Charge Coupled Device (CCD): This is one of the two main types
of image sensors used in today’s digital cameras. When the shutter is
pressed, the sensor is struck by light coming in through the camera
lens. The sensor is made up of pixels—in some cases several
million.
• Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): The other
These are styles of digital cameras. Top two are point-andshoots.
At lower left is SLR style, which normally has higher
resolution and larger zoom. At lower right is top-of-the-line, true
SLR with interchangeable lenses. These have the most features
and are the most expensive.
■ Mark Lanterman
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 67
of the two main types of image sensors
used in today’s digital cameras. Although
it’s not as widely used as CCD sensors, it
works much the same as a CCD sensor.
• Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (CMYK):
A process used in printing, sometimes
referred to as four-color process. Model
Aviation (as well as most other
magazines) is printed using this
technique. All digital photos must be
converted to this process to print
correctly.
• CompactFlash: The most common type
of memory card. There are two kinds:
Type I and Type II. Although they vary in
thickness, both are roughly the size of a
matchbook. This is by far the most
popular type of storage in digital cameras.
They also come in a wide variety of sizes
as large as 1 gigabyte (1,000 megabytes).
• Depth of Field (DOF): The portion of
the image which is in focus. The shorter
the focal length, the greater the DOF. The
camera’s f-stop also affects the DOF. A
larger opening (smaller f-stop) will give a
short DOF, and a smaller opening (larger
f-stop) will give a larger DOF.
• Digital Zoom: Magnification obtained
by electronically enlarging the photo.
Many cameras can do this, but it should
be used only when no other options exist.
Enlarging a photo in this manner causes
extreme loss of image quality, resulting in
jagged, fuzzy photos. In most cases the
photo can be enlarged with much better
results using computer software.
• Dots Per Inch (dpi): A measurement of
a digital camera, printer, monitor, etc. used
to describe its resolution. Most computer
monitors are 72 dpi, and most printed
photos (such as in this magazine) are 300
dpi. The higher the dpi, the greater the
resolution of the device.
• F-stop: Inside the camera’s lens is an
aperture that works just like the iris in your
eye. The size of the opening can be changed
automatically or manually, depending on
the camera. The amount of the opening is
given a number, or f-stop.
Lower numbers (e.g. f-2.8) will allow
more light through the lens, allowing you to
take the shot using a higher shutter speed.
Higher numbers (e.g. f-22) will allow less
light through the lens, requiring a slower
shutter speed.
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): Technology for
transferring files between digital devices,
such as a camera and a computer, at high
speed. A FireWire connection is typically
faster than a USB connection. FireWire was
developed by Apple Computer and is
widely used in most computers. However,
only higher-priced digital cameras have this
capability.
• Focal Length: The amount of
magnification of the lens. A zoom lens will
give you an adjustable focal length
(normally 28-200mm).
• Gigabyte (GB): Measurement of data
storage equal to 1,000 megabytes.
• Histogram: A graphic representation of
the range of tones (dark to light) captured in
a photo. Some digital cameras include this
feature to give a precise check on a photo’s
exposure.
• Image resolution: Commonly referred to
as the number of pixels in a digital photo.
• ISO: This is one of the few terms that
came over from traditional film
photography. Film is rated to tell its
sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO
number, the more likely the film is to
capture a fast-moving or dimly lit object.
The numbers 100, 200, 400, and higher are
printed on film packages.
Digital-camera manufacturers have
adopted the same rating system for
describing the sensitivity of the camera’s
imaging sensor. Some digital cameras
include a control for adjusting the ISO
speed, and others adjust the ISO
automatically, depending on the lighting
conditions.
• JPEG: A compression method used
within a file format, such as the EXIF-JPEG
format common to digital cameras. This is a
“lossy” format, which means that image
quality is discarded to compress the image.
Most cameras have several settings for
JPEG compression. When selecting a low-
The same model photographed at ground level approximates the view you would have
of the full-scale subject. This angle maximizes the model’s scale “look.”
Shooting a model at eye level can show a great deal of detail and color, but this isn’t
always the best way—especially with a Scale subject.
68 MODEL AVIATION
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 68
August 2003 69
compression (high-quality) setting, the loss
of image quality is not as noticeable.
• Media: The storage vehicles on which
digital photos are recorded. Digital
photography storage media include
CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards,
Sony’s Memory Stick, and CDs and DVDs.
• Megabyte (MB): A measurement of data
storage equal to 1,024 kilobytes.
• Megapixel: A measurement of a camera’s
imaging sensor. One megapixel equals one
million pixels.
• Memory Stick: This chewing-gum-size
memory card was developed by Sony and is
used in most of its digital cameras.
• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH): A type of
rechargeable battery. Its chemistry gives it
up to twice the lifespan of Ni-Cd batteries.
• Optical Zoom: The magnification obtained
by adjusting a camera’s lens. With the
exception of lowest-priced cameras, most
digital cameras have a minimum zoom of
2x. Some go as high as 10x.
• Pixel: Think of this as the building block
of a digital photo. Each digital photo is made
up of thousands (or millions) of these.
• Red, Green, Blue (RGB): The system in
which most electronic displays (televisions,
monitors, Liquid Crystal Display screens,
and digital cameras’ imaging sensors) work.
• Shutter Lag: The amount of time that
passes between when you press the trigger
and when the camera takes the picture. In
this case, less is more; many inexpensive
cameras can have shutter lag of a second or
more. This takes a huge amount of planning
and luck to shoot anything that’s moving.
• Shutter Speed: The amount of time it takes
for the shutter to open and close. The shutter
opens, exposing the camera’s sensor to light,
thus taking the picture. The shutter speed is
normally automatic, but it can be adjusted
manually on more advanced cameras. The
higher the shutter speed, the quicker the
camera can take the picture, giving less
chance of the model being blurry in the
photo.
• SmartMedia: Another type of storage
format which is a wafer-thin, matchbooksize
memory card. It is widely used in lessexpensive
digital cameras.
• Universal Serial Bus (USB): Type of
technology for transferring files between
digital devices, such as a camera and a
computer, at high speed. It’s not as fast as
FireWire, but it is more commonly used in
digital cameras, card readers, etc.
• White Balance: Compensation for different
colors of light emitted by different light
Paying attention to the background can make all the difference in a shot. In this photo
the subject is in focus, and so is the background.
By shooting the subject with a longer-focal-length lens, you minimize the depth of field,
making the subject pop out from the background.
Try something different next time, such as shooting into the sun. Here the sun’s
reflections give a welcome, dramatic look to an otherwise average subject.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:25 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Flash can be your best friend on a sunny day. This biplane’s
upper wing casts a shadow, hiding all scale detail. In these
situations use flash to “fill,” or add light to, dark areas.
Look at this
issue’s cover.
Sometimes you
have to fake it to
get a great shot.
With the help of
others you can
capture subjects
that would be too
dangerous, or
maybe even
impossible,
otherwise.
sources (including the sun). Not all digital cameras have this, but it
is a great feature to have. If you’ve ever taken indoor photos and had
them come out with a green or blue tint, using white balance can
compensate for this and produce natural tones.
Advantages of Digital Photography:
• Digital photography gives immediate results. Almost all digital
cameras on the market today have Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
screens to give you immediate feedback on your photos. Most LCD
screens show the image in real time, allowing you to compose and
shoot without having to look through a tiny viewfinder. The screen
also allows you to play back previously taken images so you can
make sure you have the shot you want before leaving for home.
Since there’s no film developing with digital photos, the images
are ready to be uploaded to the computer as soon as you arrive
home. There they can be cropped, edited, and printed within
minutes.
• Digital photography can offer outstanding control over your
images. As you become more familiar with your digital camera, you
can explore features such as white balance, ISO sensitivity, fill flash,
and more. You can do all of this by pushing a few buttons or rotating
a few controls. And since digital cameras give immediate results,
you’ll know instantly whether or not your experiment worked.
But that’s just the beginning. Once the files are transferred to
your computer, photo-editing software will give you the chance to
sharpen and enhance your photos. A high-end software package such
as Photoshop can give you the ability to add outstanding special
effects to your pictures.
• Digital photography lets you shoot as much as you like. The only
limits are the size of your memory card and the life of your batteries.
With a couple of good-size 64 MB, 128 MB, or larger memory cards
and a couple sets of rechargeable batteries, you can literally shoot all
day long, taking hundreds of pictures without stopping.
• Digital photography is more affordable than film in the long run.
The initial cost of getting started in digital photography is more than
traditional film. A good digital camera, a few sets of rechargeable
batteries, and a couple of memory cards can cost $1,000 or more.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 70
However, you have all you need once
you purchase these items. With digital, you
basically spend everything up front. With
film, you pay the cost of film, the cost of
developing, and the cost of making prints
during the life of the equipment.
Choosing a Digital Camera: There are
hundreds of digital cameras out there, from
simple point-and-shoot models up to
expensive 35-millimeter (mm) SLR (Single
Lens Reflex) equivalents with
interchangeable lenses.
Which one is right for you? It depends
on two things: the type(s) of photos you
want to take and what they’ll be used for.
Types of photos are as follows.
• Ground Shots: I categorize this as any shot
where you can get close to the subject; e.g.,
a model sitting on the ground, someone
posing with a model, shots of subjects in the
pits, etc.
Most digital cameras can adequately take
ground shots. Being close to the subject
eliminates the need for a large zoom. These
photos are normally taken outside, so white
balance is not as critical. There’s usually not
a great deal of action in these pictures, so a
high ISO or high shutter speed may be
unnecessary.
• Action Shots: As the name implies, these
are photos in which the subject is moving;
e.g., a model taking off or landing, action in
the pits, etc.
These pictures require a bit more in a
camera. Since the subject is in motion,
higher shutter speeds and higher ISO
settings are required to “freeze” the scene. If
you’re photographing a model landing or
taking off, you’ll need a bit of zoom since
you won’t be very close to the aircraft.
These photos will normally be taken
outside, so white balance may not be
critical. You’ll need a camera with a
minimum of shutter lag to help capture the
moment.
• Flying (or Flight) Shots: These are photos
in which the model is flying in the air, in a
typical pattern, from a safety standpoint,
hopefully a fair distance from the camera!
The only difference between these and
action shots are that in this case the model is
normally flying at full speed, high in the air.
This is where you need the biggest zoom
lens you can find. I recommend taking
flying shots with a minimum lens of
200mm. You’ll need a camera with
minimum shutter lag, higher shutter speeds,
and higher ISO settings.
• Miscellaneous Shots: This is where we
include shots of Indoor Free Flight and
electric models, museums, trade shows, and
club meetings.
For such photos you need a little bit of
everything. Since these environments are
poorly lit, high ISOs (or a flash) are
mandatory. Zoom can help you “reach out”
and fill the frame with the subject. Since
indoor venues contain a wide variety of
light sources (incandescent, fluorescent,
halogen, etc.), the biggest feature you’ll
need is white balance; it will ensure that
what you capture on film will have the same
color balance as what you see with your
eyes.
What will you do with the photos? The
whole reason for taking pictures is to
capture the moment so you can share it with
others. The medium through which you
share your photos will have a bearing on the
resolution (number of megapixels) your
digital camera should have.
If you’re shooting only to send photos
via E-mail or post them on the Internet,
most any resolution of camera will do. Most
computer screens run at a resolution of 72
dpi, so a small 2-megapixel camera can take
a photo that is larger than a computer
monitor can display.
However, if you’re going to print your
photos on one of today’s higher-quality
color printers, in a club newsletter, or in a
magazine, things change quite a bit. The
biggest difference is that the camera’s
resolution is more critical.
Although there are a few exceptions, the
general rule is that to get the best-quality
print from your photo, it must be printed at a
resolution of 300 dpi. To figure out how big
a photo from a camera can be requires a
little math.
Before I give you the math behind
megapixels and print size, I’ll put it in a
scenario with which a modeler can identify.
Let’s say you have a 40-size glow engine.
The two-blade propeller you would
typically use with it is a 10 x 6 or a 10 x 7.
This will let the engine turn at an rpm that
allows it to produce peak power.
You could use the same engine with a
larger propeller, but the larger the propeller,
the more useless the power plant. As the
propeller diameter increased, you would
continually have to select propellers with
lower pitches to keep the engine working at
its peak output rpm. Doing this could make
the propeller pitch so small that you could
not propel the airplane at flying speeds, and
you would make the propeller act as a brake
rather than thrust.
A similar thing happens when you
enlarge digital photos. You can blow them
up as big as you want, but as you do you
sacrifice image quality to the point where a
good, sharp photo is a large, blurry mess.
I’ll use a 3-megapixel camera to
illustrate. Most cameras of this resolution
are roughly 2,048 pixels wide and 1,536
pixels high. (Refer to the camera’s
specifications to learn the sensor’s size.) To
figure the largest high-resolution photo the
camera can produce, divide the width by
300 and divide the height by 300. In this
case you end up with a 300 dpi photo that is
roughly 5 x 7 inches. The larger the
camera’s sensor, the bigger this highestresolution
image can be.
If you want to print larger photos, such
as for an 8 x 11-inch magazine cover, you’ll
August 2003 71
When thinking about how to save
your files, you may be tempted to choose
a high-compression JPEG format. That
will create smaller files, but it does so by
removing the detail from the photos.
The top image is from a TIF file. It
has no compression and contains all of
the detail the camera can capture.
The middle image is from a highresolution
JPEG. Although it looks good,
if you look closely you will see that some
of the detail has been lost.
The bottom image is from a lowresolution
JPEG, which looks much
worse. Notice the artifacts and jagged
edges.
It’s always best to save your images
using the highest quality your camera will
allow. This will give you the most
flexibility when sharing and printing your
photos. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo was saved in TIF format. It
contains all of the resolution that the
camera can capture.
This image was saved as a highresolution
JPEG. Although a bit of
information was lost to make the file
smaller, the detail is still good.
This image was saved as a lowresolution
JPEG. The high
compression makes files smaller so
you can shoot more, but the
compression loses detail and creates
artifacts, making the photo unusable.
Don’t Compress Your Images!
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 71
72 MODEL AVIATION
need to shoot with a minimum of a 5- or 6-
megapixel camera. As you’ll read later, the
camera I use to shoot magazine covers can
take a high-resolution photo that is roughly
11 x 14 inches.
Sometimes computer software can
enlarge digital photos without losing too
much of the original quality. Programs such
as Photoshop and Genuine Fractals can
easily enlarge photos, but you must take
care when doing this.
What do I use? I carry two digital cameras
when I’m covering an event. I have a small,
3-megapixel camera with a 3x zoom which
I use for many of the ground shots. It
doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of
more advanced cameras, but it takes good,
sharp photos (as large as 5 x 7 inches) with
a minimum amount of effort. The LCD
screen on the back can be rotated so I can
hold the camera at all sorts of weird angles
while keeping my clothes cleaner and
making my life a bit easier.
The camera I use most is a 6-megapixel
SLR which uses interchangeable lenses
carried over from traditional 35mm
equipment. Although this camera is quite
expensive, its long list of features gives me
the best chance to capture high-resolution
photos in any condition (pictures up to 11 x
14 inches or smaller photos which can be
tightly cropped). I carry two lenses for this
camera: a 28-200 zoom for the ground and
close-in shots and a 170-500 zoom to
capture models in the air or a candid shot
across the field.
In each camera there’s an IBM
Microdrive: a tiny hard drive in the case of
a CompactFlash card but with a huge
capacity (up to 1 GB). This gives me the
capability to shoot hundreds of photos
during an event without running out of
storage room.
I also have a couple dozen rechargeable
AA NiMH batteries that I use for power.
Each of the cameras takes four batteries at a
time, and I can easily go through a couple
of sets a day when I’m busy shooting.
Using NiMH batteries instead of Nickel
Cadmiums (Ni-Cds) gives me longer
shooting time—sometimes up to twice as
long. (Many cameras require specially
shaped batteries made by the manufacturer.
Watch Your DPI!
Looking at the accompanying photos, notice that the 72 dpi photo shows many jagged
edges and isn’t as sharp as the 300 dpi photo. If you want to submit your photos to a club
newsletter or magazine, you need to make sure that they are of a high enough resolution
for printing.
When a digital camera stores an image, it is written at 72 dpi. A 3-megapixel camera
captures a photo that is roughly 28 inches wide and 21 inches tall. To reformat the photo
for printing, you need to convert the photo to 300 dpi.
This is not simply resizing the image; you are exchanging the photo’s size for
resolution. Converting that same 3-megapixel photo to 300 dpi results in a picture that is
7 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Almost any photo software can do this conversion for you. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo is printed at 72 dpi: the same
resolution as a computer screen. Notice
jagged edges and lack of detail.
The same photo is printed at 300 dpi. At
this resolution it contains all of the detail
and crispness you need.
In this case, it would be a good idea to
purchase an extra or two.)
What camera do I recommend? Regardless
of the camera(s) you choose, you’ll never
find one that does it all. Even the most
expensive SLRs don’t have every feature in
one package. The best compromise is to find
a camera that will shoot the majority of the
pictures you want to take and do a good job.
These days, probably the best
compromise is a 4- to 6-megapixel SLRstyle
camera with a 6x (or longer) zoom
lens. I recommend that the camera use
CompactFlash cards for storage. A movable
LCD screen makes taking some photos
easier, such as low-to-the-ground shots or
those over a crowd. Other nice features are
user-adjustable white balance and at least a
two-frames-per-second frame burst mode.
Probably the most important feature to
consider is the shutter’s lag time. It’s
common for lower- and midrange cameras to
have lag times upward of a half second or
more. The lower the lag time, the more
likely it is that you’ll be able to capture what
you’re after.
I would love to name specific cameras
for you to look at, but by the time this article
is printed it is likely that the models
mentioned would no longer be sold. I would
generally consider cameras from
manufacturers such as Canon, Fuji, Minolta,
Nikon, and Olympus. Among these
manufacturers there are easily a dozen
cameras that meet the criteria I’ve
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70,71,72,75,76,78
FOR THOSE OF you who don’t know me, I am Model Aviation’s
advertising representative. Not that that matters, but as part of my
job I create many of the advertisements you see on a monthly basis.
When creating these ads, I take pictures of the products—many
pictures! I also help out with event coverage, and I have grabbed a
few Model Aviation covers along the way.
One thing that has surprised me is the number of people who
approach me during events or trade shows and ask about my camera
equipment. After learning that I shoot exclusively digital, they ask
my opinion on cameras, lenses, techniques, etc. It’s quite flattering.
Because of that (and a bit of prompting from Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt), I’ve taken to my keyboard to share information about
how to digitally capture model aircraft successfully.
Not too long ago, digital photos were considered far inferior to
traditional film. Because of rapid improvements in technology in the
past few years, digital cameras have made huge strides to the point
where digital is nearly the equivalent of film.
When used by a professional, traditional film is still superior to
the best digital pictures. However, since most camera owners are not
professional photographers, digital photography is a viable
alternative that could be considered when shooting pictures of model
aircraft.
Digital Terminology: For someone who is new to digital
photography, the buzzwords and terminology can be confusing.
With few exceptions, the features in today’s digital cameras aren’t
even an option with traditional film. Following are some of the most
common terms and their definitions.
• Artifacts: These appear in digital images when they are
compressed. You’ll see them as clusters of noise that usually appear
as squares. The more the image is compressed, the more artifacts
will be visible.
• Buffer: Memory in the camera where the digital photo is stored
before being written to the memory card. A large buffer will allow
you to take more photos before the camera pauses to write them to
the memory card.
• Card Reader: An accessory device that connects to a computer. It
August 2003 67
■ Mark Lanterman
allows you to remove the memory card from your camera and
transfer the pictures into your computer. This is normally attached
via a USB or FireWire port and will transfer pictures at a much
faster rate than using the camera’s built-in data port.
• Charge Coupled Device (CCD): This is one of the two main types
of image sensors used in today’s digital cameras. When the shutter is
pressed, the sensor is struck by light coming in through the camera
lens. The sensor is made up of pixels—in some cases several
million.
• Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): The other
These are styles of digital cameras. Top two are point-andshoots.
At lower left is SLR style, which normally has higher
resolution and larger zoom. At lower right is top-of-the-line, true
SLR with interchangeable lenses. These have the most features
and are the most expensive.
■ Mark Lanterman
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 67
of the two main types of image sensors
used in today’s digital cameras. Although
it’s not as widely used as CCD sensors, it
works much the same as a CCD sensor.
• Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (CMYK):
A process used in printing, sometimes
referred to as four-color process. Model
Aviation (as well as most other
magazines) is printed using this
technique. All digital photos must be
converted to this process to print
correctly.
• CompactFlash: The most common type
of memory card. There are two kinds:
Type I and Type II. Although they vary in
thickness, both are roughly the size of a
matchbook. This is by far the most
popular type of storage in digital cameras.
They also come in a wide variety of sizes
as large as 1 gigabyte (1,000 megabytes).
• Depth of Field (DOF): The portion of
the image which is in focus. The shorter
the focal length, the greater the DOF. The
camera’s f-stop also affects the DOF. A
larger opening (smaller f-stop) will give a
short DOF, and a smaller opening (larger
f-stop) will give a larger DOF.
• Digital Zoom: Magnification obtained
by electronically enlarging the photo.
Many cameras can do this, but it should
be used only when no other options exist.
Enlarging a photo in this manner causes
extreme loss of image quality, resulting in
jagged, fuzzy photos. In most cases the
photo can be enlarged with much better
results using computer software.
• Dots Per Inch (dpi): A measurement of
a digital camera, printer, monitor, etc. used
to describe its resolution. Most computer
monitors are 72 dpi, and most printed
photos (such as in this magazine) are 300
dpi. The higher the dpi, the greater the
resolution of the device.
• F-stop: Inside the camera’s lens is an
aperture that works just like the iris in your
eye. The size of the opening can be changed
automatically or manually, depending on
the camera. The amount of the opening is
given a number, or f-stop.
Lower numbers (e.g. f-2.8) will allow
more light through the lens, allowing you to
take the shot using a higher shutter speed.
Higher numbers (e.g. f-22) will allow less
light through the lens, requiring a slower
shutter speed.
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): Technology for
transferring files between digital devices,
such as a camera and a computer, at high
speed. A FireWire connection is typically
faster than a USB connection. FireWire was
developed by Apple Computer and is
widely used in most computers. However,
only higher-priced digital cameras have this
capability.
• Focal Length: The amount of
magnification of the lens. A zoom lens will
give you an adjustable focal length
(normally 28-200mm).
• Gigabyte (GB): Measurement of data
storage equal to 1,000 megabytes.
• Histogram: A graphic representation of
the range of tones (dark to light) captured in
a photo. Some digital cameras include this
feature to give a precise check on a photo’s
exposure.
• Image resolution: Commonly referred to
as the number of pixels in a digital photo.
• ISO: This is one of the few terms that
came over from traditional film
photography. Film is rated to tell its
sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO
number, the more likely the film is to
capture a fast-moving or dimly lit object.
The numbers 100, 200, 400, and higher are
printed on film packages.
Digital-camera manufacturers have
adopted the same rating system for
describing the sensitivity of the camera’s
imaging sensor. Some digital cameras
include a control for adjusting the ISO
speed, and others adjust the ISO
automatically, depending on the lighting
conditions.
• JPEG: A compression method used
within a file format, such as the EXIF-JPEG
format common to digital cameras. This is a
“lossy” format, which means that image
quality is discarded to compress the image.
Most cameras have several settings for
JPEG compression. When selecting a low-
The same model photographed at ground level approximates the view you would have
of the full-scale subject. This angle maximizes the model’s scale “look.”
Shooting a model at eye level can show a great deal of detail and color, but this isn’t
always the best way—especially with a Scale subject.
68 MODEL AVIATION
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 68
August 2003 69
compression (high-quality) setting, the loss
of image quality is not as noticeable.
• Media: The storage vehicles on which
digital photos are recorded. Digital
photography storage media include
CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards,
Sony’s Memory Stick, and CDs and DVDs.
• Megabyte (MB): A measurement of data
storage equal to 1,024 kilobytes.
• Megapixel: A measurement of a camera’s
imaging sensor. One megapixel equals one
million pixels.
• Memory Stick: This chewing-gum-size
memory card was developed by Sony and is
used in most of its digital cameras.
• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH): A type of
rechargeable battery. Its chemistry gives it
up to twice the lifespan of Ni-Cd batteries.
• Optical Zoom: The magnification obtained
by adjusting a camera’s lens. With the
exception of lowest-priced cameras, most
digital cameras have a minimum zoom of
2x. Some go as high as 10x.
• Pixel: Think of this as the building block
of a digital photo. Each digital photo is made
up of thousands (or millions) of these.
• Red, Green, Blue (RGB): The system in
which most electronic displays (televisions,
monitors, Liquid Crystal Display screens,
and digital cameras’ imaging sensors) work.
• Shutter Lag: The amount of time that
passes between when you press the trigger
and when the camera takes the picture. In
this case, less is more; many inexpensive
cameras can have shutter lag of a second or
more. This takes a huge amount of planning
and luck to shoot anything that’s moving.
• Shutter Speed: The amount of time it takes
for the shutter to open and close. The shutter
opens, exposing the camera’s sensor to light,
thus taking the picture. The shutter speed is
normally automatic, but it can be adjusted
manually on more advanced cameras. The
higher the shutter speed, the quicker the
camera can take the picture, giving less
chance of the model being blurry in the
photo.
• SmartMedia: Another type of storage
format which is a wafer-thin, matchbooksize
memory card. It is widely used in lessexpensive
digital cameras.
• Universal Serial Bus (USB): Type of
technology for transferring files between
digital devices, such as a camera and a
computer, at high speed. It’s not as fast as
FireWire, but it is more commonly used in
digital cameras, card readers, etc.
• White Balance: Compensation for different
colors of light emitted by different light
Paying attention to the background can make all the difference in a shot. In this photo
the subject is in focus, and so is the background.
By shooting the subject with a longer-focal-length lens, you minimize the depth of field,
making the subject pop out from the background.
Try something different next time, such as shooting into the sun. Here the sun’s
reflections give a welcome, dramatic look to an otherwise average subject.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:25 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Flash can be your best friend on a sunny day. This biplane’s
upper wing casts a shadow, hiding all scale detail. In these
situations use flash to “fill,” or add light to, dark areas.
Look at this
issue’s cover.
Sometimes you
have to fake it to
get a great shot.
With the help of
others you can
capture subjects
that would be too
dangerous, or
maybe even
impossible,
otherwise.
sources (including the sun). Not all digital cameras have this, but it
is a great feature to have. If you’ve ever taken indoor photos and had
them come out with a green or blue tint, using white balance can
compensate for this and produce natural tones.
Advantages of Digital Photography:
• Digital photography gives immediate results. Almost all digital
cameras on the market today have Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
screens to give you immediate feedback on your photos. Most LCD
screens show the image in real time, allowing you to compose and
shoot without having to look through a tiny viewfinder. The screen
also allows you to play back previously taken images so you can
make sure you have the shot you want before leaving for home.
Since there’s no film developing with digital photos, the images
are ready to be uploaded to the computer as soon as you arrive
home. There they can be cropped, edited, and printed within
minutes.
• Digital photography can offer outstanding control over your
images. As you become more familiar with your digital camera, you
can explore features such as white balance, ISO sensitivity, fill flash,
and more. You can do all of this by pushing a few buttons or rotating
a few controls. And since digital cameras give immediate results,
you’ll know instantly whether or not your experiment worked.
But that’s just the beginning. Once the files are transferred to
your computer, photo-editing software will give you the chance to
sharpen and enhance your photos. A high-end software package such
as Photoshop can give you the ability to add outstanding special
effects to your pictures.
• Digital photography lets you shoot as much as you like. The only
limits are the size of your memory card and the life of your batteries.
With a couple of good-size 64 MB, 128 MB, or larger memory cards
and a couple sets of rechargeable batteries, you can literally shoot all
day long, taking hundreds of pictures without stopping.
• Digital photography is more affordable than film in the long run.
The initial cost of getting started in digital photography is more than
traditional film. A good digital camera, a few sets of rechargeable
batteries, and a couple of memory cards can cost $1,000 or more.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 70
However, you have all you need once
you purchase these items. With digital, you
basically spend everything up front. With
film, you pay the cost of film, the cost of
developing, and the cost of making prints
during the life of the equipment.
Choosing a Digital Camera: There are
hundreds of digital cameras out there, from
simple point-and-shoot models up to
expensive 35-millimeter (mm) SLR (Single
Lens Reflex) equivalents with
interchangeable lenses.
Which one is right for you? It depends
on two things: the type(s) of photos you
want to take and what they’ll be used for.
Types of photos are as follows.
• Ground Shots: I categorize this as any shot
where you can get close to the subject; e.g.,
a model sitting on the ground, someone
posing with a model, shots of subjects in the
pits, etc.
Most digital cameras can adequately take
ground shots. Being close to the subject
eliminates the need for a large zoom. These
photos are normally taken outside, so white
balance is not as critical. There’s usually not
a great deal of action in these pictures, so a
high ISO or high shutter speed may be
unnecessary.
• Action Shots: As the name implies, these
are photos in which the subject is moving;
e.g., a model taking off or landing, action in
the pits, etc.
These pictures require a bit more in a
camera. Since the subject is in motion,
higher shutter speeds and higher ISO
settings are required to “freeze” the scene. If
you’re photographing a model landing or
taking off, you’ll need a bit of zoom since
you won’t be very close to the aircraft.
These photos will normally be taken
outside, so white balance may not be
critical. You’ll need a camera with a
minimum of shutter lag to help capture the
moment.
• Flying (or Flight) Shots: These are photos
in which the model is flying in the air, in a
typical pattern, from a safety standpoint,
hopefully a fair distance from the camera!
The only difference between these and
action shots are that in this case the model is
normally flying at full speed, high in the air.
This is where you need the biggest zoom
lens you can find. I recommend taking
flying shots with a minimum lens of
200mm. You’ll need a camera with
minimum shutter lag, higher shutter speeds,
and higher ISO settings.
• Miscellaneous Shots: This is where we
include shots of Indoor Free Flight and
electric models, museums, trade shows, and
club meetings.
For such photos you need a little bit of
everything. Since these environments are
poorly lit, high ISOs (or a flash) are
mandatory. Zoom can help you “reach out”
and fill the frame with the subject. Since
indoor venues contain a wide variety of
light sources (incandescent, fluorescent,
halogen, etc.), the biggest feature you’ll
need is white balance; it will ensure that
what you capture on film will have the same
color balance as what you see with your
eyes.
What will you do with the photos? The
whole reason for taking pictures is to
capture the moment so you can share it with
others. The medium through which you
share your photos will have a bearing on the
resolution (number of megapixels) your
digital camera should have.
If you’re shooting only to send photos
via E-mail or post them on the Internet,
most any resolution of camera will do. Most
computer screens run at a resolution of 72
dpi, so a small 2-megapixel camera can take
a photo that is larger than a computer
monitor can display.
However, if you’re going to print your
photos on one of today’s higher-quality
color printers, in a club newsletter, or in a
magazine, things change quite a bit. The
biggest difference is that the camera’s
resolution is more critical.
Although there are a few exceptions, the
general rule is that to get the best-quality
print from your photo, it must be printed at a
resolution of 300 dpi. To figure out how big
a photo from a camera can be requires a
little math.
Before I give you the math behind
megapixels and print size, I’ll put it in a
scenario with which a modeler can identify.
Let’s say you have a 40-size glow engine.
The two-blade propeller you would
typically use with it is a 10 x 6 or a 10 x 7.
This will let the engine turn at an rpm that
allows it to produce peak power.
You could use the same engine with a
larger propeller, but the larger the propeller,
the more useless the power plant. As the
propeller diameter increased, you would
continually have to select propellers with
lower pitches to keep the engine working at
its peak output rpm. Doing this could make
the propeller pitch so small that you could
not propel the airplane at flying speeds, and
you would make the propeller act as a brake
rather than thrust.
A similar thing happens when you
enlarge digital photos. You can blow them
up as big as you want, but as you do you
sacrifice image quality to the point where a
good, sharp photo is a large, blurry mess.
I’ll use a 3-megapixel camera to
illustrate. Most cameras of this resolution
are roughly 2,048 pixels wide and 1,536
pixels high. (Refer to the camera’s
specifications to learn the sensor’s size.) To
figure the largest high-resolution photo the
camera can produce, divide the width by
300 and divide the height by 300. In this
case you end up with a 300 dpi photo that is
roughly 5 x 7 inches. The larger the
camera’s sensor, the bigger this highestresolution
image can be.
If you want to print larger photos, such
as for an 8 x 11-inch magazine cover, you’ll
August 2003 71
When thinking about how to save
your files, you may be tempted to choose
a high-compression JPEG format. That
will create smaller files, but it does so by
removing the detail from the photos.
The top image is from a TIF file. It
has no compression and contains all of
the detail the camera can capture.
The middle image is from a highresolution
JPEG. Although it looks good,
if you look closely you will see that some
of the detail has been lost.
The bottom image is from a lowresolution
JPEG, which looks much
worse. Notice the artifacts and jagged
edges.
It’s always best to save your images
using the highest quality your camera will
allow. This will give you the most
flexibility when sharing and printing your
photos. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo was saved in TIF format. It
contains all of the resolution that the
camera can capture.
This image was saved as a highresolution
JPEG. Although a bit of
information was lost to make the file
smaller, the detail is still good.
This image was saved as a lowresolution
JPEG. The high
compression makes files smaller so
you can shoot more, but the
compression loses detail and creates
artifacts, making the photo unusable.
Don’t Compress Your Images!
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 71
72 MODEL AVIATION
need to shoot with a minimum of a 5- or 6-
megapixel camera. As you’ll read later, the
camera I use to shoot magazine covers can
take a high-resolution photo that is roughly
11 x 14 inches.
Sometimes computer software can
enlarge digital photos without losing too
much of the original quality. Programs such
as Photoshop and Genuine Fractals can
easily enlarge photos, but you must take
care when doing this.
What do I use? I carry two digital cameras
when I’m covering an event. I have a small,
3-megapixel camera with a 3x zoom which
I use for many of the ground shots. It
doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of
more advanced cameras, but it takes good,
sharp photos (as large as 5 x 7 inches) with
a minimum amount of effort. The LCD
screen on the back can be rotated so I can
hold the camera at all sorts of weird angles
while keeping my clothes cleaner and
making my life a bit easier.
The camera I use most is a 6-megapixel
SLR which uses interchangeable lenses
carried over from traditional 35mm
equipment. Although this camera is quite
expensive, its long list of features gives me
the best chance to capture high-resolution
photos in any condition (pictures up to 11 x
14 inches or smaller photos which can be
tightly cropped). I carry two lenses for this
camera: a 28-200 zoom for the ground and
close-in shots and a 170-500 zoom to
capture models in the air or a candid shot
across the field.
In each camera there’s an IBM
Microdrive: a tiny hard drive in the case of
a CompactFlash card but with a huge
capacity (up to 1 GB). This gives me the
capability to shoot hundreds of photos
during an event without running out of
storage room.
I also have a couple dozen rechargeable
AA NiMH batteries that I use for power.
Each of the cameras takes four batteries at a
time, and I can easily go through a couple
of sets a day when I’m busy shooting.
Using NiMH batteries instead of Nickel
Cadmiums (Ni-Cds) gives me longer
shooting time—sometimes up to twice as
long. (Many cameras require specially
shaped batteries made by the manufacturer.
Watch Your DPI!
Looking at the accompanying photos, notice that the 72 dpi photo shows many jagged
edges and isn’t as sharp as the 300 dpi photo. If you want to submit your photos to a club
newsletter or magazine, you need to make sure that they are of a high enough resolution
for printing.
When a digital camera stores an image, it is written at 72 dpi. A 3-megapixel camera
captures a photo that is roughly 28 inches wide and 21 inches tall. To reformat the photo
for printing, you need to convert the photo to 300 dpi.
This is not simply resizing the image; you are exchanging the photo’s size for
resolution. Converting that same 3-megapixel photo to 300 dpi results in a picture that is
7 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Almost any photo software can do this conversion for you. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo is printed at 72 dpi: the same
resolution as a computer screen. Notice
jagged edges and lack of detail.
The same photo is printed at 300 dpi. At
this resolution it contains all of the detail
and crispness you need.
In this case, it would be a good idea to
purchase an extra or two.)
What camera do I recommend? Regardless
of the camera(s) you choose, you’ll never
find one that does it all. Even the most
expensive SLRs don’t have every feature in
one package. The best compromise is to find
a camera that will shoot the majority of the
pictures you want to take and do a good job.
These days, probably the best
compromise is a 4- to 6-megapixel SLRstyle
camera with a 6x (or longer) zoom
lens. I recommend that the camera use
CompactFlash cards for storage. A movable
LCD screen makes taking some photos
easier, such as low-to-the-ground shots or
those over a crowd. Other nice features are
user-adjustable white balance and at least a
two-frames-per-second frame burst mode.
Probably the most important feature to
consider is the shutter’s lag time. It’s
common for lower- and midrange cameras to
have lag times upward of a half second or
more. The lower the lag time, the more
likely it is that you’ll be able to capture what
you’re after.
I would love to name specific cameras
for you to look at, but by the time this article
is printed it is likely that the models
mentioned would no longer be sold. I would
generally consider cameras from
manufacturers such as Canon, Fuji, Minolta,
Nikon, and Olympus. Among these
manufacturers there are easily a dozen
cameras that meet the criteria I’ve
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70,71,72,75,76,78
FOR THOSE OF you who don’t know me, I am Model Aviation’s
advertising representative. Not that that matters, but as part of my
job I create many of the advertisements you see on a monthly basis.
When creating these ads, I take pictures of the products—many
pictures! I also help out with event coverage, and I have grabbed a
few Model Aviation covers along the way.
One thing that has surprised me is the number of people who
approach me during events or trade shows and ask about my camera
equipment. After learning that I shoot exclusively digital, they ask
my opinion on cameras, lenses, techniques, etc. It’s quite flattering.
Because of that (and a bit of prompting from Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt), I’ve taken to my keyboard to share information about
how to digitally capture model aircraft successfully.
Not too long ago, digital photos were considered far inferior to
traditional film. Because of rapid improvements in technology in the
past few years, digital cameras have made huge strides to the point
where digital is nearly the equivalent of film.
When used by a professional, traditional film is still superior to
the best digital pictures. However, since most camera owners are not
professional photographers, digital photography is a viable
alternative that could be considered when shooting pictures of model
aircraft.
Digital Terminology: For someone who is new to digital
photography, the buzzwords and terminology can be confusing.
With few exceptions, the features in today’s digital cameras aren’t
even an option with traditional film. Following are some of the most
common terms and their definitions.
• Artifacts: These appear in digital images when they are
compressed. You’ll see them as clusters of noise that usually appear
as squares. The more the image is compressed, the more artifacts
will be visible.
• Buffer: Memory in the camera where the digital photo is stored
before being written to the memory card. A large buffer will allow
you to take more photos before the camera pauses to write them to
the memory card.
• Card Reader: An accessory device that connects to a computer. It
August 2003 67
■ Mark Lanterman
allows you to remove the memory card from your camera and
transfer the pictures into your computer. This is normally attached
via a USB or FireWire port and will transfer pictures at a much
faster rate than using the camera’s built-in data port.
• Charge Coupled Device (CCD): This is one of the two main types
of image sensors used in today’s digital cameras. When the shutter is
pressed, the sensor is struck by light coming in through the camera
lens. The sensor is made up of pixels—in some cases several
million.
• Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): The other
These are styles of digital cameras. Top two are point-andshoots.
At lower left is SLR style, which normally has higher
resolution and larger zoom. At lower right is top-of-the-line, true
SLR with interchangeable lenses. These have the most features
and are the most expensive.
■ Mark Lanterman
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 67
of the two main types of image sensors
used in today’s digital cameras. Although
it’s not as widely used as CCD sensors, it
works much the same as a CCD sensor.
• Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (CMYK):
A process used in printing, sometimes
referred to as four-color process. Model
Aviation (as well as most other
magazines) is printed using this
technique. All digital photos must be
converted to this process to print
correctly.
• CompactFlash: The most common type
of memory card. There are two kinds:
Type I and Type II. Although they vary in
thickness, both are roughly the size of a
matchbook. This is by far the most
popular type of storage in digital cameras.
They also come in a wide variety of sizes
as large as 1 gigabyte (1,000 megabytes).
• Depth of Field (DOF): The portion of
the image which is in focus. The shorter
the focal length, the greater the DOF. The
camera’s f-stop also affects the DOF. A
larger opening (smaller f-stop) will give a
short DOF, and a smaller opening (larger
f-stop) will give a larger DOF.
• Digital Zoom: Magnification obtained
by electronically enlarging the photo.
Many cameras can do this, but it should
be used only when no other options exist.
Enlarging a photo in this manner causes
extreme loss of image quality, resulting in
jagged, fuzzy photos. In most cases the
photo can be enlarged with much better
results using computer software.
• Dots Per Inch (dpi): A measurement of
a digital camera, printer, monitor, etc. used
to describe its resolution. Most computer
monitors are 72 dpi, and most printed
photos (such as in this magazine) are 300
dpi. The higher the dpi, the greater the
resolution of the device.
• F-stop: Inside the camera’s lens is an
aperture that works just like the iris in your
eye. The size of the opening can be changed
automatically or manually, depending on
the camera. The amount of the opening is
given a number, or f-stop.
Lower numbers (e.g. f-2.8) will allow
more light through the lens, allowing you to
take the shot using a higher shutter speed.
Higher numbers (e.g. f-22) will allow less
light through the lens, requiring a slower
shutter speed.
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): Technology for
transferring files between digital devices,
such as a camera and a computer, at high
speed. A FireWire connection is typically
faster than a USB connection. FireWire was
developed by Apple Computer and is
widely used in most computers. However,
only higher-priced digital cameras have this
capability.
• Focal Length: The amount of
magnification of the lens. A zoom lens will
give you an adjustable focal length
(normally 28-200mm).
• Gigabyte (GB): Measurement of data
storage equal to 1,000 megabytes.
• Histogram: A graphic representation of
the range of tones (dark to light) captured in
a photo. Some digital cameras include this
feature to give a precise check on a photo’s
exposure.
• Image resolution: Commonly referred to
as the number of pixels in a digital photo.
• ISO: This is one of the few terms that
came over from traditional film
photography. Film is rated to tell its
sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO
number, the more likely the film is to
capture a fast-moving or dimly lit object.
The numbers 100, 200, 400, and higher are
printed on film packages.
Digital-camera manufacturers have
adopted the same rating system for
describing the sensitivity of the camera’s
imaging sensor. Some digital cameras
include a control for adjusting the ISO
speed, and others adjust the ISO
automatically, depending on the lighting
conditions.
• JPEG: A compression method used
within a file format, such as the EXIF-JPEG
format common to digital cameras. This is a
“lossy” format, which means that image
quality is discarded to compress the image.
Most cameras have several settings for
JPEG compression. When selecting a low-
The same model photographed at ground level approximates the view you would have
of the full-scale subject. This angle maximizes the model’s scale “look.”
Shooting a model at eye level can show a great deal of detail and color, but this isn’t
always the best way—especially with a Scale subject.
68 MODEL AVIATION
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 68
August 2003 69
compression (high-quality) setting, the loss
of image quality is not as noticeable.
• Media: The storage vehicles on which
digital photos are recorded. Digital
photography storage media include
CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards,
Sony’s Memory Stick, and CDs and DVDs.
• Megabyte (MB): A measurement of data
storage equal to 1,024 kilobytes.
• Megapixel: A measurement of a camera’s
imaging sensor. One megapixel equals one
million pixels.
• Memory Stick: This chewing-gum-size
memory card was developed by Sony and is
used in most of its digital cameras.
• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH): A type of
rechargeable battery. Its chemistry gives it
up to twice the lifespan of Ni-Cd batteries.
• Optical Zoom: The magnification obtained
by adjusting a camera’s lens. With the
exception of lowest-priced cameras, most
digital cameras have a minimum zoom of
2x. Some go as high as 10x.
• Pixel: Think of this as the building block
of a digital photo. Each digital photo is made
up of thousands (or millions) of these.
• Red, Green, Blue (RGB): The system in
which most electronic displays (televisions,
monitors, Liquid Crystal Display screens,
and digital cameras’ imaging sensors) work.
• Shutter Lag: The amount of time that
passes between when you press the trigger
and when the camera takes the picture. In
this case, less is more; many inexpensive
cameras can have shutter lag of a second or
more. This takes a huge amount of planning
and luck to shoot anything that’s moving.
• Shutter Speed: The amount of time it takes
for the shutter to open and close. The shutter
opens, exposing the camera’s sensor to light,
thus taking the picture. The shutter speed is
normally automatic, but it can be adjusted
manually on more advanced cameras. The
higher the shutter speed, the quicker the
camera can take the picture, giving less
chance of the model being blurry in the
photo.
• SmartMedia: Another type of storage
format which is a wafer-thin, matchbooksize
memory card. It is widely used in lessexpensive
digital cameras.
• Universal Serial Bus (USB): Type of
technology for transferring files between
digital devices, such as a camera and a
computer, at high speed. It’s not as fast as
FireWire, but it is more commonly used in
digital cameras, card readers, etc.
• White Balance: Compensation for different
colors of light emitted by different light
Paying attention to the background can make all the difference in a shot. In this photo
the subject is in focus, and so is the background.
By shooting the subject with a longer-focal-length lens, you minimize the depth of field,
making the subject pop out from the background.
Try something different next time, such as shooting into the sun. Here the sun’s
reflections give a welcome, dramatic look to an otherwise average subject.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:25 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Flash can be your best friend on a sunny day. This biplane’s
upper wing casts a shadow, hiding all scale detail. In these
situations use flash to “fill,” or add light to, dark areas.
Look at this
issue’s cover.
Sometimes you
have to fake it to
get a great shot.
With the help of
others you can
capture subjects
that would be too
dangerous, or
maybe even
impossible,
otherwise.
sources (including the sun). Not all digital cameras have this, but it
is a great feature to have. If you’ve ever taken indoor photos and had
them come out with a green or blue tint, using white balance can
compensate for this and produce natural tones.
Advantages of Digital Photography:
• Digital photography gives immediate results. Almost all digital
cameras on the market today have Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
screens to give you immediate feedback on your photos. Most LCD
screens show the image in real time, allowing you to compose and
shoot without having to look through a tiny viewfinder. The screen
also allows you to play back previously taken images so you can
make sure you have the shot you want before leaving for home.
Since there’s no film developing with digital photos, the images
are ready to be uploaded to the computer as soon as you arrive
home. There they can be cropped, edited, and printed within
minutes.
• Digital photography can offer outstanding control over your
images. As you become more familiar with your digital camera, you
can explore features such as white balance, ISO sensitivity, fill flash,
and more. You can do all of this by pushing a few buttons or rotating
a few controls. And since digital cameras give immediate results,
you’ll know instantly whether or not your experiment worked.
But that’s just the beginning. Once the files are transferred to
your computer, photo-editing software will give you the chance to
sharpen and enhance your photos. A high-end software package such
as Photoshop can give you the ability to add outstanding special
effects to your pictures.
• Digital photography lets you shoot as much as you like. The only
limits are the size of your memory card and the life of your batteries.
With a couple of good-size 64 MB, 128 MB, or larger memory cards
and a couple sets of rechargeable batteries, you can literally shoot all
day long, taking hundreds of pictures without stopping.
• Digital photography is more affordable than film in the long run.
The initial cost of getting started in digital photography is more than
traditional film. A good digital camera, a few sets of rechargeable
batteries, and a couple of memory cards can cost $1,000 or more.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 70
However, you have all you need once
you purchase these items. With digital, you
basically spend everything up front. With
film, you pay the cost of film, the cost of
developing, and the cost of making prints
during the life of the equipment.
Choosing a Digital Camera: There are
hundreds of digital cameras out there, from
simple point-and-shoot models up to
expensive 35-millimeter (mm) SLR (Single
Lens Reflex) equivalents with
interchangeable lenses.
Which one is right for you? It depends
on two things: the type(s) of photos you
want to take and what they’ll be used for.
Types of photos are as follows.
• Ground Shots: I categorize this as any shot
where you can get close to the subject; e.g.,
a model sitting on the ground, someone
posing with a model, shots of subjects in the
pits, etc.
Most digital cameras can adequately take
ground shots. Being close to the subject
eliminates the need for a large zoom. These
photos are normally taken outside, so white
balance is not as critical. There’s usually not
a great deal of action in these pictures, so a
high ISO or high shutter speed may be
unnecessary.
• Action Shots: As the name implies, these
are photos in which the subject is moving;
e.g., a model taking off or landing, action in
the pits, etc.
These pictures require a bit more in a
camera. Since the subject is in motion,
higher shutter speeds and higher ISO
settings are required to “freeze” the scene. If
you’re photographing a model landing or
taking off, you’ll need a bit of zoom since
you won’t be very close to the aircraft.
These photos will normally be taken
outside, so white balance may not be
critical. You’ll need a camera with a
minimum of shutter lag to help capture the
moment.
• Flying (or Flight) Shots: These are photos
in which the model is flying in the air, in a
typical pattern, from a safety standpoint,
hopefully a fair distance from the camera!
The only difference between these and
action shots are that in this case the model is
normally flying at full speed, high in the air.
This is where you need the biggest zoom
lens you can find. I recommend taking
flying shots with a minimum lens of
200mm. You’ll need a camera with
minimum shutter lag, higher shutter speeds,
and higher ISO settings.
• Miscellaneous Shots: This is where we
include shots of Indoor Free Flight and
electric models, museums, trade shows, and
club meetings.
For such photos you need a little bit of
everything. Since these environments are
poorly lit, high ISOs (or a flash) are
mandatory. Zoom can help you “reach out”
and fill the frame with the subject. Since
indoor venues contain a wide variety of
light sources (incandescent, fluorescent,
halogen, etc.), the biggest feature you’ll
need is white balance; it will ensure that
what you capture on film will have the same
color balance as what you see with your
eyes.
What will you do with the photos? The
whole reason for taking pictures is to
capture the moment so you can share it with
others. The medium through which you
share your photos will have a bearing on the
resolution (number of megapixels) your
digital camera should have.
If you’re shooting only to send photos
via E-mail or post them on the Internet,
most any resolution of camera will do. Most
computer screens run at a resolution of 72
dpi, so a small 2-megapixel camera can take
a photo that is larger than a computer
monitor can display.
However, if you’re going to print your
photos on one of today’s higher-quality
color printers, in a club newsletter, or in a
magazine, things change quite a bit. The
biggest difference is that the camera’s
resolution is more critical.
Although there are a few exceptions, the
general rule is that to get the best-quality
print from your photo, it must be printed at a
resolution of 300 dpi. To figure out how big
a photo from a camera can be requires a
little math.
Before I give you the math behind
megapixels and print size, I’ll put it in a
scenario with which a modeler can identify.
Let’s say you have a 40-size glow engine.
The two-blade propeller you would
typically use with it is a 10 x 6 or a 10 x 7.
This will let the engine turn at an rpm that
allows it to produce peak power.
You could use the same engine with a
larger propeller, but the larger the propeller,
the more useless the power plant. As the
propeller diameter increased, you would
continually have to select propellers with
lower pitches to keep the engine working at
its peak output rpm. Doing this could make
the propeller pitch so small that you could
not propel the airplane at flying speeds, and
you would make the propeller act as a brake
rather than thrust.
A similar thing happens when you
enlarge digital photos. You can blow them
up as big as you want, but as you do you
sacrifice image quality to the point where a
good, sharp photo is a large, blurry mess.
I’ll use a 3-megapixel camera to
illustrate. Most cameras of this resolution
are roughly 2,048 pixels wide and 1,536
pixels high. (Refer to the camera’s
specifications to learn the sensor’s size.) To
figure the largest high-resolution photo the
camera can produce, divide the width by
300 and divide the height by 300. In this
case you end up with a 300 dpi photo that is
roughly 5 x 7 inches. The larger the
camera’s sensor, the bigger this highestresolution
image can be.
If you want to print larger photos, such
as for an 8 x 11-inch magazine cover, you’ll
August 2003 71
When thinking about how to save
your files, you may be tempted to choose
a high-compression JPEG format. That
will create smaller files, but it does so by
removing the detail from the photos.
The top image is from a TIF file. It
has no compression and contains all of
the detail the camera can capture.
The middle image is from a highresolution
JPEG. Although it looks good,
if you look closely you will see that some
of the detail has been lost.
The bottom image is from a lowresolution
JPEG, which looks much
worse. Notice the artifacts and jagged
edges.
It’s always best to save your images
using the highest quality your camera will
allow. This will give you the most
flexibility when sharing and printing your
photos. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo was saved in TIF format. It
contains all of the resolution that the
camera can capture.
This image was saved as a highresolution
JPEG. Although a bit of
information was lost to make the file
smaller, the detail is still good.
This image was saved as a lowresolution
JPEG. The high
compression makes files smaller so
you can shoot more, but the
compression loses detail and creates
artifacts, making the photo unusable.
Don’t Compress Your Images!
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 71
72 MODEL AVIATION
need to shoot with a minimum of a 5- or 6-
megapixel camera. As you’ll read later, the
camera I use to shoot magazine covers can
take a high-resolution photo that is roughly
11 x 14 inches.
Sometimes computer software can
enlarge digital photos without losing too
much of the original quality. Programs such
as Photoshop and Genuine Fractals can
easily enlarge photos, but you must take
care when doing this.
What do I use? I carry two digital cameras
when I’m covering an event. I have a small,
3-megapixel camera with a 3x zoom which
I use for many of the ground shots. It
doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of
more advanced cameras, but it takes good,
sharp photos (as large as 5 x 7 inches) with
a minimum amount of effort. The LCD
screen on the back can be rotated so I can
hold the camera at all sorts of weird angles
while keeping my clothes cleaner and
making my life a bit easier.
The camera I use most is a 6-megapixel
SLR which uses interchangeable lenses
carried over from traditional 35mm
equipment. Although this camera is quite
expensive, its long list of features gives me
the best chance to capture high-resolution
photos in any condition (pictures up to 11 x
14 inches or smaller photos which can be
tightly cropped). I carry two lenses for this
camera: a 28-200 zoom for the ground and
close-in shots and a 170-500 zoom to
capture models in the air or a candid shot
across the field.
In each camera there’s an IBM
Microdrive: a tiny hard drive in the case of
a CompactFlash card but with a huge
capacity (up to 1 GB). This gives me the
capability to shoot hundreds of photos
during an event without running out of
storage room.
I also have a couple dozen rechargeable
AA NiMH batteries that I use for power.
Each of the cameras takes four batteries at a
time, and I can easily go through a couple
of sets a day when I’m busy shooting.
Using NiMH batteries instead of Nickel
Cadmiums (Ni-Cds) gives me longer
shooting time—sometimes up to twice as
long. (Many cameras require specially
shaped batteries made by the manufacturer.
Watch Your DPI!
Looking at the accompanying photos, notice that the 72 dpi photo shows many jagged
edges and isn’t as sharp as the 300 dpi photo. If you want to submit your photos to a club
newsletter or magazine, you need to make sure that they are of a high enough resolution
for printing.
When a digital camera stores an image, it is written at 72 dpi. A 3-megapixel camera
captures a photo that is roughly 28 inches wide and 21 inches tall. To reformat the photo
for printing, you need to convert the photo to 300 dpi.
This is not simply resizing the image; you are exchanging the photo’s size for
resolution. Converting that same 3-megapixel photo to 300 dpi results in a picture that is
7 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Almost any photo software can do this conversion for you. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo is printed at 72 dpi: the same
resolution as a computer screen. Notice
jagged edges and lack of detail.
The same photo is printed at 300 dpi. At
this resolution it contains all of the detail
and crispness you need.
In this case, it would be a good idea to
purchase an extra or two.)
What camera do I recommend? Regardless
of the camera(s) you choose, you’ll never
find one that does it all. Even the most
expensive SLRs don’t have every feature in
one package. The best compromise is to find
a camera that will shoot the majority of the
pictures you want to take and do a good job.
These days, probably the best
compromise is a 4- to 6-megapixel SLRstyle
camera with a 6x (or longer) zoom
lens. I recommend that the camera use
CompactFlash cards for storage. A movable
LCD screen makes taking some photos
easier, such as low-to-the-ground shots or
those over a crowd. Other nice features are
user-adjustable white balance and at least a
two-frames-per-second frame burst mode.
Probably the most important feature to
consider is the shutter’s lag time. It’s
common for lower- and midrange cameras to
have lag times upward of a half second or
more. The lower the lag time, the more
likely it is that you’ll be able to capture what
you’re after.
I would love to name specific cameras
for you to look at, but by the time this article
is printed it is likely that the models
mentioned would no longer be sold. I would
generally consider cameras from
manufacturers such as Canon, Fuji, Minolta,
Nikon, and Olympus. Among these
manufacturers there are easily a dozen
cameras that meet the criteria I’ve
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70,71,72,75,76,78
FOR THOSE OF you who don’t know me, I am Model Aviation’s
advertising representative. Not that that matters, but as part of my
job I create many of the advertisements you see on a monthly basis.
When creating these ads, I take pictures of the products—many
pictures! I also help out with event coverage, and I have grabbed a
few Model Aviation covers along the way.
One thing that has surprised me is the number of people who
approach me during events or trade shows and ask about my camera
equipment. After learning that I shoot exclusively digital, they ask
my opinion on cameras, lenses, techniques, etc. It’s quite flattering.
Because of that (and a bit of prompting from Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt), I’ve taken to my keyboard to share information about
how to digitally capture model aircraft successfully.
Not too long ago, digital photos were considered far inferior to
traditional film. Because of rapid improvements in technology in the
past few years, digital cameras have made huge strides to the point
where digital is nearly the equivalent of film.
When used by a professional, traditional film is still superior to
the best digital pictures. However, since most camera owners are not
professional photographers, digital photography is a viable
alternative that could be considered when shooting pictures of model
aircraft.
Digital Terminology: For someone who is new to digital
photography, the buzzwords and terminology can be confusing.
With few exceptions, the features in today’s digital cameras aren’t
even an option with traditional film. Following are some of the most
common terms and their definitions.
• Artifacts: These appear in digital images when they are
compressed. You’ll see them as clusters of noise that usually appear
as squares. The more the image is compressed, the more artifacts
will be visible.
• Buffer: Memory in the camera where the digital photo is stored
before being written to the memory card. A large buffer will allow
you to take more photos before the camera pauses to write them to
the memory card.
• Card Reader: An accessory device that connects to a computer. It
August 2003 67
■ Mark Lanterman
allows you to remove the memory card from your camera and
transfer the pictures into your computer. This is normally attached
via a USB or FireWire port and will transfer pictures at a much
faster rate than using the camera’s built-in data port.
• Charge Coupled Device (CCD): This is one of the two main types
of image sensors used in today’s digital cameras. When the shutter is
pressed, the sensor is struck by light coming in through the camera
lens. The sensor is made up of pixels—in some cases several
million.
• Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): The other
These are styles of digital cameras. Top two are point-andshoots.
At lower left is SLR style, which normally has higher
resolution and larger zoom. At lower right is top-of-the-line, true
SLR with interchangeable lenses. These have the most features
and are the most expensive.
■ Mark Lanterman
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 67
of the two main types of image sensors
used in today’s digital cameras. Although
it’s not as widely used as CCD sensors, it
works much the same as a CCD sensor.
• Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (CMYK):
A process used in printing, sometimes
referred to as four-color process. Model
Aviation (as well as most other
magazines) is printed using this
technique. All digital photos must be
converted to this process to print
correctly.
• CompactFlash: The most common type
of memory card. There are two kinds:
Type I and Type II. Although they vary in
thickness, both are roughly the size of a
matchbook. This is by far the most
popular type of storage in digital cameras.
They also come in a wide variety of sizes
as large as 1 gigabyte (1,000 megabytes).
• Depth of Field (DOF): The portion of
the image which is in focus. The shorter
the focal length, the greater the DOF. The
camera’s f-stop also affects the DOF. A
larger opening (smaller f-stop) will give a
short DOF, and a smaller opening (larger
f-stop) will give a larger DOF.
• Digital Zoom: Magnification obtained
by electronically enlarging the photo.
Many cameras can do this, but it should
be used only when no other options exist.
Enlarging a photo in this manner causes
extreme loss of image quality, resulting in
jagged, fuzzy photos. In most cases the
photo can be enlarged with much better
results using computer software.
• Dots Per Inch (dpi): A measurement of
a digital camera, printer, monitor, etc. used
to describe its resolution. Most computer
monitors are 72 dpi, and most printed
photos (such as in this magazine) are 300
dpi. The higher the dpi, the greater the
resolution of the device.
• F-stop: Inside the camera’s lens is an
aperture that works just like the iris in your
eye. The size of the opening can be changed
automatically or manually, depending on
the camera. The amount of the opening is
given a number, or f-stop.
Lower numbers (e.g. f-2.8) will allow
more light through the lens, allowing you to
take the shot using a higher shutter speed.
Higher numbers (e.g. f-22) will allow less
light through the lens, requiring a slower
shutter speed.
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): Technology for
transferring files between digital devices,
such as a camera and a computer, at high
speed. A FireWire connection is typically
faster than a USB connection. FireWire was
developed by Apple Computer and is
widely used in most computers. However,
only higher-priced digital cameras have this
capability.
• Focal Length: The amount of
magnification of the lens. A zoom lens will
give you an adjustable focal length
(normally 28-200mm).
• Gigabyte (GB): Measurement of data
storage equal to 1,000 megabytes.
• Histogram: A graphic representation of
the range of tones (dark to light) captured in
a photo. Some digital cameras include this
feature to give a precise check on a photo’s
exposure.
• Image resolution: Commonly referred to
as the number of pixels in a digital photo.
• ISO: This is one of the few terms that
came over from traditional film
photography. Film is rated to tell its
sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO
number, the more likely the film is to
capture a fast-moving or dimly lit object.
The numbers 100, 200, 400, and higher are
printed on film packages.
Digital-camera manufacturers have
adopted the same rating system for
describing the sensitivity of the camera’s
imaging sensor. Some digital cameras
include a control for adjusting the ISO
speed, and others adjust the ISO
automatically, depending on the lighting
conditions.
• JPEG: A compression method used
within a file format, such as the EXIF-JPEG
format common to digital cameras. This is a
“lossy” format, which means that image
quality is discarded to compress the image.
Most cameras have several settings for
JPEG compression. When selecting a low-
The same model photographed at ground level approximates the view you would have
of the full-scale subject. This angle maximizes the model’s scale “look.”
Shooting a model at eye level can show a great deal of detail and color, but this isn’t
always the best way—especially with a Scale subject.
68 MODEL AVIATION
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 68
August 2003 69
compression (high-quality) setting, the loss
of image quality is not as noticeable.
• Media: The storage vehicles on which
digital photos are recorded. Digital
photography storage media include
CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards,
Sony’s Memory Stick, and CDs and DVDs.
• Megabyte (MB): A measurement of data
storage equal to 1,024 kilobytes.
• Megapixel: A measurement of a camera’s
imaging sensor. One megapixel equals one
million pixels.
• Memory Stick: This chewing-gum-size
memory card was developed by Sony and is
used in most of its digital cameras.
• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH): A type of
rechargeable battery. Its chemistry gives it
up to twice the lifespan of Ni-Cd batteries.
• Optical Zoom: The magnification obtained
by adjusting a camera’s lens. With the
exception of lowest-priced cameras, most
digital cameras have a minimum zoom of
2x. Some go as high as 10x.
• Pixel: Think of this as the building block
of a digital photo. Each digital photo is made
up of thousands (or millions) of these.
• Red, Green, Blue (RGB): The system in
which most electronic displays (televisions,
monitors, Liquid Crystal Display screens,
and digital cameras’ imaging sensors) work.
• Shutter Lag: The amount of time that
passes between when you press the trigger
and when the camera takes the picture. In
this case, less is more; many inexpensive
cameras can have shutter lag of a second or
more. This takes a huge amount of planning
and luck to shoot anything that’s moving.
• Shutter Speed: The amount of time it takes
for the shutter to open and close. The shutter
opens, exposing the camera’s sensor to light,
thus taking the picture. The shutter speed is
normally automatic, but it can be adjusted
manually on more advanced cameras. The
higher the shutter speed, the quicker the
camera can take the picture, giving less
chance of the model being blurry in the
photo.
• SmartMedia: Another type of storage
format which is a wafer-thin, matchbooksize
memory card. It is widely used in lessexpensive
digital cameras.
• Universal Serial Bus (USB): Type of
technology for transferring files between
digital devices, such as a camera and a
computer, at high speed. It’s not as fast as
FireWire, but it is more commonly used in
digital cameras, card readers, etc.
• White Balance: Compensation for different
colors of light emitted by different light
Paying attention to the background can make all the difference in a shot. In this photo
the subject is in focus, and so is the background.
By shooting the subject with a longer-focal-length lens, you minimize the depth of field,
making the subject pop out from the background.
Try something different next time, such as shooting into the sun. Here the sun’s
reflections give a welcome, dramatic look to an otherwise average subject.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:25 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Flash can be your best friend on a sunny day. This biplane’s
upper wing casts a shadow, hiding all scale detail. In these
situations use flash to “fill,” or add light to, dark areas.
Look at this
issue’s cover.
Sometimes you
have to fake it to
get a great shot.
With the help of
others you can
capture subjects
that would be too
dangerous, or
maybe even
impossible,
otherwise.
sources (including the sun). Not all digital cameras have this, but it
is a great feature to have. If you’ve ever taken indoor photos and had
them come out with a green or blue tint, using white balance can
compensate for this and produce natural tones.
Advantages of Digital Photography:
• Digital photography gives immediate results. Almost all digital
cameras on the market today have Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
screens to give you immediate feedback on your photos. Most LCD
screens show the image in real time, allowing you to compose and
shoot without having to look through a tiny viewfinder. The screen
also allows you to play back previously taken images so you can
make sure you have the shot you want before leaving for home.
Since there’s no film developing with digital photos, the images
are ready to be uploaded to the computer as soon as you arrive
home. There they can be cropped, edited, and printed within
minutes.
• Digital photography can offer outstanding control over your
images. As you become more familiar with your digital camera, you
can explore features such as white balance, ISO sensitivity, fill flash,
and more. You can do all of this by pushing a few buttons or rotating
a few controls. And since digital cameras give immediate results,
you’ll know instantly whether or not your experiment worked.
But that’s just the beginning. Once the files are transferred to
your computer, photo-editing software will give you the chance to
sharpen and enhance your photos. A high-end software package such
as Photoshop can give you the ability to add outstanding special
effects to your pictures.
• Digital photography lets you shoot as much as you like. The only
limits are the size of your memory card and the life of your batteries.
With a couple of good-size 64 MB, 128 MB, or larger memory cards
and a couple sets of rechargeable batteries, you can literally shoot all
day long, taking hundreds of pictures without stopping.
• Digital photography is more affordable than film in the long run.
The initial cost of getting started in digital photography is more than
traditional film. A good digital camera, a few sets of rechargeable
batteries, and a couple of memory cards can cost $1,000 or more.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 70
However, you have all you need once
you purchase these items. With digital, you
basically spend everything up front. With
film, you pay the cost of film, the cost of
developing, and the cost of making prints
during the life of the equipment.
Choosing a Digital Camera: There are
hundreds of digital cameras out there, from
simple point-and-shoot models up to
expensive 35-millimeter (mm) SLR (Single
Lens Reflex) equivalents with
interchangeable lenses.
Which one is right for you? It depends
on two things: the type(s) of photos you
want to take and what they’ll be used for.
Types of photos are as follows.
• Ground Shots: I categorize this as any shot
where you can get close to the subject; e.g.,
a model sitting on the ground, someone
posing with a model, shots of subjects in the
pits, etc.
Most digital cameras can adequately take
ground shots. Being close to the subject
eliminates the need for a large zoom. These
photos are normally taken outside, so white
balance is not as critical. There’s usually not
a great deal of action in these pictures, so a
high ISO or high shutter speed may be
unnecessary.
• Action Shots: As the name implies, these
are photos in which the subject is moving;
e.g., a model taking off or landing, action in
the pits, etc.
These pictures require a bit more in a
camera. Since the subject is in motion,
higher shutter speeds and higher ISO
settings are required to “freeze” the scene. If
you’re photographing a model landing or
taking off, you’ll need a bit of zoom since
you won’t be very close to the aircraft.
These photos will normally be taken
outside, so white balance may not be
critical. You’ll need a camera with a
minimum of shutter lag to help capture the
moment.
• Flying (or Flight) Shots: These are photos
in which the model is flying in the air, in a
typical pattern, from a safety standpoint,
hopefully a fair distance from the camera!
The only difference between these and
action shots are that in this case the model is
normally flying at full speed, high in the air.
This is where you need the biggest zoom
lens you can find. I recommend taking
flying shots with a minimum lens of
200mm. You’ll need a camera with
minimum shutter lag, higher shutter speeds,
and higher ISO settings.
• Miscellaneous Shots: This is where we
include shots of Indoor Free Flight and
electric models, museums, trade shows, and
club meetings.
For such photos you need a little bit of
everything. Since these environments are
poorly lit, high ISOs (or a flash) are
mandatory. Zoom can help you “reach out”
and fill the frame with the subject. Since
indoor venues contain a wide variety of
light sources (incandescent, fluorescent,
halogen, etc.), the biggest feature you’ll
need is white balance; it will ensure that
what you capture on film will have the same
color balance as what you see with your
eyes.
What will you do with the photos? The
whole reason for taking pictures is to
capture the moment so you can share it with
others. The medium through which you
share your photos will have a bearing on the
resolution (number of megapixels) your
digital camera should have.
If you’re shooting only to send photos
via E-mail or post them on the Internet,
most any resolution of camera will do. Most
computer screens run at a resolution of 72
dpi, so a small 2-megapixel camera can take
a photo that is larger than a computer
monitor can display.
However, if you’re going to print your
photos on one of today’s higher-quality
color printers, in a club newsletter, or in a
magazine, things change quite a bit. The
biggest difference is that the camera’s
resolution is more critical.
Although there are a few exceptions, the
general rule is that to get the best-quality
print from your photo, it must be printed at a
resolution of 300 dpi. To figure out how big
a photo from a camera can be requires a
little math.
Before I give you the math behind
megapixels and print size, I’ll put it in a
scenario with which a modeler can identify.
Let’s say you have a 40-size glow engine.
The two-blade propeller you would
typically use with it is a 10 x 6 or a 10 x 7.
This will let the engine turn at an rpm that
allows it to produce peak power.
You could use the same engine with a
larger propeller, but the larger the propeller,
the more useless the power plant. As the
propeller diameter increased, you would
continually have to select propellers with
lower pitches to keep the engine working at
its peak output rpm. Doing this could make
the propeller pitch so small that you could
not propel the airplane at flying speeds, and
you would make the propeller act as a brake
rather than thrust.
A similar thing happens when you
enlarge digital photos. You can blow them
up as big as you want, but as you do you
sacrifice image quality to the point where a
good, sharp photo is a large, blurry mess.
I’ll use a 3-megapixel camera to
illustrate. Most cameras of this resolution
are roughly 2,048 pixels wide and 1,536
pixels high. (Refer to the camera’s
specifications to learn the sensor’s size.) To
figure the largest high-resolution photo the
camera can produce, divide the width by
300 and divide the height by 300. In this
case you end up with a 300 dpi photo that is
roughly 5 x 7 inches. The larger the
camera’s sensor, the bigger this highestresolution
image can be.
If you want to print larger photos, such
as for an 8 x 11-inch magazine cover, you’ll
August 2003 71
When thinking about how to save
your files, you may be tempted to choose
a high-compression JPEG format. That
will create smaller files, but it does so by
removing the detail from the photos.
The top image is from a TIF file. It
has no compression and contains all of
the detail the camera can capture.
The middle image is from a highresolution
JPEG. Although it looks good,
if you look closely you will see that some
of the detail has been lost.
The bottom image is from a lowresolution
JPEG, which looks much
worse. Notice the artifacts and jagged
edges.
It’s always best to save your images
using the highest quality your camera will
allow. This will give you the most
flexibility when sharing and printing your
photos. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo was saved in TIF format. It
contains all of the resolution that the
camera can capture.
This image was saved as a highresolution
JPEG. Although a bit of
information was lost to make the file
smaller, the detail is still good.
This image was saved as a lowresolution
JPEG. The high
compression makes files smaller so
you can shoot more, but the
compression loses detail and creates
artifacts, making the photo unusable.
Don’t Compress Your Images!
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 71
72 MODEL AVIATION
need to shoot with a minimum of a 5- or 6-
megapixel camera. As you’ll read later, the
camera I use to shoot magazine covers can
take a high-resolution photo that is roughly
11 x 14 inches.
Sometimes computer software can
enlarge digital photos without losing too
much of the original quality. Programs such
as Photoshop and Genuine Fractals can
easily enlarge photos, but you must take
care when doing this.
What do I use? I carry two digital cameras
when I’m covering an event. I have a small,
3-megapixel camera with a 3x zoom which
I use for many of the ground shots. It
doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of
more advanced cameras, but it takes good,
sharp photos (as large as 5 x 7 inches) with
a minimum amount of effort. The LCD
screen on the back can be rotated so I can
hold the camera at all sorts of weird angles
while keeping my clothes cleaner and
making my life a bit easier.
The camera I use most is a 6-megapixel
SLR which uses interchangeable lenses
carried over from traditional 35mm
equipment. Although this camera is quite
expensive, its long list of features gives me
the best chance to capture high-resolution
photos in any condition (pictures up to 11 x
14 inches or smaller photos which can be
tightly cropped). I carry two lenses for this
camera: a 28-200 zoom for the ground and
close-in shots and a 170-500 zoom to
capture models in the air or a candid shot
across the field.
In each camera there’s an IBM
Microdrive: a tiny hard drive in the case of
a CompactFlash card but with a huge
capacity (up to 1 GB). This gives me the
capability to shoot hundreds of photos
during an event without running out of
storage room.
I also have a couple dozen rechargeable
AA NiMH batteries that I use for power.
Each of the cameras takes four batteries at a
time, and I can easily go through a couple
of sets a day when I’m busy shooting.
Using NiMH batteries instead of Nickel
Cadmiums (Ni-Cds) gives me longer
shooting time—sometimes up to twice as
long. (Many cameras require specially
shaped batteries made by the manufacturer.
Watch Your DPI!
Looking at the accompanying photos, notice that the 72 dpi photo shows many jagged
edges and isn’t as sharp as the 300 dpi photo. If you want to submit your photos to a club
newsletter or magazine, you need to make sure that they are of a high enough resolution
for printing.
When a digital camera stores an image, it is written at 72 dpi. A 3-megapixel camera
captures a photo that is roughly 28 inches wide and 21 inches tall. To reformat the photo
for printing, you need to convert the photo to 300 dpi.
This is not simply resizing the image; you are exchanging the photo’s size for
resolution. Converting that same 3-megapixel photo to 300 dpi results in a picture that is
7 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Almost any photo software can do this conversion for you. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo is printed at 72 dpi: the same
resolution as a computer screen. Notice
jagged edges and lack of detail.
The same photo is printed at 300 dpi. At
this resolution it contains all of the detail
and crispness you need.
In this case, it would be a good idea to
purchase an extra or two.)
What camera do I recommend? Regardless
of the camera(s) you choose, you’ll never
find one that does it all. Even the most
expensive SLRs don’t have every feature in
one package. The best compromise is to find
a camera that will shoot the majority of the
pictures you want to take and do a good job.
These days, probably the best
compromise is a 4- to 6-megapixel SLRstyle
camera with a 6x (or longer) zoom
lens. I recommend that the camera use
CompactFlash cards for storage. A movable
LCD screen makes taking some photos
easier, such as low-to-the-ground shots or
those over a crowd. Other nice features are
user-adjustable white balance and at least a
two-frames-per-second frame burst mode.
Probably the most important feature to
consider is the shutter’s lag time. It’s
common for lower- and midrange cameras to
have lag times upward of a half second or
more. The lower the lag time, the more
likely it is that you’ll be able to capture what
you’re after.
I would love to name specific cameras
for you to look at, but by the time this article
is printed it is likely that the models
mentioned would no longer be sold. I would
generally consider cameras from
manufacturers such as Canon, Fuji, Minolta,
Nikon, and Olympus. Among these
manufacturers there are easily a dozen
cameras that meet the criteria I’ve
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70,71,72,75,76,78
FOR THOSE OF you who don’t know me, I am Model Aviation’s
advertising representative. Not that that matters, but as part of my
job I create many of the advertisements you see on a monthly basis.
When creating these ads, I take pictures of the products—many
pictures! I also help out with event coverage, and I have grabbed a
few Model Aviation covers along the way.
One thing that has surprised me is the number of people who
approach me during events or trade shows and ask about my camera
equipment. After learning that I shoot exclusively digital, they ask
my opinion on cameras, lenses, techniques, etc. It’s quite flattering.
Because of that (and a bit of prompting from Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt), I’ve taken to my keyboard to share information about
how to digitally capture model aircraft successfully.
Not too long ago, digital photos were considered far inferior to
traditional film. Because of rapid improvements in technology in the
past few years, digital cameras have made huge strides to the point
where digital is nearly the equivalent of film.
When used by a professional, traditional film is still superior to
the best digital pictures. However, since most camera owners are not
professional photographers, digital photography is a viable
alternative that could be considered when shooting pictures of model
aircraft.
Digital Terminology: For someone who is new to digital
photography, the buzzwords and terminology can be confusing.
With few exceptions, the features in today’s digital cameras aren’t
even an option with traditional film. Following are some of the most
common terms and their definitions.
• Artifacts: These appear in digital images when they are
compressed. You’ll see them as clusters of noise that usually appear
as squares. The more the image is compressed, the more artifacts
will be visible.
• Buffer: Memory in the camera where the digital photo is stored
before being written to the memory card. A large buffer will allow
you to take more photos before the camera pauses to write them to
the memory card.
• Card Reader: An accessory device that connects to a computer. It
August 2003 67
■ Mark Lanterman
allows you to remove the memory card from your camera and
transfer the pictures into your computer. This is normally attached
via a USB or FireWire port and will transfer pictures at a much
faster rate than using the camera’s built-in data port.
• Charge Coupled Device (CCD): This is one of the two main types
of image sensors used in today’s digital cameras. When the shutter is
pressed, the sensor is struck by light coming in through the camera
lens. The sensor is made up of pixels—in some cases several
million.
• Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): The other
These are styles of digital cameras. Top two are point-andshoots.
At lower left is SLR style, which normally has higher
resolution and larger zoom. At lower right is top-of-the-line, true
SLR with interchangeable lenses. These have the most features
and are the most expensive.
■ Mark Lanterman
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 67
of the two main types of image sensors
used in today’s digital cameras. Although
it’s not as widely used as CCD sensors, it
works much the same as a CCD sensor.
• Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (CMYK):
A process used in printing, sometimes
referred to as four-color process. Model
Aviation (as well as most other
magazines) is printed using this
technique. All digital photos must be
converted to this process to print
correctly.
• CompactFlash: The most common type
of memory card. There are two kinds:
Type I and Type II. Although they vary in
thickness, both are roughly the size of a
matchbook. This is by far the most
popular type of storage in digital cameras.
They also come in a wide variety of sizes
as large as 1 gigabyte (1,000 megabytes).
• Depth of Field (DOF): The portion of
the image which is in focus. The shorter
the focal length, the greater the DOF. The
camera’s f-stop also affects the DOF. A
larger opening (smaller f-stop) will give a
short DOF, and a smaller opening (larger
f-stop) will give a larger DOF.
• Digital Zoom: Magnification obtained
by electronically enlarging the photo.
Many cameras can do this, but it should
be used only when no other options exist.
Enlarging a photo in this manner causes
extreme loss of image quality, resulting in
jagged, fuzzy photos. In most cases the
photo can be enlarged with much better
results using computer software.
• Dots Per Inch (dpi): A measurement of
a digital camera, printer, monitor, etc. used
to describe its resolution. Most computer
monitors are 72 dpi, and most printed
photos (such as in this magazine) are 300
dpi. The higher the dpi, the greater the
resolution of the device.
• F-stop: Inside the camera’s lens is an
aperture that works just like the iris in your
eye. The size of the opening can be changed
automatically or manually, depending on
the camera. The amount of the opening is
given a number, or f-stop.
Lower numbers (e.g. f-2.8) will allow
more light through the lens, allowing you to
take the shot using a higher shutter speed.
Higher numbers (e.g. f-22) will allow less
light through the lens, requiring a slower
shutter speed.
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): Technology for
transferring files between digital devices,
such as a camera and a computer, at high
speed. A FireWire connection is typically
faster than a USB connection. FireWire was
developed by Apple Computer and is
widely used in most computers. However,
only higher-priced digital cameras have this
capability.
• Focal Length: The amount of
magnification of the lens. A zoom lens will
give you an adjustable focal length
(normally 28-200mm).
• Gigabyte (GB): Measurement of data
storage equal to 1,000 megabytes.
• Histogram: A graphic representation of
the range of tones (dark to light) captured in
a photo. Some digital cameras include this
feature to give a precise check on a photo’s
exposure.
• Image resolution: Commonly referred to
as the number of pixels in a digital photo.
• ISO: This is one of the few terms that
came over from traditional film
photography. Film is rated to tell its
sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO
number, the more likely the film is to
capture a fast-moving or dimly lit object.
The numbers 100, 200, 400, and higher are
printed on film packages.
Digital-camera manufacturers have
adopted the same rating system for
describing the sensitivity of the camera’s
imaging sensor. Some digital cameras
include a control for adjusting the ISO
speed, and others adjust the ISO
automatically, depending on the lighting
conditions.
• JPEG: A compression method used
within a file format, such as the EXIF-JPEG
format common to digital cameras. This is a
“lossy” format, which means that image
quality is discarded to compress the image.
Most cameras have several settings for
JPEG compression. When selecting a low-
The same model photographed at ground level approximates the view you would have
of the full-scale subject. This angle maximizes the model’s scale “look.”
Shooting a model at eye level can show a great deal of detail and color, but this isn’t
always the best way—especially with a Scale subject.
68 MODEL AVIATION
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 68
August 2003 69
compression (high-quality) setting, the loss
of image quality is not as noticeable.
• Media: The storage vehicles on which
digital photos are recorded. Digital
photography storage media include
CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards,
Sony’s Memory Stick, and CDs and DVDs.
• Megabyte (MB): A measurement of data
storage equal to 1,024 kilobytes.
• Megapixel: A measurement of a camera’s
imaging sensor. One megapixel equals one
million pixels.
• Memory Stick: This chewing-gum-size
memory card was developed by Sony and is
used in most of its digital cameras.
• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH): A type of
rechargeable battery. Its chemistry gives it
up to twice the lifespan of Ni-Cd batteries.
• Optical Zoom: The magnification obtained
by adjusting a camera’s lens. With the
exception of lowest-priced cameras, most
digital cameras have a minimum zoom of
2x. Some go as high as 10x.
• Pixel: Think of this as the building block
of a digital photo. Each digital photo is made
up of thousands (or millions) of these.
• Red, Green, Blue (RGB): The system in
which most electronic displays (televisions,
monitors, Liquid Crystal Display screens,
and digital cameras’ imaging sensors) work.
• Shutter Lag: The amount of time that
passes between when you press the trigger
and when the camera takes the picture. In
this case, less is more; many inexpensive
cameras can have shutter lag of a second or
more. This takes a huge amount of planning
and luck to shoot anything that’s moving.
• Shutter Speed: The amount of time it takes
for the shutter to open and close. The shutter
opens, exposing the camera’s sensor to light,
thus taking the picture. The shutter speed is
normally automatic, but it can be adjusted
manually on more advanced cameras. The
higher the shutter speed, the quicker the
camera can take the picture, giving less
chance of the model being blurry in the
photo.
• SmartMedia: Another type of storage
format which is a wafer-thin, matchbooksize
memory card. It is widely used in lessexpensive
digital cameras.
• Universal Serial Bus (USB): Type of
technology for transferring files between
digital devices, such as a camera and a
computer, at high speed. It’s not as fast as
FireWire, but it is more commonly used in
digital cameras, card readers, etc.
• White Balance: Compensation for different
colors of light emitted by different light
Paying attention to the background can make all the difference in a shot. In this photo
the subject is in focus, and so is the background.
By shooting the subject with a longer-focal-length lens, you minimize the depth of field,
making the subject pop out from the background.
Try something different next time, such as shooting into the sun. Here the sun’s
reflections give a welcome, dramatic look to an otherwise average subject.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:25 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Flash can be your best friend on a sunny day. This biplane’s
upper wing casts a shadow, hiding all scale detail. In these
situations use flash to “fill,” or add light to, dark areas.
Look at this
issue’s cover.
Sometimes you
have to fake it to
get a great shot.
With the help of
others you can
capture subjects
that would be too
dangerous, or
maybe even
impossible,
otherwise.
sources (including the sun). Not all digital cameras have this, but it
is a great feature to have. If you’ve ever taken indoor photos and had
them come out with a green or blue tint, using white balance can
compensate for this and produce natural tones.
Advantages of Digital Photography:
• Digital photography gives immediate results. Almost all digital
cameras on the market today have Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
screens to give you immediate feedback on your photos. Most LCD
screens show the image in real time, allowing you to compose and
shoot without having to look through a tiny viewfinder. The screen
also allows you to play back previously taken images so you can
make sure you have the shot you want before leaving for home.
Since there’s no film developing with digital photos, the images
are ready to be uploaded to the computer as soon as you arrive
home. There they can be cropped, edited, and printed within
minutes.
• Digital photography can offer outstanding control over your
images. As you become more familiar with your digital camera, you
can explore features such as white balance, ISO sensitivity, fill flash,
and more. You can do all of this by pushing a few buttons or rotating
a few controls. And since digital cameras give immediate results,
you’ll know instantly whether or not your experiment worked.
But that’s just the beginning. Once the files are transferred to
your computer, photo-editing software will give you the chance to
sharpen and enhance your photos. A high-end software package such
as Photoshop can give you the ability to add outstanding special
effects to your pictures.
• Digital photography lets you shoot as much as you like. The only
limits are the size of your memory card and the life of your batteries.
With a couple of good-size 64 MB, 128 MB, or larger memory cards
and a couple sets of rechargeable batteries, you can literally shoot all
day long, taking hundreds of pictures without stopping.
• Digital photography is more affordable than film in the long run.
The initial cost of getting started in digital photography is more than
traditional film. A good digital camera, a few sets of rechargeable
batteries, and a couple of memory cards can cost $1,000 or more.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 70
However, you have all you need once
you purchase these items. With digital, you
basically spend everything up front. With
film, you pay the cost of film, the cost of
developing, and the cost of making prints
during the life of the equipment.
Choosing a Digital Camera: There are
hundreds of digital cameras out there, from
simple point-and-shoot models up to
expensive 35-millimeter (mm) SLR (Single
Lens Reflex) equivalents with
interchangeable lenses.
Which one is right for you? It depends
on two things: the type(s) of photos you
want to take and what they’ll be used for.
Types of photos are as follows.
• Ground Shots: I categorize this as any shot
where you can get close to the subject; e.g.,
a model sitting on the ground, someone
posing with a model, shots of subjects in the
pits, etc.
Most digital cameras can adequately take
ground shots. Being close to the subject
eliminates the need for a large zoom. These
photos are normally taken outside, so white
balance is not as critical. There’s usually not
a great deal of action in these pictures, so a
high ISO or high shutter speed may be
unnecessary.
• Action Shots: As the name implies, these
are photos in which the subject is moving;
e.g., a model taking off or landing, action in
the pits, etc.
These pictures require a bit more in a
camera. Since the subject is in motion,
higher shutter speeds and higher ISO
settings are required to “freeze” the scene. If
you’re photographing a model landing or
taking off, you’ll need a bit of zoom since
you won’t be very close to the aircraft.
These photos will normally be taken
outside, so white balance may not be
critical. You’ll need a camera with a
minimum of shutter lag to help capture the
moment.
• Flying (or Flight) Shots: These are photos
in which the model is flying in the air, in a
typical pattern, from a safety standpoint,
hopefully a fair distance from the camera!
The only difference between these and
action shots are that in this case the model is
normally flying at full speed, high in the air.
This is where you need the biggest zoom
lens you can find. I recommend taking
flying shots with a minimum lens of
200mm. You’ll need a camera with
minimum shutter lag, higher shutter speeds,
and higher ISO settings.
• Miscellaneous Shots: This is where we
include shots of Indoor Free Flight and
electric models, museums, trade shows, and
club meetings.
For such photos you need a little bit of
everything. Since these environments are
poorly lit, high ISOs (or a flash) are
mandatory. Zoom can help you “reach out”
and fill the frame with the subject. Since
indoor venues contain a wide variety of
light sources (incandescent, fluorescent,
halogen, etc.), the biggest feature you’ll
need is white balance; it will ensure that
what you capture on film will have the same
color balance as what you see with your
eyes.
What will you do with the photos? The
whole reason for taking pictures is to
capture the moment so you can share it with
others. The medium through which you
share your photos will have a bearing on the
resolution (number of megapixels) your
digital camera should have.
If you’re shooting only to send photos
via E-mail or post them on the Internet,
most any resolution of camera will do. Most
computer screens run at a resolution of 72
dpi, so a small 2-megapixel camera can take
a photo that is larger than a computer
monitor can display.
However, if you’re going to print your
photos on one of today’s higher-quality
color printers, in a club newsletter, or in a
magazine, things change quite a bit. The
biggest difference is that the camera’s
resolution is more critical.
Although there are a few exceptions, the
general rule is that to get the best-quality
print from your photo, it must be printed at a
resolution of 300 dpi. To figure out how big
a photo from a camera can be requires a
little math.
Before I give you the math behind
megapixels and print size, I’ll put it in a
scenario with which a modeler can identify.
Let’s say you have a 40-size glow engine.
The two-blade propeller you would
typically use with it is a 10 x 6 or a 10 x 7.
This will let the engine turn at an rpm that
allows it to produce peak power.
You could use the same engine with a
larger propeller, but the larger the propeller,
the more useless the power plant. As the
propeller diameter increased, you would
continually have to select propellers with
lower pitches to keep the engine working at
its peak output rpm. Doing this could make
the propeller pitch so small that you could
not propel the airplane at flying speeds, and
you would make the propeller act as a brake
rather than thrust.
A similar thing happens when you
enlarge digital photos. You can blow them
up as big as you want, but as you do you
sacrifice image quality to the point where a
good, sharp photo is a large, blurry mess.
I’ll use a 3-megapixel camera to
illustrate. Most cameras of this resolution
are roughly 2,048 pixels wide and 1,536
pixels high. (Refer to the camera’s
specifications to learn the sensor’s size.) To
figure the largest high-resolution photo the
camera can produce, divide the width by
300 and divide the height by 300. In this
case you end up with a 300 dpi photo that is
roughly 5 x 7 inches. The larger the
camera’s sensor, the bigger this highestresolution
image can be.
If you want to print larger photos, such
as for an 8 x 11-inch magazine cover, you’ll
August 2003 71
When thinking about how to save
your files, you may be tempted to choose
a high-compression JPEG format. That
will create smaller files, but it does so by
removing the detail from the photos.
The top image is from a TIF file. It
has no compression and contains all of
the detail the camera can capture.
The middle image is from a highresolution
JPEG. Although it looks good,
if you look closely you will see that some
of the detail has been lost.
The bottom image is from a lowresolution
JPEG, which looks much
worse. Notice the artifacts and jagged
edges.
It’s always best to save your images
using the highest quality your camera will
allow. This will give you the most
flexibility when sharing and printing your
photos. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo was saved in TIF format. It
contains all of the resolution that the
camera can capture.
This image was saved as a highresolution
JPEG. Although a bit of
information was lost to make the file
smaller, the detail is still good.
This image was saved as a lowresolution
JPEG. The high
compression makes files smaller so
you can shoot more, but the
compression loses detail and creates
artifacts, making the photo unusable.
Don’t Compress Your Images!
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 71
72 MODEL AVIATION
need to shoot with a minimum of a 5- or 6-
megapixel camera. As you’ll read later, the
camera I use to shoot magazine covers can
take a high-resolution photo that is roughly
11 x 14 inches.
Sometimes computer software can
enlarge digital photos without losing too
much of the original quality. Programs such
as Photoshop and Genuine Fractals can
easily enlarge photos, but you must take
care when doing this.
What do I use? I carry two digital cameras
when I’m covering an event. I have a small,
3-megapixel camera with a 3x zoom which
I use for many of the ground shots. It
doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of
more advanced cameras, but it takes good,
sharp photos (as large as 5 x 7 inches) with
a minimum amount of effort. The LCD
screen on the back can be rotated so I can
hold the camera at all sorts of weird angles
while keeping my clothes cleaner and
making my life a bit easier.
The camera I use most is a 6-megapixel
SLR which uses interchangeable lenses
carried over from traditional 35mm
equipment. Although this camera is quite
expensive, its long list of features gives me
the best chance to capture high-resolution
photos in any condition (pictures up to 11 x
14 inches or smaller photos which can be
tightly cropped). I carry two lenses for this
camera: a 28-200 zoom for the ground and
close-in shots and a 170-500 zoom to
capture models in the air or a candid shot
across the field.
In each camera there’s an IBM
Microdrive: a tiny hard drive in the case of
a CompactFlash card but with a huge
capacity (up to 1 GB). This gives me the
capability to shoot hundreds of photos
during an event without running out of
storage room.
I also have a couple dozen rechargeable
AA NiMH batteries that I use for power.
Each of the cameras takes four batteries at a
time, and I can easily go through a couple
of sets a day when I’m busy shooting.
Using NiMH batteries instead of Nickel
Cadmiums (Ni-Cds) gives me longer
shooting time—sometimes up to twice as
long. (Many cameras require specially
shaped batteries made by the manufacturer.
Watch Your DPI!
Looking at the accompanying photos, notice that the 72 dpi photo shows many jagged
edges and isn’t as sharp as the 300 dpi photo. If you want to submit your photos to a club
newsletter or magazine, you need to make sure that they are of a high enough resolution
for printing.
When a digital camera stores an image, it is written at 72 dpi. A 3-megapixel camera
captures a photo that is roughly 28 inches wide and 21 inches tall. To reformat the photo
for printing, you need to convert the photo to 300 dpi.
This is not simply resizing the image; you are exchanging the photo’s size for
resolution. Converting that same 3-megapixel photo to 300 dpi results in a picture that is
7 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Almost any photo software can do this conversion for you. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo is printed at 72 dpi: the same
resolution as a computer screen. Notice
jagged edges and lack of detail.
The same photo is printed at 300 dpi. At
this resolution it contains all of the detail
and crispness you need.
In this case, it would be a good idea to
purchase an extra or two.)
What camera do I recommend? Regardless
of the camera(s) you choose, you’ll never
find one that does it all. Even the most
expensive SLRs don’t have every feature in
one package. The best compromise is to find
a camera that will shoot the majority of the
pictures you want to take and do a good job.
These days, probably the best
compromise is a 4- to 6-megapixel SLRstyle
camera with a 6x (or longer) zoom
lens. I recommend that the camera use
CompactFlash cards for storage. A movable
LCD screen makes taking some photos
easier, such as low-to-the-ground shots or
those over a crowd. Other nice features are
user-adjustable white balance and at least a
two-frames-per-second frame burst mode.
Probably the most important feature to
consider is the shutter’s lag time. It’s
common for lower- and midrange cameras to
have lag times upward of a half second or
more. The lower the lag time, the more
likely it is that you’ll be able to capture what
you’re after.
I would love to name specific cameras
for you to look at, but by the time this article
is printed it is likely that the models
mentioned would no longer be sold. I would
generally consider cameras from
manufacturers such as Canon, Fuji, Minolta,
Nikon, and Olympus. Among these
manufacturers there are easily a dozen
cameras that meet the criteria I’ve
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70,71,72,75,76,78
FOR THOSE OF you who don’t know me, I am Model Aviation’s
advertising representative. Not that that matters, but as part of my
job I create many of the advertisements you see on a monthly basis.
When creating these ads, I take pictures of the products—many
pictures! I also help out with event coverage, and I have grabbed a
few Model Aviation covers along the way.
One thing that has surprised me is the number of people who
approach me during events or trade shows and ask about my camera
equipment. After learning that I shoot exclusively digital, they ask
my opinion on cameras, lenses, techniques, etc. It’s quite flattering.
Because of that (and a bit of prompting from Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt), I’ve taken to my keyboard to share information about
how to digitally capture model aircraft successfully.
Not too long ago, digital photos were considered far inferior to
traditional film. Because of rapid improvements in technology in the
past few years, digital cameras have made huge strides to the point
where digital is nearly the equivalent of film.
When used by a professional, traditional film is still superior to
the best digital pictures. However, since most camera owners are not
professional photographers, digital photography is a viable
alternative that could be considered when shooting pictures of model
aircraft.
Digital Terminology: For someone who is new to digital
photography, the buzzwords and terminology can be confusing.
With few exceptions, the features in today’s digital cameras aren’t
even an option with traditional film. Following are some of the most
common terms and their definitions.
• Artifacts: These appear in digital images when they are
compressed. You’ll see them as clusters of noise that usually appear
as squares. The more the image is compressed, the more artifacts
will be visible.
• Buffer: Memory in the camera where the digital photo is stored
before being written to the memory card. A large buffer will allow
you to take more photos before the camera pauses to write them to
the memory card.
• Card Reader: An accessory device that connects to a computer. It
August 2003 67
■ Mark Lanterman
allows you to remove the memory card from your camera and
transfer the pictures into your computer. This is normally attached
via a USB or FireWire port and will transfer pictures at a much
faster rate than using the camera’s built-in data port.
• Charge Coupled Device (CCD): This is one of the two main types
of image sensors used in today’s digital cameras. When the shutter is
pressed, the sensor is struck by light coming in through the camera
lens. The sensor is made up of pixels—in some cases several
million.
• Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): The other
These are styles of digital cameras. Top two are point-andshoots.
At lower left is SLR style, which normally has higher
resolution and larger zoom. At lower right is top-of-the-line, true
SLR with interchangeable lenses. These have the most features
and are the most expensive.
■ Mark Lanterman
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 67
of the two main types of image sensors
used in today’s digital cameras. Although
it’s not as widely used as CCD sensors, it
works much the same as a CCD sensor.
• Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (CMYK):
A process used in printing, sometimes
referred to as four-color process. Model
Aviation (as well as most other
magazines) is printed using this
technique. All digital photos must be
converted to this process to print
correctly.
• CompactFlash: The most common type
of memory card. There are two kinds:
Type I and Type II. Although they vary in
thickness, both are roughly the size of a
matchbook. This is by far the most
popular type of storage in digital cameras.
They also come in a wide variety of sizes
as large as 1 gigabyte (1,000 megabytes).
• Depth of Field (DOF): The portion of
the image which is in focus. The shorter
the focal length, the greater the DOF. The
camera’s f-stop also affects the DOF. A
larger opening (smaller f-stop) will give a
short DOF, and a smaller opening (larger
f-stop) will give a larger DOF.
• Digital Zoom: Magnification obtained
by electronically enlarging the photo.
Many cameras can do this, but it should
be used only when no other options exist.
Enlarging a photo in this manner causes
extreme loss of image quality, resulting in
jagged, fuzzy photos. In most cases the
photo can be enlarged with much better
results using computer software.
• Dots Per Inch (dpi): A measurement of
a digital camera, printer, monitor, etc. used
to describe its resolution. Most computer
monitors are 72 dpi, and most printed
photos (such as in this magazine) are 300
dpi. The higher the dpi, the greater the
resolution of the device.
• F-stop: Inside the camera’s lens is an
aperture that works just like the iris in your
eye. The size of the opening can be changed
automatically or manually, depending on
the camera. The amount of the opening is
given a number, or f-stop.
Lower numbers (e.g. f-2.8) will allow
more light through the lens, allowing you to
take the shot using a higher shutter speed.
Higher numbers (e.g. f-22) will allow less
light through the lens, requiring a slower
shutter speed.
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): Technology for
transferring files between digital devices,
such as a camera and a computer, at high
speed. A FireWire connection is typically
faster than a USB connection. FireWire was
developed by Apple Computer and is
widely used in most computers. However,
only higher-priced digital cameras have this
capability.
• Focal Length: The amount of
magnification of the lens. A zoom lens will
give you an adjustable focal length
(normally 28-200mm).
• Gigabyte (GB): Measurement of data
storage equal to 1,000 megabytes.
• Histogram: A graphic representation of
the range of tones (dark to light) captured in
a photo. Some digital cameras include this
feature to give a precise check on a photo’s
exposure.
• Image resolution: Commonly referred to
as the number of pixels in a digital photo.
• ISO: This is one of the few terms that
came over from traditional film
photography. Film is rated to tell its
sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO
number, the more likely the film is to
capture a fast-moving or dimly lit object.
The numbers 100, 200, 400, and higher are
printed on film packages.
Digital-camera manufacturers have
adopted the same rating system for
describing the sensitivity of the camera’s
imaging sensor. Some digital cameras
include a control for adjusting the ISO
speed, and others adjust the ISO
automatically, depending on the lighting
conditions.
• JPEG: A compression method used
within a file format, such as the EXIF-JPEG
format common to digital cameras. This is a
“lossy” format, which means that image
quality is discarded to compress the image.
Most cameras have several settings for
JPEG compression. When selecting a low-
The same model photographed at ground level approximates the view you would have
of the full-scale subject. This angle maximizes the model’s scale “look.”
Shooting a model at eye level can show a great deal of detail and color, but this isn’t
always the best way—especially with a Scale subject.
68 MODEL AVIATION
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 68
August 2003 69
compression (high-quality) setting, the loss
of image quality is not as noticeable.
• Media: The storage vehicles on which
digital photos are recorded. Digital
photography storage media include
CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards,
Sony’s Memory Stick, and CDs and DVDs.
• Megabyte (MB): A measurement of data
storage equal to 1,024 kilobytes.
• Megapixel: A measurement of a camera’s
imaging sensor. One megapixel equals one
million pixels.
• Memory Stick: This chewing-gum-size
memory card was developed by Sony and is
used in most of its digital cameras.
• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH): A type of
rechargeable battery. Its chemistry gives it
up to twice the lifespan of Ni-Cd batteries.
• Optical Zoom: The magnification obtained
by adjusting a camera’s lens. With the
exception of lowest-priced cameras, most
digital cameras have a minimum zoom of
2x. Some go as high as 10x.
• Pixel: Think of this as the building block
of a digital photo. Each digital photo is made
up of thousands (or millions) of these.
• Red, Green, Blue (RGB): The system in
which most electronic displays (televisions,
monitors, Liquid Crystal Display screens,
and digital cameras’ imaging sensors) work.
• Shutter Lag: The amount of time that
passes between when you press the trigger
and when the camera takes the picture. In
this case, less is more; many inexpensive
cameras can have shutter lag of a second or
more. This takes a huge amount of planning
and luck to shoot anything that’s moving.
• Shutter Speed: The amount of time it takes
for the shutter to open and close. The shutter
opens, exposing the camera’s sensor to light,
thus taking the picture. The shutter speed is
normally automatic, but it can be adjusted
manually on more advanced cameras. The
higher the shutter speed, the quicker the
camera can take the picture, giving less
chance of the model being blurry in the
photo.
• SmartMedia: Another type of storage
format which is a wafer-thin, matchbooksize
memory card. It is widely used in lessexpensive
digital cameras.
• Universal Serial Bus (USB): Type of
technology for transferring files between
digital devices, such as a camera and a
computer, at high speed. It’s not as fast as
FireWire, but it is more commonly used in
digital cameras, card readers, etc.
• White Balance: Compensation for different
colors of light emitted by different light
Paying attention to the background can make all the difference in a shot. In this photo
the subject is in focus, and so is the background.
By shooting the subject with a longer-focal-length lens, you minimize the depth of field,
making the subject pop out from the background.
Try something different next time, such as shooting into the sun. Here the sun’s
reflections give a welcome, dramatic look to an otherwise average subject.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:25 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Flash can be your best friend on a sunny day. This biplane’s
upper wing casts a shadow, hiding all scale detail. In these
situations use flash to “fill,” or add light to, dark areas.
Look at this
issue’s cover.
Sometimes you
have to fake it to
get a great shot.
With the help of
others you can
capture subjects
that would be too
dangerous, or
maybe even
impossible,
otherwise.
sources (including the sun). Not all digital cameras have this, but it
is a great feature to have. If you’ve ever taken indoor photos and had
them come out with a green or blue tint, using white balance can
compensate for this and produce natural tones.
Advantages of Digital Photography:
• Digital photography gives immediate results. Almost all digital
cameras on the market today have Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
screens to give you immediate feedback on your photos. Most LCD
screens show the image in real time, allowing you to compose and
shoot without having to look through a tiny viewfinder. The screen
also allows you to play back previously taken images so you can
make sure you have the shot you want before leaving for home.
Since there’s no film developing with digital photos, the images
are ready to be uploaded to the computer as soon as you arrive
home. There they can be cropped, edited, and printed within
minutes.
• Digital photography can offer outstanding control over your
images. As you become more familiar with your digital camera, you
can explore features such as white balance, ISO sensitivity, fill flash,
and more. You can do all of this by pushing a few buttons or rotating
a few controls. And since digital cameras give immediate results,
you’ll know instantly whether or not your experiment worked.
But that’s just the beginning. Once the files are transferred to
your computer, photo-editing software will give you the chance to
sharpen and enhance your photos. A high-end software package such
as Photoshop can give you the ability to add outstanding special
effects to your pictures.
• Digital photography lets you shoot as much as you like. The only
limits are the size of your memory card and the life of your batteries.
With a couple of good-size 64 MB, 128 MB, or larger memory cards
and a couple sets of rechargeable batteries, you can literally shoot all
day long, taking hundreds of pictures without stopping.
• Digital photography is more affordable than film in the long run.
The initial cost of getting started in digital photography is more than
traditional film. A good digital camera, a few sets of rechargeable
batteries, and a couple of memory cards can cost $1,000 or more.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 70
However, you have all you need once
you purchase these items. With digital, you
basically spend everything up front. With
film, you pay the cost of film, the cost of
developing, and the cost of making prints
during the life of the equipment.
Choosing a Digital Camera: There are
hundreds of digital cameras out there, from
simple point-and-shoot models up to
expensive 35-millimeter (mm) SLR (Single
Lens Reflex) equivalents with
interchangeable lenses.
Which one is right for you? It depends
on two things: the type(s) of photos you
want to take and what they’ll be used for.
Types of photos are as follows.
• Ground Shots: I categorize this as any shot
where you can get close to the subject; e.g.,
a model sitting on the ground, someone
posing with a model, shots of subjects in the
pits, etc.
Most digital cameras can adequately take
ground shots. Being close to the subject
eliminates the need for a large zoom. These
photos are normally taken outside, so white
balance is not as critical. There’s usually not
a great deal of action in these pictures, so a
high ISO or high shutter speed may be
unnecessary.
• Action Shots: As the name implies, these
are photos in which the subject is moving;
e.g., a model taking off or landing, action in
the pits, etc.
These pictures require a bit more in a
camera. Since the subject is in motion,
higher shutter speeds and higher ISO
settings are required to “freeze” the scene. If
you’re photographing a model landing or
taking off, you’ll need a bit of zoom since
you won’t be very close to the aircraft.
These photos will normally be taken
outside, so white balance may not be
critical. You’ll need a camera with a
minimum of shutter lag to help capture the
moment.
• Flying (or Flight) Shots: These are photos
in which the model is flying in the air, in a
typical pattern, from a safety standpoint,
hopefully a fair distance from the camera!
The only difference between these and
action shots are that in this case the model is
normally flying at full speed, high in the air.
This is where you need the biggest zoom
lens you can find. I recommend taking
flying shots with a minimum lens of
200mm. You’ll need a camera with
minimum shutter lag, higher shutter speeds,
and higher ISO settings.
• Miscellaneous Shots: This is where we
include shots of Indoor Free Flight and
electric models, museums, trade shows, and
club meetings.
For such photos you need a little bit of
everything. Since these environments are
poorly lit, high ISOs (or a flash) are
mandatory. Zoom can help you “reach out”
and fill the frame with the subject. Since
indoor venues contain a wide variety of
light sources (incandescent, fluorescent,
halogen, etc.), the biggest feature you’ll
need is white balance; it will ensure that
what you capture on film will have the same
color balance as what you see with your
eyes.
What will you do with the photos? The
whole reason for taking pictures is to
capture the moment so you can share it with
others. The medium through which you
share your photos will have a bearing on the
resolution (number of megapixels) your
digital camera should have.
If you’re shooting only to send photos
via E-mail or post them on the Internet,
most any resolution of camera will do. Most
computer screens run at a resolution of 72
dpi, so a small 2-megapixel camera can take
a photo that is larger than a computer
monitor can display.
However, if you’re going to print your
photos on one of today’s higher-quality
color printers, in a club newsletter, or in a
magazine, things change quite a bit. The
biggest difference is that the camera’s
resolution is more critical.
Although there are a few exceptions, the
general rule is that to get the best-quality
print from your photo, it must be printed at a
resolution of 300 dpi. To figure out how big
a photo from a camera can be requires a
little math.
Before I give you the math behind
megapixels and print size, I’ll put it in a
scenario with which a modeler can identify.
Let’s say you have a 40-size glow engine.
The two-blade propeller you would
typically use with it is a 10 x 6 or a 10 x 7.
This will let the engine turn at an rpm that
allows it to produce peak power.
You could use the same engine with a
larger propeller, but the larger the propeller,
the more useless the power plant. As the
propeller diameter increased, you would
continually have to select propellers with
lower pitches to keep the engine working at
its peak output rpm. Doing this could make
the propeller pitch so small that you could
not propel the airplane at flying speeds, and
you would make the propeller act as a brake
rather than thrust.
A similar thing happens when you
enlarge digital photos. You can blow them
up as big as you want, but as you do you
sacrifice image quality to the point where a
good, sharp photo is a large, blurry mess.
I’ll use a 3-megapixel camera to
illustrate. Most cameras of this resolution
are roughly 2,048 pixels wide and 1,536
pixels high. (Refer to the camera’s
specifications to learn the sensor’s size.) To
figure the largest high-resolution photo the
camera can produce, divide the width by
300 and divide the height by 300. In this
case you end up with a 300 dpi photo that is
roughly 5 x 7 inches. The larger the
camera’s sensor, the bigger this highestresolution
image can be.
If you want to print larger photos, such
as for an 8 x 11-inch magazine cover, you’ll
August 2003 71
When thinking about how to save
your files, you may be tempted to choose
a high-compression JPEG format. That
will create smaller files, but it does so by
removing the detail from the photos.
The top image is from a TIF file. It
has no compression and contains all of
the detail the camera can capture.
The middle image is from a highresolution
JPEG. Although it looks good,
if you look closely you will see that some
of the detail has been lost.
The bottom image is from a lowresolution
JPEG, which looks much
worse. Notice the artifacts and jagged
edges.
It’s always best to save your images
using the highest quality your camera will
allow. This will give you the most
flexibility when sharing and printing your
photos. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo was saved in TIF format. It
contains all of the resolution that the
camera can capture.
This image was saved as a highresolution
JPEG. Although a bit of
information was lost to make the file
smaller, the detail is still good.
This image was saved as a lowresolution
JPEG. The high
compression makes files smaller so
you can shoot more, but the
compression loses detail and creates
artifacts, making the photo unusable.
Don’t Compress Your Images!
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 71
72 MODEL AVIATION
need to shoot with a minimum of a 5- or 6-
megapixel camera. As you’ll read later, the
camera I use to shoot magazine covers can
take a high-resolution photo that is roughly
11 x 14 inches.
Sometimes computer software can
enlarge digital photos without losing too
much of the original quality. Programs such
as Photoshop and Genuine Fractals can
easily enlarge photos, but you must take
care when doing this.
What do I use? I carry two digital cameras
when I’m covering an event. I have a small,
3-megapixel camera with a 3x zoom which
I use for many of the ground shots. It
doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of
more advanced cameras, but it takes good,
sharp photos (as large as 5 x 7 inches) with
a minimum amount of effort. The LCD
screen on the back can be rotated so I can
hold the camera at all sorts of weird angles
while keeping my clothes cleaner and
making my life a bit easier.
The camera I use most is a 6-megapixel
SLR which uses interchangeable lenses
carried over from traditional 35mm
equipment. Although this camera is quite
expensive, its long list of features gives me
the best chance to capture high-resolution
photos in any condition (pictures up to 11 x
14 inches or smaller photos which can be
tightly cropped). I carry two lenses for this
camera: a 28-200 zoom for the ground and
close-in shots and a 170-500 zoom to
capture models in the air or a candid shot
across the field.
In each camera there’s an IBM
Microdrive: a tiny hard drive in the case of
a CompactFlash card but with a huge
capacity (up to 1 GB). This gives me the
capability to shoot hundreds of photos
during an event without running out of
storage room.
I also have a couple dozen rechargeable
AA NiMH batteries that I use for power.
Each of the cameras takes four batteries at a
time, and I can easily go through a couple
of sets a day when I’m busy shooting.
Using NiMH batteries instead of Nickel
Cadmiums (Ni-Cds) gives me longer
shooting time—sometimes up to twice as
long. (Many cameras require specially
shaped batteries made by the manufacturer.
Watch Your DPI!
Looking at the accompanying photos, notice that the 72 dpi photo shows many jagged
edges and isn’t as sharp as the 300 dpi photo. If you want to submit your photos to a club
newsletter or magazine, you need to make sure that they are of a high enough resolution
for printing.
When a digital camera stores an image, it is written at 72 dpi. A 3-megapixel camera
captures a photo that is roughly 28 inches wide and 21 inches tall. To reformat the photo
for printing, you need to convert the photo to 300 dpi.
This is not simply resizing the image; you are exchanging the photo’s size for
resolution. Converting that same 3-megapixel photo to 300 dpi results in a picture that is
7 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Almost any photo software can do this conversion for you. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo is printed at 72 dpi: the same
resolution as a computer screen. Notice
jagged edges and lack of detail.
The same photo is printed at 300 dpi. At
this resolution it contains all of the detail
and crispness you need.
In this case, it would be a good idea to
purchase an extra or two.)
What camera do I recommend? Regardless
of the camera(s) you choose, you’ll never
find one that does it all. Even the most
expensive SLRs don’t have every feature in
one package. The best compromise is to find
a camera that will shoot the majority of the
pictures you want to take and do a good job.
These days, probably the best
compromise is a 4- to 6-megapixel SLRstyle
camera with a 6x (or longer) zoom
lens. I recommend that the camera use
CompactFlash cards for storage. A movable
LCD screen makes taking some photos
easier, such as low-to-the-ground shots or
those over a crowd. Other nice features are
user-adjustable white balance and at least a
two-frames-per-second frame burst mode.
Probably the most important feature to
consider is the shutter’s lag time. It’s
common for lower- and midrange cameras to
have lag times upward of a half second or
more. The lower the lag time, the more
likely it is that you’ll be able to capture what
you’re after.
I would love to name specific cameras
for you to look at, but by the time this article
is printed it is likely that the models
mentioned would no longer be sold. I would
generally consider cameras from
manufacturers such as Canon, Fuji, Minolta,
Nikon, and Olympus. Among these
manufacturers there are easily a dozen
cameras that meet the criteria I’ve
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70,71,72,75,76,78
FOR THOSE OF you who don’t know me, I am Model Aviation’s
advertising representative. Not that that matters, but as part of my
job I create many of the advertisements you see on a monthly basis.
When creating these ads, I take pictures of the products—many
pictures! I also help out with event coverage, and I have grabbed a
few Model Aviation covers along the way.
One thing that has surprised me is the number of people who
approach me during events or trade shows and ask about my camera
equipment. After learning that I shoot exclusively digital, they ask
my opinion on cameras, lenses, techniques, etc. It’s quite flattering.
Because of that (and a bit of prompting from Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt), I’ve taken to my keyboard to share information about
how to digitally capture model aircraft successfully.
Not too long ago, digital photos were considered far inferior to
traditional film. Because of rapid improvements in technology in the
past few years, digital cameras have made huge strides to the point
where digital is nearly the equivalent of film.
When used by a professional, traditional film is still superior to
the best digital pictures. However, since most camera owners are not
professional photographers, digital photography is a viable
alternative that could be considered when shooting pictures of model
aircraft.
Digital Terminology: For someone who is new to digital
photography, the buzzwords and terminology can be confusing.
With few exceptions, the features in today’s digital cameras aren’t
even an option with traditional film. Following are some of the most
common terms and their definitions.
• Artifacts: These appear in digital images when they are
compressed. You’ll see them as clusters of noise that usually appear
as squares. The more the image is compressed, the more artifacts
will be visible.
• Buffer: Memory in the camera where the digital photo is stored
before being written to the memory card. A large buffer will allow
you to take more photos before the camera pauses to write them to
the memory card.
• Card Reader: An accessory device that connects to a computer. It
August 2003 67
■ Mark Lanterman
allows you to remove the memory card from your camera and
transfer the pictures into your computer. This is normally attached
via a USB or FireWire port and will transfer pictures at a much
faster rate than using the camera’s built-in data port.
• Charge Coupled Device (CCD): This is one of the two main types
of image sensors used in today’s digital cameras. When the shutter is
pressed, the sensor is struck by light coming in through the camera
lens. The sensor is made up of pixels—in some cases several
million.
• Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): The other
These are styles of digital cameras. Top two are point-andshoots.
At lower left is SLR style, which normally has higher
resolution and larger zoom. At lower right is top-of-the-line, true
SLR with interchangeable lenses. These have the most features
and are the most expensive.
■ Mark Lanterman
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 67
of the two main types of image sensors
used in today’s digital cameras. Although
it’s not as widely used as CCD sensors, it
works much the same as a CCD sensor.
• Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (CMYK):
A process used in printing, sometimes
referred to as four-color process. Model
Aviation (as well as most other
magazines) is printed using this
technique. All digital photos must be
converted to this process to print
correctly.
• CompactFlash: The most common type
of memory card. There are two kinds:
Type I and Type II. Although they vary in
thickness, both are roughly the size of a
matchbook. This is by far the most
popular type of storage in digital cameras.
They also come in a wide variety of sizes
as large as 1 gigabyte (1,000 megabytes).
• Depth of Field (DOF): The portion of
the image which is in focus. The shorter
the focal length, the greater the DOF. The
camera’s f-stop also affects the DOF. A
larger opening (smaller f-stop) will give a
short DOF, and a smaller opening (larger
f-stop) will give a larger DOF.
• Digital Zoom: Magnification obtained
by electronically enlarging the photo.
Many cameras can do this, but it should
be used only when no other options exist.
Enlarging a photo in this manner causes
extreme loss of image quality, resulting in
jagged, fuzzy photos. In most cases the
photo can be enlarged with much better
results using computer software.
• Dots Per Inch (dpi): A measurement of
a digital camera, printer, monitor, etc. used
to describe its resolution. Most computer
monitors are 72 dpi, and most printed
photos (such as in this magazine) are 300
dpi. The higher the dpi, the greater the
resolution of the device.
• F-stop: Inside the camera’s lens is an
aperture that works just like the iris in your
eye. The size of the opening can be changed
automatically or manually, depending on
the camera. The amount of the opening is
given a number, or f-stop.
Lower numbers (e.g. f-2.8) will allow
more light through the lens, allowing you to
take the shot using a higher shutter speed.
Higher numbers (e.g. f-22) will allow less
light through the lens, requiring a slower
shutter speed.
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): Technology for
transferring files between digital devices,
such as a camera and a computer, at high
speed. A FireWire connection is typically
faster than a USB connection. FireWire was
developed by Apple Computer and is
widely used in most computers. However,
only higher-priced digital cameras have this
capability.
• Focal Length: The amount of
magnification of the lens. A zoom lens will
give you an adjustable focal length
(normally 28-200mm).
• Gigabyte (GB): Measurement of data
storage equal to 1,000 megabytes.
• Histogram: A graphic representation of
the range of tones (dark to light) captured in
a photo. Some digital cameras include this
feature to give a precise check on a photo’s
exposure.
• Image resolution: Commonly referred to
as the number of pixels in a digital photo.
• ISO: This is one of the few terms that
came over from traditional film
photography. Film is rated to tell its
sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO
number, the more likely the film is to
capture a fast-moving or dimly lit object.
The numbers 100, 200, 400, and higher are
printed on film packages.
Digital-camera manufacturers have
adopted the same rating system for
describing the sensitivity of the camera’s
imaging sensor. Some digital cameras
include a control for adjusting the ISO
speed, and others adjust the ISO
automatically, depending on the lighting
conditions.
• JPEG: A compression method used
within a file format, such as the EXIF-JPEG
format common to digital cameras. This is a
“lossy” format, which means that image
quality is discarded to compress the image.
Most cameras have several settings for
JPEG compression. When selecting a low-
The same model photographed at ground level approximates the view you would have
of the full-scale subject. This angle maximizes the model’s scale “look.”
Shooting a model at eye level can show a great deal of detail and color, but this isn’t
always the best way—especially with a Scale subject.
68 MODEL AVIATION
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:24 pm Page 68
August 2003 69
compression (high-quality) setting, the loss
of image quality is not as noticeable.
• Media: The storage vehicles on which
digital photos are recorded. Digital
photography storage media include
CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards,
Sony’s Memory Stick, and CDs and DVDs.
• Megabyte (MB): A measurement of data
storage equal to 1,024 kilobytes.
• Megapixel: A measurement of a camera’s
imaging sensor. One megapixel equals one
million pixels.
• Memory Stick: This chewing-gum-size
memory card was developed by Sony and is
used in most of its digital cameras.
• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH): A type of
rechargeable battery. Its chemistry gives it
up to twice the lifespan of Ni-Cd batteries.
• Optical Zoom: The magnification obtained
by adjusting a camera’s lens. With the
exception of lowest-priced cameras, most
digital cameras have a minimum zoom of
2x. Some go as high as 10x.
• Pixel: Think of this as the building block
of a digital photo. Each digital photo is made
up of thousands (or millions) of these.
• Red, Green, Blue (RGB): The system in
which most electronic displays (televisions,
monitors, Liquid Crystal Display screens,
and digital cameras’ imaging sensors) work.
• Shutter Lag: The amount of time that
passes between when you press the trigger
and when the camera takes the picture. In
this case, less is more; many inexpensive
cameras can have shutter lag of a second or
more. This takes a huge amount of planning
and luck to shoot anything that’s moving.
• Shutter Speed: The amount of time it takes
for the shutter to open and close. The shutter
opens, exposing the camera’s sensor to light,
thus taking the picture. The shutter speed is
normally automatic, but it can be adjusted
manually on more advanced cameras. The
higher the shutter speed, the quicker the
camera can take the picture, giving less
chance of the model being blurry in the
photo.
• SmartMedia: Another type of storage
format which is a wafer-thin, matchbooksize
memory card. It is widely used in lessexpensive
digital cameras.
• Universal Serial Bus (USB): Type of
technology for transferring files between
digital devices, such as a camera and a
computer, at high speed. It’s not as fast as
FireWire, but it is more commonly used in
digital cameras, card readers, etc.
• White Balance: Compensation for different
colors of light emitted by different light
Paying attention to the background can make all the difference in a shot. In this photo
the subject is in focus, and so is the background.
By shooting the subject with a longer-focal-length lens, you minimize the depth of field,
making the subject pop out from the background.
Try something different next time, such as shooting into the sun. Here the sun’s
reflections give a welcome, dramatic look to an otherwise average subject.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:25 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Flash can be your best friend on a sunny day. This biplane’s
upper wing casts a shadow, hiding all scale detail. In these
situations use flash to “fill,” or add light to, dark areas.
Look at this
issue’s cover.
Sometimes you
have to fake it to
get a great shot.
With the help of
others you can
capture subjects
that would be too
dangerous, or
maybe even
impossible,
otherwise.
sources (including the sun). Not all digital cameras have this, but it
is a great feature to have. If you’ve ever taken indoor photos and had
them come out with a green or blue tint, using white balance can
compensate for this and produce natural tones.
Advantages of Digital Photography:
• Digital photography gives immediate results. Almost all digital
cameras on the market today have Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
screens to give you immediate feedback on your photos. Most LCD
screens show the image in real time, allowing you to compose and
shoot without having to look through a tiny viewfinder. The screen
also allows you to play back previously taken images so you can
make sure you have the shot you want before leaving for home.
Since there’s no film developing with digital photos, the images
are ready to be uploaded to the computer as soon as you arrive
home. There they can be cropped, edited, and printed within
minutes.
• Digital photography can offer outstanding control over your
images. As you become more familiar with your digital camera, you
can explore features such as white balance, ISO sensitivity, fill flash,
and more. You can do all of this by pushing a few buttons or rotating
a few controls. And since digital cameras give immediate results,
you’ll know instantly whether or not your experiment worked.
But that’s just the beginning. Once the files are transferred to
your computer, photo-editing software will give you the chance to
sharpen and enhance your photos. A high-end software package such
as Photoshop can give you the ability to add outstanding special
effects to your pictures.
• Digital photography lets you shoot as much as you like. The only
limits are the size of your memory card and the life of your batteries.
With a couple of good-size 64 MB, 128 MB, or larger memory cards
and a couple sets of rechargeable batteries, you can literally shoot all
day long, taking hundreds of pictures without stopping.
• Digital photography is more affordable than film in the long run.
The initial cost of getting started in digital photography is more than
traditional film. A good digital camera, a few sets of rechargeable
batteries, and a couple of memory cards can cost $1,000 or more.
08sig3.QXD 5.23.03 1:26 pm Page 70
However, you have all you need once
you purchase these items. With digital, you
basically spend everything up front. With
film, you pay the cost of film, the cost of
developing, and the cost of making prints
during the life of the equipment.
Choosing a Digital Camera: There are
hundreds of digital cameras out there, from
simple point-and-shoot models up to
expensive 35-millimeter (mm) SLR (Single
Lens Reflex) equivalents with
interchangeable lenses.
Which one is right for you? It depends
on two things: the type(s) of photos you
want to take and what they’ll be used for.
Types of photos are as follows.
• Ground Shots: I categorize this as any shot
where you can get close to the subject; e.g.,
a model sitting on the ground, someone
posing with a model, shots of subjects in the
pits, etc.
Most digital cameras can adequately take
ground shots. Being close to the subject
eliminates the need for a large zoom. These
photos are normally taken outside, so white
balance is not as critical. There’s usually not
a great deal of action in these pictures, so a
high ISO or high shutter speed may be
unnecessary.
• Action Shots: As the name implies, these
are photos in which the subject is moving;
e.g., a model taking off or landing, action in
the pits, etc.
These pictures require a bit more in a
camera. Since the subject is in motion,
higher shutter speeds and higher ISO
settings are required to “freeze” the scene. If
you’re photographing a model landing or
taking off, you’ll need a bit of zoom since
you won’t be very close to the aircraft.
These photos will normally be taken
outside, so white balance may not be
critical. You’ll need a camera with a
minimum of shutter lag to help capture the
moment.
• Flying (or Flight) Shots: These are photos
in which the model is flying in the air, in a
typical pattern, from a safety standpoint,
hopefully a fair distance from the camera!
The only difference between these and
action shots are that in this case the model is
normally flying at full speed, high in the air.
This is where you need the biggest zoom
lens you can find. I recommend taking
flying shots with a minimum lens of
200mm. You’ll need a camera with
minimum shutter lag, higher shutter speeds,
and higher ISO settings.
• Miscellaneous Shots: This is where we
include shots of Indoor Free Flight and
electric models, museums, trade shows, and
club meetings.
For such photos you need a little bit of
everything. Since these environments are
poorly lit, high ISOs (or a flash) are
mandatory. Zoom can help you “reach out”
and fill the frame with the subject. Since
indoor venues contain a wide variety of
light sources (incandescent, fluorescent,
halogen, etc.), the biggest feature you’ll
need is white balance; it will ensure that
what you capture on film will have the same
color balance as what you see with your
eyes.
What will you do with the photos? The
whole reason for taking pictures is to
capture the moment so you can share it with
others. The medium through which you
share your photos will have a bearing on the
resolution (number of megapixels) your
digital camera should have.
If you’re shooting only to send photos
via E-mail or post them on the Internet,
most any resolution of camera will do. Most
computer screens run at a resolution of 72
dpi, so a small 2-megapixel camera can take
a photo that is larger than a computer
monitor can display.
However, if you’re going to print your
photos on one of today’s higher-quality
color printers, in a club newsletter, or in a
magazine, things change quite a bit. The
biggest difference is that the camera’s
resolution is more critical.
Although there are a few exceptions, the
general rule is that to get the best-quality
print from your photo, it must be printed at a
resolution of 300 dpi. To figure out how big
a photo from a camera can be requires a
little math.
Before I give you the math behind
megapixels and print size, I’ll put it in a
scenario with which a modeler can identify.
Let’s say you have a 40-size glow engine.
The two-blade propeller you would
typically use with it is a 10 x 6 or a 10 x 7.
This will let the engine turn at an rpm that
allows it to produce peak power.
You could use the same engine with a
larger propeller, but the larger the propeller,
the more useless the power plant. As the
propeller diameter increased, you would
continually have to select propellers with
lower pitches to keep the engine working at
its peak output rpm. Doing this could make
the propeller pitch so small that you could
not propel the airplane at flying speeds, and
you would make the propeller act as a brake
rather than thrust.
A similar thing happens when you
enlarge digital photos. You can blow them
up as big as you want, but as you do you
sacrifice image quality to the point where a
good, sharp photo is a large, blurry mess.
I’ll use a 3-megapixel camera to
illustrate. Most cameras of this resolution
are roughly 2,048 pixels wide and 1,536
pixels high. (Refer to the camera’s
specifications to learn the sensor’s size.) To
figure the largest high-resolution photo the
camera can produce, divide the width by
300 and divide the height by 300. In this
case you end up with a 300 dpi photo that is
roughly 5 x 7 inches. The larger the
camera’s sensor, the bigger this highestresolution
image can be.
If you want to print larger photos, such
as for an 8 x 11-inch magazine cover, you’ll
August 2003 71
When thinking about how to save
your files, you may be tempted to choose
a high-compression JPEG format. That
will create smaller files, but it does so by
removing the detail from the photos.
The top image is from a TIF file. It
has no compression and contains all of
the detail the camera can capture.
The middle image is from a highresolution
JPEG. Although it looks good,
if you look closely you will see that some
of the detail has been lost.
The bottom image is from a lowresolution
JPEG, which looks much
worse. Notice the artifacts and jagged
edges.
It’s always best to save your images
using the highest quality your camera will
allow. This will give you the most
flexibility when sharing and printing your
photos. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo was saved in TIF format. It
contains all of the resolution that the
camera can capture.
This image was saved as a highresolution
JPEG. Although a bit of
information was lost to make the file
smaller, the detail is still good.
This image was saved as a lowresolution
JPEG. The high
compression makes files smaller so
you can shoot more, but the
compression loses detail and creates
artifacts, making the photo unusable.
Don’t Compress Your Images!
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72 MODEL AVIATION
need to shoot with a minimum of a 5- or 6-
megapixel camera. As you’ll read later, the
camera I use to shoot magazine covers can
take a high-resolution photo that is roughly
11 x 14 inches.
Sometimes computer software can
enlarge digital photos without losing too
much of the original quality. Programs such
as Photoshop and Genuine Fractals can
easily enlarge photos, but you must take
care when doing this.
What do I use? I carry two digital cameras
when I’m covering an event. I have a small,
3-megapixel camera with a 3x zoom which
I use for many of the ground shots. It
doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of
more advanced cameras, but it takes good,
sharp photos (as large as 5 x 7 inches) with
a minimum amount of effort. The LCD
screen on the back can be rotated so I can
hold the camera at all sorts of weird angles
while keeping my clothes cleaner and
making my life a bit easier.
The camera I use most is a 6-megapixel
SLR which uses interchangeable lenses
carried over from traditional 35mm
equipment. Although this camera is quite
expensive, its long list of features gives me
the best chance to capture high-resolution
photos in any condition (pictures up to 11 x
14 inches or smaller photos which can be
tightly cropped). I carry two lenses for this
camera: a 28-200 zoom for the ground and
close-in shots and a 170-500 zoom to
capture models in the air or a candid shot
across the field.
In each camera there’s an IBM
Microdrive: a tiny hard drive in the case of
a CompactFlash card but with a huge
capacity (up to 1 GB). This gives me the
capability to shoot hundreds of photos
during an event without running out of
storage room.
I also have a couple dozen rechargeable
AA NiMH batteries that I use for power.
Each of the cameras takes four batteries at a
time, and I can easily go through a couple
of sets a day when I’m busy shooting.
Using NiMH batteries instead of Nickel
Cadmiums (Ni-Cds) gives me longer
shooting time—sometimes up to twice as
long. (Many cameras require specially
shaped batteries made by the manufacturer.
Watch Your DPI!
Looking at the accompanying photos, notice that the 72 dpi photo shows many jagged
edges and isn’t as sharp as the 300 dpi photo. If you want to submit your photos to a club
newsletter or magazine, you need to make sure that they are of a high enough resolution
for printing.
When a digital camera stores an image, it is written at 72 dpi. A 3-megapixel camera
captures a photo that is roughly 28 inches wide and 21 inches tall. To reformat the photo
for printing, you need to convert the photo to 300 dpi.
This is not simply resizing the image; you are exchanging the photo’s size for
resolution. Converting that same 3-megapixel photo to 300 dpi results in a picture that is
7 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Almost any photo software can do this conversion for you. MA
—Mark Lanterman
This photo is printed at 72 dpi: the same
resolution as a computer screen. Notice
jagged edges and lack of detail.
The same photo is printed at 300 dpi. At
this resolution it contains all of the detail
and crispness you need.
In this case, it would be a good idea to
purchase an extra or two.)
What camera do I recommend? Regardless
of the camera(s) you choose, you’ll never
find one that does it all. Even the most
expensive SLRs don’t have every feature in
one package. The best compromise is to find
a camera that will shoot the majority of the
pictures you want to take and do a good job.
These days, probably the best
compromise is a 4- to 6-megapixel SLRstyle
camera with a 6x (or longer) zoom
lens. I recommend that the camera use
CompactFlash cards for storage. A movable
LCD screen makes taking some photos
easier, such as low-to-the-ground shots or
those over a crowd. Other nice features are
user-adjustable white balance and at least a
two-frames-per-second frame burst mode.
Probably the most important feature to
consider is the shutter’s lag time. It’s
common for lower- and midrange cameras to
have lag times upward of a half second or
more. The lower the lag time, the more
likely it is that you’ll be able to capture what
you’re after.
I would love to name specific cameras
for you to look at, but by the time this article
is printed it is likely that the models
mentioned would no longer be sold. I would
generally consider cameras from
manufacturers such as Canon, Fuji, Minolta,
Nikon, and Olympus. Among these
manufacturers there are easily a dozen
cameras that meet the criteria I’ve
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