video tutorial

Photography 101 - depth of field

If you’re going to use a DSLR you need to understand the relationship between aperture settings and shutter speeds. 

Aperture settings, known as f-stops, are found on the lens barrel of the older manual lenses, but if you use a modern electronic lens you’ll control it through the capture software.  The largest aperture (when the iris is open widest) is the smallest number - often around f/2.8, and the smallest aperture will be the largest number (say f/22).  Each change in f-stop setting halves/doubles the light reaching the camera sensor.

By changing the aperture setting on your lens you take control over the depth of field.  The smaller the aperture, the more you get in focus.  A wider aperture enables you to soften the background or foreground in your image. 

Each time you adjust the aperture setting you’ll need to adjust the shutter speed to compensate.  The larger the hole in the iris, the more light comes through - so your going to need a faster shutter speed and vice versa.

You should be able to control the shutter speed through the capture software.  The higher the number the faster the shutter speed – so 1/4 is a quarter of a second fast and 1/16 is a sixteenth of a second.  In normal photography a slow shutter speed would blur movement and fast one freeze action, but in stop-motion the camera’s locked down and the puppet will be still, so it’s not going to really matter.

Camera's

Webcams
If your just starting out and don't want to spend much money then webcams are a good place to start, I would think most are compatible with all of the different types capture software.  Your best of getting one with manual focus otherwise it'll refocus on every frame.

Digital Cameras
Some compact cameras in the "Canon powershot" range will connect to Stop Mo Pro and Dragon Frame, they have them listed on there sites so you can check on there - use the DragonFame site it's easier and what works for one will work for the other.  I can't say for the other capture software though.

The best way to go is to use DSLR type camera's.  What your though is one that will give a "live view" again SMP and Dragon Frame list all compatible types.  Canon are the most popular, or there's Nikon's which tend to be more expensive, or Olympus.

The professional way is to use a high end Canon camera camera body such as the Canon EOS 1D mark 3 with a Nikon Nikkor Lens connected by a lens adaptor.

The Nikkor is an older type of lens which can't be controlled by the camera, - which is good because it cuts out any chance of the camera adjusting the settings on each frame. But it also has a manual type of aperture control with an aperture ring inside which closes every time the shutter goes.  This can be bad as even the tiniest microscopic change of size in the ring can slightly alter the light coming through the lens and cause a constant flickering in your film.
Fortunately as well as connecting the camera to the lens, the adaptor also stops this ring closing and opening on each shot and just holds it in the same  place.



The Cheapest of the all the DSLR cameras with live view is the Canon Rebel T range, starting with the Canon 450D, then 500D, the 550D etc.  The 450D is no longer being produced but you should be able to pick one up second hand for around £150.  At the moment the 600D is probably the best bargain new coming in at around £500 including a lens.

If you want to use the electronic Canon lens just make sure you turn off all the automatic settings - auto focus, auto white balance, etc.  The aperture and the film speed will be controlled through the capture software.

The cheapest Nikon seems to be the D5000 or the D5100 at about £400, then the D90 for a bit more.

Lens sizes
The 3 most useful lens sizes are 24mm, 50mm, and 85mm.  24mm is the widest therefore good for wide shots, 85mm is the narrowest and so good for close ups.  If you only want to buy one try and get a zoom that covers these sizes - so 18mm - 100mm would be fine.  Also a lens which has "macro" facility could come in handy - this allows you to put the camera right up against what your shooting and focus on an extreme close up.