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Post by columbo on Sept 8, 2010 22:23:08 GMT 1
Hi folks. I've finally made the jump from slide film to digital. I'm struggling with a few tech issues. I was told that I can put my images onto cd and play them on my television, however the images appear distorted and not in focus, yet on my laptop and camera they are really sharp.
I prefer to view my pics on a large area such as slide being projected and thought that buying a large hd tv would be the answer with digital, but I'm struggling.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Steve
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Post by viscount on Sept 8, 2010 23:13:52 GMT 1
If you have PictBridge (think I have the TM name correct) facility to play direct from Camera to TV do have you the same loss of definition problem as going via PC and CD? Newer PCs might have a PictBridge facility too, again saving the need to go via CD.
While I'm at the limits of my understanding of the subject, I'm wondering if your PC when loading the CD has JPegged the image (compressed the number of pixels) again, and to a degree that HD simply doesn't have enough information to reform the photo sharp (in which case the picture size 'settings' are wrong - but, please, do not ask me where/how to access/change that sort of detail).
If the Camera is not PictBridge capable, have a look and see if your HD TV has a port to take the memory card directly. Some newer TV sets have the facility to read/load directly from, at least, SD cards and play as a 'slide show'. The loading port may have a cover or a plastic card in place to keep the dust out, so is not obvious.
If your HD TV takes PictBridge or card direct and is sharp, then the problem is either in the information provided by your PC to the CD, or possibly an older CD player is not HD compatable, or the cable CD to TV is too small to cope with the information flow. I've recently found the quality of picture from SkyBox to TV improved far greater with a better quality cable, than the improvement from normal picture to HD!! But thats another story.
If the image is still blurred having tried all these strategies, I'm stumped, so repost your question!
In the words of the 70s TV series "your mission, if you accept it" is to sit down for several hours with the instruction books and connection cables for camera, tv and PC and look for the key-words 'PictBridge' and 'memory card slot' (while getting ever shorter of temper and a massive headache). Unlike the TV series though "this message will not self-destruct in 30 seconds" and the "Mission is Possible"!
Anyone other ideas, or that rarest of skills, the ability to use normal everyday English when talking about digital images/PCs!
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Post by columbo on Sept 9, 2010 10:21:19 GMT 1
Thanks for your reply Viscount. The image is still distorted even when I use the leads direct from the camera to the TV. I've had a good look and can't find a card slot on the TV. I'm wondering whether to buy a large LCD computer monitor and see if that's the cause?
Steve
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Post by jbmack on Sept 9, 2010 11:24:33 GMT 1
If pictures are stretched try adjusting picture size on tv ie from 16;9 to 4;3.
Jim
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Post by Biggles on Sept 12, 2010 22:35:47 GMT 1
Just a thought, what camera are you using and what size are the jpg.s your trying to veiw. Does the camera allow shots to be recorded as TIFF or even in RAW format ?
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Post by columbo on Sept 13, 2010 21:22:25 GMT 1
Hi Biggles. The camera is a canon 500D. Not sure what size the jpegs are, I'll have a look. To be honest I got a brain injury 16 months ago and developed a few probs. Reading and understanding the manual is hard for me.
Steve
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Post by stu on Sept 13, 2010 22:57:09 GMT 1
Steve, text me if you want me to pop round to yours sometime and I'll try and help you as much as I can. Im not sure why your images are distorted but we can try sort that out. You know where I am.  |
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Post by Biggles on Sept 15, 2010 0:21:07 GMT 1
Thanks for reply Columbo, sorry to hear that news. The Canon is a superb bit of kit and shouldn`t be causing these probs,take up the offer from stu, sounds like a good idea if he is near.
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Post by viscount on Sept 15, 2010 11:08:39 GMT 1
Having the same model of Canon, I've been able to send to Columbo a detailed PM regarding camera's 8 picture quality 'settings', which vary from 15Mb down to 3.5Mb, how to find/change the settings used and how to set up a picture quality trial.
Thought the specific details of button press sequence too model specific for a general post, however as discussion has continued, I've posted this to save anyone time posting info on Canon 500D picture settings - which could well be the problem, as if the quality is currently set at minimium, the wide screen result could well be degraded.
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Post by columbo on Sept 16, 2010 14:15:55 GMT 1
Many thanks for the replies. Particularly for Viscount's very helpful PM which I will keep as it has other good info that I can use. I feel a bit silly now as I have altered the settings and it appears to be alot better now. Stu is coming over tonight to teach me a few things.
The problem I have is if I read a manual my head just goes into melt down and the words are hard to follow since my head injury 16 months ago, reading a simple paragraph can take ages. To think my job is a carer for people, it's me that needs a carer lol.
Once again, thanks for the help.
Steve
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Post by viscount on Sept 16, 2010 20:08:14 GMT 1
Like PCs, every digital camera should be supplied by the retailer complete not with manual, but a 14 year old to operate it for you!! Probably get in trouble with the PC brigade for mentioning 14 year schoolboys (which I didn't, quite).
Seriously though, delighted you have sorted out the quality problem. Knew somehow, between us all we would get to the root of the problem - digital cameras are a great bit of kit, capable of consistent excellent results in difficult conditions - provided they are set up correctly. There's nothing though to beat a 'master class' from an experienced user to get the settings straight - which does require knowledge and practice, good of Stu to volunteer.
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Post by columbo on Sept 16, 2010 22:22:17 GMT 1
 Stu says its dark and unleverl. I reckon it was the wind |
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Post by columbo on Sept 16, 2010 22:36:23 GMT 1
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Post by Biggles on Sept 16, 2010 22:42:57 GMT 1
Columbo, if you haven`t spent a fortune on a manilpulation editing suite yet download the Free Google Picassa 3 programme and you can correct and alter shots to your hearts content. Level, contract sharpness Brightness and many others.
Do a Google search for PICASSA 3 and downliad the FREE pro gramme and save it, when it self runs after installation it will put all your pics into date folders on your PC. A shortcut on the desktop allows instant access to all your saved pictures. Hope that helps.
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Post by buryspotter on Sept 16, 2010 23:01:08 GMT 1
Steve, As Biggles says above you can "tweak" the image after taking the picture. I've levelled up your 737 shot a bit.  Unfortunately on a miserable wet day (ie most of the time in the Northwest) the pictures are going to look a bit "dull" Don't forget the more you practice taking pictures the better you will get - keep shooting and have a go at other subjects like some of the trains and cars that appear on this forum. Regards Alan |
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