Interesting article and comparison here for compact digital cameras.

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/compactcamerahighiso

Looks like Fuji Finepix F30 is still usable for high ISO, but for other brands, they are just marketing gimmick.  So, if you need something slim, not bulky like dSLR and that are capable of doing high ISO,  Fuji FinePix F30 may be your answer.

Taking photos from astrophotography??? Or basically need to remove the IR filter to capture some interesting InfraRed (IR) photos just for the thrill???

You can remove the IR filter in front the sensor to achieve this. There are a lot of websites dedicated to hobbyists to try.

A couple of websites targetted to IR filter modification for Canon 300D and Nikon D70 can be found here:

• Canon 300D modification
• Nikon D70 modification

However, please take note that this is an extremely dangerous task especially if you have a weak heart. And if you accidentally scratched your sensor, you will end up with an expensive cool-looking paperweight ... ;P.

Photos taken from Canon 300D modification page above to illustrate the coolness of Infrared photography:

Photo above from Original 300D.

Photo above from the 300D with the IR filter removed

Do you notice the difference? Well, all the harsh shadows are gone !!! Well, some says it's creepy .... but I would say it's just cool !!! But too bad, I still haven't found the guts to remove the IR filter off my 300D ... ;P.

Took lots of out-of-focus photos recently and never think it's your fault???

Well, you can easily check if your SLR is suffering from any back focusing or front focusing problems. The detailed procedure is given in Bob Atkins webpage.

http://www.photo.net/learn/focustest

So, hurry up .... go find out if the out-of-focus problems in your photos is due to the camera or your own lack of skills .... :).

For the daring ones with 300D, you can even fix the focusing problem on your own ... but too bad, I have lost the link that shows a clear step-by-step photos on fixing the front/back focusing problem in 300D on your own. I have not done it myself ... but it involves turning a screw inside the mirror box ... which of course will damage your 300D easily if you are not careful. U can try to search it in the web .... but if I manage to find the link again, I will post it in this blog ... or if you know the link, please let me know so that I can add it in to this blog.

Please note that I will not be held any responsible if you damage your camera in the process of fixing focusing problem ... :).

Ever wonder what is the meaning of Guide Number (GN) in your flash/speedlight specification? Well, the GN is a measure of the flash output. So, the bigger the GN, the stronger your flash is. With modern TTL flash, we do not have to worry about the calculation of a GN. With TTL, the flash exposure is set automatically.

Unless you are the person who prefers to go fully manual, the GN is a standardized way of specifiying how powerful your flash is.

I found some nice articles about Flash Guide Number which may help you to understand more if you are interested in this technical details.

• Demystifying Flash Guide Numbers
• Understanding Flash Guide Numbers

Also note that when a guide number is given for a built-in flash, you need to make sure that the ISO setting specified for the GN matches. Normally, the built-in flash will use the lowest ISO setting when specifying the GN. Hence, for 300D, ISO100 is used while for D70, ISO200 is used. Hence, the GN for built-in flash in D70 specification will be more than the GN for built-in flash in 300D specification. You need to keep in mind that when increasing the ISO film speed, the guide number will double every two stops.