What’s the best source to learn about digital photography & settings etc? Name of book, website, etc..?
I have a Pentax Optio 550 – it has the auto – portrait, sunset, mountain, text, etc.. Can setting adjustment be made manually? And if so, what’s what? White Balance? Focusing Area? AE Metering? Sensitivity? Sharpness? Saturation? Contrast? Have I left out any? What do these mean? Each should be adjusted which way, and how much to do what? I hear about manual adjustments to improve lighting or whatever…. My camera manual doesn’t tell this stuff. (and please reply in words that I can understand…don’t get real technical). Many, many thanks
I checked out the Optio 550 on a couple of websites, and yes of course it has manual controls.
Do you have the manual for the camera? If so, read through it step by step.
When you turn the dial to AV (which is aperture priority auto exposure)…you select the aperture value and the camera will choose an appropriate Shutter speed according to lighting conditions.
When you select TV (shutter priority auto exposure) you choose the shutter speed and the camera will select an appropriate Aperture value.
With M (manual mode) you can select both the Shutter speed AND the Aperture, giving you complete creative control.
Always try and make sure you have your ISO set to the lowest value for noise free pics.
The best way to learn is to experiment with different settings and practice, practice practice. A good basic book on digital photography is recommended so you can understand and learn basic photography principles.
Here are some websites that may help you, or just do a search on Google, because there are many more.
Tutorial: Digital Camera Metering Modes
|
|
Introduction to the Nikon D90, Vol. 1: Basic Controls $5.00 Take great pictures with your Nikon D90! Understanding the important controls and settings and how they relate to real world shooting situations can be the difference between a good shot and a great one. This second volume takes you beyond the basic buttons and dials, and explores topics that can help your shooting improve and become more consistent! The Nikon D90 is a powerful piece of equipment… |
|
|
Perfect Exposure for Digital Photography, The Zone System of Metering and Shooting, Tim Cooper, DVD Lessons Include: ?Get an Introduction to the original Zone System by Ansel Adams ?Find out how the original zone system is the forerunner of modern exposure ?Discover why you need to learn how to meter ?Learn the difference between Incident and Reflected Meters ?See what a meter actually does, and why it does it ?Understand the phrase Meter for your midtones, and check your highlights ?Fin… |
|
|
Hoya 77mm Circular Polarizer HD Hardened Glass 8-layer Multi-Coated Filter $110.80 Light rays which are reflected by any surface become polarised and polarising filters are used to select which light rays enter your camara lens. They allow you to remove unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces such as water, glass etc. They also saturate colors and increase contrast. Polarizers come in two variations but have the same effect. Linear polarizers work with older camera meter… |
|
|
Photoshopcafe Instructional Dvd: Perfect Exposure for Digital Photography the Zone System of Metering and Shooting by Tim Cooper $39.95 This video will change the way you use your camera! Understanding the zone system is essential for capturing great photos. Ones’ that look the way you always wanted. If you just leave metering to the camera, your photos will look dull and flat. Start getting your exposures right and your photographs will be crisp and full of detail and depth. Become a better photographer… a much better photograp… |
|
|
Canon 5D Mark III Experience – The Still Photography Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Canon 5D Mark III Experience is an e-book user’s guide that goes beyond the manual to help you understand the features, settings, and controls of this sophisticated and highly customizable camera – plus most importantly how, when, and why to use these functions and settings in your photography.Written in the clear, concise, and comprehensive style of all Full Stop guides, Canon 5D Mark III Experie… |
|
|
Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition) $25.95 More than 100 vivid, graphic comparison pictures illustrate every point in this revised classic and can help any photographer maximize the creative impact of his or her exposure decisions. Peterson stresses the importance of metering the subject for a starting exposure, and then explains how to use various exposure meters and different kinds of lighting. The book contains lessons on each element o… |
|
|
Nikon D3100 Digital Field Guide $8.57 Expert advice helps you master your camera and capture great photos The Nikon D3100 features full 1080p high-definition video with full-time autofocus and is an ideal upgrade for point-and-shoot camera owners who want to learn the features of a dSLR. This go-anywhere, full-color guide is the perfect companion for getting started with your Nikon D3100. Packed with nearly 300 lavish photos an… |
|
|
Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only) $999.00 The EOS 60D Digital SLR Camera gives the photo enthusiast a powerful tool fostering creativity, with better image quality, more advanced features and automatic and in-camera technologies for ease-of-use. It features an improved APS-C sized 18.0 Megapixel CMOS sensor for tremendous images, a DIGIC 4 Image Processor for finer detail and excellent color reproduction, and improved ISO capabilities fro… |
|
|
Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Sensor DIGIC 4 Image Processor Full-HD Movie Mode Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-inch LCD and and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens $699.00 The flagship of the EOS Rebel line, Canon EOS Rebel T2i brings professional EOS features into an easy to use, lightweight digital SLR that’s a joy to use. Featuring a class-leading 18.0-megapixel CMOS image sensor and increased light sensitivity for low light photography, the EOS Rebel T2i also has an advanced HD Movie mode for gorgeous Full HD movies. Able to capture up to 3.7 frames per second, … |
|
|
Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS UD Standard Zoom Lens $1,299.00 An EOS with Perspective. With the new EOS 60D DSLR, Canon gives the photo enthusiast a powerful tool fostering creativity, with better image quality, more advanced features and automatic and in-camera technologies for ease-of-use. It features an improved APS-C sized 18.0 Megapixel CMOS sensor for tremendous images, a new DIGIC 4 Image Processor for finer detail and excellent color reproduction, an… |
|
|
Complete Digital Photography (Paperback) $48.98 Teaches digital photography techniques and skills, explains the difference between traditional and digital photography, and explores editing and special effects. |
|
|
Digital Photography (Paperback) $87.1 This comprehensive introduction to digital photography equips students with the cutting-edge skills and techniques required to produce great digital images. Thorough introductions to the camera and its controls, editing and image manipulation processes, and digital capture and output make this textbook ideal for introductory photography and photographic imaging courses in the digital age. |
