Toronto Teacher Mom: DSLR

New to DSLR Photography? (Part 2 of 2)

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of this series and that you are beginning to feel more comfortable entering the wonderful world of DSLR photography. Now that you have absorbed the first five tips, let's now move on to the top five.

5. Read the manual.


468 pages? Yikes!

Your first instinct may be to go bananas snapping pictures with your new camera, and it's perfectly ok to do so. However, after you get that bug out of your system, it's important that you read the manual. Many of the fancier settings may be buried in menus or limited to a certain shooting mode. It is also a good idea to learn how to change shooting modes such as Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, etc.

In addition to shooting modes, it is a good idea to learn how to change file types and sizes, drive mode, white balance, etc. If all this sounds foreign to you, that's alright, it will become second nature after some practice. Learning all of the functions of your camera will let you get the most out of your investment.

4. Consider an off-camera flash.

Yes, I'm suggesting that you spend even more money! Most entry level cameras come with a built-in flash, so why would you get another one? Good question. There are several reasons to get a separate flash:

The built-in flash is quite anemic and requires a longer recharge cycle
An off-camera flash uses its own set of batteries, preserving the camera battery during longer shoots
A built-in flash is more susceptible to creating red-eye
Off-camera flashes also provide more features such as remote triggering, auto-focus assist beams, and the ability to aim the flash to bounce off walls and ceilings.

3. Get a tripod.

Now, a tripod need not be expensive, but it should be able to handle the weight of your camera and lens with capacity to spare. Even with image stabilization technology, you will not be able to keep your hands steady enough during longer exposures or at extreme focal lengths. Long exposures help in low light situations or when you want to add some creative motion-blur (think of those dreamy looking waterfall pictures: shameless plug).

A tripod will also allow you to use the camera remote shutter or timer function to allow you to quickly get in a family picture. As you move ahead in your photography hobby, you'll notice that virtually none of your pictures include yourself.

2. Learn the exposure triangle.

Yes, this isn't the most exciting concept to learn, but it is one of the most important to understand. The interaction and limitations of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO sensitivity dictates what your picture will look like. I won't try to explain this concept here, however there are many tutorials all over the internet. One of my favourite sites is Cambridge in Colour. Their explanation of the exposure triangle can be found here.

Monday, February 10, 2014
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New to DSLR Photography? (Part 1 of 2)

Beginner

My sister was kind enough to let me continue posting on her blog. You may remember my first blog post, which was a review of the services provided by Posterjack.

While I am still an amateur in the realm of photography, many of my friends (and even my sister) ask me questions related to the operation of their camera and related gear. I still struggle with the artistic side of photography, however I feel very comfortable discussing some of its more technical aspects. What I hope to accomplish with this post is to provide you a top ten list of items you may wish to consider when beginning with DSLR (digital single lens reflex) photography.

Note that while many of these concepts apply to all DSLR cameras, my experience is primarily with Canon products. (Psst! If you're on Twitter, join in the #Aflkids Twitter chat on Monday, February 3 for a chance to win a Canon EOS Rebel SL1!)

Part 1 of this two-part series will cover the first five tips.

10. Pay attention to kit lenses.

One of the main advantages of DSLR cameras is that you can change out the lens. Many entry level DSLR cameras come in a bundle that includes one or more lenses. Quite often (but not all of the time) these "kit lenses" aren't the best when it comes to optical and build quality. Many of these lenses have smaller apertures (more on this later) which can make taking pictures in low light situations more difficult. Also, these lenses may not be the focal length you need for the type of photography you want to do.

I'm not saying that kit lenses are bad. However, it is important that you consider what type of lens(es) are included in your bundle before making the purchase. You may be better off buying the camera body on its own and using the left over funds towards a more appropriate lens.

9. Don't get caught up in megapixels.

The race towards having the greatest number of megapixels (MP) has pretty much moved beyond what a regular consumer needs to print photos for their personal use. As such, the number of megapixels a camera can capture is no longer a significant consideration. Canon's entry level DSLR bodies already offer 18 MP sensors. This is more than enough for your use.

My first digital camera, from many, many moons ago, was less than 2 megapixels. I recently blew up one of its photos to a 4x6 print without any issues. I feel confident that I could get an 8x10 out of the file as well.

8. Watch your wallet. (a.k.a. Apologies to my spouse.)

Don't expect to hold on to these for long...

Getting involved is DSLR photography can be an expensive choice. Entry level camera bodies can run in the $500 range and go up from there. Lenses can also cost a fair bit of coin. Some of the entry level lenses are around the $300 range (kit lenses) but more decent glass will start around $700. While there are exceptions out there, a good collection of camera equipment will easily push you past the $1,000 mark.

This isn't to say that to start out in DSLR photography requires you to spend thousands of dollars right from the start, it's simply a warning that the "habit" can get quite expensive. I speak from extensive experience in this respect.

Some ways to save money include:

Making friends that use the same system (Canon, Nikon, Sony). This will allow you to try some gear before you buy it.
Buying used lenses can also save you a bit of money, however, be careful with this approach. It is best that you develop some experience first so that you can ensure you are getting a lens that is in good condition.
Renting equipment before buying. You can easily spend $1,500 or $10,000 on a lens. If you want to make sure the equipment is right for you, you can rent it for much less before taking the plunge.