Any Photographers out there.

[fbWldcat]

I recently got a new EOS REBEL XS 1000D Canon camera. I also got a magnification lens, EF mag lens if I recall. Can anyone give me tips with this camera? I know every camera has it's own quirks and specifics, and that practice makes perfect, but I just don't know where to start with such a sophisticated camera. I do have some EXP. with cameras, digital, just nothing like this one before. Thanks in advance, guys <S>

 

[Ripsnort]

Read the manual in and out.

Do you have any previous photography experience or education? If not, I highly suggest getting some classes at a local community college.

A good camera will not produce a good photo. A good photographer will.

[saggs]

First off, you're asking in the wrong place, while I know from previous threads that there are several serious/pro photographers on here like me, but you can learn a lot more, and get more opinions (notice I said opinions not answers) on any photography website\forum then here.  Especially one that knows the specific gear you are using.

Check out some of these sites:

www.Cambridgeincolour.com <- I might start here if I was you, lots of great technical articles to help you understand how a digital SLR works, and what all the setting effect.

www.Dpreview.com <- they will have forum specific to your camera and lenses.

www.Luminouslandscape.com <- hundreds of helpful learning articles, reviews, and a helpful general forum

www.SLRgear.com <- best site I know for lens reviews

www.dxo.com <- they have a good system for evaluating sensor quality.

www.Imagining-resource.com <- more good articles and reviews

www.Photosig.com <- good place to put your work up for critique if you dare.



Also find a forum that is Canon specific, I'm sure there are several of them.  I don't shoot Canon so I don't know them though.

In general though I can tell you this.  Practically any DSLR sensor is capable of capturing great images provided you;   A) know how to use it, B) have the artistic skills and C) have a decent lens in front of the sensor.  Learn how to shoot using manual ISO, aperture priority, shutter priority, and full manual when necessary and you will have more control over the image them just using the "P" or auto mode.

I don't know exactly what lens you have, BUT in general the "kit lenses" that come with a beginner SLR kit are the bottom of the barrel.  If you want the best results possible invest in some nice lenses, and it is an investment as they will long outlast today's digital bodies.

Also I recommend turning off all the "scene settings" that effect jpegs and shooting in RAW (I'm sure others will disagree, it's controversial) it means more work for you in post (get Lightroom or another good RAW converter), but it also allows you to make use of ALL the data the sensor recorded, not just what made it through the jpeg compression.  

With digital I've learned the importance of ETTR or "Expose to the Right"as well.  Luminous Landscape has a couple articles about why.

Lastly let me say that if you seriously get into photography, your wallet will not be happy.

[fbWldcat]

I'm a good photographer and I know my way around a camera, just not the extra odds and ends found on the new one I have. Thanks for the websites. Ripsnort, I don't need a Community College, I have a teacher in my very own back yard (if I could get ahold of her sometime).

[saggs]

I'm a good photographer and I know my way around a camera, just not the extra odds and ends found on the new one I have. Thanks for the websites. Ripsnort, I don't need a Community College, I have a teacher in my very own back yard (if I could get ahold of her sometime).

What extra odds and ends specifically are you talking about?  Like Ripsnort said; if there's some feature or button unique to that camera body it should be explained in the owners manual.

If you don't want to read the owners manual you can read this instead, 35 pages of review and info on your camera:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos1000d/

I'd bet dollars to donuts that most of those "extra odds and ends" are just gimmicky features you don't need and will never use anyway.   A lot of settings on modern cameras only effect the jpeg.    One of my cameras has all kinds of "scene settings" like "vivid" "sunset" "autumn" "B&W" etc.... in addition to and all kinds of sharpness, saturation, contrast, noise reduction etc...    I've never once used any of them.  I leave all that stuff turned off and shoot RAW in abode RGB, the only settings I ever need to bother with are aperture, shutter, ISO, WB, exposure compensation, flash mode, drive mode and focus mode.  I've made my own "scene settings" as presets in Lightroom that I can apply to the RAW and they work a lot better then the in camera jpeg settings.

EDIT: I have an example on your camera


You only really need 3 settings on that knob, the "M"   "Tv"  and "Av"  all those other things that knob are pointless and you'll never use them, that space would be better used by having 3-4 "memory" settings to allow the user to create their own preset settings.

[RTHolmes]

how do you shoot RAW? Ive been playing around with RAW exposure recently on my Lumix and found shooting at -1EV works ok most of the time (without messing around with compensation for each shot individually), everyone seems to do it differently though

[fbWldcat]

My last camera didn't have exposure compensation, or WB (WB?)

[RTHolmes]

I'd say just start off with auto-everything (Program exposure mode, auto-WB, auto-ISO, etc) and shoot in high quality JPEG just to get used to handling, AF speed and operation etc.

when you're comfortable with the camera and are capturing pictures you're happy with, then start using more manual settings as you need them, eg. Av or Tv exposure will be the first thing to play with after sorting focusing, then EC, ISO, WB, RAW etc as required.

so in order concentrate on - basic operation/handling -> focusing -> exposure -> other stuff

[flight17]

My last camera didn't have exposure compensation, or WB (WB?)

white balance

[fbWldcat]

My last camera was a Kodak Easyshare Z650, so the change is pretty steep. No ISO, no WB, no sights for matching up targets.

[saggs]

My last camera was a Kodak Easyshare Z650, so the change is pretty steep. No ISO, no WB, no sights for matching up targets.

Your Kodak did indeed have ISO, and WB, all digital cameras do, they where just set automatically.  I don't know what you mean by "sights for matching up targets"   If your talking about little boxes in the viewfinder that (maybe) light up red when you focus those are autofocus points.  If your talking about the circle right in the middle of the viewfinder that is the spot metering circle.

For getting started in addition to the owners manual, read everything under "Basics" on this page, http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm  keep reading it till you understand it all.  Then go out an shoot, a lot.  Lot's of learning in photography is by trial and error.

Once you understand all that then move on to the other topics.

[fbWldcat]

Focus points I guess. I see them as being almost like crosshairs for setting up a shot.

[Patches1]

fbWldcat,

saggs has given you some very good advice, and so has RTHolmes and Ripsnort; my questions are...how much photography experience do you have, how do you visualize yourself as a photographer, (i.e., beginner, intermediate, advanced, professional), how much time to you have to devote to reading about photography, and your cameras functions?

I was just reading an article Outdoor Photographer Magazine where the author made a point about the "P" on the selection dial. On most all modern DSL cameras the "P" stands for "Program AE (Program Automatic Exposure) Mode", or, in other words, point and shoot. This author's point was that, in his opinion, the "P" really stands for "Professional" because many professionals use it to great effect! What you must understand here is that a Professional will know his/her camera intimately and will make decisions quickly...or...will have already set up their camera for the shots they want to take for the conditions they expect to meet.

Most unexpected photographs are taken in a snap of time! The "P" mode is great for this!

In most professional photographs the shots are well planned before the event even happens! This is where you need to know your camera and it's capabilities. You must first visualize the photograph you want to make and then begin planning the shot backward to the point where you execute the photograph. The path from visualization to execution of a photograph can be complex; it doesn't have to be unpleasant. Take your time...after all...that's what photography is all about...capturing time.

Tv= time value= how fast your shutter opens and closes to collect data (data used to be light)...Good for Action Shots.

Av= aperature value= depth of field...what is blurry behind your subject (how much light/data you let in)...Good for Portraitures.

M= manual mode = you make ALL of the decisions from focus to time to aperature to ISO to WB

ISO= International Standards Organization = how fast your "film (or sensor)" can collect data. The speed of ISO also determines how much noise/grain
        is recorded. Faster = more noise/grain and Tv   Slower = less noise/grain and Tv

WB= White Balance = no simple explaination. In Black and White photography WB would be equal to shooting a Gray Card which reflected 18% gray to
       your camera and you would set your exposure to that reading to get the most "natural" lighting for that shot. So, today, shoot a white piece of
       paper under the lighting conditions you have for your shot and set your White Balance to that reading.

OK...by now you realize that I consider myself to be an Intermediate photographer. I hope you enjoy your new camera!  :-)

[fbWldcat]

Thanks, Patches. I'd say I'm about intermediate, but with this type of camera, absolutely a beginner. I have a teacher (student) at school who is going to help me develop over the Winter.

[saggs]

*shrugs*


I guess apparently some pros use the "P" setting.  I never have, don't know anyone who does.  I use aperture priority probably 75% of the time (for outdoor portraits, landscapes, wildlife, outdoor sports) and manual most of the other 25% (for studio portraits, startrails, moonlight or night scenes, other tricky stuff).  I very, very rarely use shutter priority, and have never once used P or auto mode. 

The thing is that the aperture is what gives you depth of field control, which is a very important feature of good composition.  Also every lens is different, and every lens will have a "sweet spot" -in terms of aperture- where it delivers the best sharpness, especially in the corners (corner sharpness is a very big deal for landscapes and large group photos, a bride will not be happy at all if all the faces on the sides of her big family photo are blurred).  In theory a lens should be best with a wide open aperture, but due to imperfect manufacturing this is rarely the case in reality.   This sweet spot even depends on the focal length you're at for a zoom lens as well.   And don't forget about diffraction either, stop down to much with a high pixel count SLR sensor and light diffraction will kill the sharpness.   That's why on a bright scene I will use a ND filter to cut the light so that I never have to go down to f16 or f22. 

With the auto mode I have no control over either the DOF, I can't dial in the "sweet spot" for a given lens, and I might run into diffraction limitations. So... ... I'll stick with never using it, thanks.

For white balance the simple explanation is that it adjustable to compensate for different types of lighting.  ie. sunlight, shade, incandescent bulb, fluorescent tube, studio strobes etc...  All lighting is a different shade or color temperature which is measured on a Kelvin scale.  For example a sunny day outside at noon is usually around 5300K, at around sunset/sunrise it is around maybe 3000K, or a fluorescent tube might be around 7500K.  Shoot someone under fluorescent lights with the wrong WB and their skin will be green. 

The auto WB works well enough on most cameras that you can just set it on auto and forget about it though.  I leave mine on auto and adjust it in post if necessary.

Seriously Wildcat read and study those tutorials I linked to.  They will answer 90% of your operational questions.  Then go practice, practice, practice!  Digital exposures are free after all.