In preparation for my trip, this past weekend I finally went out and bought myself a digital SLR camera.
I had been putting this off for quite a while. So far, I’ve gotten by with simple point-and-shoot digital cameras. For this trip, arguably my first actual vacation, I decided that I’ve got the time to figure out how to use a real camera. Yup, that’s right — I don’t actually know how to use a camera beyond point and shoot. It’s fun to be an amateur!
Getting advice for a camera is tricky. I talked to a bunch of people before buying. I heard: Get a Canon, get a Nikon, get the Canon but the Nikon’s fine too, get the Nikon but the Canon’s fine too, go to this store, gets a lens from brand X, get a lens from brand Y, etc. Altogether it’s quite a bit to digest.
All things seeming to be equal, I settled on a Nikon D40, with an 18-55mm lens and 55-200mm lens with image stabilization. (Bet it sounds like I know what I’m talking about there. Fooled you good!)
I spent some time Sunday playing with the camera, and though it’s not as difficult to use as I thought it would be, it’s pretty difficult to visualize what the end result of a photo will be. I took a lot of photos on Sunday of the same subject with different aperture/exposure/ISO settings to try to get a better idea of what things do. I also picked up a book to read on the plane. Nikon also a pretty cool Digitutor for the basics.
Anyone have any good photo tips? I’ve heard a few things so far:
- run your eye around the perimeter of the frame
- interpretation not documentation
- take lots of photos
- adjust the ISO correctly for the light
- don’t ever adjust the ISO and always use the same one
- use aperture-priority mode, use automatic mode, get a tripod
- point and shoot
Easy!
March 19th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Oh, man! I’ve been wanting a DSLR for a while now, and I have also been putting it off. I hope you like it! I can’t wait to see your pictures!
March 19th, 2008 at 8:59 am
I don’t own a DSLR but I do play one on TV; err, I have used one on several occasions, as well as seen the results of a lot of photos taken with one. I am not familiar with the Nikon cameras - the camera I have have used is the Canon Digital Rebel XTI.
What I have seen is people have a tendency to try to do “too much” with the camera and often the pictures will come out slightly over- or under-exposed, despite looking okay on the preview screen. My recommendation is to let the camera do the work 95% of the time - i.e., use automatic mode. If you’re trying to do something tricky - in particular, those things that you normally wouldn’t be able to do with a regular point and shoot - those are the times to go experimenting. The most common reason is to take photos in low-light or at night. These can be quite tricky and, since I am not the owner of a DSLR, I don’t have a magical trick to recommend.
A tripod is recommended for low-light or full telephoto work, although the stabilization tech will help you there. Be aware that the stabilization feature uses quite a bit of power, so use it infrequently or consider having an extra battery on hand.
Good luck, have a safe flight, and have a great time in Paris!