Canon 400D (Rebel Xti, Kiss X)

[AndrewWG]

the understanding exposure smilie might need a confused look and head scratching hand to be a really true to life representation of me rereading and rereading and rereading

That's what I picture as well! Or maybe something like the smile with the coffee behind the computer, but with understanding exposure instead of the monitor. Maybe we're onto something here...

Andy

 

[ukcatfan]

That is good advice, but let me throw one more thing in the mix. Try getting a good book on technique. Many people, including me, have read Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure and learned much from it. Like the other Kevin said, the DOF is one of the biggest changes from a p&s.

One last thing. The speck was likely dust either on the back of the lens, on the mirror, or up in the viewfinder. You would not see it if it had been on the sensor. With a DSLR, you are going to get this no matter what, so pick up a good air blower like the Giottos Rocket Blower and a sensor cleaning kit.

Kevin

 

[JR6ooo4]

Also invest in canon's 50mm f1.8 lens for about $80 US. The kit lens will take a great picture, if there is ample light. The 50mm has a bigger "hole" tp let in light and also captures a pretty crisp image. Plus the camera seems almost compact size compared to some zoom lenses and even the kit lens.

Mikeeee

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

There's also a great site for learning about the manual features (and lots of photography tricks/terms/processes) common to all cameras: www.GoingManual.com.

I've learned lots of things from them that has improved the pictures I take with my Canon S3 IS.

Because it's a Canon, your XTi probably has similar modes (P, Av, Tv, etc).

You can use the modes to explore how each setting affects your pictures. For example, Av mode is Aperture Priority. You set the aperture and the camera picks the "appropriate" shutter speed ... controlling aperture controls how far the lens opens and it controls both the amount of light and the depth of field (DOF) which is how much of the scene is in focus. Small numbers mean wider apertures which mean more light and shallower DOF....

On a DSLR, you've got a lot more control over your DOF than I get with my P&S.

In a similar way, Tv (Shutter Priority) you pick the shutter speed and the camera picks the appropriate aperture. For might want a fast shutter speed to freeze your child sliding down a slide or swinging on a swing or you might want a slow shutter speed to blur a waterfall so it looks milky and smooth.

ISO is the sensitivity of the sensor; the higher the ISO the more light the camera picks up. This allows you to use narrower apertures or faster shutter speeds in less-than-perfect light conditions. On a P&S changing to higher ISOs means a lot more noise in the pictures, but there's less noise (though still some) on a DSLR.

Enjoy your camera!!

 

[Lost n' Translation]

I have full PS, but I believe you can do it with PS elements.

 

[ktulu]

Even if you never turn it off auto, you'll still be happy with the results. IMO, the reaction time of a SLR is worth it when dealing with a small child. My daughter just turned 2, so I know what you're going through right now!

Before you know it you'll be posting up some beautiful photos for all of us to be jealous of

 

[dpuck1998]

are you all doing this with the full PS or just elements?

I used photoshop CS3

 

[Groucho]

I think you're being overconcerned. Looks like your current technique is to use it like an oversized PnS - leave it in Auto mode, shoot JPG, etc - so what? There's no reason to feel bad about that. What the alternative - use a point-n-shoot that won't have the speed or quality?

The one thing you should probably take the time to get the hang of are the ISO settings... I think by default, the camera maxes at 400 ISO, so you won't get the low-light benefits unless you manually set it to 800 or 1600 when the situation calls for it.

You can also play with the Scene Modes - these attempt to set the aperture, shutter speed, etc in a way that will work well for specific situations.

Over time, you will probably start to figure things out on your own. You can also teach yourself a little by looking at your completed photos and picking out shots that you think are failures and look at the settings when they were taken, and try to figure out what you could have done to have made that photo a success. If you have a similar photo that did turn out well, check its settings and see what the difference is.

If you do have the time, there are countless online tutorials and probably some local classes, maybe at your local community college or similar places. There's no magic to any of the basic stuff, so don't let yourself be too intimidated.

As for carrying it through the parks, well... it's really not that bad. Since you have just one lens, you can almost get away without a dedicated bag, and just keep it around your neck all the time. If it feels too heavy, you can pick up an aftermarket strap that will make things easier on your neck.

 

[Marinerbaby]

I agree with the PP about Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. It is full of wonderful information. The great thing about digital is that it doesn't hurt to play. If it is an important shot you can always leave it on Auto but for everyday shots don't be afraid to shoot on Manual or other settings. You can always delete the one's you don't like later.

Some programs (Bridge, Photoshop, ect) can tell you what you shot the picture on (ISO, SS, f/) so it will help to figure out what works and what doesn't in certain lighting situations.

Best of luck and have fun!

 

[DisneyFreak06]

I agree with the others, leave it in Auto for a while before you do anything else, and you'll be satisfied. I had a Canon Eos Rebel XS (film camera) for 7 years before I learned how to do anything except the Auto functions. Now I just purchased the XT, and I'm still quite slow at other things, so it's in Auto for shots of my neices and nephews. You'll learn, probably faster than I did, but you'll love your camera!

 

[dpuck1998]

I just went thru the same thing. Got my XTi home and was overwhelmed. I took shots in auto for a while, then went to "scene" modes and have worked my way into Manual (TV,AV, etc) modes. Its a great camera and far superior to the P&S, you'll have it for years and even if it takes that long, you will be using the manual modes sooner or later

 

[DVC Jen]

careful - those XTi's are addictive.

Boy do i know where you are coming from. I got mine last december and pretty much was in the same place you are.

I sat down with a book already suggestions - Bryan Petersons Understanding exposure -as well as his book Digital photography - had my camera right there as well as the camera manual. I read - I tried things - I referenced - i read and it started all over again.

If I could get it - you can get it.

The XTi is a great camera - very easy to learn on -and pretty lightweight as far as dSLRs are concerned.

Once you learn it - you will love it and the photos you get out of it.

Take it at your own pace - use the auto modes like suggested - but don't be afraid to sit down with the books suggested and take the time to learn it. It is a lot of fun and will take that love you have for taking photos to the next level.

Also - this is a great group of people - extremely friendly - extremely knowledgeable. They have helped me so much - don't be afraid to ask any and all questions you have. Everyone is here because we love to talk photography... sometimes maybe too much.

 

[Minniemom97]

Not trying to hijack your thread, but I feel the same way! I got an XT in May and I think I've bitten off more than I can chew every time I try to use any manual settings. I looked at a dslr book for dummies this weekend and tried to make sense of it, but all I read was 'blah blah blah blah'. I'm going to try Understanding Exposure to see if that seeps through my thick brain!

I will say the pictures in the auto setting are more crisp than on my p&s Canon. I'm gonna take it on our trip next week (along with my p&s).

Good luck lizzyd!

 

[jann1033]

when i went from film slr to dslr i felt like that as well and i was basically used to the dial from my old camera since they were identical ( i must be extra dense) but i just used it almost everyday for 6 months or so and finally got comfy enough to feel I was almost back to where i was with my film camera... you'll get there, just practice practice practice.

 

[Lizziejane]

I'm another new XTi owner (7 months now), who knew ZIPPO going into it. All I knew was that I wanted to take better pictures. After seven months, I still consider myself a "newbie" with tons to learn.

I'll be honest - the first month or so after purchasing the XTi, I was having buyers remorse because it seemed my pictures from the XTI were worse than from my P&S. But I realized it was all operator error, and sat down and did lots and lots of reading. The great thing about digital is that you can practice to your hearts content and instantly see the results.

Someone mentioned purchasing the 50mm 1.8 lens. I agree that it's a great lens, especially for the money, and it is a much sharper lens than the kit lens. But it is tricky to work with in that the focus is hard to get right when it's wide open, depending on how close you are to your subject. I;d suggest instead that you stick with the kit lens for now to avoid further frustration. When you start to feel more comfortable with DOF, aperatures, shutter speeds etc. then look at something to replace your kit lens. You'll have a much better feel for what you need/want.

Just read, read, read and then read some more! The Understand Exposure book will really help bring the whole aperature-shutter-iso triangle together for you.

I'd also suggest you bear in mind that even the most seasoned photographer still feels they have something left to learn or master, so don't expect too much from yourself all at once. Allow yourself your mistakes and learn from them.

Finally, have fun with the darn thing!!!! I sure do with mine!

 

[boBQuincy]

Don't worry about all the features, you can learn them as you go. For now, the camera will work just fine in Auto (green rectangle). It's difficult to make big mistakes with this setting so it's really good for starting out.

As you get more comfortable with the camera you may want to move to other settings but imho "manual" is rarely required, yet causes a lot of trouble for beginners who seem to think that is where they need to be. "P" setting gives almost all the ease of Auto with almost all the versatility of manual!
I bet a lot of photographers on this board (including yours truly) use "P" setting for maybe 99% of their photography.

 

[shancan911]

I downloaded the free trial of PS Elements 5. I'll be buying the software next month

 

[JR6ooo4]

Even if you never turn it off auto, you'll still be happy with the results. IMO, the reaction time of a SLR is worth it when dealing with a small child.

Good point again. The canons start in less than a second (i'm pretty sure). So you can go from tabletop to capture in one second.

I also love the sleep mode. Leave the camera on and it turns off screen etc and just tap the shutter button and it wakes up instantly. Nice feature when walking the parks or during birthdays...

I think the only problem I have is the size. Sometimes I just don't want to carry it. Like last weekend when I was hosting 6 neices and nephews.

Mikeeee

 

[lovetheprincesses]

Hi, can some of you pros tell me which lens would be most appropriate for the Canon XTI digital rebel when shooting sports?

 

[RadioNate]

With those settings... ISO 400, f/14, 1/650.... The f/14 stands out out to me as being the possible culprit. Looking at that pic I would think that f/8 would be better with the other settings. Which mode was the pic shot in (ie: Tv, Av, AUTO, P, etc...)?

I'm guessing that partial metering picked up the white shirt and tanked your exposure. Stick with evaluative or center-weighted unless you are going to be careful about what you meter off of.

again, that shot was taken in April so I really don't remember what I had it on. I have some from other days that are better. I know DH was also taking photos that day and I'm sure between the 2 of us settings got moved and never reset.

Thanks for all the tips and advice. I'm hoping to head to WDW this weekend to take some photos!!!

I will also look into the update. I need to find my registration information with the move I think it was sent to an older email address.