Digital Cameras For Dummies

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What is a good book to learn digital photography?

I have got a new digital SLR. I'm looking for something like "digital photography for dummy" but not too dummy (I've taken lots of pictures with consumer digital camera for a few years). I'm especially interested in learning taking better pictures with kids and babies.

Assuming that you got a good digital SLR that, like regular film SLRs, provide you with the same functionality that other serious hobbyists have, e.g. aperture/shutter speed settings, replaceable lenses etc. I would recommend that you consider a blend of books and materials that focus on both generic photography techniques as well as the "digital-ness" of your camera.

First of all, as the owner of a digital SLR, you need to be totally familiar with your camera’s operating manual. Search on Amazon.com on the exact model of your camera to locate the "advanced" guide for your camera. For example, I’ve attached the advanced guides for the Nikon D70 digital SLR. (If you have a different digital SLR, just search for that one.)

That is important because digital cameras all have as part of their complexity the computer programs that run it. Compared to traditional film SLRs, these cameras have more "manufacturer/camera-specific" details that are essential to know.

Beyond that book, I’ve also attached two digital photography guides. They won’t be able to tell you too much more than what the "advanced guides" tell you plus what you can learn from other generic photography books, but I’ll let you be the judge of that.

Finally, I’ve attached a few photography books that focus on composition and basic technique. No matter what your equipment is, photography is an art. It’s not the brush that makes a painting masterpiece, it’s the creative genuis of the artist. Learning the nuts and bolts of your camera is only learning the absolute basics of the skill. You’re not going to have fun and enjoy photography until you focus on something other than the camera itself. Hence, don’t just get books on how to use your camera. Get books on how to create great photographs. I’ve attached a few books on that too.

Have fun!

Learn Digital Photography - Digital Photography For Dummies


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Slr Cameras For Dummies

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A Beginners Guide to Digital Cameras

The world of digital cameras can be intimidating to those that have never dealt with one.  With the frequent use of buzz words like "mega pixels" and "opical zoom" it can be confusing for the new user if they're looking to buy a new camera.  So here is a quick walkthrough of the major elements of digital cameras to help you make the best judgment on which one is right for you.

The Difference Between SLRs and Automatic Cameras

An SLR looks and operates exactly like a non-digital camera, except instead of exposing film it exposes a light-sensitive sensor.  If you choose an SLR, you will be able to manually adjust things like focus, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.  Generally speaking, digital SLRs will provide the highest quality images possible.

Automatic cameras or point and shoots often have a large LCD screen on the back and usually only require a single button press for taking a picture.  Point and shoot cameras take lower quality pictures (although not by a lot) but provide a lot less customizable options. On the flip side, however, they are great because of their small portable size and ease of use.  Additionally, if you're planning on emailing or uploading images and not printing them at large sizes, the quality difference is negligible.

Mega Pixel 101

One of the first things that the manufacturer will tout about its newest model of digital camera is the megapixel value.  But what are megapixels anyway?

Mega pixels are the way manufacturers count the pixels in an image.  A one mega pixel camera means that the camera will take pictures with 1 million pixels.  You can think of them as an image's resolution.

So which megapixel value is right for you?  It really depends upon what you want to do with you pictures.  For most users, who wish only to shoot a few photographs and upload them to their website or email them to friends at smaller sizes, anything in the 2MP to 7MP range is absolutely fine.  If you're going to be blowing your work up to larger sizes, you should work with cameras that shoot at higher resolutions (10MP and above).  The larger you want your photo, the more important the mega pixel value.

Digital vs Optical Zoom Overview

Often digital cameras offer users both optical and digital zoom function.  Optical zoom is the distance the camera is capable of zooming using its lens, and the digital zoom is how far the camera can "fake" it from there.  What an optical zoom does is magnify the subject like what a zoom lens would do, while a digital zoom simply takes a part of the image and blows it up. If you've ever seen a crime show where they "zoom" in on a security camera video to find the pixilated and blurry face of a robber, that's what digital zoom does.

Generally speaking, a digital zoom is a useless feature so you're better off ignoring it when shopping for a digital camera.  Images created using digital zoom have low quality and look pretty terrible, so if you're not close enough to catch it with optical zoom it's best to either get closer or shoot with what you have.

Buying a digital camera doesn't have to be a frustrating or scary experience.  Just be honest about what you need and expect from your camera, as well as what your price range is, and go from there.  As long as you pick a camera that suits your needs, you will be happy with the results.  If you're really uncertain, start with a low-priced basic camera, then move up - there's always room to upgrade later, should it turn out that your camera isn't delivering on what you really want.

About the Author

Autumn Lockwood is a writer for Your Picture Frames. Shop online and see our selection of gold leaf picture frames in a wide variety of styles and sizes. Visit our website and see our wooden gold leaf picture frames and lovely silver leaf picture frames or call us at 1-800-780-0699.

Digital Cameras and Photography For Dummies DVD Bundle - Zooming in on your Subject


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