Any good web resources on how to use a digital camera?

Any good web resources on how to use a digital camera?

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S1 IS.

This is the first camera I have ever used that has any features beyond
basics and point and shoot capability. There is so much to know and I
expect the learning curve will be very steep. I can see that trying to
get good shots is a lot of work. I have actually read the manual. I
expect taking good pics is more than just framing a good shot but the
settings need to be correct. I have been using the auto mode mostly
and have been "playing around" with the oter modes and pretty much
just getting used to the controls. I have been identifying the
functions of the 16 buttons, knobs, dials, etc. and how they effect
the camera.

What I am looking for is web resource that has a basic primmer on how
to adjust ISO, aperture and shutter speed with digital cameras and
when to make those adjustments. I have tried to search and all I come
up with are advertisements.

If anyone knows where the good web information resources are on using
and adjusting digital cameras for the variety of shots, the
information would be appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

BTW, I have been taking it with me everywhere I go.

Here is Canon's tutorial that applies mainly to their DSLRs. There are some
good concepts outlined though that might be applicable to your camera.

Jeff


"Joe" wrote in message
...
Any good web resources on how to use a digital camera?

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S1 IS.

This is the first camera I have ever used that has any features beyond
basics and point and shoot capability. There is so much to know and I
expect the learning curve will be very steep. I can see that trying to
get good shots is a lot of work. I have actually read the manual. I
expect taking good pics is more than just framing a good shot but the
settings need to be correct. I have been using the auto mode mostly
and have been "playing around" with the oter modes and pretty much
just getting used to the controls. I have been identifying the
functions of the 16 buttons, knobs, dials, etc. and how they effect
the camera.

What I am looking for is web resource that has a basic primmer on how
to adjust ISO, aperture and shutter speed with digital cameras and
when to make those adjustments. I have tried to search and all I come
up with are advertisements.

If anyone knows where the good web information resources are on using
and adjusting digital cameras for the variety of shots, the
information would be appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

BTW, I have been taking it with me everywhere I go.

"Jeff Durham" wrote in message
...
Here is Canon's tutorial that applies mainly to their DSLRs. There
http://photoworkshop.com/canon/index.html

"Jeff Durham" wrote in message
...
Here is Canon's tutorial that applies mainly to their DSLRs. There are
some
good concepts outlined though that might be applicable to your camera.

Jeff


"Joe" wrote in message
...
Any good web resources on how to use a digital camera?

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S1 IS.

This is the first camera I have ever used that has any features beyond
basics and point and shoot capability. There is so much to know and I
expect the learning curve will be very steep. I can see that trying to
get good shots is a lot of work. I have actually read the manual. I
expect taking good pics is more than just framing a good shot but the
settings need to be correct. I have been using the auto mode mostly
and have been "playing around" with the oter modes and pretty much
just getting used to the controls. I have been identifying the
functions of the 16 buttons, knobs, dials, etc. and how they effect
the camera.

What I am looking for is web resource that has a basic primmer on how
to adjust ISO, aperture and shutter speed with digital cameras and
when to make those adjustments. I have tried to search and all I come
up with are advertisements.

If anyone knows where the good web information resources are on using
and adjusting digital cameras for the variety of shots, the
information would be appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

BTW, I have been taking it with me everywhere I go.





(My newsreader didn't download Joe's original message so I have to reply to
Jeff's.)

Hi Joe,

Here's my short answer . . .

.. . . some sites I had bookmarked. Maybe some other posters will have more.

http://www.shortcourses.com/ Be sure to look at Short Course #3 and #8
(probably Canon S series ones; the S1 is not listed)
http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/ Good even though it's for Nikon
cameras
http://www.webphotoschool.com/newsch...warehousephoto
Good even though it's for Olympus cameras

Then again, here's my long answer . . .

Most of my pictures can be easily taken in automatic mode. It's only when I
want to try something more creative that I start messing around with the
settings. Many of the image zone settings on the dial can be tried first
when a tutorial recommends that a manual setting is suggested. For example,
to freeze a moving subject, try the dial on fast shutter. To blur a subject
like moving water, try the dial on slow shutter. To blur the background on a
portrait shot (smaller depth of field), try the dial on portrait. Etc. If
you don't like how they're coming out using the dial or want to alter the
results, then try playing around with aperture priority, shutter priority,
etc. I find it helpful to see all the changes with different settings in the
EXIF data using ZoomBrowser.

Here's some notes I culled from a few digital photography books (and my
Canon guide). The books are a better way to go than the web sites because
they're usually all-inclusive -- though my notes are not. I printed these
out in booklet form with my word processor, and carry them in my camera bag
with my camera user guide.

============================

Slow Synchro Flash
* Brighten up dark backgrounds at night
* Brighten up dark backgrounds indoors

Adjust shutter speed or aperture
* Adjust when image is under- or over-exposed and correct exposure cannot
be obtained
* For special effects

Faster shutter speed
* Still image of moving object

Slower shutter speed
* Flowing effect of moving object
* Shoot without flash in dark areas
* Produces more noise

Lower aperture value / F/stop
* Wider aperture
* Fades background for portrait
* Smaller depth of field

Adjust exposure
* To avoid making subject too dark when it's backlit
* When subject is shot against bright background
* For especially bright subject like snow or sand
* When scene is bright or darker than normal

Increase ISO speed
* To shoot bright images in poor lighting conditions
* Convenient when you want to
1. Prevent camera shake
2. Shoot without a flash in dark conditions
3. Shoot with faster shutter speed in dark conditions
* Higher ISO speeds increase noise

Locks
* AE Lock - Exposure setting
* FE Lock - Flash exposure setting
* AF Lock - Auto-focus lock

Exposure problems corrected by:
* Use exposure compensation - EV control
* Switch light metering modes
* Use exposure lock - AE lock

Lock the Exposure - AE Lock
* When contrast is too strong between subject and background
* When subject is backlit

Light metering modes
* Evaluative light metering / matrix meter
- Consists of zones
- Good for backlit conditions and general photography
- Use most of the time
* Center-weighted averaging
- Averages entire image with more weight on subject in center
* Spot AE point
- Use when other two metering methods fail you
Center: Locks spot metering frame to center of LCD
AF Point: Locks AE point to AF frame
- Typically would take poor highly under- or over-exposed photos
- Use when you must expose a small subject properly and it's lighting is
very different from the rest of the scene

Light metering modes, especially spot meter, best used in conjunction with
exposure AE lock

Prevent silhouettes in backlit subject scenes
* Overexpose by 1 1/2 - 2 F/stops, or
* Take selective meter reading, or
* Use center-weighted average metering, then
Fill viewfinder with shadowy side of subject, then
Lock it in, then
Move back, focus and shoot.

To create silhouettes
* Expose for background alone so foreground objects are recorded as dark
or black

Sunsets
* Underexpose the scene by at least -1 stop to saturate colors

================================================

Renee

Thanks for adding that link. I had went to the website to make sure the
information was correct for the URL and never copied it into my reply. Doh!

Jeff


"Bob" wrote in message
...
"Jeff Durham" wrote in message
...
Here is Canon's tutorial that applies mainly to their DSLRs. There
http://photoworkshop.com/canon/index.html

One other website that has some high level interesting articles is
http://photos.msn.com/.

Jeff


"Joe" wrote in message
...
Any good web resources on how to use a digital camera?

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S1 IS.

This is the first camera I have ever used that has any features beyond
basics and point and shoot capability. There is so much to know and I
expect the learning curve will be very steep. I can see that trying to
get good shots is a lot of work. I have actually read the manual. I
expect taking good pics is more than just framing a good shot but the
settings need to be correct. I have been using the auto mode mostly
and have been "playing around" with the oter modes and pretty much
just getting used to the controls. I have been identifying the
functions of the 16 buttons, knobs, dials, etc. and how they effect
the camera.

What I am looking for is web resource that has a basic primmer on how
to adjust ISO, aperture and shutter speed with digital cameras and
when to make those adjustments. I have tried to search and all I come
up with are advertisements.

If anyone knows where the good web information resources are on using
and adjusting digital cameras for the variety of shots, the
information would be appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

BTW, I have been taking it with me everywhere I go.

In article ,
Joe wrote:

Any good web resources on how to use a digital camera?

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S1 IS.

[snip]

What I am looking for is web resource that has a basic primmer on how
to adjust ISO, aperture and shutter speed with digital cameras and
when to make those adjustments. I have tried to search and all I come
up with are advertisements.

Read your camera's owner's manual.

Control placement and operation are specific to each camera type.

If anyone knows where the good web information resources are on using
and adjusting digital cameras for the variety of shots, the
information would be appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

BTW, I have been taking it with me everywhere I go.

Good. Take lots of pictures, examine the results, and adjust your
procedure accordingly.

Basically the same process as with film cameras, but with lower cost and
quicker feedback.

Hi,

http://www.cameratown.com has articles and how-to guides on digital cameras.


Ron
Cameratown.com

"Steve Hix" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Joe wrote:

Any good web resources on how to use a digital camera?

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S1 IS.

[snip]

What I am looking for is web resource that has a basic primmer on how
to adjust ISO, aperture and shutter speed with digital cameras and
when to make those adjustments. I have tried to search and all I come
up with are advertisements.

Read your camera's owner's manual.

Control placement and operation are specific to each camera type.

If anyone knows where the good web information resources are on using
and adjusting digital cameras for the variety of shots, the
information would be appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

BTW, I have been taking it with me everywhere I go.

Good. Take lots of pictures, examine the results, and adjust your
procedure accordingly.

Basically the same process as with film cameras, but with lower cost and
quicker feedback.

Hi,

http://www.cameratown.com has articles and how-to guides on digital cameras.


Ron
Cameratown.com

"Steve Hix" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Joe wrote:

Any good web resources on how to use a digital camera?

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S1 IS.

[snip]

What I am looking for is web resource that has a basic primmer on how
to adjust ISO, aperture and shutter speed with digital cameras and
when to make those adjustments. I have tried to search and all I come
up with are advertisements.

Read your camera's owner's manual.

Control placement and operation are specific to each camera type.

If anyone knows where the good web information resources are on using
and adjusting digital cameras for the variety of shots, the
information would be appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

BTW, I have been taking it with me everywhere I go.

Good. Take lots of pictures, examine the results, and adjust your
procedure accordingly.

Basically the same process as with film cameras, but with lower cost and
quicker feedback.

To all that answered

Thanks for the information and resources. I have checked out the web
sites and read the tips.

Very Helpful.

Thanks

Joe




On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 12:43:08 GMT, Joe wrote:

Any good web resources on how to use a digital camera?

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S1 IS.

This is the first camera I have ever used that has any features beyond
basics and point and shoot capability. There is so much to know and I
expect the learning curve will be very steep. I can see that trying to
get good shots is a lot of work. I have actually read the manual. I
expect taking good pics is more than just framing a good shot but the
settings need to be correct. I have been using the auto mode mostly
and have been "playing around" with the oter modes and pretty much
just getting used to the controls. I have been identifying the
functions of the 16 buttons, knobs, dials, etc. and how they effect
the camera.

What I am looking for is web resource that has a basic primmer on how
to adjust ISO, aperture and shutter speed with digital cameras and
when to make those adjustments. I have tried to search and all I come
up with are advertisements.

If anyone knows where the good web information resources are on using
and adjusting digital cameras for the variety of shots, the
information would be appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

BTW, I have been taking it with me everywhere I go.