Just another lurking noobie

Hello everyone! Sad but true, I am another "lurker". I will be joining the 400d crowd soon and have been reading these forums to learn as much as I can before I make the leap. And learn, I have. I've been using a Nikon Coolpix 8800 which has been great, but I'm ready to move on and Canon has stolen my heart! I sooo love to take pics of wildlife (and have a new grandchild on the way) and I have seen so many promising photos with the 400d, I just can't wait. So if anyone would have any suggestions for making the transition from the coolpix to the 400d, I am all ears. I'll probably be buggin' the heck out of you pros, as you all seem to know your stuff quite well. As well as other beginners! So I hope you can take another noob under your wings Thanks for letting me join in and learn from you!

wishndream said:

if anyone would have any suggestions for making the transition from
the coolpix to the 400d, I am all ears.

Click to expand...

While you are waiting pick up a copy of understanding exposure...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0817463003/ref=nosim/tirebouchon-20

It is a good read that will let you in on many of the SLR features and capabilities.

Best of luck!

--
CityLights
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorites
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/show_case
.

Bryan Peterson also has a book out on

Understanding Digital Photography

txwoods

Thanks Citylights...that book I have....it's great.
Txwoods...That book I will definately get. I've heard it is also very useful.

I am so ready to learn all I can! I need to clean all the cobwebs from my brain so I have more room to store all that I am about to learn

Welcome! Glad you are getting the camera soon. You want to be a participant, not a lurker!

I'm not sure about your level of proficiency with camera controls, but if you are already adept with the concepts of shutter speed, aperture & ISO and how to apply it's consequences to specific photographic situations, then you won't have too hard of a time adjusting to dSLR. For example, using a higher shutter to freeze subjects, or perhaps purposely setting the aperture to wide open so you can get a decent shutter at night etc.

From my own experiences, the only things I had to really 'adjust' to moving from P&S (which was only a few months ago!) was that:

• dSLR photography generally requires more post-processing.. and in general more effort throughout the whole picture-taking process (preparation, composition, post-process etc.).

• dSLRs have a naturally shallower depth of field thanks to factors like it's bigger sensor size. You might be used to your old Coolpix taking pretty sharp group photos of people at f/4, but try that with a dSLR and the people on the sides won't be too happy!

• getting used to using the eye-viewfinder rather than an LCD to compose. However this adjustment was very quick, and now whenever I go back to use a P&S, I miss a dSLR viewfinder almost immediately.

Good luck.

--
Collin

I think the best way to learn is to join one of the many photography challenges on these forums.

There is the CSLR challenge here:

http://www.pbase.com/cslr_challenge/root

or the mini challenges run in this forum.

Here is the current one:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1031&message=21359559
--
Charter member of Atlanta CSLR Challengers Society
~ Be the kind of person your dog thinks you are. ~

http://www.359degrees.org

I have learned a little with my coolpix, but I realize the DSLR is going to be quite different and it is a bit scary. My biggest fear is that I will get discouraged and throw in the towel. That's why I've come here. Most everyone here seems to be very encouraging.

I have not been using my LCD sreen much in preparation of using a DSLR and I'm fine with that. I am nervous about cooridinating all the settings. I am mostly a "learn by doing" kind of person. I hope I can pull this one off

That sounds like great fun! I hope to be ordered my 400d within the next 2 weeks, then I'll need a few weeks to learn it, then another few to work on my skills.....so I'll join the fun in about??

I need to ask one question here: I have Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8 (which I am still learning) but I see most everyone is using some form of Adobe Photoshop. I bought Photoshop Elements 5.0 and can't install it on my pc (I guess my pc is more outdated than I thought) So basically do you think Paint Shop Pro will handle my basic needs?

wishndream said:

I need to ask one question here: I have Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8
(which I am still learning) but I see most everyone is using some
form of Adobe Photoshop. I bought Photoshop Elements 5.0 and can't
install it on my pc (I guess my pc is more outdated than I thought)
So basically do you think Paint Shop Pro will handle my basic needs?

Click to expand...

Paint Shop Pro is a very capable program and you should do fine with it. If your computer is very outdated you may find processing your photos slow and tedious – regardless of the program you’re running. The forums PC Talk and Retouching are good references to information on PSP & PS.

(note: I have PSP X and PS Elements 5 on my home computer and use PSP X - there are some features, such as it's noise reduction on PSPX that I like - if I had the excess money I would have PS CE).

Let us know when the new camera comes in and how you like it.

Thanks Brit! I will go over to the retouching forums with those types of questions then.

Someday I'll update my pc, but can't get a new DSLR and that too (at least, not until I win the lottery

http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/enjoydslr/p_2_001.html
Try to read all the way through part two.

Thanks Hosebag! I bookmarked that site. Good simple examples for a cobwebbed ladden brain, such as mine.