What is wrong with my a700?

[WaltKnapp]

Sorry for the alarm, and thank you so much to everyone who so quickly
responded to my faux-tragedy. I really feel stupid right now

...and very relieved.

Stick with the very relieved. Everybody has done this sort of thing, though some will deny they did....

Wade your way through the manual, and try everything your read as you go. You will understand the camera a bit better after that. And don't worry, even those of us experienced with DSLR take some time to get up to speed with a new one.

Walt

 

[peterduce]

Glad that you sorted it.

As an older, 40+ years, snapper. It did occur to me when I went digital, that there are many more "adjustables" on a DSLR than there ever were on a film camera, and it's easy in early usage days to overlook, or forget, things like ISO settings despite the display on the LCD screen or that in the viewfinder.

I, for one, still don't always pay as much attention as I should to the readouts on my camera as I don't have reason to change things too much.

I plead old age and a good many years of not having so much of my photo exposures so easily, and immediately, adjustable as I now do with DSLR photography.

No ISO changes without a film reload way back then!

 

[casperskitty]

Sorry for the alarm, and thank you so much to everyone who so quickly
responded to my faux-tragedy. I really feel stupid right now

...and very relieved.

Stick with the very relieved. Everybody has done this sort of thing,
though some will deny they did....

Wade your way through the manual, and try everything your read as you
go. You will understand the camera a bit better after that. And
don't worry, even those of us experienced with DSLR take some time to
get up to speed with a new one.

Walt

Thanks Walt.

I have every intention of doing just that (reading the manual and trying it out as I read). I did exactly that when I got my canon SLR. I have just been toying with the new camera mostly when I have a chance. By the time I had the battery charged yesterday and we got back home from shopping and then had dinner, I had barely touched it. It was so beautiful outside today that I had to take my daughter out to play and it was a good opportunity to play with the camera some more.

I wasn't aware that the camera would record just a blank image if the exposure was that off. Now I know. Been there, done that.

And I didn't accidentally change the shutter speed when I turned the camera on after all. I forgot I was in M mode and would have needed to change the settings now that it is dark and I am indoors. I had it set for 1/6400 when I was outside earlier and that absolutely will not work right now. I wasn't even thinking. If the image had appeared really horribly exposed, I probably would have figured it out right away. It was the completely black screen that worried me. And my first reaction was to panic rather than to think about the problem and try changing the settings.

There is a lot of adjustment to get used to. I am definitely not accustomed to being able to set the ISO at a whim. I just need to do a lot of shooting and playing with the settings.

--
Jennifer

 

[fophotofile]

One setting you might find helpful to change would be.

Lock shutter when no card is present.

Nothing like taking dozens of great shots and seeing them on the LCD, only to discover later there's no card.

Been there, done that.

congrats on the new Camera
fo
--

 

[DzRbenson]

n/t

 

[casperskitty]

One setting you might find helpful to change would be.

Lock shutter when no card is present.

Nothing like taking dozens of great shots and seeing them on the LCD,
only to discover later there's no card.

Been there, done that.

congrats on the new Camera
fo

Thanks

--

 

[Alpha Doug]

I'd like to give you the same advice I give all the students in my digital photography classes. Run, don't walk, to the nearest book store, and buy a copy of a third party manual for your A700, such as the Digital Field Guide by Alan Hess. These books are WAY better for a beginner than the mess of a manual that comes with the camera. It will have you flying in no time.

Here's a cool little trick. I shoot almost 90% of the time in Aperture priority mode. That means the aperture is assigned to the front scroll wheel. But I use exposure compensation a lot, so if you dive into the menus, you can permanently assign exposure compensation to the rear scroll wheel. Makes you life a whole lot less complicated.
--
Only my opinion. It's worth what you paid for it. Your mileage may vary! ;-}
http://www.dougwigton.com/

 

[casperskitty]

He-he! I bought that very book (the Alan Hess one) before the a700 had even arrived. I have perused it. I really need a chance to read through it. With my classes and my daughter, I just haven't taken the time to do that yet.

I learned all about the wonder of manuals with my 35mm canon rebel. My first SLR, I had no idea what I was doing. And the manual didn't clear it up at all. I bought a photography book, and that really helped me to do some manual shooting. Once I had read really detailed explanations of aperture and shutter speed, the manual started making sense and I tell people the same. Buy an actual book about photography or about your camera, because the manual isn't likely to make sense at first.

I usually shoot in aperture priority mode too. I am working on learning M and wanted to give it a go today. If I had been in A mode, it wouldn't have happened-today anyway. It probably would have soon though, so now it is done and out of the way. Can't wait to get out and really get a chance to shoot.

--
Jennifer