On 2/21/07, Rodti MacLeary <rodti@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Does the list have a favourite/recommended guide to the principles of SLR
> photography? An online resource would be preferable. Prior to the purchase
> of my SLR I _thought_ I had a lot of things worked out, but now I'm too
> scared to use anything but 'Auto' mode on my E500! Can't hurt too much to
> start again from scratch.
>
> r.
Auto mode is my favorite mode on most cameras, followed by manual
mode. For many others, it's the other way around. The best resource
might be your camera manual. Spend the time to read up on how manual
mode is meant to work and practice getting good exposures.
Initially, don't worry about changing f-stops a lot. Start with f8,
for example, and just leave it there. Take photos under different
conditions and light at f8, changing the shutter speed to get the
correct exposure. Note the shutter speeds that are sharp for you when
you are hand-holding the camera. Some people can hold the camera
steady down to about 1/30 second reliably with a normal lens. Others
will want to use a faster speed to be certain that camera shake does
not blur the result.
The length of the lens you are using is critical to your ability to
get sharp results. In general, with 35mm photography, your shutter
speed can usually be the reciprocal of the focal length of your lens.
For example, if you are shooting a focal length of 100mm, a shutter
speed of 1/125 sec is "safe." Since a 4:3 sensor is not the same size
as a piece of film, it might be wise to double the reciprocal (1/250
for 100mm, etc.) . That's just a really good rule always to keep in
mind.
Once you have mastered manual mode, you will then understand precisely
how to use auto mode, which allows you to pick the stop you want and
then let the camera pick the shutter speed. S and P modes I simply
never use, but S mode reverses the relationship of A mode by your
choosing the shutter speed and allowing the camera to match the stop.
This is a useful mode for sports and action photography where you
know, for example, that you want to use 1/250 sec shutter speed with a
200mm lens and you're going to be trying to capture a subject running
in and out of bright light.
You can't really get the goodies out of the camera's smarts until you
master manual mode, and who knows, maybe you'll like it so much you'll
never switch. Hey, the OM-1 is some people's favorite camera, and
it's the same principle. Enjoy.
Joel W.
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