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  1. 12-09-2009, 02:41 AM #1
    DonSchap
    DonSchap is offline Senior Member
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    Question Starting fresh ... just got the kit ... now what?

    So, there it is ... your new pride & joy ... for the moment. For the next few hours (probably many more than you expect) you are going to be exploring light with the fancy new DSLR and lens you just got. You may be tempted to put it in AUTO and just let the camera run away with itself ...

    but, indulge me for a second, just to set some quick parameters. A person really needs to know his/her limitations. AUTO tends to cover things up and you do not learn much from it. What you have is a DSLR ... and their is much more to it ... than AUTO.


    1. Please, do NOT use the built-in flash for the moment. It will skew your thinking for the rest of this exercise. If it is up ... press it back down.
    2. Attach the "kit" lens that came with the camera, careful not to "fingerprint" the front element of the lens.
    3. On the top of the camera, turn the mode knob to M (Manual), because we are taking control of this device right off the bat.
    4. Turn the camera on.
    5. Examine the LCD screen on the back and with the setting control dial(s) select
      • an aperture of f/4 ...
      • a shutter speed of 1 second ...
      • and an ISO of 400.
      (with these settings, you should be able to photograph with ENOUGH light, indoors -> no flash)
    6. Focus on your subject; hold the camera real still & take your first image.


    A little startling isn't it, as the camera shoots a one-second exposure? Seems to take forever. Amazing how well the light illuminates the room. Problem is ... it looks a little blurry, doesn't it? Heck, it might look real blurry. Go ahead, steady up and shoot another ... don't touch that dial ... yet.

    C'mon, hold still, will you? Shoot again ... holding the camera in your two hands. Take a breath ... hold it ... let it out a little ... snap away.

    That blurriness is YOU, my friend. And THAT is "the problem" with indoor imaging that you have to solve. There are a number of ways to do it ... and from this point on, your education begins ...

    Go ahead and post a reply ... asking, "How do I ...?" and let's have some fun with this.
    Last edited by DonSchap; 12-09-2009 at 03:16 AM.
    Don Schap - BFA, Digital Photography
    A Photographer Is Forever
    Look, I did not create the optical laws of the Universe ... I simply learned to deal with them.
    Remember: It is usually the GLASS, not the camera (except for moving to Full Frame), that gives you the most improvement in your photography.
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  2. 12-09-2009, 08:02 AM #2
    sparkie1263
    sparkie1263 is offline Senior Member
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    How do I take better flash images???


    Frank
    Sony A77
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  3. 12-09-2009, 08:24 AM #3
    dr4gon
    dr4gon is offline Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by sparkie1263 View Post
    How do I take better flash images???


    Frank
    I thought you had an external flash? Maybe that was just for that one wedding.

    You gotta have a real flash gun to take good flash images. Pop up flashes just don't take flattering portraits. On axis camera flash is no good. Gotta take it off your camera to fully control the light.
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  4. 12-09-2009, 08:34 AM #4
    David Metsky
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    Since this is in the Sony DSLR forum I can assume this is only a problem with Sony cameras?
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  5. 12-09-2009, 08:38 AM #5
    sparkie1263
    sparkie1263 is offline Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by dr4gon View Post
    I thought you had an external flash? Maybe that was just for that one wedding.

    You gotta have a real flash gun to take good flash images. Pop up flashes just don't take flattering portraits. On axis camera flash is no good. Gotta take it off your camera to fully control the light.
    Never picked up a flash yet. I don't take many indoor shots. That is the next thing I need. I rather have better glass first.

    Frank
    Sony A77
    Sony A580
    Sony A 100
    Maxxum 400si.
    Sony 18-70 Kit Lens
    Minolta AF 35-70
    Minolta AF 50 f/1.7
    Tamron 70-300 f/4-5.6 Di LD
    Tamron 60mm Macro
    Tamron 17-50 f/2.8
    Tamron 2x Converter
    Sony HVL-F42AM
    Quantaray 70-300 4.5-5.6 Macro
    Slingshot 200 Bag



    http://www.flickr.com/photos/22083244@N06/

    http://s305.photobucket.com/albums/nn219/sparkie1263/
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  6. 12-09-2009, 08:49 AM #6
    Elisha
    Elisha is offline Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by sparkie1263 View Post
    Never picked up a flash yet. I don't take many indoor shots. That is the next thing I need. I rather have better glass first.

    Frank
    When you have a flash, it even makes the mediocre glass look good!
    I don't have a TTL flash anymore but my 2 manual flashes on a radio trigger is all I need at the moment anyway. But I am eying a new flash.
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  7. 12-09-2009, 08:55 AM #7
    dr4gon
    dr4gon is offline Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elisha82 View Post
    When you have a flash, it even makes the mediocre glass look good!
    I don't have a TTL flash anymore but my 2 manual flashes on a radio trigger is all I need at the moment anyway. But I am eying a new flash.
    That is so true. It makes the kit lens look darn sharp!

    I would get both, a flash and glass. Any people photo taking, a flash is wonderful.

    580EX II!! or a 430EX II is pretty decent too.
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  8. 12-09-2009, 08:58 AM #8
    Elisha
    Elisha is offline Senior Member
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    If I get the 580, I'll have to buy it from the States as it is almost $500 here. Hopefully the USD remains crappy for a little longer!
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  9. 12-09-2009, 10:34 AM #9
    dr4gon
    dr4gon is offline Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elisha82 View Post
    If I get the 580, I'll have to buy it from the States as it is almost $500 here. Hopefully the USD remains crappy for a little longer!
    I hope not too much longer, ha!
    flickr

    Canon 7D - 5D | 550EX - 430EX II - (2) PW FlexTT5 | 24-105 f4L | 70-200 f2.8L IS | 100 f2.8L IS | 50 f1.8 II
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  10. 12-09-2009, 12:04 PM #10
    DonSchap
    DonSchap is offline Senior Member
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    You know something, I really wished it had be a "newbie" asking. It is not as much fun coaching a die-hard cameraman.
    Don Schap - BFA, Digital Photography
    A Photographer Is Forever
    Look, I did not create the optical laws of the Universe ... I simply learned to deal with them.
    Remember: It is usually the GLASS, not the camera (except for moving to Full Frame), that gives you the most improvement in your photography.
    flickr® & Sdi
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
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