Tips/Advice for the photogs Noob. Questions as well.

[danewilson77]

New photographers, feel free to post any ridiculously easy questions you have here. This thread will not be judged.

Also, if the pros want to step up, and throw us a bone every now and then, about something they learned it would be most appreciative.

I have 6 questions to start. Many more after tomorrow I'm sure.

1. Do you stow your camera in the bag, with the strap on it? If so...what is the proper storage routine (i.e. do you wrap the strap up, or gently lay it on the camera)? Any opinions here are appreciated.

2. Do you keep the base for the tripod mounted on the bottom of your camera?

3. Do you stow your camera in the bag with the lense attached? Disassembled?

4. How does heat, from say a car, affect a dslr? I ask...because I want to have my camera with me as much as possible....to practice, and also to minimize missing opportunities.

5. After you upload your pics...do you delete your photos from the SD CARD?

6. When is the best time to charge the battery? Should I let it almost fully drain before charging?

I will only try to ask what I don't think is covered in the manual.

This is my first real camera and want to care for it properly.

Thanks....pros.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[Hermes]

6. When is the best time to charge the battery? Should I let it almost fully drain before charging?

i'll leave the rest for the pros but batteries (of all kind) should generally be charged when drained. every battery has only a certain number of charges in it so you dont wanna put it on the charger too much. you could charge it whenever you want, it will just need to eventually be replaced. think of a laptop battery, ever had one of those go out on you? its cause you unplug/plug the cord all the time and everytime you do that it kills it a little faster

[Alphatek45]

1. Strap on. Lay on top
2. No
3.Attached. But always cover both ends if stored otherwise
4. Would like to know more on this too
5.YES. I format IN camera after each upload
6.I try to drain as much as possible before each charge

Just what I do. And Im a noob too fyi...

[Oli77]

What DSLR did you get Dane?

[danewilson77]

What DSLR did you get Dane?

D5100....sir.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[UdubBadger]

New photographers, feel free to post any ridiculously easy questions you have here. This thread will not be judged.

Also, if the pros want to step up, and throw us a bone every now and then, about something they learned it would be most appreciative.

I have 6 questions to start. Many more after tomorrow I'm sure.

1. Do you stow your camera in the bag, with the strap on it? If so...what is the proper storage routine (i.e. do you wrap the strap up, or gently lay it on the camera)? Any opinions here are appreciated.

2. Do you keep the base for the tripod mounted on the bottom of your camera?

3. Do you stow your camera in the bag with the lense attached? Disassembled?

4. How does heat, from say a car, affect a dslr? I ask...because I want to have my camera with me as much as possible....to practice, and also to minimize missing opportunities.

5. After you upload your pics...do you delete your photos from the SD CARD?

6. When is the best time to charge the battery? Should I let it almost fully drain before charging?

I will only try to ask what I don't think is covered in the manual.

This is my first real camera and want to care for it properly.

Thanks....pros.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

1. In bag, i dont use a strap
2. yes as it's universal to all of my manfrotto tripod heads.
3. depends on which bag it's in, but most of the time no.
4. would probably be ok in the trunk during a hot day. I would bring it in at night, cold will do the same as extreme heat would.
5. when you start shooting really big jobs and such you'll have to but I wouldn't delete until i put onto my computer and also instantly back that folder up too. it's always nice to shoot on a clean card as you never know if you'll need all the room you can get. (like if you were to run into marisa miller on the street and she asked you to shoot some nudez 4 her).
6. I charge before big shoot days but i'll let it drain totally if I can every now and then.


hows the camera feel DW? why'd you go Nikon over Canon?

[danewilson77]

Couple of reasons.

1. The place o was at seemed to have a great price.

2. Older NIKON lenses can be used while rebel cameras have to use rebel lenses.

3. It felt right.

4. Casey and Boss bought NIKON.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[Marcus-SanDiego]

I'm on the road, but wanted to chime in with a suggestion. Dane, pick up a second battery. I can let one battery charge while I'm using another one. Or, if I know I'm going to shoot for quite a long time, I can have two batteries with me. I picked up a nikon battery for about $20 on amazon.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[UdubBadger]

Couple of reasons.

1. The place o was at seemed to have a great price.

2. Older NIKON lenses can be used while rebel cameras have to use rebel lenses.

3. It felt right.

4. Casey and Boss bought NIKON.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

#3 is most important...

#2 I'm not sure about, never heard that before, where is the info on that? I was told you can fit any lens onto the Rebels.

[Hermes]

5.YES. I format IN camera after each upload

+1. FORMAT card, not delete files. On my Nikon there are two buttons, one on each side with a red symbol. Hold both until the LCD reads 'for' then depress again and card is formatted.

You should do this before any shoot because files and folder structures are sometimes messed up when the card is read in-camera/ with a reader/ used in any other camera. Deleting also leaves empty spots in the card. Say you take a shot/file that is 1.2Mb. You delete it and later take some other shot but this one is a larger file size. Well in order for the card to save it 1.2Mb is placed in the empty spot and the balance is placed in the next empty spot. This is where errors start to occur. Reformatting completely refreshes the card. Erasing does not, and leaves potential errors lurking. (damn lurkers) Don't you love the benefits of technology?

[Marcus-SanDiego]

+1. FORMAT card, not delete files. On my Nikon there are two buttons, one on each side with a red symbol. Hold both until the LCD reads 'for' then depress again and card is formatted.

I do this too. I do it after I've moved my pictures to Lightroom, edited, and then saved.

[C Withers Media]

New photographers, feel free to post any ridiculously easy questions you have here. This thread will not be judged.

Also, if the pros want to step up, and throw us a bone every now and then, about something they learned it would be most appreciative.

I have 6 questions to start. Many more after tomorrow I'm sure.

1. Do you stow your camera in the bag, with the strap on it? If so...what is the proper storage routine (i.e. do you wrap the strap up, or gently lay it on the camera)? Any opinions here are appreciated.

2. Do you keep the base for the tripod mounted on the bottom of your camera?

3. Do you stow your camera in the bag with the lense attached? Disassembled?

4. How does heat, from say a car, affect a dslr? I ask...because I want to have my camera with me as much as possible....to practice, and also to minimize missing opportunities.

5. After you upload your pics...do you delete your photos from the SD CARD?

6. When is the best time to charge the battery? Should I let it almost fully drain before charging?

I will only try to ask what I don't think is covered in the manual.

This is my first real camera and want to care for it properly.

Thanks....pros.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

In bag, strap across the top tucked away

Doesn't matter either way. I have done both, but when I have my vertical grip on, I do not have a tripod mount on.

Again either way doesn't matter much. I prefer to keep a lense attached so I expose my sensor to the elements less, and it is one less step if I see something I want to grab a shot of in a hurry.

Shouldn't be an issue but prolonged exposure of anything electronic to extreme heat or extreme cold is never good. A few hours in the car, no big deal.

No wrong way to do it as long as you are reformatting your card regularly. I upload, let the camera delete and then reformat the next time I use the camera. Some use reformat as a final step of a shoot, I use it as a starting point.

Mulitple batteries, shoot until its dead, put on charger, switch, repeat. I always have additional AA batteries with me as well to throw in my grip if necessary, but have never had a battery issue.

Don't think of it as a baby, think of it as a tool. Its durable, but if you beat it, expect consequences.

[C Withers Media]

Couple of reasons.

1. The place o was at seemed to have a great price.

2. Older NIKON lenses can be used while rebel cameras have to use rebel lenses.

3. It felt right.

4. Casey and Boss bought NIKON.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

1. Fiscally sound
2. Not sure about this info.
3. Best reason so far.
4. About as logical as a football bat.

[Alphatek45]

Also, a 32gig card, which I think you picked up, is HUGE. Unless you plan on shooting thousands of raw files at a time of course, of tons of HD video at a time. I find with a workflow of uploading, backing up and formatting the card after each shoot (no more than 300-400 images for me) an 8 gig is more than enough. In fact a 4 gig would probably do it, which I have as a back up.
Id put the extra $$ on the transfer speed of the card (90mb+) This will make night shoots, 1080p video and rapid shooting much better. Just my 2 cents again.

[Ryans323i]

.....

2. Older NIKON lenses can be used while rebel cameras have to use rebel lenses.
......

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

FWIW, we have an old Rebel EOS that came out in '03. It fits all Canon lenses and other brand lenses meant to fit a Canon (ie We have a Sigma Macro that fits the Canon.)



Ok, my question. Why are my pictures "grainy"? Is it because the camera is only 6.3MP, is it a crappy camera base, is the focal point out of range for the lense, or am I doing something else wrong? See pic below.

Canon EOS paired with Canon zoom lens EF 100-400mm 1:4.5-5.6 L IS ultrasonic.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm142/aprilsmom04/double2.jpg

[danewilson77]

1. Fiscally sound
2. Not sure about this info.
3. Best reason so far.
4. About as logical as a football bat.

Hey, why do you think so many Air Jordan's get sold.

Thanks to all who have contributed...thus far.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Dane: Do you stow your camera in the bag, with the strap on it? If so...what is the proper storage routine (i.e. do you wrap the strap up, or gently lay it on the camera)? Any opinions here are appreciated.

My answer: I leave the strap on. I spread it out -- away from the camera. (Also note that my lenses are in the bag, too. They're in their pouches.)


Dane: Do you keep the base for the tripod mounted on the bottom of your camera?

My answer: No. Haven't done that yet.


Dane: Do you stow your camera in the bag with the lens attached? Disassembled?

My answer: I have my bag arranged so that the body and lens can sit together comfortably in the bag. So, I stow camera with lens attached. I also keep the lens cover on, too.


Dane: How does heat, from say a car, affect a dslr? I ask...because I want to have my camera with me as much as possible....to practice, and also to minimize missing opportunities.

My answer: I do not leave my camera in the car. I carry it with me wherever I go. My camera bag is a backpack. I throw it over my shoulder and roll. (Plus, I don't want to lose thousands of dollars worth of equipment if someone breaks into my car and steals my bag.)


Dane: After you upload your pics...do you delete your photos from the SD CARD?

My answer: I reformat the card after I've moved my pictures to Lightroom, edited, and then saved.


Dane: When is the best time to charge the battery? Should I let it almost fully drain before charging?

My answer: I drain the battery. I have two batteries, so I swap them out while the other is charging.

[danewilson77]

Thanks Boss.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[UdubBadger]

4. About as logical as a football bat.:rofl

[UdubBadger]

FWIW, we have an old Rebel EOS that came out in '03. It fits all Canon lenses and other brand lenses meant to fit a Canon (ie We have a Sigma Macro that fits the Canon.)


Ok, my question. Why are my pictures "grainy"? Is it because the camera is only 6.3MP, is it a crappy camera base, is the focal point out of range for the lense, or am I doing something else wrong? See pic below.

Canon EOS paired with Canon zoom lens EF 100-400mm 1:4.5-5.6 L IS ultrasonic.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm142/aprilsmom04/double2.jpg


did you edit that or straight out of camera?

[danewilson77]

1st set.....Rip it apart....

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Crosswalk%2010th%20Anniversary/DSC_0007.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/2004%20Imola%20DSLR/DSC_0003.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Crosswalk%2010th%20Anniversary/DSC_0013.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/2004%20Imola%20DSLR/DSC_0001-1.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Crosswalk%2010th%20Anniversary/DSC_0041.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/2004%20Imola%20DSLR/DSC_0012.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/2004%20Imola%20DSLR/DSC_0015.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Crosswalk%2010th%20Anniversary/DSC_0071.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/2004%20Imola%20DSLR/DSC_0010.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Crosswalk%2010th%20Anniversary/DSC_0102-1.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Crosswalk%2010th%20Anniversary/DSC_0104.jpg

[UdubBadger]

chair shot is bueno

i'd say for the car shots, try to separate it more from your background and maybe look for something less busy to start with (poles, powerlines, electric boxes, ect.. are distracting).

Also in my experience the on board flash on your camera (pop up) is junk so maybe just roll with the natural lighting for now until you think you're ready for off camera lighting.

[danewilson77]

Ok. Thanks youdub.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[UdubBadger]

medub

[Ryans323i]

did you edit that or straight out of camera?

Edited in PS. I have RAW, but no idea how to use it. I can upload the orig if you want.

[Hermes]

Edited in PS. I have RAW, but no idea how to use it. I can upload the orig if you want.

You can open up the RAW in PS, file is HUGE though. Quality is way better so you might wanna edit from that one

[M0nk3y]

Never knew how to format a card...good info. So format card before every shoot when the card is clear...right?

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[C Withers Media]

Its not critical, but it's a good habit.

[Ryans323i]

I think I figured out my problem. I was on ISO 400, should have been on 100 or 200 I think. Correct?

[C Withers Media]

I think I figured out my problem. I was on ISO 400, should have been on 100 or 200 I think. Correct?

It wont hurt.... When I was using my D80 anything over ISO 400 started showing noise.

[UdubBadger]

Edited in PS. I have RAW, but no idea how to use it. I can upload the orig if you want.

no not needed but was just gonna say your saturation looks really high.

[danewilson77]

What is the way to win with taking shot of moving objects, at night? You need high shutter speed to capture, but high exposure for light. Spose use of a good flash is a must here....

Thanks for any input.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Dane, assuming you don't want much blur, you will have to up the shutter speed (as you said). A shutter speed of 1/800th of a second is usually fast enough to freeze action. Assuming you need more light, you'll need to up your ISO and continue to open aperture to a point where you have good visibility. I'm convinced that you'd be in trouble if you couldn't get below f/2.8 for aperture.

Notice that I was shooting wide open (f/1.4 on the 50mm, f/1.8 on the 35mm, f/2.8 on the 14-24mm), quite often, in Las Vegas last weekend. I was often at ISO 2000 or higher as well. Finally, I was using fast glass. The good thing for me is that I was not worried about taking action shots. Without looking, I am sure that my shutter speed was close to the focal length that I was at for most shots.

As for a flash, unless you're close to the action, it probably will be fairly useless. (If you control your situation, strobes might be something to look into.) Action shots at night, without much light, will also prove difficult if you are using auto focus (you may have to shoot in manual focus). I don't shoot action at night (unless the venue is well lit) but I'm thinking that a monopod would also be helpful. You'll also want to shoot in burst mode if you're shooting action, so that you can maximize your chances of getting the shot.

I'm just scratching the surface, since I don't want to write an epistle on night photography. Plus, I'm still inexperienced (been shooting for less than three months), so I don't know all of the ways to get around getting a great shot at night when the light is minimal. Maybe some of the more experienced photographers can fill in the holes that I've left.

[danewilson77]

Thanks Boss.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[UdubBadger]

yep Marcus is right however the shutter speed is something I'd play with. If you want to STOP the action completely, sure 1/800 but like a rolling car shot I'd personally shoot a little slower to get a touch of motion effect in the wheels and stuff while still freezing most of the motion of the car moving (1/250 or something). Trial and error is the best way to get what you want.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

True. If you want to indicate action, definitely reduce shutter speed. I was referring to freezing everything.

[UdubBadger]

yeah... i think you need to consider how far away from the action you are too... stuff closer to you will effectively move "faster". If you're shooting an F1 car zooming past you from 10 ft away... plan on hitting 1/8000. if its from 100 yards away you could get away with a much lower shutter speed.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Good point, Seth.

[danewilson77]

My checklist for stowing camera:

1. Power off.
2. Lense cover on.
3. Clean view finder.
4. Remove card, if developing.
5. Stow in bag with strap tucked in separate partition.

What am I missing?

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[UdubBadger]

Casey editing your photos for you? :dunno

[3ZHP]

The cat came out of the bag yesterday, "Cyber Monday" as my Wife wasn't sure if what she got me for Christmas was a better or worse deal that the Camera on QVC. I've been looking at DSLRs for the last year and had decided on the Canon Rebel but, wasn't sure on how much I was going to invest and which model I wanted to afford. Well, she made the decision for me and what I think it is a damn good one.

What's in the bag and will be there for the next 25 days is a Canon Rebel T3i with the standard 18-55mm Lens, a 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens, a 16Gb SD card and a bag. Cant wait to get started and retire my Canon Powder Shot SD900 point and shoot.

Tips and advice on getting started welcome.

[johnrando]

Check out lynda.com for free photo classes. Read the manual (or watch the DVD that came with it) to know how to change your settings and for tips. Maybe sign up for classes at your local photo store. Then practice, practice, practice. Shoot as much as possible, especially in MANUAL, changing settings to see the differences. When I learned shooting film, I used to write down my settings for each shot, so that when I got them back I knew what the different settings did. Obviously with digital you have the data, just make sure you know what it means. GL!

[3ZHP]

Thanks, I already read a Adobe manual cover to cover on line and watched over an hour of videos about the T3i so, just waiting to open the bag so I can start finding the real capabilities.

[johnrando]

Bump

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[UdubBadger]

What now I'm trying to sleep???? Jeeze ;)


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