Learning About Your Digital Camera
Today’s digital cameras are both rich in features and highly capable of helping you get good photos when used in one of many “auto” modes—without requiring you to know much about your camera or photography. However, learning how to use your digital camera and its many features will enable you to get even better photos and do things you never even imagined could be done.
READ (OR GLANCE THROUGH) YOUR MANUAL
Most digital camera users have proven over and over that they can take good pictures without reading most of the written documentation that came with their camera; some never read any of it at all—ever! Not reading the documentation that came with your camera when you get the camera is okay. Not reading it at all just means that you won’t be able to take advantage of many cool and useful features your camera offers.Not only does reading the manual help you to more fully enjoy your camera, but it also
enables you to take better pictures. It is also quite likely that you will be more than compensated for your investment in time because your effort may help you avoid missing good shots of those important events that you get only one chance to shoot.
If you’re somewhat familiar with cameras, then when you first get your camera, just go shoot with it. You bought it for taking pictures, so take them. After you have taken a couple dozen pictures so that you have a basic understanding of what your camera can do and where some of the controls are, then read your manual. Using your camera first helps make reading the manual easier and more useful than if you were to just pick up the manual and read it.
As the cost of printing manuals increases and as product life cycles shorten, digital camera vendors are increasingly providing some or all of the written documentation in electronic form on a CD-ROM. To read the documentation, you usually need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. This free software application is more often than not included on the CD-ROM provided by your camera vendor. After installing Acrobat Reader, you can read the documentation on your computer screen.
SHOOT A FEW PHOTOS
After you have had a reasonably good read of the documentation that came with your camera, shoot a few more photos. Take a few photos of nearby objects, such as your foot, the pet at the other end of the room, books on the bookshelves, or any people who may be walking by. Try using a few different settings.
Flip through the menus on your LCD monitor if you have one. Take a photo with a built-in flash if you have one. If you’re inside, walk outside and take a few more photos.
If your camera vendor provides an electronic version of the documentation (for example, .pdf or .doc file format), consider printing out pages with key information such as menu settings, information displayed on the LCD monitor, or descriptions of shooting mode icons. Place these reference pages in your camera bag for easy reference. If you just get printed documentation, check the vendor’s Web site because you may be able to find electronic versions along with updated documentation, drivers, or additional software.
READ YOUR MANUAL AGAIN
“Yeah right,” you’re probably saying out loud to yourself. Read the manual again—fat chance! You’re not likely to read the manual again right away, but as you use your camera or when you have not used your camera for a while, you will find that going back and looking over the manual periodically is useful.
Today’s digital cameras are complex and feature-rich and learning how to use all the features takes time and effort. Even if your objective is not to learn all about your camera, a periodic glance at the manual helps you to learn more about those features that you often use.
One of the reasons I enjoy reading manuals is that I always seem to find “surprise” features. “Surprise” features are features that I didn’t know about, but that can help me take great photos in new ways. I have known many people who have had a digital camera for months and were not able to get the photos that they wanted.When I point out a feature that they have on their camera—that makes it easy for them to get the shots they always wanted—they are both surprised and pleased! That is all you will hear from me about reading manuals for now.
