Ok, so here I am, embarking on a journey to take my 1st shot with my new DSLR. I got my camera just now, and super excited to start using it. So I referred to the quick start manual, typically comes in a easy to read 1-2 pager leaflet with equipment like this.
I knew a little or two about electronics and I knew that the battery was the first thing to ensure it's charged, so I quickly glanced through the manual whether I needed to charge it first. Some batteries come charged nowadays, but mine had to be charged. I quickly set it up, then proceeded to finish reading the leaflet. I inventoried the contents of the box and attached the strap to the camera. Then I proceeded to set aside all the unnecessary plastic pouches and boxes. I was eager to take my first shot, but had to wait for the battery to get charged. I spent a little time exploring the camera buttons and tried to figure out what they are. I could decipher half of them, but others felt alien.
I figured that I could not wing it, and had to read the users' manual. Shoot! I could not get away with it! Ain't we all like that at times? We want to do the short cut :-) But handling a DSLR isn't as easy, and you will need to know your camera in and out, to be able to maximize it. Remember the behavior that the point and shoot cameras affect us? It urges us to be lazy, to not think and just click. Well, I found myself being a bit lazy there.
Anyway, I can't do anything with the camera anyway, since I don't have power yet. So, I decided to read the manual. As I read through several pages, I start to be bored. This is just so technical. But I forced myself to go through it. Then later, the manual refers to some menu on the camera. I was eager to turn on the camera so that I can walk through while reading the manual. I am a bit of a graphic person and I would like to see the real thing versus reading some words to describe it. I still have no choice, so I skipped that section and went to the next one, which seemed more interesting and easier to read. Oh well, after the first 3-4 chapters, which is less than halfway through the manual, I couldn't take it anymore. I watched TV instead.
After a few hours, the battery is fully charged. Finally! So eager to start, I took out the battery from the charger and put it in my camera. I turned on the power button, and there it is! The screen shows a filter cleaning process is in progress. Seconds after, the camera is ready, and I aimed at the photographs on the wall and took my first shot. Well, not too bad, but it was too dark. I turned the program to Auto, and took the shot. Wasn't happy as well as I wanted a warmer color. I knew that I had to adjust the white balance. I tried to tinker with the settings but failed to do it. I've never handled a digital SLR before, and neither have I tinkered with these settings on my point and shoot, so really no idea how to adjust the settings. Ok, I admit I probably skipped that section in the manual. So I had to go back to the manual to read that part. I looked at the index page and went directly to the page that talks about white balance.
I took a couple more shots, and I now I couldn't get the lighting right. I started with Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes, since it was easier. I only had to adjust one setting. So I peaked into the viewfinder and tried to find the middle ground by turning the dial for the shutter speed or aperture. That part, I had at least read earlier. Ok, not bad.
After a few shots, I was tired. I figured that I had to do more reading, but it was late. So I headed to bed. The next day, I had to go to work, and when I got home, I was too tired to do any reading. The day after was a Saturday, and I realized that I had run out of time to finish the manual. I did a bit of reading the night before, and I focused on the basics. I ignored the advanced settings like ISO, White Balance, etc, for now.
Saturday came, and I had to head out to do some sightseeing in Washington DC. I haven't been back since the first time years ago, so it was nice to go around and explore. I brought out my new camera hoping to get some shots. The weather was great, so most of the shots were easy. But after a few hours, clouds start to get darker and the rain came. I found myself at the base of the Washington Monument waiting for my turn to get up to the top. The rain stopped a bit, but the clouds were dark, so I took out my DSLR and tried to capture some shots, which I failed at. I wasn't prepared to take these types of shots. I did get some shots, but my lighting was not good. I begin to feel frustrated. I was finally able to go up top and got some good shots, but I wish I had a zoom lens.
Anyway, I just focused on enjoying my Saturday out in Washington, DC. I went to see the White House as well, was able to get some average shots of the White House, and also of the squirrels running around the garden.
Overall, my photos weren't that bad, given that it was my first time to use my new camera, and also that I wasn't able to read the manual in full. But of course, it was opportunity wasted. I could have gotten some good shots had I known how to use the camera. I knew what type of shots I wanted, but I just didn't how to work the camera to create those shots. Oh well!
I'm sure we all had situations like that at one point or another. Half-baked learning is such a waste. You spent hours reading up, but really, this is time wasted, as nothing got absorbed. I was lucky that I knew how to take pictures so I could wing a couple of things. I probably got only 50% of my shots right, and none of them really stood out as great shots.
Learning requires commitment, nothing is easy, and you can't always take short cuts. You see this when you were in school before, and you see this also in any type of learning that you do. And even if you're doing something that you're extremely passionate about, you will need to find the motivate to push you ahead. You will find excitement, but you will also find frustration and discouragement. That's all part of the journey. From time to time, I still do a bit of this half-baked learning, but now that I am aware of the consequences, I try to find inspiration so that I get excited about it again, and this really pushes my motivation level up. Learning then becomes more interesting.
Showing posts with label DSLR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DSLR. Show all posts
January 28, 2011
January 27, 2011
My Equipment Through The Years
As mentioned in 1st blog entry, my first camera was a Canon Analog SLR. Honestly, I don't remember the model, but it had the full manual controls that allow you to create your shot. It was dad's camera and I only got to borrow it so that I can join the camera club back in school. I pretty much used it to take black and white pictures. I must still have those photographs lying somewhere, something to target during my next spring cleaning.
For the point and shoot, my dad had a very small 110mm camera. It was quite a small camera, rectangular in shape, and quite thin, about 1-1/2 inch thick. It had a flash attachment that slides in and out of one end of the camera. The camera had a door to open where you put in your film. And if I remember right, it was Fuji brand and I had to buy the green boxed 110 Fuji films. The old cameras used regular batteries, some penlight and some use the more advanced lithium batteries, but basically, you had to buy extras. There are no rechargeable batteries yet at that time.
Then when camera models advanced, dad bought a Pentax point and shoot. The camera was quite heavy but it was a very durable one. It still used film but this time the Kodak films with the round yellow barrel casing. This was a very good camera. Also used regular batteries, but this time lithium. The flash was built-in to the camera and there was a slight zoom feature. I also learned to use different ASA films (not referred to as ISO) but honestly, I didn't quite understand these till I went digital.
The first one that I bought myself was an Intel high quality digital webcam. It had the shape of a regular point and shoot so that you can bring it around, and there is an option to attach it to its dock so that you can connect it to the computer. The camera had a white and blue casing so it was like a toy. The camera was quite heavy though for a webcam and it was very durable. In fact, I still have the camera today, and I was able to attach it to my computer. The quality of the picture is still much better than the webcams we have today. Lighting was much brighter. The memory storage is built in, unlike the ones today where you can insert an extra memory card.
After a few years, I bought myself a Sony Cybershot point and shoot with silver casing, from Wan Chai in Hong Kong, potentially a 3.2 megapizel. It was an impromptu purchase, my brother bought one and was recommending me to buy the same model. Again, a great camera, but I didn't like that it uses a Sony memory stick which wasn't compatible with other cameras or card readers. I had to buy a separate card reader so that I can transfer the photos to my computer without connecting my camera each time. It also had a video recording feature which was neat. I still remember the camera came with an 8mb memory card, and with the high quality shots I took, it just saved about 6 photos, hahaha. I had to buy a bigger sized card, which was expensive because it was Sony brand. But I was pretty happy with my camera. I remember bringing it to the cruise trip and it even fell on the ground and sand during our stop in Langkawi, Malaysia. It got a couple of big scratches but it was ok. I had it cleaned by the service center when I got back from the trip, which took about a month or so. But other than that, it was pretty reliable. Unfortunately, I lost my camera when my stuff got stolen in Melbourne, Australia, while I was there on a foreign work assignment. I guess it was time to change my camera, haha.
I asked my friend from Hong Kong to get me one, and she recommended a Canon Ixus 700, with 7.1 megapixels and 3x zoom. At that time, 7.1 megapixels was extremely large, and not really necessary (was comparing with a 5 megapixel one), but I wanted to get the latest model as these easily go out of date, just like computers. I also relied on my friend's choice since she was better in photography than I was. Good thing I got this, I was really happy with the quality of photos resulting from it. The high resolution feature surely gave me an option to shoot for more detail and handle difficult lighting. But it was still a point and shoot, and I pretty much relied on the Auto or Scene program which will give me the right settings off the bat for night shots, sports shots, and macro shots. The camera is quite heavy, but very compact, which is a plus. A very durable one too, as it fell a couple of times and never serviced. One time, I was visiting the Arlington Memorial Park in Washington DC, US. It was really cold and I had my big coat and gloves on. I brought my Canon Ixus to take photographs and at one point, I noticed my coat pocket was empty and my camera was missing. I panicked and quickly traced back my steps. It was outdoors and no one was around, so I was hopeful. But I didn't really know when I lost it. I just remembered that I had it when I entered the park as I was taking a lot of pictures. I was blessed, I found the camera lying on the side of the street amongst the red dried leaves. Phew! First of all, I was lucky it didn't fall into the gutter nearby. And secondly, I was able to retrace my steps and immediately found it. I was sweating despite the ice cold weather. But the challenge wasn't over. I found out the battery door was shifted and it was slightly open, but then it was stuck and I couldn't open the door. I turned on the camera, and it worked. And despite my fear that the shock could have damaged my memory card, I was able to see my photos. Now, I was worried about the battery door. When I got back to the hotel, I tried to pry it open. I thought to myself, anyway, if the camera is damaged, I can't do anything, but at least I could access the memory card. After some time, I was able to open it, and with a little push and adjustment, I was able to bring back the door into position and close it tight. What a relief! I still have this camera to this day :-) I also bought an extra battery to extend the use of my camera. Some days when there's a lot to shoot, one battery is not enough. I decided to just get the generic one since it's a secondary battery and I would like to save some money, although I regret it at times, cause it doesn't always work fine. Sometimes, the newly charged battery appears as empty. I searched the internet later on and found that there are some unofficial reports of incompatibility. I guess that's the risk you take, for paying less.
Two years ago, I bought my 1st DSLR, a Nikon D60 with a 28-55mm VR lens as part of the kit. I wanted a basic one so that I can practice without worrying about the high price of the equipment. And then if I'm serious about photography, then I can get myself a more advanced one. To this day, I still have the D60. I'm sure one day, I will buy a more advanced one, but I wanted to master the techniques first. After all, good photographs are created by good photographers and not necessarily an advanced camera. I got an extra battery for this, and I opted again for the generic brand which I bought in a Best Buy store in the US. Despite my bad experience with the Canon Ixus extra battery, I still felt it wasn't worth the investment for a back up battery. This time, I was happy since the Nikon batteries actually last quite long and it's very rare that I have to use my second battery. But if I needed to use my second battery, it worked quite well with no hitches this time. I bought my kit from the US, so all this time, I was plugging my power adaptor to 110V. It was only recently that I was having problems finding a 110V during my trip, did I try to search for a 220V adaptor or at least very compact transformer. Then I found out that I was so stupid. All this time, my adaptor can actually be plugged into 220V despite the fact that it says 110V. Apparently, there is a small fine print that is not very readable, at the bottom of the adaptor label that says for non-US countries, you can plug into 220V. My reaction? Why the hell didn't they just say 110-220V? Oh well, thank God for people posting on the internet, I didn't have to buy another adaptor or transformer.
A year after I bought my kit. I also bought myself some UV filters, and Sigma zoom lens (80-300mm). I decided to get Sigma instead of Nikon, mainly for the lower price. The only disadvantage, after doing all the comparison research in the internet, is that the Sigma lens is quite noisy. And indeed, sometimes, I get irritated myself, because it invites unnecessary attention, people around me would react when I adjust my zoom and look at me like I'm weird. Anyway, aside from that, it works quite well. And this year, I bought myself a close up filter set for my kit lens and a Canon D550 close up lens for my zoom lens, as I want to learn to do macro photography without spending too much on the equipment. I have yet to use this in more detail. I am also eyeing the 17-200mm lens, which is a wide angle and zoom lens in one, great for travels, so that I don't have to switch lenses. Maybe in a year or two. I want to maximize the use of my existing equipment first.
Last year, to supplement my point and shoot, I also got a Canon Powershot D10 waterproof camera. I wanted a camera I can bring under water or at least a camera I am not afraid to get wet, but I didn't want to buy the Olympus brand. My brother had some bad experiences with Olympus, so I was really hesitant to get an Olympus, even if they were the first ones to go into waterproof point and shoot cameras. When my brother's Olympus camera fell, it died, and wasn't servicable. So far, I am quite happy with my Canon Powershot. The quality of the photos are great, the LCD screen produced clear and bright photos as well. The only thing I don't like about it is that it's a big round in shape and can easily fall off your hands, it's not as compact as I wanted it to be. I would love for it to have a darker casing though, cause if I use this other than the beach, it looks a bit too casual :-)
In reality these days, I still use a combination of my D60 and either the Canon Ixus or my Canon Powershot depending on where I go. For quick shots, I would just pull out my Canon Ixus point and shoot, so I just throw this in my everyday bag. When I want landscape shots or night shots, I would use my D60. And when I go to the beach, I would bring my Powershot D10. It's also practical and more secure at times to just use a point and shoot. Like on my recent trip to Brazil, it wasn't really safe to bring out my DSLR in the middle of the city park in Sao Paulo, but when we were up in Corcovado Mountain in Rio, I definitely needed my zoom lens and I had more time to change lenses and compose my shots too. Anyway, a lot of people had their DSLRs there as this is a major tourist area.
For the point and shoot, my dad had a very small 110mm camera. It was quite a small camera, rectangular in shape, and quite thin, about 1-1/2 inch thick. It had a flash attachment that slides in and out of one end of the camera. The camera had a door to open where you put in your film. And if I remember right, it was Fuji brand and I had to buy the green boxed 110 Fuji films. The old cameras used regular batteries, some penlight and some use the more advanced lithium batteries, but basically, you had to buy extras. There are no rechargeable batteries yet at that time.
Then when camera models advanced, dad bought a Pentax point and shoot. The camera was quite heavy but it was a very durable one. It still used film but this time the Kodak films with the round yellow barrel casing. This was a very good camera. Also used regular batteries, but this time lithium. The flash was built-in to the camera and there was a slight zoom feature. I also learned to use different ASA films (not referred to as ISO) but honestly, I didn't quite understand these till I went digital.
The first one that I bought myself was an Intel high quality digital webcam. It had the shape of a regular point and shoot so that you can bring it around, and there is an option to attach it to its dock so that you can connect it to the computer. The camera had a white and blue casing so it was like a toy. The camera was quite heavy though for a webcam and it was very durable. In fact, I still have the camera today, and I was able to attach it to my computer. The quality of the picture is still much better than the webcams we have today. Lighting was much brighter. The memory storage is built in, unlike the ones today where you can insert an extra memory card.
After a few years, I bought myself a Sony Cybershot point and shoot with silver casing, from Wan Chai in Hong Kong, potentially a 3.2 megapizel. It was an impromptu purchase, my brother bought one and was recommending me to buy the same model. Again, a great camera, but I didn't like that it uses a Sony memory stick which wasn't compatible with other cameras or card readers. I had to buy a separate card reader so that I can transfer the photos to my computer without connecting my camera each time. It also had a video recording feature which was neat. I still remember the camera came with an 8mb memory card, and with the high quality shots I took, it just saved about 6 photos, hahaha. I had to buy a bigger sized card, which was expensive because it was Sony brand. But I was pretty happy with my camera. I remember bringing it to the cruise trip and it even fell on the ground and sand during our stop in Langkawi, Malaysia. It got a couple of big scratches but it was ok. I had it cleaned by the service center when I got back from the trip, which took about a month or so. But other than that, it was pretty reliable. Unfortunately, I lost my camera when my stuff got stolen in Melbourne, Australia, while I was there on a foreign work assignment. I guess it was time to change my camera, haha.
I asked my friend from Hong Kong to get me one, and she recommended a Canon Ixus 700, with 7.1 megapixels and 3x zoom. At that time, 7.1 megapixels was extremely large, and not really necessary (was comparing with a 5 megapixel one), but I wanted to get the latest model as these easily go out of date, just like computers. I also relied on my friend's choice since she was better in photography than I was. Good thing I got this, I was really happy with the quality of photos resulting from it. The high resolution feature surely gave me an option to shoot for more detail and handle difficult lighting. But it was still a point and shoot, and I pretty much relied on the Auto or Scene program which will give me the right settings off the bat for night shots, sports shots, and macro shots. The camera is quite heavy, but very compact, which is a plus. A very durable one too, as it fell a couple of times and never serviced. One time, I was visiting the Arlington Memorial Park in Washington DC, US. It was really cold and I had my big coat and gloves on. I brought my Canon Ixus to take photographs and at one point, I noticed my coat pocket was empty and my camera was missing. I panicked and quickly traced back my steps. It was outdoors and no one was around, so I was hopeful. But I didn't really know when I lost it. I just remembered that I had it when I entered the park as I was taking a lot of pictures. I was blessed, I found the camera lying on the side of the street amongst the red dried leaves. Phew! First of all, I was lucky it didn't fall into the gutter nearby. And secondly, I was able to retrace my steps and immediately found it. I was sweating despite the ice cold weather. But the challenge wasn't over. I found out the battery door was shifted and it was slightly open, but then it was stuck and I couldn't open the door. I turned on the camera, and it worked. And despite my fear that the shock could have damaged my memory card, I was able to see my photos. Now, I was worried about the battery door. When I got back to the hotel, I tried to pry it open. I thought to myself, anyway, if the camera is damaged, I can't do anything, but at least I could access the memory card. After some time, I was able to open it, and with a little push and adjustment, I was able to bring back the door into position and close it tight. What a relief! I still have this camera to this day :-) I also bought an extra battery to extend the use of my camera. Some days when there's a lot to shoot, one battery is not enough. I decided to just get the generic one since it's a secondary battery and I would like to save some money, although I regret it at times, cause it doesn't always work fine. Sometimes, the newly charged battery appears as empty. I searched the internet later on and found that there are some unofficial reports of incompatibility. I guess that's the risk you take, for paying less.
Two years ago, I bought my 1st DSLR, a Nikon D60 with a 28-55mm VR lens as part of the kit. I wanted a basic one so that I can practice without worrying about the high price of the equipment. And then if I'm serious about photography, then I can get myself a more advanced one. To this day, I still have the D60. I'm sure one day, I will buy a more advanced one, but I wanted to master the techniques first. After all, good photographs are created by good photographers and not necessarily an advanced camera. I got an extra battery for this, and I opted again for the generic brand which I bought in a Best Buy store in the US. Despite my bad experience with the Canon Ixus extra battery, I still felt it wasn't worth the investment for a back up battery. This time, I was happy since the Nikon batteries actually last quite long and it's very rare that I have to use my second battery. But if I needed to use my second battery, it worked quite well with no hitches this time. I bought my kit from the US, so all this time, I was plugging my power adaptor to 110V. It was only recently that I was having problems finding a 110V during my trip, did I try to search for a 220V adaptor or at least very compact transformer. Then I found out that I was so stupid. All this time, my adaptor can actually be plugged into 220V despite the fact that it says 110V. Apparently, there is a small fine print that is not very readable, at the bottom of the adaptor label that says for non-US countries, you can plug into 220V. My reaction? Why the hell didn't they just say 110-220V? Oh well, thank God for people posting on the internet, I didn't have to buy another adaptor or transformer.
A year after I bought my kit. I also bought myself some UV filters, and Sigma zoom lens (80-300mm). I decided to get Sigma instead of Nikon, mainly for the lower price. The only disadvantage, after doing all the comparison research in the internet, is that the Sigma lens is quite noisy. And indeed, sometimes, I get irritated myself, because it invites unnecessary attention, people around me would react when I adjust my zoom and look at me like I'm weird. Anyway, aside from that, it works quite well. And this year, I bought myself a close up filter set for my kit lens and a Canon D550 close up lens for my zoom lens, as I want to learn to do macro photography without spending too much on the equipment. I have yet to use this in more detail. I am also eyeing the 17-200mm lens, which is a wide angle and zoom lens in one, great for travels, so that I don't have to switch lenses. Maybe in a year or two. I want to maximize the use of my existing equipment first.
Last year, to supplement my point and shoot, I also got a Canon Powershot D10 waterproof camera. I wanted a camera I can bring under water or at least a camera I am not afraid to get wet, but I didn't want to buy the Olympus brand. My brother had some bad experiences with Olympus, so I was really hesitant to get an Olympus, even if they were the first ones to go into waterproof point and shoot cameras. When my brother's Olympus camera fell, it died, and wasn't servicable. So far, I am quite happy with my Canon Powershot. The quality of the photos are great, the LCD screen produced clear and bright photos as well. The only thing I don't like about it is that it's a big round in shape and can easily fall off your hands, it's not as compact as I wanted it to be. I would love for it to have a darker casing though, cause if I use this other than the beach, it looks a bit too casual :-)
In reality these days, I still use a combination of my D60 and either the Canon Ixus or my Canon Powershot depending on where I go. For quick shots, I would just pull out my Canon Ixus point and shoot, so I just throw this in my everyday bag. When I want landscape shots or night shots, I would use my D60. And when I go to the beach, I would bring my Powershot D10. It's also practical and more secure at times to just use a point and shoot. Like on my recent trip to Brazil, it wasn't really safe to bring out my DSLR in the middle of the city park in Sao Paulo, but when we were up in Corcovado Mountain in Rio, I definitely needed my zoom lens and I had more time to change lenses and compose my shots too. Anyway, a lot of people had their DSLRs there as this is a major tourist area.
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