Digital SLR Photography All-in-One For Dummies

How Digital SLRs Are Different from Other Digital Cameras

A digital single lens reflex (dSLR) camera isn’t just any old camera. It’s descended from the venerable SLR and shares many of its unique features. The main qualities that set apart the dSLR from other camera types are described in this list:

• Single lens reflex: A mirror in the camera body bounces light up into the viewfinder and flips up, out of the way, when you take a photo. You can see through the lens when composing and metering.

• Interchangeable lenses: Being able to change lenses means that you can configure your digital SLR and adapt to any situation.

• Sensor size: A full-frame digital SLR has a sensor the same size as a 35mm frame of film. Full-frame digital SLRs are professional-level cameras and are very expensive (many thousands of dollars). Cropped-frame dSLRs have smaller sensors although even the smallest dSLR sensor is still much larger than the sensor on most compact digital cameras. Most digital SLRs have cropped-frame sensors.

• Controls and controllability: Digital SLRs have far more controls than even the most advanced compact digital camera. Although digital SLRs most have automatic exposure and helpful scene modes, they’re more complex. The upside is that you can take the pictures you want to take.

• Exceptions: Some cameras share similar technologies or design approaches with digital SLRs, but none capture the entire range of benefits and advantages.

Using Your Digital SLR's Automatic Shooting Modes

Using automatic exposure modes is a helpful way to find out about photography while you’re having fun getting to know your digital single lens reflex (dSLR) camera. Most of the following automatic exposure modes are also practical for more experienced dSLR users:

• Auto: The camera sets the exposure for you. All you need to do is frame the photo, press the shutter halfway down to focus and meter, and then continue to press the shutter to take the photo. Use this mode for general photography.

• Scenes: Choose a scene that matches your subject or situation. Common scenes include Action, Portraits, Night, Fireworks, Close-up (Macro), Landscape, and more. The camera makes the proper adjustments to the aperture and shutter speed to match the conditions and sets the exposure automatically. Use scenes if you find that the camera isn’t adjusting to the conditions automatically.

• Programmed Auto Exposure: The camera sets the shutter speed and aperture for you but leaves other controls (typically, things like white balance, flash, certain autofocus functions, and drive mode) in manual mode. Also known as Programmed Auto or Program AE.

  You may be able to choose from a range of preset solutions that set the aperture and shutter speed for you. This allows you some creative control in choosing the aperture or shutter speed you want. This is called Program shift or flexible program.

  Use this mode if you want to leave the camera in charge of exposure but want manual control over other settings.

• Aperture Priority: You set the camera’s aperture, and the camera takes care of setting the correct shutter speed to create the proper exposure. Use this mode if you want creative control over the aperture.

• Shutter Priority: You set the shutter speed, and the camera takes care of setting the correct aperture to create the proper exposure. Use this mode if you need to control shutter speed to prevent blurring and freeze the action.

Manually Controlling Exposure on Your Digital SLR

Exposure is the amount of light that enters the camera when you take a photograph. That concept isn’t too complicated although understanding exposure is one thing and using your digital SLR camera to control it is another. The problem is that you can become so overwhelmed by everything else going on — working the controls of your digital SLR, framing the subject, focusing, and so on — that exposure might be the last thing you think about. The good news is that you can quickly learn enough about exposure to integrate it easily into your photography and start taking better pictures. To create the correct manual exposure, you have to juggle these three elements:

• Aperture: Controls the opening in the lens. Large apertures let in more light. Smaller apertures let in less light. Larger apertures shrink the depth of the area that’s in focus (the depth of field). Smaller apertures increase it.

• Shutter speed: Determines how long the shutter (the element that blocks light from reaching the sensor) remains open and the sensor is exposed to light coming through the lens. Faster shutter speeds let in less light than slower shutter speeds. Faster shutter speeds prevent camera shake and motion blur.

• ISO: Formerly a measure of film speed, ISO now indicates the sensor’s sensitivity to light. Lower numbers (for example, ISO 100) are best for bright conditions. Higher ISOs (for example, ISO 400 or 800) are often necessary when indoors. The side effect of raising the ISO is increased noise. Noise is usually bad, but sometimes noise has the appearance of film grain, which isn't always bad.

Typical Flash Options for Digital SLRs

Using your pop-up flash is an entry into using flash when you’re shooting photography with your digital SLR. If you start using your pop-up flash now, when you’re ready to progress to a more sophisticated and expensive hot shoe flash unit, for example, you can hit the ground running. The problem is that flash photography can be difficult to master and has more options than you may realize. You will be able to adapt the flash on your digital SLR to any situation, however, if you learn the following flash options:

• Auto TTL; automatic flash mode: Flash strength determined by the camera and flash. TTL is short for through the lens, which is how the flash assesses the scene to determine exposure and distance information, if possible.

• Red-eye reduction: Fires a series of preflashes to constrict people’s pupils, diminishing the chances of red-eye.

• Fill flash: Forces the flash to fire in conditions when it isn’t necessary in order to eliminate shadows and balance the light. Use outdoors to keep people’s faces from being in shadow. Use indoors in bright lighting to balance light from windows.

• Slow sync: Slows the shutter and flash to increase the amount of ambient light that contributes to the photo. The result is brighter backgrounds. You may have to raise ISO to keep the shutter speed fast enough for handheld photography or use a tripod, especially at night.

• High speed sync: Pulses the flash at lower strengths throughout an exposure that is faster than the sync speed of the flash and camera. Normally, the shutter is completely exposed when the flash goes off. At higher shutter speeds, the shutter curtains are traveling close enough together that the sensor is never fully uncovered. The limit beyond which the sensor cannot be uncovered at one time is called the flash sync speed. The sync speed varies from camera to camera, but 1/160 to 1/250 second sync speeds are normal.

  High speed sync strobes a low-powered flash throughout the exposure to compensate for the sensor never fully being uncovered. A single, bright flash would not expose the entire frame evenly.

  Useful to make fill flash possible in bright conditions when overexposing the photo is a problem at shutter speeds within the normal sync speed of the flash.

• Rear-curtain (2nd curtain): Normally, the flash fires immediately after the first shutter curtain exposes the sensor (a second shutter curtain trails to cover the sensor back up and end the exposure). This is either assumed or called front-curtain (or 1st curtain) flash.

  Rear-curtain waits to fire the flash until just before the exposure ends, which is right before the second curtain covers the sensor again. Moving objects create ghost trails during the exposure and are frozen at the end. Moving lights register throughout.

• Repeating flash: Divides the flash into a number of discrete pulses, which results in interesting photos showing a stroboscopic effect.

• Wireless: Enables wireless mode on compatible flashes and camera bodies. When it’s properly configured, you can use an off-camera flash without wires.

• Manual: Lets you set the strength of the flash yourself in Manual mode.

Digital SLR Photography and Video Editing Links

Photography sites are all over the Web. Here are some essential links — links to digital SLR makers, image-editing software developers, camera accessory dealers, and more — into one list for you:

• Adobe: The maker of a plethora of photo and video editing software, such as Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Lightroom, and Premier.

• Adorama: A worldwide photography dealer with great service and selection that sells cameras, bags, lenses, video solutions, lighting gear and accessories, and software.

• Apple: The maker of a number of software titles you might find helpful, such as Aperture, iPhoto, iMovie, and Final Cut.

• B&H: A worldwide photography retailer with a massive selection of gear.

• Canon: The maker of Canon EOS digital SLRs, lenses, flashes, and accessories.

• Capture One: Maker of excellent raw development software.

• Cokin: Also a filter maker, with a great rectangular system.

• Corel: The maker of the helpful PaintShop Photo Pro photo editor and VideoStudio video editor.

• Flickr: A popular site where you can post photos.

• HDRSoft: Maker of Photomatix Pro, a leading HDR software.

• Interfit: Offers flash-sized soft boxes (called Strobies) and other lighting solutions.

• LumiQuest: Offers flash accessories, such as bouncers, filters, and screens.

• Lowepro: A leader in the camera bag category. They have backpacks, shoulder bags, slingbags, pouches, rolling cases, beltpacks, toploading solutions, and more.

• Manfrotto: Tripods, monopods, and heads, plus lighting stands ,clamps, and adapters.

• Nikon: The home of Nikon dSLRs and gear.

• Olympus: Be sure to check out whatever Olympus has to offer.

• Pentax: Small (it has two digital SLR models) but mighty.

• PTGui: Powerful panorama software.

• Sony: The maker of the Alpha digital SLR line.

• Shutterbug: A popular site that features all-things-photography-related content.

• Sigma: The home of Sigma lenses and cameras.

• Tamrac: Provides practical and good-looking camera bags, cases, and accessories.

• Tamron: The maker of popular lenses for most cameras.

• Tiffin: The maker of the popular Tiffin filters.

• Westcott: Makes lighting of all types, plus light modifiers (umbrellas, soft boxes), reflectors, and other accessories.

Several video-editing tools are now available, and the following table summarizes different software packages. Download free trial versions, if available, and try these programs for yourself.

Using Third-Party Raw Software with Your Digital SLR

As long as you shoot raw, choosing the right raw software is one of the most important elements of digital SLR photography. Your choice affects your workflow, the specifics of how you manage and process photos, and your sanity. You can buy or download a plethora of third-party raw editors and converters. If you’re unhappy with your current software and want to try something new, get your hands on one or more of these applications.

Video-Editing Software to Use with Your Digital SLR

After you shoot some movies with your digital SLR camera, you'll want to do something with them. Exactly what that “something” is depends a lot on your desire, motivation, and video-editing software you have at your disposal. Several video-editing tools are now available, and the following table summarizes different software packages. Consider downloading free trial versions, if available, and try these programs for yourself. Who knows? One day you might be shooting and producing your own professional-level videos.