Some serious camera tips?

[binka_nugget]

I have the same camera as you!

Play around with it in the manual setting. You can get decent pictures in auto but manual is where you can get really creative. If you look at the thread I posted in dog general, you'll see a couple of black and white photos.. those were taken in the manual mode. I think the ISO was 50, aperature was at 2.8 and shutter speed at 1/8 or something like that. I generally keep the ISO setting at 50 (pictures end up less "grainy") and play around with the aperature and shutter speed. If I want a blurry background behind the object, I use 2.8. If everything's about the same distance away and I don't want anything blurred, I use a higher number.

[Giselle]

Heh heh...can you define aperture and where to find it on the camera? Hehe...you can adjust the ISO on the "P" setting which means jibberjabber to me, LOL, but I'm wondering why you can't adjust the ISO on the portrait setting? Thanks guys! Your replies REALLY helped!

[Russian Blue]

This is an excellent website that will explain all photography basics (aperature, depth of field etc.). Just use the scroll bar located on the right side of the page:

Digital Camera Tutorials

[K9soul]

This is an excellent website that will explain all photography basics (aperature, depth of field etc.). Just use the scroll bar located on the right side of the page:

Digital Camera Tutorials

Thanks for posting that. I've been doing a lot of reading/experimenting myself lately but still hadn't really found what I was looking for as far as a good basic tutorial type site. I have a lot of options on my camera for manual pictures etc and have read usually the best digital camera photos are done in manual mode with some manipulation to the settings rather than automatic modes. I KNOW I'm not using my camera to its full potential yet and I am really wanting to.

[Giselle]

You guys are my heros I lost the manual, but I wish I hadn't. For now, I'm just playing around with the settings (which I've been scared to do before for fear of breaking the camera LOL). Thank you SO much, Russian Blue. That's exactly the type of link I was looking for.

[Russian Blue]

I lost the manual, but I wish I hadn't. For now, I'm just playing around with the settings (which I've been scared to do before for fear of breaking the camera LOL).

Go to this link - Canon A75 - User Manual - then click on Product/Software Manual - then click on PowerShot A75 Camera User Guide to download. Voila, a new manual for you to explore!

Thank you SO much, Russian Blue. That's exactly the type of link I was looking for.

No problem, I help when I can.

[Jessika]

Heh heh...can you define aperture and where to find it on the camera? Hehe...you can adjust the ISO on the "P" setting which means jibberjabber to me, LOL, but I'm wondering why you can't adjust the ISO on the portrait setting? Thanks guys! Your replies REALLY helped!

That's because settings like "portriat" etc have predefined settings and limited things you can play around with (like lighting). If you want to have complete control over your shooting, then get in manual mode and play around. Honestly the only way I figured it out was to just play around with settings myself to see what each one did!

Also do you have the manual for your camera? It will have lots of tips on how to use your camera.

[binka_nugget]

Heh heh...can you define aperture and where to find it on the camera? Hehe...you can adjust the ISO on the "P" setting which means jibberjabber to me, LOL, but I'm wondering why you can't adjust the ISO on the portrait setting? Thanks guys! Your replies REALLY helped!

Set the camera to the "M" mode. See the number on the bottom left side? It should say 1/4, 1/5, 1/6, 1/8, etc. That's your shutter speed. So 1/4 would be 1/4 of a second. Press "set" to select it. If you want a faster shutter speed, press the right button (and vice versa).

To set the aperature, press set until the arrow points at F__. F2.8 is useful for when you want to take a picture of something close to you and have a blurry background (I use it for pictures of my bettas, for example). As you go higher and higher in the aperature number, the background gets clearer (and the picture gets darker).

If you wanna go totally manual, you can also manually focus the camera. Press the macro button twice (until it says "MF"). Then press left or right until it's focused.