In Over My Head! Well, I sprung for a Canon EOS 60D and two lens. I have always shot slide film in the past and was fortunate enough to have a couple Nikon F4s bodies and a host of...

fthomas Loc: Philippines

Well, I sprung for a Canon EOS 60D and two lens. I have always shot slide film in the past and was fortunate enough to have a couple Nikon F4s bodies and a host of lens.

Going over the 324 page manual for the camera leaves me feeling over whelmed by all of the special features this thing has. I guess the only solution is to start using it and taking as many images as I can and using each "special function" one at a time so I understand what each one actually does.

Any other suggestions for making the transition a little less painful?

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

When I moved from my a p/s to my Canon 40D it was a shock to me, so many buttons and way to many items on the menu. Here is what I did.

Take the manual in one hand, camera in the other. Read page one of the manual, take the camera and play with the buttons discussed on page one, re-read page one, play with the buttons again, read page one again (ya I know) and by know it should start to make sense, move to page 2. Work your way through the manual this way.

Of course, also get out and shot things, even if you put it on the green box (full auto) you'll get a feel for the camera.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll love that little baby.

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

yes first off take a very deep breath, let it go repeat a few dozen times. now that your stress level is down, i would suggest getting the magic lantern guide, or anyother specifiv guide for your camera. rember manuals are first written in enginerese then translated into japanese then translated into english. that's why they read like the tax code!!. take your manual or a guide book in one hand, and your camera with the other and get used to the basic controls. don't worry about video or special effects untill you figured out the basics, and can do the basics with your eyes closed. understand everything in the viewfinder, how to change iso, focus points, etc. then start adding on the bells and whistles later as you find a use for them. just cause your camera has it doesn't mean you got to use it. Its like the corkscrew on a swiss army knife, does anyone really use them?

so what happened to your f-4 bodies and wonderfull nikor lenses?

fthomas Loc: Philippines

Thanks MWAC! That was what I was thinking, but being the typical male who would rather start using it and read the instructions later it just seemed like such a daunting task.

I think I'll take your advice and work my way through it a few pages at a time. I can only say that all the different functions on this thing are magic. I've got no clue how they really work!

I would much rather worry about composition, lighting, exposure and depth of field. What ever happened to the basics? LOL!

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

let me know what ya think of that 60D, I'm starting my upgrade fund and I don't know if I want to go with the 60 or the 7D.

Does the 60D have the wheel dial on the back? I tried a friends TSi and it doesn't have it and I was so lost.

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

I know what you mean this keeping up with the jonses by the camera companies is going too far. gps locators, video capability. the darn cameras are smarter than me. Bad enough when it was just a camera and you had to compete with ansel adams, now its a movie camera and you got to compete with steven spielberg as well?

fthomas Loc: Philippines

sinatraman wrote:

yes first off take a very deep breath, let it go ... (show quote)

That is a great idea. Find a "Users Guide" for this model camera and just focus (pun?) on the basics. Then move on from there.

The F4s and lens were sold in one of my weaker moments! Trust me I kick myself everytime I think about it.

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

may i sugest Keh.com for used nikons. I just got a n-55 looks spanking new for $14.00 plus shipping. I have an n-75 with a broken camera door that would have cost 35 to repair. They have some great deals on nikon film cameras with much more realistic prices than ebay. i saw a f-100 for 150 smackers. some great deals on lenses too. I highly recomend them. or you can be lucky like another poster here who walked in to a garage sale and walked out with an f-4 and 50mm lens for $30.00 not a typo. pawn shops are also great for finding good deals.

gessman Loc: Colorado

The basics on your new camera are the same basics on your old camera. If you understand the basics then put your new camera in a mode you're familiar with and apply your basic knowledge. It works just the same way. What you won't get is 4 stops of latitude that you got with film. Then, as you have time and desire, go through all the bells and whistles on the camera if you're so inclined. There's a lot of stuff in your new camera that you won't ever use. It's like any other piece of equipment, a computer and software, for instance, 95% of your learning will be what you don't care about using but you have to learn about it to come to the point of knowing what you don't want to mess with. Just start shooting and quit worrying about all the mud flaps, reflectors, and fox tails hanging off your camera, and enjoy it. Good luck.

Igore Loc: Wisconsin

fthomas wrote:

Well, I sprung for a Canon EOS 60D and two lens. ... (show quote)

Check out Blue crane digital they have video tutorials on your specific camera. They take your camera and show how to use all the settings while you hold yours and do the same. Then you pause, try it and come back to the streaming video. Made the transition to a new camera very easy and was the best $24 I have spent in a long time.

rufus1 Loc: Winter Haven, Florida

gessman, you are absolutely right. Enjoy every moment because light and images are what we love to do!

hardknot Loc: Annapolis, MD

gessman wrote:

The basics on your new camera are the same basics ... (show quote)

I resemble that remark, gessman. Basically nothing has changed. Just continue with your hard-earned know-how and learn how to see the result on the LCD and maybe take advantage of the histogram feature there to check if the exposure is within your desired parameters. The beauty is, that compared to film, the test shots cost nothing and the old multi-thousand dollar darkroom can be purchased (Photoshop Elements) for less than $100.....and provide instant developing without the smelly chemicals. You're in a better position than those who are just starting in photography. Enjoy your new fun instrument and the challenge of learning some new stuff.

Dria Loc: Ohio

sinatraman wrote:

I know what you mean this keeping up with the jonses by the camera companies is going too far. gps locators, video capability. the darn cameras are smarter than me. Bad enough when it was just a camera and you had to compete with ansel adams, now its a movie camera and you got to compete with steven spielberg as well?

I have a Panasonic that has the GPS in it-- OMGosh thought that was hysterical-- didn't buy it for that! THEN... it was in my bag this last summer going toNashville... on the drive their--- daughter was taking pics on the road with it-- then when were were walking around Nashville etc... She uploaded them when we got home-- we could look at the info and see where it was actually taken-- we go to Nashville so often you would think we would remember the spots but...we get side tracked--- it can be a fun feature. Not necessary BUT fun.

Dria Loc: Ohio

Oh and to learn your new camera---

I agree take your camera and manual.. go through page by page.. instruction buy instruction-- do not skip any-- do each thing..preferably more than 1 time.
I also like Magic lantern guides.

Whedbee Loc: Alaska

I purchased a Canon D60 about a month ago and discovered it did not print to the memory disk 3/4 of the time. Even if I checked the screen to make sure the photo looked good, I would go back later and it was not there.

Then I started reviewing or trying to review photos which inevitably were not even there. I missed some extremely important photos . . that I thought I had done a good job capturing and returned the camera extremely distressed.

I have an older version of Photoshop that would not recognize the Cannon raw files and I had returned the driver cd with the camera, so I went to Canon.com and went to download the driver I discovered Canon knows about the problem and have come up with a firmware fix that is suppose to fix the problem . . . . You might want to go to Canon.com and get the fix before you get as frustrated as I did . .

This was the first and probably last Canon I will own .. . You would think Canon would either recall the unsold cameras or put a notice out to inform people they need to update their firmware!