PokerInsider Loc: Las Vegas, NV, USA

Thanks for the tips, off to navigate the Amazon to pick up the books...

BRobb Loc: Florida

Welcome to the T3i world, loving mine! Agree with everything above...start clicking away, all you are doing is burning electrons not film and they are cheap. :) Best part of a DSLR is every bad picture is an opportunity to learn something new and I learn every day with mine, and I bet the best on the forum will tell you he/she learns everyday also. :D Have fun.

Brad

swimbob Loc: Columbia, S.C.

I second BRobb's welcome. I love my T3i. I have Bryan Peterson's book "Understanding Photography-Field Guide" but I think it's a little more advanced than I am. I also have "Canon Rebel T2i for Dummies" which has helped alot since there's not much difference between the two camaras.

Now I'm off to Amazon to get "Understanding Exposure."

What I need though, and this you can't find in a book, is a good eye....lol.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Yep, lots of great advice above. Just got my Sony last nite, aaagh, at nite. Lucky for me I used a 35mm SLR for, well since 72 (I do not want to know how many year that adds up to!). But the setting on my Sony are not the convenient knobs as on my 35mm. The display is bar graphs and numbers, like magic as my eye approaches the eye-view the camera senses proximity! and turns the screen off and the eye-view on!! Amazing. This weekend will be for my education and reading the book over and over.

It was so sweet to attach my 25 Y/O Minolta AF glass. Saves me a lot of $$, thank you Sony for Alpha design.

If you or I can find a buddy who uses the same/similar camera, they can do a lot of "hands-on" training. For you that will be easy, lots of Canon out there.

For me, I say Sony and people smile and ask where are your ear phones! I reply that the camera does in fact play music and give detailed instructions and describe the scene as you take the photos. The detailed voice instructions are for blind photographers and if you look at a lot of photos, surly many are blind to composition, especially me at times. : >)

arphot Loc: Massachusetts

I have the t2i version of this book and love it, so I bet the t3i version is just as good. Here's a link with a few options http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=t3i&x=19&y=17

lindann

Oh my you are just like me. I got my camera a couple of weeks ago. I have taken two classes which helped some. I have been taking pictures over and over to see what I am doing. Some good and some not so. This is a great fourm to learn from others. I guess we will learn together. Good luck.

I have only posted three pictures. I am a little leary of posting becasue I am not so good.

Greg Loc: Maryland

Might want to take a look here too:

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/?WT.mc_id=C129701

jaybm

Just a couple more;
Get an extra battery.
Get at least one of the newer fast, hi capacity memory cards
especially if you intend to shoot videos.
Download the owners manual to your pc, much easier to read
than squinting at the original.
Don't be afraid to use manual focus and manual mode. You'll
be surprised !

I'm still trying to decide which, the T2i or T31, to go for. I think the lens from my XS are compatible with either.

jaybm

dongrant Loc: Earth, I think!

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peachesandolivia Loc: The Bluegrass of Kentucky

I understand just what you mean. So my suggestion is to set the camera on automatic and go out and get comfortable with it. To me comfortable means kind of forgetting the camera and concentrating on the photo. Also would be good to have one of those little fold up cheat sheets so if there is something you want to know at the moment, you can check the sheet. Amazon has them for just about any camera and you can just stick it your pocket. Take one all around lens with a good filter on it and forget the other stuff. You don't have to learn it all at once, pick up what you want to know when that moment comes along. I am that sort of learner, visual, and sitting down to study a manual isn't for me. Of course, you may be the opposite sort of "learner". Go out and have fun!

lexstgo Loc: Houston, TX

lindann, we all started somewhere... from taking "snapshots" to doing actual photography. Since I was given my T1i as a gift, I am surprised at how much I have learned about taking wonderful photos. I look back at when I started with my Minolta 35mm film camera and compare the snapshots I took then to the photos I take now... light years ahead. It is a wonderful feeling to look at my photos and go "wow, I never thought I can get that shot"...

magy719 Loc: Florida

I really enjoy this site and mostly I am learning a lot.
I am a beginner but love to take photos. I am looking into purchasing a good affordable camera but I am lost in space as to which one to get. Any suggestions ?

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

Please start your own thread, otherwise the responses will overrun this thread.

magy719 Loc: Florida

Thanks Bob... you see ? I'm lost.... :)

srenee Loc: Florida

I'm w/ ya fellow photog r. I got my first DSLR Feb 2011. I'm still learning it and scared of it. What I di was read the manual, read the manual, read the manual, carry the manual, once I slept w/ the manual (LOL). The first shots were taken sitting on my couch towards the kitchen in every mode & setting I could find w/o screwing something up that I couldn't put back the way it came. Then I went out on my porch and took pics of my flower in AUTO, looked @ pic info and changed settings a lil, f-stops & apet to see what happened. I just found this site last wk because I'm starting a new type of photo I've never done before & didn't know where to start, the ppl here have been very helpful. Another site I found was Digital Photography 1 on 1, You Tube tutorials. If you have time to watch them they help you understand the Mars lingo. Right now for me when in doubt use AUTO see what you get then change modes and adjust. Unfortunately if it's a one time moment, u may miss it, doing it this way. Wish you the best.
PS I don't think we should b so scared of our new cameras; but i understand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrsF0Xba2KY&feature=autoplay&list=ULs9YP0zMiSew&index=118&playnext=4