Digital SLR Photography All-in-One For Dummies

Robert Correll has over two decades of experience in writing and photography. He is the author of all previous editions of Digital SLR Photography All-in-One For Dummies and has written several other books specific to individual DSLR camera models.

• Introduction 1About This Book 2Icons Used in This Book 2Where to Go from Here 3Book 1: Pursuing Digital SLR Photography 5Chapter 1: Embracing Digital SLRs 7Introducing the Digital SLR 7Naming and Classifying Digital SLRs 9Make and model 9Sensor size 11Pixel count 12Lens mount 13Mirror and viewfinder type 15Lenses 16Wrapping it up 16Pricing Digital SLRs 16Consumer dSLRs 17Mid-range models 18Professional cameras 18Delving into Camera Specifications 19Basic information 20Crop factor 20ISO 21Shutter speeds 21Autofocus system 22Movies 23Shooting modes and scenes 24In-camera processing 25Filters and other creative effects 25Media 26Viewfinder specs 26Image stabilization 27Following Recent dSLR Developments 29Shopping for a dSLR 31Understanding the system 31Going shopping 31Investing in accessories 33Embracing dSLRs 35Chapter 2: Handling, Cleaning, and Protecting Your Camera 39Anatomy of a dSLR 39Front and center 40Around back 40Top and bottom 42Both sides 43Working the Controls 45Gripping the Camera 47Standard grip 47Vertical grip 48Over-the-shoulder grip 49Live View grip 49Providing Additional Support 50Handling an Articulated Monitor 52Using a Touchscreen 53Changing Batteries 54Checking battery power 54Inserting a battery 55Removing a battery 56Inserting and Removing Memory Cards 57Inserting a memory card 57Removing a memory card 58Cleaning Your Camera 59Wiping off the camera body 59Cleaning monitors and LCD panels 60Cleaning inside the camera 61Protecting Your Camera 63Using a camera strap 63Carrying a camera bag 64Buying extra lens and camera caps 64Armoring your camera 65Dealing with adverse weather 65Chapter 3: Learning about Lenses 69Identifying and Naming Lenses 69Brand name 71Lens mount 72Focal length 72Aperture 73Image stabilization 74Other identifiers 74Other lens characteristics 75Older lenses 76Categorizing Lenses 77Normal lenses 78Wide-angle lenses 78Telephoto lenses 79Prime lenses 80General-purpose zoom lenses 81Wide-angle zoom lenses 81Telephoto zoom lenses 82Specialty lenses 82Looking at Lens Anatomy 85Working with Lenses 88Getting a grip 88Mounting a lens 91Removing a lens 93Zooming in and out 94Switching from auto to manual focus 95Manually focusing 96Activating lens-based image stabilization 97Cleaning Lenses 98Chapter 4: Exploring Menus and Camera Settings 101Understanding How Menus Are Organized 101Opening and Using the Menu 103Setting Up Your Camera 106Date and time 106Language 107Feature guides and expanded help 107Review time 107Auto power off 108Sound 108Touchscreen settings 108No card 109Setting Typical Shooting Options 109Image size and quality 109Using multiple memory cards 110ISO settings 111Picture control or creative style 111Color space 112Highlight and shadow options 112Noise reduction 113Aspect ratio 113Red-eye reduction 113Flash options 114Movie options 114Making Other Choices 114Display settings 114Display brightness and color 116Filenaming and numbering 116File and folder structure 117Auto Rotate (camera orientation) 117Copyright 117Wi-Fi connectivity 118Video mode or system 118Controlling Playback 118Protect Images 119Rotate 119Erase/Delete 119Print order 119Slide show 120Retouch 120Keeping Everything Running Smoothly 120Showing battery information 120Formatting memory cards 121Cleaning the image sensor 121Creating a dust reference photo 121Resetting the camera 122Updating the firmware 122Exploring Advanced Options 123Using custom functions and settings 124Creating custom shooting profiles 124Tweaking autofocus settings 124Configuring bracketing settings 125Customizing the controls 125Creating custom menus 126Chapter 5: Taking Pictures with Your dSLR 127Seeing the Big Picture 127Planning Ahead 128Unpacking and Readying Your Gear 129Setting Up Your Camera 131Performing an initial checkup 131Preparing for still photography 132Choosing a shooting mode 132Setting the image quality 144Choosing a viewing mode 144Configuring the display 146Setting exposure controls 146Setting other parameters 147Taking and Reviewing Photos 154Book 2: Looking Through Lenses 161Chapter 1: Appreciating Standard Zoom Lenses 163Embodying Versatility 163Taking Wide-Angle Shots 165Working with Normal Focal Lengths 168Zooming In 170Capturing telephoto shots 171Capturing portraits 172Capturing close-ups 173Chapter 2: Enjoying Wide-Angle Lenses 177Wide-Angle Whatzit 177Looking at Landscapes 179Capturing Wide-Angle Cityscapes 180Focusing on Single Buildings 182Photographing Interiors 184Shooting Wide-Angle Portraits 185Improving Your Wide-Angle Shots 186Frame tall objects from afar 186Get up close and personal 187Use the vertical 188Combine different elements into one shot 189Emphasize height 189Chapter 3: Capturing Macros and Close-ups 193Defining Macro and Close-up Photography 194Shooting at Close Ranges 195Managing Depth of Field 196Shooting Handheld with a Flash 197Maximizing Shutter Speed 198Shooting in Controlled Conditions 199Exploring Creative Alternatives 201Relaxing your angle of view 201Shooting close-ups with everyday lenses 202Using telephoto lenses 202Using Holga lenses 203Shooting with Special Accessories 204Using a teleconverter 205Using extension tubes 205Using diopters 207Using reverse rings 209Using a macro bellows 211Chapter 4: Reaching Out with Telephoto Lenses 213Learning the Lingo 213Using a Super Telephoto Lens 216Capturing Action with Telephoto Lenses 219Using Telephoto Lenses for Close-ups 221Capturing Portraits 223Photographing Animals 225Chapter 5: Exploring Other Lenses 229Fisheye Lenses 229Tilt-Shift Lenses 233Holga Lenses 236Lensbaby Lenses 239Pinhole Lenses 241Diana F+ Lenses 242Book 3: Taking Creative Control 245Chapter 1: Making Sense of Exposure 247Understanding Exposure 247Evaluating exposure 248Controlling exposure 249Comparing exposure intervals 250Keeping an Eye on Exposure Information 252Reading the exposure level 252Viewing exposure settings 253Paying attention to warnings 255Measuring Light by Metering 255General metering methods 256Camera metering modes 256Changing metering modes 258Metering the scene with your camera 258Using an external light meter 259Reviewing and Analyzing Your Photos 260Delving into photo playback 260Interpreting histograms 262Troubleshooting Exposure 268Using exposure compensation 268Setting the exposure manually 269Using AE lock 271Autoexposure bracketing (AEB) 274Using other exposure tricks 275Chapter 2: Setting the Aperture 277Investigating f-numbers and Apertures 277Learning about f-numbers 277Lenses and apertures 278Setting the Aperture 281From the camera 281From the lens 282Digging into Depth of Field 283Controlling the depth of field 283Previewing the depth of field 285Paying attention to the blurry parts 286Being realistic 287Designing with Depth of Field 288Landscapes 288Portraits 289Macros and close-ups 292Action 293Tilt-shift lenses 294Chapter 3: Choosing a Shutter Speed 295Decoding Shutter Speed 295Learning about the shutter 296Reading the speed 298Shutter speed and exposure 300Setting the Shutter Speed 301Combating Blur and Noise 302Camera shake, rattle, and roll 302Shooting moving targets 307Enabling Long Exposure Noise Reduction 308Designing with Shutter Speed 308Shooting crisp photos 309Accounting for flash sync speed 311Photographing action 312Being creative with water 313Working with slow shutter speeds 315Using Bulb mode 316Shooting macros 316Chapter 4: Selecting an ISO 319Understanding ISO 319A bit of history 320Inside the numbers 321Generating noise with high ISOs 323The funny thing about noise 324Setting ISO 325Controlling ISO yourself 325Using Auto ISO 326Restricting Auto ISO 327Using High ISO Noise Reduction 328Managing ISO 329ISO Gallery 331Elevated ISO 331High ISO levels 332Extreme ISO settings 334Chapter 5: Using Filters 337Learning about Filters 337Looking at how filters work 337Considering filter pros and cons 339Using filters with dSLRs 341Taking Shape with Filter Systems 342Circular (screw-in) 343Rectangular frame slide-in 345Using Filters for Different Purposes 346Protective 346Circular polarizer 347Ultraviolet (UV) 348Neutral density (ND) 349ND graduated 351Color filter 351Color grad filter 352Other filters 352Book 4: Lighting the Scene 355Chapter 1: Working with Ambient Light 357Working in Natural Light 357Shooting during the morning golden hour 358Fighting with the light at noon 359Going out in the early evening 360Enjoying the evening golden hour 360Photographing the sunset 361Capturing twilight 362Shooting at night 363Dealing with Weather 364Capturing clouds 364Working in the snow 365Using fog 366Shooting Inside 367Photographing in large interior spaces 367Photographing in living spaces 368Using stage lighting 369Being Creative in Different Situations 370Working with indirect light 370Capturing reflections 370Dealing with glare and haze 371Shooting high-contrast scenes 372Photographing low contrast scenes 373The Shadow knows! 373Chapter 2: Exploring Basic Flash Photography 375Finding the Flash 376Using the Flash Automatically 377Setting a flash-friendly shooting mode 377Preventing the built-in flash from firing 378Customizing automatic flash settings 378Manually Activating the Built-in Flash 379Using the built-in flash 379Knowing when to use flash 381Disabling the built-in flash 384Tips on Using the Built-in Flash 384Getting Fancy with the Flash 386Enabling red-eye reduction 387Using flash compensation 388Using FE Lock 389Controlling the flash strength manually 389Unlocking more advanced features 390Chapter 3: Using an External Flash and Accessories 393Getting to Know External Flash Units 393Looking at the front 395From the back and sides 397Accessorizing your external flash 399Handling an External Flash 402Attaching it to your camera 402Removing the flash 403Tilting and swiveling the flash head 404Attaching a mini stand 405Working the controls 405Configuring Your External Flash 407Trying Different Techniques 408Using high-speed sync 408Bouncing and diffusing 409Using an umbrella 410Focusing light with a snoot 411Using a stand 412Elevating the flash with a bracket 413Cords galore 413Going wireless 414Book 5: Managing and Processing Your Shots 417Chapter 1: Transferring and Managing Files 419Getting a Workflow 419Early Decisions 422Transferring Files 422Connecting 422Downloading 426Getting a Grip on Your Pictures 428Manual management 428Media-management software 429Processing and managing software 430Photo editors 433Managing Photos 434Quickly Processing the Good Ones 435Advanced Editing When Desired 436Publishing 436General considerations 436Resizing options 438Saving and exporting 439Archiving 440Playing it safe 441Putting the plan into action 442Chapter 2: Quickly Sprucing Up Shots 445Software for Sprucing Up Photos 445Deciding on an Image Quality 446Benefits of Raw images 446Challenges of working with Raw photos 447Non-destructive editing 448Getting Started 448Reviewing and flagging good photos 448Switching to the Develop module 451Setting the lens profile 451Testing the waters 452etting Brightness and Contrast 453Adjusting the exposure 453Improving contrast 454Protecting highlights and shadows 455Setting the black and white points 456Working with texture, clarity, and haze 457Correcting and Improving Color 459Checking the white balance 459Adjusting color vibrancy and saturation 459Making Additional Improvements 461Finishing Up 463Straightening and cropping 463Exporting images 464Processing Photos In-Camera 464Chapter 3: Digging Deeper into Photo Editing 467Software for Editing Photos 468Dealing with the Mundane Stuff 468Creating a Photoshop file 468Helpful Photoshop features 470Coping with color management 471Saving your final images 472Dodging and Burning 472Using High Pass to Sharpen 474Making Minor Adjustments 476Applying Changes Selectively with Masks 477Mashing Up Versions of the Same Shot 478Stamping Out Imperfections and Distractions 480Dusting and cleaning 480Removing other distractions 482Improving complexions 482Adjusting Final Composition 484Words of Caution and Encouragement 486Chapter 4: Expressing Your Artistry 489Why Be Creative? 490Software for Your Artistic Endeavors 491Converting to Black and White 492Using black-and-white adjustment layers 493Photo gallery 495Colorizing Your Photos 498Tinting the fast and easy way 498Colorizing with Hue/Saturation 500Split toning using Color Balance 500Cross-processing with Curves 502Using color layers 503Creating duotones 506Experimenting with Artistic Filters 508Using the Filter Gallery 508Applying other filters 510Smart Filters 510Filter fun 511Using In-Camera Creative Styles and Filters 514Using in-camera styles 514Applying in-camera filters 516Chapter 5: Creating Panoramas 519Shooting Pan-tastic Panoramas 519Getting your camera ready 520Shooting tripod-assisted panoramas 520Shooting handheld panoramas 522Stitching Photos Together 523Creating panoramas with Lightroom 523Creating panoramas with Photoshop 527Stepping Up Your Game 530Advanced blending in Photoshop 530Using a panoramic tripod head 531Using specialized panorama software 532Shooting HDR panoramas 533Shooting Automatic Panoramas 534Chapter 6: Enjoying HDR Photography 537HDR Software 538Learning about HDR 538Shooting Exposure Brackets for HDR 540Configuring your camera 540Setting up automatic exposure bracketing (AEB) 541Shooting the exposure brackets 543Tone Mapping in Photomatix Pro 544Creating the HDR image 544Tone mapping the HDR image 548Trying Alternative Techniques 552Using your camera’s HDR modes 552Preparing your images differently 553Trying single-exposure HDR 554Creating your own brackets from a single shot 554Manually bracketing exposures 555Using other applications for HDR 555Book 6: Showcasing Different Scenes 559Chapter 1: Portraits 561Capturing Animal Portraits 561Copy What Works 563Snapping Casual Portraits 563Posing Group Photos 565Say Cheese! 566Chapter 2: Landscapes 567Using an Ultra Wide-Angle Lens 567Getting Up Early 568Going Different Places 569Getting Out in the Weather 570The Classic Sunset 571Chapter 3: Action 573Tracking the Action 573Using an External Flash 574Finding the Right Spot 575Great Light is Great 576Pushing to the Limits 577Chapter 4: Close-Ups 579Zoom In 579Be Ready to Grab Your Camera 580Using Diopters 581Whatever Works, Works 583Focus on Small Details 584Index 585