What digital camera commands are worth learning?

[threebikesmcginty]

Just got a Lumix off ebay and the instructions have got my head in a spin. So many options, so little brain. I've always used digital cameras just point & shoot (and this one has a setting called Intelligent Auto, which sounds just the thing) but is there any benefit in learning a bit more about white balance, ISO and the like? Any tips much appreciated.

Good question sp, I've had a Lumix for a while and I've never bothered to read up on it, must take 5 minutes to try and learn a bit about how it works.

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

Get a book. I even did a days course, then forgot everything.

ISO and shutter speeds worth learning (forgot them) as are the f stops - at least with digital you can make a complete mess and delete it.

Or you can take half a dozen more (or you can photoshop it?).

Is it worth messing around with camera control once you know how to use photoshop well? I'm an 'unintelligent auto' user with a very small knowledge of photoshop (Gimp, actually).

 

[rich p]

Good question sp, I've had a Lumix for a while and I've never bothered to read up on it, must take 5 minutes to try and learn a bit about how it works.

Take it out of the case 3BM.
I'll tell you the next step when you've mastered that bit.

 

[Aperitif]

Take it out of the case 3BM.
I'll tell you the next step when you've mastered that bit.

He'll tell you to f...stop!

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Right pair of David Bailey's.

 

[compo]

Just to make it even easier don't forget the higher the F stop number the greater the depth of field.

 

[Smurfy]

at least with digital you can make a complete mess and delete it.

+1

Gone are the days of waiting until you finished the film before you can find out what you got.

I still have my Pentax P30 in a cupboard. Bit of a shame as I have three lenses for it. Someday I'll dig it out and have another go, assuming anyone can still process the film for a sensible price.

 

[Black Sheep]

Low ISO, fine picture but dark pictures
High ISO, Grainy picture but light pictures

Short Shutter Speed, dark pictures but less camera shake
Long Shutter Speed, light pictures but more camera shake

Can't remember the rest but TBH the cameras are setup by people that know their stuff so AUTO should work just about fine.

ISO is 'film' sensitivity to light, higher is more sensitive.

 

[swee'pea99]

Which Lumix is it? I'm a bit of a Panasonic fan, mainly because I find the controls so easy to use.

It's an FX33. Sorry not to've responded sooner. Man flu. Oh yes. *groan*

I found a good short film on youtube. As far as I can make out, this model doesn't let you directly control things like shutter speeds and F numbers even if you wanted to. But it was worth finding out about the anti-shake settings, and the variable display brightness (I hate it when I can't actually make out what I'm taking a picture of.) Thanks all.

 

[ufkacbln]

Play with it!

You would be surprised how much fun it can be

 

[marzjennings]

Auto mode on even the best camera sucks in anything other than perfect conditions. And even in perfect conditions auto may not get the shot you want

First play with shutter priority mode, learn how shutter speed can freeze or blur action shots.

Then maybe aperture priority, learn how to mess with light and depth of field.

Low ISO will help with detail and sharp images, high ISO will help capture shot in low light, but may produce grainy images (which are usually better than anything taken with the flash)

Avoid using the flash.

Full manual mode, just play with the settings, it's a digital camera so you can take a shot, look at it and if you don't like adjust the camera and try again.

Example, bike race on a cloudy day, ISO maybe 400, Fstop lowest setting available (wide open aperture), shutter speed maybe 250.

Landscape of the hills and valleys, F stop pretty high, ISO 100, shutter maybe 50 or lower (maybe tripod required or rest on a wall)

 

[Black Sheep]

Avoid using the flash.

I'd like to argue that point and then completely agree with it if I may.

The flash can be useful, but the built in flash on pretty much any camera is designed for taking snap shots of people not far away from yourself in gloomy conditions. Due to it being mounted on the camera, normally above the lens it flattens out detail.

I often take photographs using a remote triggered flash held in my hand, so about a foot away from the lens and if inside pointed at the ceiling.

it works nicely for me!

playing with the flash can be fun,
forgetting you left a flash gun on your colleagues desk while taking photos else where in the building is even more fun!

 

[MontyVeda]

I used to do proper photography, but since getting a Lumix, i find the Intelligent Auto is best for most situations. The only thing i do is turn the flash on or off.