The Well-Tempered DSLR Care and feeding for improved DSLR practice

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How do I know I’m not missing something?

~Don’t tell me you didn’t see this coming~

There is an explosion of resources for the digital photography buff out there—books, websites, podcasts, videos, and the like. There is an avalanche of books, DVDs, and god knows what. Book learning is time consuming, intense, and takes discipline.  DVD training and webinars are just the same in my opinion. It is common complaint that weekly courses do not really connect the dots of confusion as well.  Photography is an unholy alliance of Science and Art.  (The Pope didn’t jail Galileo on a whim. And it is no accident it took the church centuries to absolve him.) This is some dynamically dense shit –light, glass and opinion. 

There is no substitute for personal contact now and then. It can be profoundly helpful if you are just getting started and are paralyzed by all of the technology. Not to mention basic photography. We have carefully designed from scratch, a unique, small, hands on workshop method for regular people who want to know all about these mysterious little boxes. Since April of 2007, I have taught over 450 people how to own a DSLR. Nurses, accountants, professors, product managers, Moms, travelers, retired firefighters, CEOs and chefs. The rest for the most part are happy enough campers to leave these reviews for PhotoTrainer.

My Jumpstart Deluxe course is six hours and you are good to go. From that day forward…the more time you spend with your camera the better. That practice makes perfect is fundamental and formative. After my class, practicing photography is just downright fun. We are in Palo Alto, California, nevertheless, we have had people come from Ireland, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and even Modesto. If you live in the Boston area, you will soon be able to take PhotoTrainer there too… ‘Nuf Said.

–TEU

Tom Upton

PhotoTrainer

www.PhotoTrainer.com

www.tomstudio.com

–Learn form a Pro!

650-325-8120

©2009 Tom Upton. All rights reserved.

Buying a Camera –Question #7

How long can I expect to use this camera before it is obsolete?

For the past 10 years now we have seen in consumer technology the need to replace our new things every eighteen months. It has felt a lot like we are burning money. Or paying for health insurance. There has been a maturation in technology in the past two years or so and we have the sensor quality, processing speed, memory, bandwidth, and bigger cheaper hard drives that we need to work efficiently. Cameras are better than ever, memory and hard discs are inexpensive, and software programs to use and manage images are finally robust with features we have been asking for the last 7 years. My advice is see if you can spend $50 to $100 more and get the next level in performance or features and you will probably be able to use that new camera for at least 4 years before wanderlust settles in again. Behold the itch to switch sneaks back in no matter what.  You have to examine the conundrum of Need vs Want. We are already way past film at this point. If you buy a PnS and become an avid photographer, of course you are going to want a DSLR sooner or later. As our interest is sustained so is the possibility of the next newest camera. But heck they are cheaper than cars!

Let's see now...

6) How much money am I willing to spend on a camera?

“A picture is worth…”

My chiropractor who knows I am a photographer, was ruminating on her new digital camera. I think she was actually thinking,  “While I have him on his back I will get some information out of him…” She bought a “bridge camera” (a frakencamera crossbreed PnS/DSLR with a fixed lens). While proud of her purchase, she let it slip that what she really loved her Nikkomat in college, for the lenses. However, $500 was all she could afford and the new digital had powerful zoom. I could feel the lament, –it was in her voice. I knew at that point she was a DSLR person not a P n S person. I had to intervene.

I told her to return it and get a Canon Rebel, and the lens she wanted, and yes it would cost more, and the money from the returned camera would be put to better use. A week later she called me from the store close to tears as the total for the camera I suggested and the TWO lenses she wanted was a thousand bucks. I encouraged her nevertheless. A moment later I asked myself quietly, “What have I done do this poor woman?” A month later, she emailed from Africa and thanked me. So yeah, a DSLR camera and a couple a lenses will cost you the same as 41 rolls of color film processed and printed with double prints cost back in the day. After 948 pictures your camera is free.

In photography, as in Life, you get what you pay for. This is why I have had you go through all these previous questions, trying to find you what you really want to do with your digital camera funds. The more you pay the more you have to work with/play with. You can get a lot of fun in a Point n Shoot these days for as little as $250 to $350, but do get a nice compact leather case for your Point n Shoot, as they are delicate creatures.

A remarkably decent starter DSLR will now run you $600. In addition to the fun you can also craft serious work with a DSLR. A $100 increase in price for the next model “up” gets you a significant increase in sensor performance, larger view-screen, and added functions. Go figure. The march of technology is offering up my Canon 50D for three hundred dollars less than what I paid 11 months ago. If you can wait a year to buy this year’s model you can get a lot of camera for your money. This is what assistant’s do. Using the internet, you literally can find a used Nikon D300 driven only on weekends and kept in the garage with only 5000 shutter actuations (that’s like 10,000 camera/miles) But do be wary or bring a camera savvy friend.

Keep in mind, you will want to get a number of accessories that will make your life as a photographer easier, save time and help you have more fun. Keep your camera save in a good bag or case, be sure to get an extra battery; and have an extra memory card, and a card reader. The card reader is much faster than transferring from the camera.

Buying a Camera– The Ten Questions

By  Tom Upton

Question #4

Early Bloomer in March Light

Do I want to capture memories or create art?

Capturing life at it present itself is easy with a point n shoot. Creating lasting art with fine detail is the province of the DSLR these days. There are many new ways to show and share photographs. The world is now more than ever your Photographic Oyster. The camera is the first step.

For most online images you need less resolution and point n shoots work well if this is your realm. For most nice prints you will need more resolution. Point n Shoot cameras have smaller sensors of more loosely packed pixels. DSLRs will have larger sensors of more finely packed pixels.

As for working with the photos after you take them and load them into your computer, the first place to look is to the software that comes with your new camera purchase. When you get fed up with that software, Adobe is waiting in the wings for you! Photoshop will help you create master files and perhaps masterpieces to print. Photoshop Elements is fraction of the cost and may provide you a more flexible alternative to the programs that come with your camera when you are ready to go to the next level. There are many photo quality printers on the market today for under $300.00. Many of the commercial photo printing labs have given up the ghost because you, Costco and online services can now do a good job printing your photographs.

It is quite possible the explosion of Flickr is responsible for the ongoing controversy regarding the actual value of Yahoo. Flickr, Facebook, and many other online photo sites have changed the way we shoot view and use photography in our personal lives. We have also changes it by how we use our digital cameras…So lets all strive to become better photographers, OK?