Intro course Lesson 1
Navigating the camera
Get to know the language of the camera
Let’s get some of the basics out of the way
Including, terminology, menus, dials and buttons.
Lets get to know the camera
In this first lesson, we are going to get to know the camera and understand some key terms that we are going to use throughout the photography journey.
Lets have a look at some cameras
The courses included in CameraEasy are focused on DSLR, Mirrorless and advanced point and shoot.
DSLR cameras are notable as they have removable/interchangeable lenses and when you look through the viewfinder you are actually looking at a series of mirrors and ultimately looking through the lens (TTL). DSLR cameras tend to be the most popular and cost effective solution for amateurs and pros.
Mirrorless cameras are becoming more popular and they typically feature smaller sized cameras with interchangeable lenses, however the viewfinder is a digitally produced view and not an actually view through the lens. Mirrorless cameras tend to have limitations on battery life and some people will find the ‘lag’ time on startup and between shots annoying.
Advanced point and shoot cameras are typically lower priced cameras that have a built-in, zoom lens. They have limited capabilities in terms of shutter speed and aperture settings, however they do tend to have manual mode and aperture mode which makes it possible to get creative images.
The Camera Manual
This may be hard to believe, but I actually think the camera manual is a very important tool. I am quite certain that there has never been a great photographer that has learned everything by reading the manual. That being said, there are literally thousands of cameras on the market and it would be silly to think we could explore them all in this online course.
Therefore, throughout your journey with CameraEasy there will be certain technical settings that will require you to dig into the manual to find out how to set them correctly. To help you with this, I am including links to most cameras downloadable user manuals. If you don’t see yours here, generally a quick google search and you will find it.
The basics of lenses
Focal Length – The focal length of the lens is a number that is represented by with a mm measurement (Don’t worry about the numbers. Unless you are an engineer and are concerned about the technical details, the numbers are mostly irrelevant). Here is what you need to know about the focal length; the smaller the number, the wider the view. The larger the number the narrower the view.
Maximum Aperture – We will go into depth on aperture in Lesson 4. For now let me explain what the aperture is and how the numbering works. The aperture is a hole in the lens that allows the light to pass through to the camera. The hole changes size depending on your settings. The largest aperture, or the widest opening is called the Maximum Aperture (in the example below f2.8 is the Maximum aperture). Lenses with a large aperture let more light into the camera and are generally better quality lenses. They also cost a lot more.
Kit Lenses – Kit lenses are the lenses that most cameras come with from the factory. They are generally inexpensive and do not have very large max apertures. Therefore they have limited capabilities. Think about buying a new car and the kit lens is the cheap floor mats that come with the car.
Focusing Window – On higher quality lenses, there is a focusing window which allows you to see the measured focus distance. NOTE: On most mirrorless cameras, there is no need for a focus window on the lens as the focusing is done digitially
Lens Hood – On higher quality lenses, a lens hood is provided with the lens. The purpose of the lens hood is to prevent direct sunlight from hitting the glass of the lens. Whenever direct sunlight hits the lens the photo is ruined. The secondary purpose of the lens hood is to protect the lens from damage.
Vibration reduction, Image Stabilization – It has different names but whatever you call it, Vibration Reduction helps eliminate some blur in your photos when shutter speeds are a bit slower. If I am being completely honest, I would say that if you aren’t doing things correctly when shooting then any amount of stabilization won’t help. Think of cruise control on the car, its great but if you are a bad driver, you are a bad driver and cruise control isn’t going to help.
The camera strap and options
Not a neck Strap – Generally speaking, you do not want to wear the strap around your neck. They are uncomfortable, its hard to react quickly in shooting situations and shooting portrait is difficult. Use the strap around your wrist or not at all.
Shooting on a tripod – Every photographer should have a tripod. Even better, get a good tripod. Blur kills photos (Lesson 2) and one of the best ways to eliminate blur is to shoot on a tripod. HOWEVER, when you have a strap hanging from your camera, the strap acts like a sail and even a subtle wind is enough to ruin your photo because the camera is moving.
Alternatives – Alternatives to the “neck strap” are sling straps and there are many new gadgets such as harnesses and clips which allow you to get away from the thing hanging around your neck.
Batteries and Charging
Extra Batteries – I recommend that everyone has at least one, spare battery on hand at all times. Depending on the camera, you may even want a third.
Charging and tips – Don’t worry about keeping your batteries fully charged. There is no need to drain the batteries completely before putting them on the charger. If I am heading out for a shoot, I will charge all the batteries before I leave, regardless of the amount of charge still on them.
