[paula]

Great excitement; taken my first test picture at home through the window (too cold outside!) of my test-bird.
Canon D 60 28-135 3.4 lens Distance 4m No light!
Manual Mode..1/60 f.5.6

Now, while getting to know the camera, I have to make up my mind what tele/zoom lens to get.

What do other members do to get familiar with a new camera?
I have read the book of words but it is difficult to remember everything.

Suggestions welcome.

[creavey]

I bought a Coolpix 4500 a month or so back. Very exciting. Dont know a thing about photography, but do know a bit about birds - and there is no shortage of subjects around here. I am using the 4500 with a Kowa TSN4 with a fixed 20x eyepiece. Have decided that it is a waste of time even getting the gear out unless the sun is shining, but if it is, then you can get some nice shots even if you actually havnt a clue what you are doing.... Do you have a telescope?

[paula]

No, Carl, the new camera would not fit onto a scope but I am hoping to get a telelens soon when I know the camera a bit better. I agree with you about the nice sunshine!
Wildlife and bird photography has a very steep learning curve, I have only been doing this for just over a year and find that the BF spurs me on a lot!

[IanF]

Must admit that I'd rather have your camera than my scope/camera combo. The D60 must be about the best digital SLR around for nature photography.
I've just got the Nikon 4500 and scope combo too. I found the best thing to do was to just sit down with it with the instruction book and go through every menu and feature. I had to do it twice to get my head around things as it is so different from my other cameras.
Then I just took loads of shots out of the back window of inanimate subjects in the garden varying exposure settings and speeds to see what I could get a way with. No need to note the settings as each photo carries Exif information.
Next stage was to have a trip out into the field to try a few shots.

I think with a new camera you defintiely have to get used to using it under normal circumstances before you try anything out of the ordinary such as nature photography when everyhting needs to be second nature.

I concur, that digiscoping combo needs a birght day for good results.

[Rosah]

I just went from an Olympus C2100 to a 730 and I think the only thing that is going to help me get used to it is to keep taking pictures. The settings are a lot different and my frustration level is rising but slowly, it is coming. Keep snapping!

Paula did you get that lens we talked about? I am so anxious to hear all about it and how you are doing with the settings on your new camera...

[bcurrie]

Paula, congratulations on your new camera (judging by people getting better cameras around here, I must be in the wrong occupation!). I would second Ian's suggestions, and just add that after you read, then take several photos with each mode and settings so that you feel comfortable by it. That is what it took before I was no longer intimidated by my camera.

[paula]

Thank you all for your words of wisdom.
Sitting there by the window taken pictures of my test bird in all sorts of different modes is indeed what I am doing. The trouble is remembering everything, the brain is less good than it once was!
I find manual and ev mode the best so far.

Paula I shoot in AV and TV mostly on Large... iso set right now at 200

[Gibbo]

Has anyone here tried using their Coolpix plus Binoculars combination, and if so what did the pictures come out like?
The reason I ask is at the weekend I wanted to try some digiscoping but the light was awful through the scope, so I tried the bins and although the light was bad I still managed some
quite good shots, handheld from the car.
I've since made a bracket and am looking forward to using it with binoculars.also how can I attach a photo to my message here?

________________________
Dale.

[Chuck A Wulla]

After getting my Nikon CP 4500, I just went out and shot tons of pictures. This is one advantage of digital cameras. You can shoot rolls and rolls of film, see them on screen, then erase the ones that didn't work, i.e. most of them. After a couple months of this, I got my scope and started all over.

The instructions in the book are useful, but only made sense to me after trying them out and seeing the results.

[dylan]

Paula, I recently bought a D60 and love the results, as Chuck A Wulla says taking lots and lots of pictures is the only way to get the hang of it (maybe the odd look at the manual). I've employed the local Robin as my 'test bird' :)
I'm still lugging my digiscoping setup around with me until such time as I justify a big lens.
I enjoyed your web site & am looking forward to seeing your pictures.

[paula]

Thank you for your advise.......I do nothing but shoot with the camera, in spite of the freezing cold weather and as a result I feel less scared of it!
Gaye, I use the same settings as you!
Found a 100-400L IS lens, second hand, in mint condition and shall get it next week......another steep learning curve.
Here is another willing model:

[paula]

Dylan, interesting to hear that you have the same camera. Thank you for your kind words about my website. I hope to be able to replace most pictures on it with better ones........fingers crossed.
Use thumbnails and the main picture bigger.......so people can decide for themselves if they want to see them or not. Many people visiting websites are in a terrible hurry!!! Amazing it gets about 150/200 hits a week.
Here is another test picture of another willing model. I have not ventured out towards the birds yet.......Next week!

Paula I love your test shots.. you are doing wonderfully... say in your travels if you come across any more great deals on lens give me a shout ok?

[pnicholls]

... but I want a D-60 toooo, and a loooong zoooom lens. Congrats on the new camera Paula.