Digital SLR Cameras and Photography For Dummies, 3rd Edition (For Dummies (Computer Tech))

354 Pages·2009·18.09 MB·English

by  David D. Busch

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Digital SLR Cameras
& Photography
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
3
RD EDITION
Digital SLR Cameras
& Photography
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
3
RD EDITION
by David D. Busch
Digital SLR Cameras & Photography For Dummies®, 3rd Edition
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2009931746
ISBN: 978-0-470-46606-3
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Author
With more than one million books in print, David D. Busch is one of the best-
selling authors of digital camera guides, digital photography, and imaging
technology. As a roving photojournalist for more than 20 years, he illustrated
his books, magazine articles, and newspaper reports with award-winning
images. He has operated his own commercial studio, suffocated in formal
dress while shooting weddings-for-hire, and shot sports for a daily newspaper
and upstate New York college. His photos and articles have been published in
magazines as diverse as Popular Photography & Imaging, The Rangefi nder, The
Professional Photographer, and hundreds of other publications. He has also
reviewed dozens of digital cameras for CNET and Computer Shopper.
When About.com fi rst named its top fi ve books on Beginning Digital Photography,
debuting at the #1 and #2 slots were Busch’s Digital Photography All-in-One
For Dummies (Wiley) and Mastering Digital Photography (Course Technology
PTR). His 120 other books published since 1983 include seven Digital
Field Guides for Wiley Publishing. Busch is a member of the Cleveland
Photographic Society (www.clevelandphoto.org), which has operated
continuously since 1887. Visit his website at http://www.dbusch.com.

Dedication
For Cathy
Author’s Acknowledgments
Thanks as always to executive editor Steve Hayes at Wiley, who was the fi rst
to see that a book about digital SLR cameras should cover both the cameras
and photography in depth. Special thanks, as both author and avid consumer
of For Dummies books, go out to Wiley for publishing books like this one
in full color at a price anyone can afford. Technical editor Mike Sullivan, as
usual, provided his sage advice from the viewpoint of one of the pioneers of
digital SLRs, dating back more than 15 years. Mike was also quick to come
up with useful photos to illustrate particular points when my own portfolio
came up short.
More thanks to project editor Nicole Sholly and copy editor Laura Miller for
keeping this book looking sharp. Working behind the scenes was my agent,
Carole Jelen.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located
at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care
Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax [phone].
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Composition Services
Media Development
Senior Project Coordinator: Kristie Rees
Project Editor: Nicole Sholly
Layout and Graphics: Carl Byers,
Executive Editor: Steve Hayes Melissa K. Jester
Copy Editor: Laura K. Miller Proofreaders: David Faust, Susan Hobbs
Technical Editor: Michael Sullivan Indexer: Broccoli Information Mgt.
Editorial Manager: Kevin Kirschner
Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case
Cartoons: Rich Tennant
(www.the5thwave.com)
Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies
Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher
Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director
Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director
Publishing for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher
Composition Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Contents at a Glance
Introduction ................................................................ 1
Part I: Digital SLRs and You ......................................... 5
Chapter 1: The Digital SLR Difference .............................................................................7
Chapter 2: Safari Inside a dSLR ......................................................................................29
Chapter 3: Tracking the Ideal dSLR ...............................................................................53
Chapter 4: Accessorizing Your dSLR .............................................................................67
Part II: Oh, Shoot! ..................................................... 85
Chapter 5: Taking Control of Your dSLR .......................................................................87
Chapter 6: Mastering the Multi-Lens Refl ex ...............................................................105
Chapter 7: Special Features of dSLRs ..........................................................................121
Part III: Beyond the Basics ...................................... 135
Chapter 8: Working with RAW and Other Formats....................................................137
Chapter 9: Action, Flash, and Other Challenges ........................................................155
Chapter 10: Composition and dSLRs ...........................................................................175
Part IV: Fine-Tuning Your Output .............................. 195
Chapter 11: Fixing Up Your Images .............................................................................197
Chapter 12: Combining and Reorganizing Your Images ...........................................227
Chapter 13: Hard Copies Aren’t Hard ..........................................................................249
Part V: The Part of Tens ........................................... 259
Chapter 14: Ten Ways to Improve Your dSLR Photography ....................................261
Chapter 15: Ten Things You Never Thought of Doing with Your Digital SLR ........275
Chapter 16: Ten Online Resources for Digital SLR Photography.............................289
Chapter 17: Ten (or More) Confusing Concepts Clarifi ed ........................................301
Index ...................................................................... 313