Need A Mentor(s)

[cinbrickner]

If your interested in following my posts here on DPS and what I post in Flickr. I would love to have a mentor or 2.

I am VERY new to DSLRs (like December 2011).. I am a "show me/tell me/ examples/ visual learner. It is hard for me to read and do it.

Presently I need help with flash messing up my pics;
understanding my camera (CANON REBELT3),
Sigma 18-200mm 3.5-6.3 - I have NO Idea what this means

I am dedicated to learning, I just want a little more "teaching" with DPS.

I believe I am creative, and not afraid to "get out of my box".. Please let me know if anyone is interested; by introducing yourself.

Thanks, Cindy

[bigrobo89]

Hi,

I know you say you aren't much of a reader learner, but you need to at least do some. Start with the manual, and when you read something then try it out physically on the camera, and the more you try using things the more you will begin to get to grips with various settings.

Assuming you are shooting in auto (green square) at the moment, then take a look at the settings the camera is choosing for your shot to get an idea of how shutter speed and aperture (the F number) influence your shots, (depth of field, blur - things like that).

Other advice would be keep reading the how I took it sections as well as the tutorials area and try and absorb as much as possible, and maybe join a local camera club and work through with other people starting out.

At the end of the day there is no substitute for just getting out there and taking pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.

In terms of your question about your sigma lens it breaks down as the following:

Sigma 18-200mm 3.5-6.3

18-200mm - Focal length (guessing you already knew this )
3.5-6.3 - these are the widest apertures this lens is capable of. It is capable of opening to F3.5 at the 18mm end and then it will continue to stop down to F6.3 at the 200mm end.

So in practice this means that this lens lets in over 4x less light at it's long end than it does at its short end (each F stop reduces the light by half).

Other people on here will be able to give you a more complete explanation but this should hopefully be a reasonable starting point.

Paul

[cinbrickner]

Originally Posted by bigrobo89

Hi,

I know you say you aren't much of a reader learner, but you need to at least do some. Start with the manual, and when you read something then try it out physically on the camera, and the more you try using things the more you will begin to get to grips with various settings.

Assuming you are shooting in auto (green square) at the moment, then take a look at the settings the camera is choosing for your shot to get an idea of how shutter speed and aperture (the F number) influence your shots, (depth of field, blur - things like that).

Other advice would be keep reading the how I took it sections as well as the tutorials area and try and absorb as much as possible, and maybe join a local camera club and work through with other people starting out.

At the end of the day there is no substitute for just getting out there and taking pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.

In terms of your question about your sigma lens it breaks down as the following:

Sigma 18-200mm 3.5-6.3

18-200mm - Focal length (guessing you already knew this )
3.5-6.3 - these are the widest apertures this lens is capable of. It is capable of opening to F3.5 at the 18mm end and then it will continue to stop down to F6.3 at the 200mm end.

So in practice this means that this lens lets in over 4x less light at it's long end than it does at its short end (each F stop reduces the light by half).

Other people on here will be able to give you a more complete explanation but this should hopefully be a reasonable starting point.

Paul

Paul, Thanks for the reply and suggestions.. I am doing just that!
I also appreciate your simplicity in explaining the sigma lens. It makes sense now. (the F one) lol

Have a great day/eve which ever it is for you. Please keep in touch.
Cindy