Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D for Dummies - Julie Adair King

...research I finally chose the Canon 400D. Having bought my new camera I wanted to be able to get the best from it. I am no expert when it comes to cameras so wanted a book that would treat me gently and assume that I am a bit of a novice. Looking on Amazon for books aimed at my specific camera I was happy to find that the" for dummies" series had a book especially for the Canon 400D. Like many books on Amazon this book was a lot less that ...
...much.

The Canon EOS digital rebel Xti/400D,to give it its full title, is a paper back with 318 pages. I would have preferred a hardback but the book feels substantial enough with its laminated cover and thick, good quality pages. In America the camera is known as the digital rebel hence the title. The first few pages are quick reference pages and have a list of all the camera settings with a quick explanation of what each setting is ... more

Last summer I finally treated myself to a new digital SLR camera. I really love photography and want to improve so an SLR seemed the way to go. After a lot of research I finally chose the Canon 400D. Having bought my new camera I wanted to be able to get the best from it. I am no expert when it comes to cameras so wanted a book that would treat me gently and assume that I am a bit of a novice. Looking on Amazon for books aimed at my specific camera I was happy to find that the" for dummies" series had a book especially for the Canon 400D. Like many books on Amazon this book was a lot less that the cover price of £19.99, I think I paid about half price but can't remember exactly how much.

The Canon EOS digital rebel Xti/400D,to give it its full title, is a paper back with 318 pages. I would have preferred a hardback but the book feels substantial enough with its laminated cover and thick, good quality pages. In America the camera is known as the digital rebel hence the title. The first few pages are quick reference pages and have a list of all the camera settings with a quick explanation of what each setting is for. I find this really helpful! It is set out in two sections, one for the cameras automatic settings and one for its advanced settings. Right from the first few pages this book is very reader friendly and assumes you have little or no knowledge of the camera.

The book is divided into chapters, each covering a different aspect of the camera. Icons are used to highlight important information. For example there are is an icon when a tip is given that will save you time, effort or money. The icon is easy to spot and takes the form of a dart in a dartboard. An icon of a bomb is used when there is a warning to heed!

The first chapter deals with the basics of the camera. It tells you how to attach your lens, how to adjust your viewfinder and how to use memory cards. It is true to say that all this information is covered by the instruction book that comes with the camera, but I find it useful to have everything covered in one book. There are excellent photographs to show you exactly where varies things are located on the camera.

Chapter 2 deals with how to take great pictures. I like the way it holds my hand and explains everything in very plain language. On the subject of language I should point out that this book is written by an American, so as you would expect there are American spellings and use of language. The second chapter tells you how to use your camera automatic getting the best results possible. There are some excellent tips on how to solve problems such as shooting a moving subject. I have read this chapter several times and often refer to it for tips. The clear close up photos of the cameras menu really help to illustrate the text. This chapter taught me what depth of field was all about! When there is to be further explanation in another chapter this is cross-referenced.

Chapter 3 is all about controlling the picture quality. This chapter covers common mistakes and how to rectify them. It explains the difference between Raw and JPEG, again in a very easy to understand way. There are lots of coloured photographs to help illustrate the chapter. This chapter also deals with the capacity of different sized memory cards and explains different file sizes.

Chapter 4 explains how to review your photos. The cameras playback functions are explained in addition to more complicated functions such as the cameras histogram. There is a section that explains exactly how to access the cameras shooting information on the menu. Again the chapter is clearly illustrated so you can see exactly what is meant. When I accidentally erased a photo recently this chapter told me how to get it back! I now protect any special images on the memory card!

Part 3 of the book deals with how to take control and become really creative with your camera. Chapter 5 starts by telling you how to get creative with lighting and exposure. When I started to read this section I found it really helpful to have the camera with me so that I could practise as I read. There is a clear explanation of when to use your flash and ISO, shutter speed and aperture are all clearly explained. I admit I needed to read this chapter a few times before I really felt confident, but the more you practise the easier it will become. There is a very simple diagram to help explain the F-stop numbers that even I have now mastered! There are several photographs of a statue all taken using different settings. I find it helpful to have visual aids like this to help me to appreciate the different results depending on the setting used. This chapter taught me how using flash can really improve daytime pictures. Again I suggest you play around with the camera with the help of this book. It really is the best way to learn! I am saving for an external flash now and will be using the book to help me get the best from it!

Chapter 6 deals with manipulating focus and colour. It explains how to use white balance and its affect on colour for example. I like the way the book revises what you have already read. For example this chapter goes over depth of field although this is covered in an earlier chapter. The camera has several colour settings such as black and white, portrait and neutral. There is a series of pictures illustrating the difference each setting will make to your pictures. In this chapter I found some of the technical information difficult to absorb. The photographs and captions really helped me grasp some of the rules of using colour correctly!

Chapter 7 is the final chapter in part 2 of the book. It looks again at everything that has been covered and helps you to put it all together. I found this chapter really useful as it saved me having to search through the book looking for certain aspects of my camera.

Part 3 of the book deals with working with picture files. It explains simple procedures such as sending pictures to your computer to how to get the best from the included software. There is a very useful list entitled 10 fast photo-editing tricks. This section also explains how to process Raw files, something I am trying to get to grips with!

The book is written by Julie Adair King who has written many books about digital photography. I really like her style and simple explanations.

If you own a Canon 400D and you are a bit of a novice as far as photography goes, then I really urge you to buy a copy of this book. It is written in very plain language and well illustrated. I will be reading and rereading it for many months to come! It has certainly helped me to get the best from my camera. 

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