Sony H1 - Tutor Needed! - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

01/12/2006 08:34:55 AM · #1

Hi Gang,

I've been a long time lurker to the site but just registered today so am not completely familiar with the forums yet - hope I'm posting in the right catagory!

I bought the Sony H1 in October and just love it to death...but since it's my first "real" camera, I have absolutely no idea how to use any of the manual settings. I've read the manual about a bazillion times and, maybe it's just me, but the manual leaves me more confused than I was before. It seems as if it's written for people who are already aware of aperture, shutter speed, ISO and everything else - which I'm definitely not. So...I've bought digital photography books, researched the internet religiously, tried learning how to use the settings on my own, etc...and nothing is working.

I'm sure I'm making it much more difficult than it is, I just don't know why I can't grasp how to use this camera other than with its automatic settings.

I'm hoping to find someone who also has the H1, who unlike me actually knows what they're doing, who may be willing to teach me a thing or two. I'd be happy to pay for your time - I realize nothing is free in this world :o)

If anyone would be willing to lend a newbie a helping hand, I'd be so extremely grateful. Thanks in advance!

In Metta,
Mr. Lace

polkop

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

01/12/2006 08:40:52 AM · #2

You will find alot of free help on dpc:)

I will do a quick net search and try and find you some type of help made for using your manual settings for the first time:)

Zigomar

Fujifilm X100T

Lensbaby 2.0

01/12/2006 08:44:55 AM · #3

I'm pretty new to photography too, but I've had this one for 4 months and learned a little bit about it, so if you have any question feel free to ask, I'll do my best to help you.

ladyhawk22

Sony DSLR-A700

Sony SAL-50F14 Normal 50mm f/1.4 Autofocus Lens for the Sony

01/12/2006 08:56:25 AM · #4

I don't have the H1, but I have an older model Sony with manual controls that I just loved. So I'm not sure how much of it will cross over to the H1, but I'd be happy to answer any questions as well.

Though, before knowing any specifics, I would suggest that you experiment with one setting at a time. There's a bunch of numbers that pop up everywhere, and they all do VERY different things! Best way to learn what controls to use, at what levels, and when (In my opinion) is to spend some time with each one of them individually first.

My first suggestion would be to experiment with Aperture. You may have an Aperture mode on that camera as well...which means that you can manually adjust that setting, but the camera will help you out figuring where the rest of the stuff should be. But numbers for the aperture look like: 2.5, 4.5, 6, 8, etc. These numbers don't go really high (like 100) so if you're changing high numbers, you're likely changing something else.

But grab something to take a pic of (anything!) and experiment with what changing the aperture value does.

Once you get a hang of that, there's also shutter speed and ISO, and Ev.

Hope this helps at all!

01/12/2006 08:59:20 AM · #5

If the camera has an Aperture Priority mode, that's a good place to start.

There are 4 main modes in a camera. Auto, where the camera sets everything for you. Aperture Priority (AP) where you control the aperture and let the camera do everything else. Shutter Priority, where you control the shutter speed and let the camera do everything else. And Manual, where you control everything; this is the most difficult to learn. So try Aperture Priority to start with.

Switch on AP mode, and learn which button adjusts the aperture value up and down. Take a selection of shots with high and low aperture values. Experiment with this until you understand how aperture changes how the shot looks. A lot of photographers are happy keeping the camera in AP the whole time.

Once you're happy with that you can move onto the other modes. But shooting in AP I find is a good way to break away from 'auto' mode.

EDIT: Yea, what ladyhawk said.. :)

Message edited by author 2006-01-12 14:00:24.

01/12/2006 09:15:19 AM · #6

Thanks everyone for your comments so far - very helpful!

I've actually attempted to do what you suggested about using the AP mode and experimenting with the values. I've done that with the Aperture as well as Shutter Speed and...seen very little difference, if any, between the shots. I think that's the reason this is all so confusing to me!

If I understand correctly, aperature is depth of field and shutter speed...I don't know exactly, I just know it has something to do with freezing moving objects and such. I've used my fiancÃ© as my subject for the experiment with aperature and every picture came out exactly the same. For the shutter speed experiment, I took a set of photos of a small waterfall in a river and I barely noticed a difference where the "freezing" of the water is concerned. I did notice that the photos got a lot darker.

Maybe I'm not doing something right?

01/12/2006 09:27:07 AM · #7

Originally posted by buddhantraining:

If I understand correctly, aperature is depth of field and shutter speed...I don't know exactly, I just know it has something to do with freezing moving objects and such.

Stick with one or the other, either Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority. If you start jumping between the two you'll get confused as to which changes resulted in which shots.

Okay, what you should be seeing is this. In Aperture Priority mode, when you set it to smaller numbers, and take photographs of things reasonably close to you, you'll see the background gets blurred. With higher numbers you'll see everything from where you're standing into the distance will be sharp.

When you're experimenting with Shutter Priority. (Once you're happy you understand how Aperture Priority works) then try whacking the shutter speed up to 4 seconds or so and take a shot of something that's moving. Then you'll start to see how shutter speed affects things!

But you need to understand one area at a time, concentrate on either aperture or shutter speed for a while before moving onto the other areas.

01/12/2006 09:36:24 AM · #8

jhonan, thanks! I'm a bit confused though when you said to take the shutter speed up to 4 seconds. I thought the shutter speed was the numbers that went from like 35-800 or something? Oy vey, haha.

There's something on my camera near the aperature values and such that is called "NR." What is that? Maybe that's what you're talking about because I notice it has 4 as a setting.

01/12/2006 09:41:05 AM · #9

Originally posted by buddhantraining:

Not sure what 'NR' is on that camera.

The shutter speeds have values that look like 1/2000, 1/1000, 1/500, 1/250... etc... and then 1, 2, 4, 8 ... These are measured in seconds. The shutter speed and aperture settings are two of the most important settings in a camera, so the controls/buttons/whatever will be in an obvious place.

Turn the camera to shutter priority, and then turn the biggest knob you can see. That ought to do it... :)

01/12/2006 09:48:01 AM · #10

Ok, still trying to figure this out (looking at the manual while I do it)...but according to the manual, "NR" is "slow shutter." Make any sense?

01/12/2006 09:51:36 AM · #11

Originally posted by buddhantraining:

Ok, still trying to figure this out (looking at the manual while I do it)...but according to the manual, "NR" is "slow shutter." Make any sense?

Ah, okay... That's for when you're using slow shutter speeds. You turn 'NR' on, and what is does is automatically remove any pixel noise from the shot (sometimes on slow shutter speeds you get spots appearing in the image, hot pixels)

edit: I assume it stands for 'noise reduction'

Message edited by author 2006-01-12 14:51:56.

01/12/2006 09:57:29 AM · #12

Okay, on your camera, the big dial on top controls the mode;

A = Aperture priority
S = Shutter priority

Switch to one of these modes, and you'll find the 'jog dial' at the back changes the value up and down. The other values will change automatically.