I'm In Heaven --- New Digital SLR Camera

[Edelweiss]

Well, I finally did it - just purchased a Canon Rebel XTi digital SLR camera! I took it on it's first hiking trip yesterday and was very excited about the results. The camera is VERY user friendly - all the important "tweaking" dials and buttons are within easy reach. I'm still getting used to the additional weight and am trying to come up with routines for quick access to the camera to get thoses impromptu on the trail shots along with protection of the body and lens when climbing cliffs etc. where I need two hands. The image quality is amazing! I hope I'll be able to use this new tool to ramp up the artistic quality of my pics. Anybody need to have any pictures taken????

[Mavs00]

JoAnne, it's not like you needed extra features to take great photos or anything (you did great with the last camera), but you'll LOVE the new technology. Myself, I'm kinda too dumb to take advantage of it , but I can say, Kate bought a digital SLR last year and her pics are AMAZING. You'll do even better I'm quite sure.

Just make sure to post as many as you can. I love all the pictures you post.

[Edelweiss]

In the end, none of these schemes will work. (Trust me!) I'll take as many pictures as I like and, by the way, what's this "thrashing around in the woods" technique? Your bushwacking and GPS skills enable you and Dick to GLIDE through the woods.......at least, I'm pretty sure you do ....... of course I'm too busy taking pics to really notice!
In spite all of the grief I get, I DO enjoy hiking with my partners! Great fun!

[Kevin]

So... you have any pics with the new camera to share?

Val's on the fence and may get a SLR, so maybe you need to call her...

[Wildernessphoto]

Sounds like it's time to start scheduling some hikes Jo!!
Let's get that camera out there and let's play!!

[Edelweiss]

Name the day and place and time and I'll be there, Gary! I can't wait to experiment with sunrise, sunset and night shots!!!!!! Any ideas ?

[Wildernessphoto]

Name the day and place and time and I'll be there, Gary! I can't wait to experiment with sunrise, sunset and night shots!!!!!! Any ideas ?

LOTS of ideas! PM me on some places, I'm off till the 15th.

[Edelweiss]

I had to drastically cut back on the size and quality but here are a few pics with the new camera.

[kwc]

very nice pics Joann!!

will your DSLR stitch together pics to make a panorama? just curious ...

[Edelweiss]

very nice pics Joann!!

will your DSLR stitch together pics to make a panorama? just curious ...

Yes, Photostitch is included in a software bundle. Haven't had a chance to try it yet.

[Kyler]

Yes, Photostitch is included in a software bundle. Haven't had a chance to try it yet.

I've used Canon's PhotoStitch and PhotoMerge within PhotoShop, but I have gotten the best results with AutoStitch (which is free software). http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~mbrown/autostitch/autostitch.html

The first sticky is a tutorial about AutoStitch. It might be worth reading through.

[Jeannie]

Edelweiss, First of all, I am new here but wanted to tell you I got the same camera in April with hopes of taking mouthdropping pictures in the Adks. I just love it!! Did you already know a lot about SLR cameras? I am trying to teach myself about apeture and exposure and all that. I did take a photography class at the outdoorswoman retreat in the early spring and that helped some and I learned a little about what to look for in composure. Mostly I am having fun with just plain experimenting. I want to take more classes and really learn what I am doing someday. But isn't it great to take as many pictures as you want and just delete the ones you don't!!
I like to take close ups of wildlife and plants and things. So I do run into the problem when we go hiking of which lens to put on and do I want to carry more. At walmart I bought a cheap mono stick ($18) to help steady the camera with the longer lenses.
If I can figure it out I am going to put a couple pictures I too here.

Well, I guess I am stupid, I can't seem to do it. I will try again when I have more time.

[Edelweiss]

Hi Jeannie!
Congratulations on your new camera purchase! I too am "fooling around" with my new toy. I'm trying different settings under various lighting situations and keeping track in a journal the settings that give me the best results. Photographers with more experience don't have to write all of this down, but I'm still learning and find that my little book helps me in the field. I am presently using the aperature priority setting to adjust the aperature for deep shade, bright sunlight, depth of field for landscape shots, and then tweak the exposure composition (which is so easy to change on the Rebel) to improve the shot even more. I purchased a polarizing filter and hood to help control and enhance bright sun shots - still experimenting with these. When we hike, I find that I don't take as many shots as I did with my Nikon Coolpix 4300 small camera, because it takes more time to get out the camera and prepare to take a shot, but that's probably a good thing because it forces me to be more evaluative about the shots I want to take.
You might want to visit the photography forum on ViewsFromTheTop (VFTT) for some basic and more advanced, technical information about photography and some very knowledgable and talented photographers who are willing to share their expertise. There are also many talented photographers on ADKForum who would be happy, I'm sure, to answer any questions you might have.
Have fun!
Edelweiss

[Edelweiss]

I've used Canon's PhotoStitch and PhotoMerge within PhotoShop, but I have gotten the best results with AutoStitch (which is free software). http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~mbrown/autostitch/autostitch.html

The first sticky is a tutorial about AutoStitch. It might be worth reading through.

Hi Kyler-
Thanks for the suggestion. According to the FAQ section, they haven't as yet created a version for those of us who are Mac users. I see that there is commercial Mac software (Autopano Pro and Calico) which utilizes AutoStitch. Any opinions or thoughts about these?
Edelweiss

[Jeannie]

Ok, lets try again putting a couple pictures I took with my new Cannon Rebel XTi.

IMG_1117A.jpg

IMG_1174a.jpg

Yeah, it took some resizing but I think I may have done it!!!

So lets see what you think!