Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all,

been looking though this forum more and more and I was hoping someone could recomend a good book about photography. Nothing too crazy, I am a newbie, just something that would give me a basic understanding of shutter speed, flash options, macro, etc. (or anyone know good websites that explain in more detail?)

I am getting so tired of my crappy P&S where I cannot adjust shutter speed or get any really good herp shots.

Oh, and how long does it normally take for the cameras to start to drop in price? I know tvs take 3-5 years before a noticable drop in price in the high end models as the newer high ends come out. Is that about the same for cameras? I'm leaning towards the sony F828.

thanks for any advise!!!
-April
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'There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."' -Rainshadow

I would suspect that the F828 will start to drop soon. It HAS been out for a while, and some of the innovative features of the camera are now becoming more wide spread. Not to mention that Sony is aware of some flaws that they need to fix with this and other cybershots (nothing too big). On the other hand, I have yet to find the camera in a store and when I ordered it it was backordered for a month. Does that mean high demand? Don't know.
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"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."
Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

April,

Below is a link to some entry level photography books recommended on Nikonians. I personally haven't read any of these, but the folks recommending these books are knowledgeable and accomplished photographers so I'm sure they are fairly good.

The great think about digitals is that if you have a rechargeable battery setup, there is virtually no cost to practicing taking pictures. There's nothing like experimenting and getting immediate feedback when it comes learning your way around something.

Cheers,
WK
The Basics

I have a Sony F828. The colors it produces are amazing. It's a lot of camera, but prices are coming down to around the $500 range. I bought mine in May of 2004, at $1000. The Sony can be operated in manual or numerous automatic modes. As far as books go, I would get an introductory book on digital photography.
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Lamar, Debbie, Nathaniel and Iggi :>~

April..
The National Geographic Field Manual series is a must for any starting photo'g. There are several books in the series, and are small paperback manuals that can easily be stuck in your camera bag for reference. Packed full of information.. very good investments!

As for camera price drops, the photography industry continues to stay on the cutting edge of tech, and this will dictate the pricing. Each camera model will be replaced in 1-2 years of it's release.. the release of the new model will cause the drop in last years model. Often making last years model a great deal! You can also find some great used deals..

Sony's are nice cameras.. but nothing beats the flxibility of the SLR type cameras.. I would look into the Canon Rebel series, and the Nikon D50 and D70's.. as well as look at used Canon 10d's, D60 and D30 models.. these are all great cameras and you should be able to find several below $1000