Customer Reviews

David Busch's Canon EOS Rebel T2i/550D Guide to Digital SLR Photography

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I love Busch's books because they are the only camera guides that aren't just rehashes of the vendor's manual, with some pictures added. I tend to upgrade my camera every year or so, and I always buy the author's Guidebook to help me get up to speed quickly with my new purchase. This one, like the others I bought, is both easy to understand and comprehensive. In the first three chapters, you'll learn about setting up your camera and choosing Menu options (including advice not only on what each option is, but why you might want to use it.) This section alone is 134 pages and, because it is a full-size book rather than a pocket-size book, has more information that you find in entire manuals of the rehash variety. Each button, dial, and menu is illustrated with large full color illustrations. This is really a "road map" that gets you started using your T2i very quickly.

After that, the author devotes 250 more pages to explaining how to optimize exposure, sort out the camera's autofocus features, choosing lenses, and working with flash and available light -- all applied directly to the T2i. Busch omits the "padding" you find in other Guidebooks, and I am grateful for that. It does not have sections on how to shoot a generic "sports" picture or "landscape" picture, etc. Everything relates to the T2i. The whole book deals strictly with photography and techniques, too, so you won't find it padded with chapters on how to use the EOS Utility or Digital Photo Pro. All in all, Busch manages to fill this book with an amazing amount of useful information.

There are other books for the T2i out there, but if you want the whole story in words you can understand, this is the one you should buy.

Busch is the world's best-selling camera guide author for a reason. His books are a cut above the other books, which all repeat what you see in the book packaged with the camera, without going into any depth on how to use them. This one is different, with Busch's trademark friendly introduction to the Canon EOS Rebel T2i, accessible to anyone -- novice to veteran -- who wants to learn how to use the camera quickly. In that respect, it's great for beginners. But the author is especially skilled at taking you beyond the basics to explain exactly how to apply the features of the T2i to improve your photographic skills.

Individual chapters of the book explore the finer points of exposure, including the use of histograms, understanding the T2i's autofocus options, HD movie-making, and creative ways to use lenses and light. There are nine chapters in all, each of them dealing with a different aspect of using the EOS T2i. Even the general material on topics like f/stops and exposure all relate directly to his camera.

This book is especially good for those who feel they are "visually oriented." These folks tend to gravitate to DVD instruction, not realizing that such productions are basically audio programs with images, and aren't really visually oriented at all. With a DVD, you're basically using your ears to listen to a talking head explain the camera, and what you hear may not sink in immediately. Busch's guide takes the right visual approach, using large full-color illustrations accompanied by the text you need to quickly understand what the author is explaining. We've reviewed several of Busch's guides, and, after reading this one, still wonder why all camera guides aren't this good.

Busch has raised the bar again, producing a thorough guide to the Canon EOS Rebel T2i that combines an in-depth look at every feature, technical insights, and the friendly, accessible style of Scott Kelby. As with the other books that have made him the gold standard among camera guides, Busch explains the camera from every level, satisfying the curiousity of both newcomers and old hands.

The author divides his coverage of the T2i into two parts. The first section covers what you find in the other manuals, but with more detail and guidance. The first chapter is a quick start of all the basic features of the T2i. The second chapter is a 20-page examination of each and every control, button, and dial of the T2i, showing how and when to use them. The next chapter pores over every menu entry and option, explaining in detail what happens when you select each one, and detailing why you'd want to use these settings. This first section of the book is an introduction that every T2i owner -- newbie or pro -- needs to read.

But that's just the beginning. Busch continues where the other guides leave off, with individual chapters on understanding exposure, mastering the T2i's autofocus options, and working with Live View, full HD movie-making, and other advanced techniques. He devotes many pages to an exhaustive examination of Canon's extensive line of lenses, based on his personal experience with all of them. Other chapters talk about techniques for using light and electronic flash with the T2i, choosing software, and troubleshooting your camera. This book is more than a replacement for Canon's manual: it's a photo course on using the T2i to take better pictures.

David Busch's Canon EOS Rebel T2i/550D Guide to Digital SLR Photography
I got this book to help me learn about and use the features of the Canon T2i DSLR camera and have not been disappointed in it at all. I used to use a 35mm film camera until I switched to digital about 10 years ago and needed to refresh my memory on what and how to change aperture-shutter speed-iso, etc. to get good photos with this new camera. I was using basic point and shoot digital before this purchase. The book has been a great addition to the camera manual and the author expands and explains the settings so much better than the manual that came with the camera. The only criticism I might have is that I would like it to be spiral bound to lay flat. I am reading a section then laying the book down to try out the technique with my camera and the book always flops closed.

By and large, David Busch's EOS Rebel T2i/550 Guide . . . is simply an upgrade of prior Canon Rebel books by the same author. This is not to say that it isn't excellent. Practice makes perfect. And this book is perfect for the beginner. And it is good for up-graders from lessor Rebel cameras to the T2i who want a review of earlier camera features that have been preserved. This might help some previous Rebel camera owners to better integrate all the new features of the T2i.

The book has very little to say about video. Yes, all the video functions are covered. It's just that a great deal more than functions of the YT2i camera is covered in this book. Their is lens choice, flash, print editing, etc. Much of which is rehash of earlier books by the author. Again, I have no criticism of the usefulness and accuracy of this book. I just would have liked more video instruction. I guess video deserves at least one whole book of its own. After-all, David Busch's book already has 324 pages plus Glossary and Index. There isn't room for much more.

While the book is very well written, and contains both accurate and extensive information on the T2i, I would think that long-time owners of cameras in the
Rebel series simply do not need it. The instruction manual that comes with the camera should be enough.

I write to give perspective to shoppers, not to sell the book, and not to detail what is in it. I hope this approach is beneficial. Please rate this review for usefulness. Helpful comments are also appreciated.

Thanks.

I bought this book and the Dummies book for my new camera. The T2i is my first dSLR, so I had a lot to learn. I really like this book, as it goes beyond just the basics and shows you why you want to use or care about some of the things the camera is capable of doing. I consider myself a fast learner, so this was just the right book for me, as it spends just the right amount of time on the basics, and then goes deeper to help me use my camera to the fullest of its abilities. The book even warns of a few things that should be left alone until you become a better photographer.

I really like the full color pictures that show the effect of many of the parameters that you can change on the camera.

My disappointment is why I've rated this 3 stars. As a "pure" textbook purporting to explain the T2i it is a 5 star rating. But if you have any prior use of this camera or search and use forums, I would suspect you, like me, would be disappointed.

I expected not so much a better manual, but a real how to use this camera.


Suggestions on picture styles.. how to adjust and use them with optimum selections ..i.e. is sharpness critical..is contrast critical.. nothing..

Why I should use adjust picture styles and with what light/exposure..what about tones??

More on highlight priority..light optimization..

How about the movie mode..this book should have a large disclaimer that it only "touches" this subject ..like a manual. Why has this camera captured the "movie-maker nuts" out there and why you or I should go "nuts" likewise.

The flash section is pretty good, although you can find more with a Google search

I wanted to learn how to use this camera, not how to understand what the menu items mean.

So for me 3 stars ... But again as a substitute to the manual it is 5 stars


su

I found the DVD very helpful. I have used a point and shoot camera for years while my kids were little. My last "real" camera was the Canon AE1 and I have not remembered much of what I learned years ago. I will have to watch this video many, many times to get it all. But David teaches to you and not AT YOU. David's teaching reminds me of my old photography classes. I would tell anyone who is just starting out or going back to what we thought we knew or know... This is a WONDERFUL tool. I just wish I had endless funds to get all the bells and whistles that go with it. Thank you.

I love this book, It's in large print, nice size, quality paper and easy to understand.Lots of pictures that explain the working of the camera. The manual that comes with the camera is small and hard to understand. I would recomend this book to anyone who needs simole explanation of the working of your camera.

This writer is right on the money. The author obviously has photographic experience and has used this particular camera. So often I have found these "manuals" to be generic and not very specific to the product, padded with extraneous information, and poorly organized. I was very satisfied with this book; it's detailed, organized, clear and comprehensive. If you have a specific question it's easy to get the answer using the index or table of contents. Lots of good tips. And- get a load of this- it is well written. Like listening to a very knowledgable buddy.