Mastering Your Digital SLR: How to Get the Most Out of Your Digital Camera [Paperback]

Chris Weston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2006

Here is the definitive guide for the digital camera enthusiast. This book is a practical, step-by-step handbook  for those who want to make the leap from compact digital or film SLR to digital SLR, or existing SLR owners who are ready for the next level of experimentation and expertise. This new revised edition features updated equipment and techniques, and takes readers through the digital workflow. Chris Weston explains the intimate workings of the DSLR and illuminates every aspect of image capture and processing in a thorough, practical, jargon-free manner, accompanied by inspirational illustrations. This is an indispensable guide for getting the best from your digital SLR camera.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Here is the definitive guide for the digital camera enthusiast. This book is a practical, step-by-step handbook  for those who want to make the leap from compact digital or film SLR to digital SLR, or existing SLR owners who are ready for the next level of experimentation and expertise. This new revised edition features updated equipment and techniques, and takes readers through the digital workflow.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Chris Weston is a full time photographer specializing in natural history and wildlife. A regular contributor to UK magazines, Chris also leads numerous workshops and overseas photographic safaris. He is the author of a number of books, including The Essential Lighting Manual, 500 Digital Hints, Tips, and Techniques and Mastering Your Digital SLR for RotoVision.
He lives in Hertfordshire, UK.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Rotovision; 1st edition (March 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2940378037
• ISBN-13: 978-2940378036
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,377,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Digital Photography Book, November 10, 2005

By 

Ho, Jong Boo (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering Your Digital Slr: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Digital Camera (Hardcover)

This book is an expansion on his book - '500 Digital Photography Hints, Tips, and Techniques: The Easy, All-in-One Guide to those Inside Secrets for Better Digital Photography (Paperback)'. This is the best digital photography book I bought. The writing is very clear and full of tips. I especially like the topic on exposure compensation and white balance and certainly benefit a lot from the book while exploring the features on my Canon 350D. The pictures are very good (beautiful). I strongly recommend it for those new in DSLR. The book is published on very high quality gloss papers and certain worth the price as it is a very durable hard cover book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Primer, January 1, 2007

By 

S. L. Horton "Sam" (Eastern PA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering Your Digital Slr: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Digital Camera (Hardcover)

This book takes you through the terminology, meaning and use of the features of your digital SLR. Very easy read; been through it roughly twice myself. This is the book that got me from 'what is going on' to 'ah, I see' after purchasing a Canon 30D. After reading this book, I could at least understand the 30D manual!

The book stops at basic digital workflow. To pick up from there, have a look at the books by Scott Kelby about Photoshop. If you're looking to understand how to get sharp photos, have a look at "Digital Photography", also by Scott Kelby.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For Those Considering A Switch From Film To Digital, November 9, 2006

By 

Timothy Kearney (Haverhill, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering Your Digital SLR: How to Get the Most Out of Your Digital Camera (Paperback)

I think I would have purchased Chris Weston's MASTERING YOUR DIGITAL SLR simply for its photos. Just looking at the book makes the reader want to get up, get the camera, and begin shooting, but most how-to books on photography have beautiful pictures, and many times they can be sparse on content. I found that this book has both good content and inspiring shots.

The purpose of the book seems two-fold. First, it aims at convincing film users that the digital world is not as scary as many think and good, artistic photography is available using digital cameras. Throughout the book the author points out how the film and digital differ. The second purpose of this book is as an introduction to people who may be new at photography and shows the way a SLR differs from a point and shoot camera. For some of the information in the book, the information could apply to either a digital or film camera since the basics of photography are the same.

For me, the most helpful portion of the book is the third section on image processing. As a film user, primarily color prints and E-6 slides, processing meant dropping off film and visiting the lab to correct flawed but interesting photos. With digital, a home computer can become the lab. The book gives and introduction to how photos can be improved, the software and printers needed, and provides explanations of new terms. As I have started doing some repairs to images and trying to enhance others, I've found the book helpful as a beginner to using a computer to edit and enhance photos.

At one point, the author states that for many people, digital has helped rekindle their love of photography. I didn't think my love for photography needed a jump start until I purchased my new digital camera (the Nikon D70S. Now that I have, I can't wait to get out and get some shots or set up something just to use the camera. Digital is enjoyable, can be artistic, and is with considering and trying.