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Fun Stuff => MAKE => Topic started by: Kylos on 30 Dec 2007, 20:37

Title: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Kylos on 30 Dec 2007, 20:37
Well, I say new slr.
I inherited one of my granddad's old SLRs because he knew I was interested in photography, but i've never used one before and I know it's none of this click and go business I have with my digital camera.
Could anyone offer up any hints, tips or things I need to know about using a real camera?

I'll get back to you with the make and model soon.
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Ally on 30 Dec 2007, 21:16
YOU ARE LUCKY. Is it a Canon or a Nikon or something else entirely? If it's Canon then I can give you tips.
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: morca007 on 30 Dec 2007, 21:18
In general:
-If it has a built in meter, pay attention when exposing.
-Take care to load the film properly, and remember to rewind before opening it!
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Kylos on 30 Dec 2007, 21:23
I think it's an old Canon. I'll get it out of the car in the morning. I have access to various sized lenses too, so any help with those would be useful.
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Kylos on 02 Jan 2008, 17:28
Turns out, I was lying.
It's a Pentax. The only indication to what model is "ME Super" and the "asahi" on the lens cover, if that means anything to anyone.

Photos as soon as my brother gets off the good computer.

edit: While waiting for the boy child to move, i've found out that "ME Super" is infact the model, and it is also quite old and collectable. Well done wikipedia and/or ebay.
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Caiphana on 03 Jan 2008, 00:12
I've got a Pentax. Great cameras. They basically invented the SLR.

Anyway... my biggest suggestion would be to take a gander at your local community college and take a class on photography. They should have a course on just SLRs, and they've probably even got a darkroom and will teach you how to develop, enlarge, and print your own photos. This is a very important part in learning how to take pictures. Darkroom manipulation is probably the sexiest thing in the world. They'll likely start you off with black and white film, which is good training for learning to look at the light and shadow. You get to worry about color later. It's fun to see how colored filters change your finished product with B&W film.

Filters are probably the coolest thing about real cameras as opposed to digital. Yeah, you can get similar effects with photoshop or with certain settings on the digital... but nothing compares to doing it yourself manually. My favorite filter is a "sparkle filter." I can't remember if that's what it's actually called, but it's great for shooting at night, because it throws a sparkle around every point of light. Super cool.

If you've got specific questions, I can probably answer them, but I'd really suggest taking a class. Your teacher will help you learn your camera.
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Ozzman on 09 Jan 2008, 10:39
Here at my HS, we HAD one of those photography classes, but the stupid freaking district closed down the darkroom aspect of it...the chemicals are dangerous...they think we're gonna drink the shit or something. 

Anyway, we were using SLR's (had to provide our own), and I found that it's still relatively easy to use when you know what you want. 

(Now the school's fighting the district on reopening the class..and the class reverted to a Color/Composition class with outsourced developing/printing.  Next year it'll probably be a solid digital...but the district gets to pay out the ass..my teacher is gonna drill 'em and tell 'em she needs all this fancy computer shit.  :evil:   )
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Caiphana on 09 Jan 2008, 16:51
Hah, chemicals are dangerous.

More like: "We know students were having sex in the darkroom."
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: IronOxide on 11 Jan 2008, 03:55
Here at my HS, we HAD one of those photography classes, but the stupid freaking district closed down the darkroom aspect of it...the chemicals are dangerous...they think we're gonna drink the shit or something. 

Does your district still offer Chemistry as a subject of study? If so, then that's kind of silly.
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Ozzman on 12 Jan 2008, 21:30
Dude...it would have been so easy to do so.
=D

hm..
I think you might be on to something there.




and yeah

Chem is offered at every school here.
Never thought of that...I may have to point that out
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: IronOxide on 14 Jan 2008, 18:41
Yeah, I know a girl who got extensive second degree burns from a chem lab.

I don't know somebody who even as much as tripped and fell in the darkroom.
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Ozzman on 14 Jan 2008, 19:46
oh
wow

and same.
well
to the darkroom thing

idk anybody that got a big injury
I know a kid that got cut on glassware
and someone that hit a burner

def a good point now that I think about it
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Caiphana on 15 Jan 2008, 10:10
I know a gal who got lovely burns from Chem. A petri dish with some sort of acid in it fell off the table. She instinctively caught it with her thighs. Ouch.
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Ozzman on 16 Jan 2008, 09:15
ouch  :|

and
smooth

I wish it were that easy..
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Chrasstor on 18 Jan 2008, 23:12
[hijack]
I'm thinking of buying a camera this spring, and would like to know of a nice digital camera in the 300~$ range. I'll just be using it for recreational photography, so something that takes nice landscape shots would be ideal. Didn't feel like making my own topic because it's going to be such a long while before I even end up buying the thing, and I plan on making a more elaborate question then. I just want a basic idea for now.
[/hijack]
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Ozzman on 19 Jan 2008, 16:24
yeah, go with an SLR


a digital that does the same thing..lenses and such
will run you a little more than 300


ok
maybe a lot

(at least a decent one)
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: Chrasstor on 20 Jan 2008, 00:38
I can probably manage 450$ish, if I work more. Names would be helpful.

What do you all think of the Nikon D40?
Title: Re: I got a new SLR...
Post by: HellStorm on 22 Feb 2008, 13:50
I'm really interested in photography, but know nothing about it =D
I'd love to be able to take and develop my own pictures.
At the moment I have a £20 digital camera, and it doesn't have optical zoom or anything.
I also live in the middle of nowhere, so no photography classes/clubs for me =[
Any suggestions for how IU can get into it? =]