Member of the Month

GayWolf420
June, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

How did you learn how do use your DSLR's?

profile picture
JRyder
Posts: 461 - Karma: 29
I'm using a canon vixia hf s100 right now. And it's not cutting it. So I'm going to upgrade soon and get a DSLR. But while I'm in the long process of saving up, I thought I should get to know a little bit how to use them first. Right now I've been messing around with my dad's Sony ax-300 but I want a little bit of a guidance. Does anyone have any guides I could go to or anything to learn more and familiarize myself with DSLR's? Thanks for the help.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
A great tool is vimeo video school, there's a whole section dedicated to shooting and editing with DSLR's. I mainly learned through trial and error, but video school is a great tool.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Downtofilm
Posts: 6896 - Karma: 20,395
practice, learn and adapt. Find settings you enjoy, fine tune them day by day.
I dont really know but thats how I learned
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
.Max.
Posts: 2930 - Karma: 701
I shot film. When everything's manual you get to learn the ins and outs of how an SLR camera works. Then you can take that knowledge to a DSLR with ease after reading the manual. From there it's all trail and error.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
CoachG
Posts: 2546 - Karma: 448
It's all practice man. But definitely familiarize yourself with aperture, shutterspeed, and iso. Those are the big 3 that you should learn about.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
JRyder
Posts: 461 - Karma: 29
Thanks guys I'll definitely just keep practicing and check out vimeo video school
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
JAHrig
Posts: 738 - Karma: 2,649
I just surfed the forums here, looked at online tutorials, and mostly just played around with it.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
I used a 35mm adapter with my HVX before switching to a DSLR so i was already familiar with interchangeable lenses, manual aperture adjustment, shutter speed, ISO (gain on a video camera), etc.


Really, it just takes practice. Read why you would use different shutter speeds, what ISO is best, how different apertures will affect your photos, etc. read the manual if you have it! but most importantly, just keep playing around and you'll get the hang of it in no time.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,296
Got to learn the basics through internet. Other than that: just messing around.
Probably best to start photo to learn exposure etc. after that take it a step further to video.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
S.C
Posts: 3071 - Karma: 2,523
ive probably put in around 6 hours watching tutorials around the net.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
1337
Posts: 31080 - Karma: 29,700
i learned the ins and outs of the camera before I bought my first. Learn, no, memorize the terms and definitions of iso, aperture, shutter speed, fstop, focal length
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Gnarwall
Posts: 1180 - Karma: 50
I learned on a black and white film SLR. My dad taught me the basics (how to change aperture, exposure, etc) but besides that he just let me go wild. I took a few black and white classes in high school but that was mostly just so I could get in the dark room and print. I wouldn't even bother with the manual for a few months. Figure the basics out on your own and you'll retain what you learned better.


14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
[-mvee-]
Posts: 1713 - Karma: 10
practice is the only true way. but forums, friends (who know more than i do), and camera knowledge makes everything easier! oh and youtube! youtube-ing (verb???) tips and tricks is awesome too!!
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
I read the manual.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
This is the most crucial thing. With every new camera I buy these days, first thing I do is go through the manual page by page and do every single thing, even if I will never use some of the functions. That way I feel like I know the camera inside and out (sort of).
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Technologically speaking, yes. I find that learning which buttons to press and when to press them is a very small hurdle compared to the hurdle of creating artistically pleasing footage.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Bloc_chain
Posts: 26051 - Karma: 4,433
i bought a camera, and fucked around with it till I figured out what did what. thats all you need to do
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
jeremy.g
Posts: 4931 - Karma: 459
yea this is pretty much it. also listen to people that have a bit of experience with them. they have some helpful tips sometimes
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Lemuel
Posts: 14544 - Karma: 11,158
I took photography my junior and senior year of high school so I learned how to use an SLR. Then I read the manuel, read through countless threads on NS, looked up tons of reviews, and just read up on the stuff that was new / needed to be reviewed by me.

You should definitely know what f-stop is, shutter speed, aperture, focal length, iso (I still am new to iso), etc. A good way to learn is to take a few autofocus pictures to see what the camera recommends and then shoot on manuel. Or do everything manuel and then change to autofocus to see if you are close to where the camera recommends. I shoot 99% of the time in manuel, everyone should. If you are going to autofocus and have everything set by the camera, why buy a dslr.
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
of course.

but that aspect really isn't something you can "teach." everybody has a different way of doing it, and some people can figure it out, and others can't. i assume OP meant how to use functions of the camera and such
14 years ago
0 0
profile picture
[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
guess I misunderstood what he was asking then. oops!
14 years ago
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 0:52AM