So we picked up a new camera and I'm hoping for some photography 101

[GUINNESS]

My wife and I picked up a Kodak Z740 last Thursday and I'm having a blast with it. The thing is, I want to know more about taking pics. The user guide explains each setting, etc, but I want to know why I would use such settings, or what best manual settings to use.

The camera allows you to set appeture, shutter speed, exposure compensation, and ISO (what's ISO?). It also tells you what the predefined settings are, i.e. Night Landscape no flash f/2.8 - f/3.7 infinity focus daylight white balance center-weight ISO 100. Well that's just dandy, but I have no clue what it all means, why those are the settings, or how I would choose settings under certain circumstances. The attached pic was using night landscape. It's quite possibly one of the best I've ever taken. There was another like it and I used the auto setting and the picture had more of a yellowish orange to it.

Anyhoo, are there books I can read, people here who can share knowledge, websites, etc to give me intro knowledge to photography? Then there's photoshop... god I'm horrible with that application. One thing at a time I guess.

[ncx]

Congrats on the cam... A links few to get you started.

http://www.photoxels.com/tutorial_iso.html

http://www.webreference.com/graphics/digital2/

http://webchat.chatsystems.com/~dosw...to_Basics.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/28146/Intro.html

http://tlc.ousd.k12.ca.us/~acody/digi8.html

[Thunder22]

This is the best book on the mechanics of photography I've ever read:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

here's the digital version:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

I suggest getting both, as the digtal book builds on the first book.

for gear:

www.dpreview.com

for photography:

www.fredmiranda.com
www.robgalbraith.com

[rangerfan]

This thread deserves a sticky. Or better yet, perhaps a new 'How To' subsection to the forums or the lounge. We've got a lot of experts here!!

[Thunder22]

I"m really having a hard time talking myself out of pre-ordering a new Canon 5D to replace my 10D.... I think i might have my firewall guy block www.bhphotovideo.com on our firewalls here at work to save me from myself AND i think i'll take the 1, 2 or 3 train down to Penn Station instead of the C or E so that i'm farther away from B&H's store on 9th and 34th

[GUINNESS]

Cool... thanks for the links guys. Rangerfan, it's why I asked here I remember some time ago discussing cameras and there was a lot of knowledgable people on here

[pepatrick]

Just purchased Canon Rebel XT. This thing is awesome with lenz...only $735.00 from Dell. Ofcourse...that does not include the $600.00 in other lenses and accessories for it...but still...that is a savings of almost 300.00.