Just try and read, try and read, try and read, etc. Try to understand how a camera works. The lightmeter for example isn't some magic machine inside the camera, it just tries to make everything with the metered range 18%.

Jonh Freeman has written some excellent books about photography, that are also easy to read for a beginner. And they can be had in a Dutch translated edition!

Sameerrao,

The 1.7 teleconverter in combo with the 70-200mm 2.8 VR is superb 8)

The 1.4 teleconverter doesn't have as much loss as the 1.7 of course. The reason I went for the 1.7 anyway was because, I geuss you will only use a teleconverter when there is enough light availible to take clear images. When this isn't the case you will get too much loss with the 1.4 as well and you would better shooting without one anyway :)

Although that there is a possibility that I will purchase the 1.4 as well. But the 1.7 is fine.


Cheers

Thanks Cowboy, that really stimulates me. Already found out that you can shoot better pics when stepping out of the AUTO mode. Will read the manual more carefully though! :wink:

What did you mostly practise on in the beginning? I can't seem to find anything to make a panning shot.

Thanks martijn for the tip! Do you have it or do you know where I could get it?

For panning shots use the S-mode and set the shutter to 1/60-1/125.

I've got his complete serie. Got the books from Scholtens, a local *)-bookstore. Bol.com also has them: click

Congrats on the camera purchase .... I agree with the others on getting out of the Auto mode. You cant learn anything and it doesnt work well in all circumstances.

When I started out two months back, I used the preset shooting modes - E.g portrait, landscape, etc.

Now, I use the Aperture mode for the most part. I use the F2.8-F5 for those shots where I need to blur the background and F9-F11 for those shots where I want the whole car sharp. Make sure you are not in lowest or highest aperture of your lens to get sharper pics.

When I am in a rush, I use the preset modes to play it safe. For panning, you can use the S mode with shutter speeds of 1/100-1/250. Start with 1/250 and go down to slower shutter speeds as you get the hang of it. The slower the shutter speed, the greater the background blur effect.

Not bad his books, and the prices aren't too http://www.nl.bol.com/is-bin/INTERSH...9t8psY6IySnJEc Thanks Martijn!

Bit silly, but would you know a good place or training to train on panning shots :oops: 8)

First off, congrats on the new camera! 8)

When I first starting taking panning shots, I just went out to the closest road and took pics of cars passing. They don't have to be going very fast, so just a road where cars are going 20-30mph (50km/h). Start from there to get some practice, and then you can move onto more difficult shots, etc. Have fun! :D

Thanks, all of your guys tips and figures really help me alot :!: :wink:

Might do that tomorrow, Ill see what comes out of it, Thanks! :)

Another option to try panning is a parkinglot along the highway. :) But everything that moves will do fine, I also practiced on bicycle driving outside my house. :D

Agreed. Since I am still relatively new (6 months) with SLRs, I am still trying to understand most of the functions. Right now I am using mostly the pre-set program modes. I am also experimenting with A - Mode, Aperture Priority. That seems to work out pretty well.

I have used full Manual one time, and that was a bit overwhelming ;) . Pretty much none of the pictures turn out at all :( .

Anyways, read the manual a few times, try to understand as much as you can. Go out and play around with the settings, then come back and read it again.

Like they said, practice makes perfect :) .