Need Some Book Recommendations

[carney2]

I am a long time photonut, but have resisted the move to digital - until now, that is. Nikon's new D200 just may be the camera that moves me to take the plunge. Anyway, I know nothing about digital imaging and all the buzzwords. I read the press release on the D200 and it might as well have been written in Sanskrit for all the good it did me. Can anyone recommend some publications that will get me up to speed?

Tom in Pennsylvania

[EOSThree]

If you are coming from a film background a move to a DSLR isn't that much of a jump. Everything still works the same, proper exposure is still proper exposure, ISO is still ISO, and all of the controls on the camera work in the same manner. The only thing that has changed is the medium that records the light. White balance may be somewhat of a new term, but really its just like choosing a daylight, or outdoors, or flash film. With digital all of the different kinds of film can be changed at the push of a couple of buttons, you need ISO 800, change it, you need to shoot in flourescent lighting, change it, you get the idea. Jump in with both feet, come to forums like this, shoot in the same manner you did with film, and go home and instantly see what you did, digital is great. Once you get the camera you can, and will want to do more research, and the internet is a great place to learn.

[JohnWolff]

Hi Tom,

Like you, I'm very interested in the D200 as I think it hits a sweet spot in the dSLR market -- especially when you have an investment in Nikon glass.

If you are wanting to get yourself ready for the move then I'd recommend Bruce Fraser's book on Camera Raw (2nd Ed). Getting the most out of a digital negative as you bring it into Photoshop is, IMO, where the biggest gains are made from a digital workflow. And learning about the Camera Raw interface is easily one of the better investments in time that I've made this year.

Cheers,

John