A kodak

[vetobob]

I'm new to photography and got a Kodak EasyShare P880 while in Iraq. I've always wanted to do some photography but never had a chance to till now.
Some of the features on the camera I'm still trying to figure out. Does anyone know how to get the best possible pictures? I've been advised by a girl I'm working with, to get an SLR. I don't know the difference between an SLR and a Digital?
There is a slot for a zoom flash but I'm not sure what a zoom flash is for. It already has a built in flash that pops up when you need it. I'm wondering if I should get a zoom lense.

 

[Torus34]

Wow! That's a whole lot of questions.

Let me suggest a simple approach to them while not answering any of them directly.

Read your camera's manual. Try to learn one new feature every few days. Take pictures using each newly-learned feature.

With time, you'll come to know your present camera very well.

When you find that there are pictures you cannot take because of some feature that your camera lacks, it's time to start looking into new gear. By then, you'll have a pretty good idea of just what will best fit your particular style and needs.

 

[silentrunning]

I have a Kodak Z650 that is my sports camera. I take it fishing, hunting, hiking and just about everywhere else I go. It has a lot of features that I like and takes some pretty good pictures. My skill level isn't that great yet, so I figure I'll just keep working at developing my skills with this camera. The other good thing about this camera is, if I tip over in my kayak and it goes under, I don't have to kill myself.

 

[StreetShark]

I also have the Z650 and if you have that many questions than you don't need a SLR yet. A SLR (single lens reflex) is a camera you can attach new lenses to and has total manual features. As for the zoom flash that is just a feature to get flashes better suited to different things. Also read the manual. After that buy a digital camera book. I recommend "The Digital Photography Book" by Scott Kelby.

 

[Flash Harry]

buy the book and the slr/dslr

 

[Garbz]

SLR is a single lens reflex camera as stated above. What this means is that when you look through the viewfinder you see exactly what the camera sensor will see as the image is reflected through a mirror and a pentaprism through the lens. When you take a picture the mirror flips up and the picture is exposed.

However this does not mean that these are instantly manual cameras or that you need one. My OLD compact digicam Olympus C720 has entirely manual features. I can change the white balance, aperature and shutter speeds individually just like on high end SLR cameras.

In your position I would find a book on photography, not just the mecahnics of how cameras work, but how to take nice pictures, what makes nice pictures, and continue using the camera you have. Once you find that that you have exploited the features of your camera to its limits then buy a nice SLR camera.

Remember the good camera does not make the photographer. It's the other way round.