Beginner with a SLR..

[britbello]

My uncle found a Minolta 7000 Maxxum SLR with 28-80mm and 78-200mm lenses at a garage sale and gave me this awesome SLR to play with. I went to an awesome photo store (Nelson's in Downtown San Diego), got some great Ilford 400 b&w film and everything. I just can't figure out how to use the damn thing! I played around with the exposure, aperture and shutter speed, sometime I can get it take pictures when I want and sometimes it has this red light that flashes through the lens that in the manual says that it's not focusing, but I want to be able to focus manually and have the focus switch on manual. I'm thinking maybe I don't have the other settings right. I'm a beginner with SLR's and I've read the manual and read whatever I can find online.

I just want to be able to change the settings and focus manually and have it take pictures even if it's not completely in focus or great lighting, which it won't do at times and I can't get the settings completely right on it. The only time it just take the picture the way I want is when I have it on a timer.

It's a great SLR, lenses are clean, everything works great. Any suggestions on what settings I should use in indoors/outdoors/etc or maybe a website that will explain it better for me? I'm really excited to play around with this thing, I'm just not sure I'm doing it right.

ALSO, I know there's clearly a difference between my 28-80mm and 78-200mm lenses, but what is the best use for each one??

Thanks!!

 

[DScience]

ALSO, I know there's clearly a difference between my 28-80mm and 78-200mm lenses, but what is the best use for each one??

Thanks!!

You use the 28-80mm lens for things close up, and the 78-200mm for things farther away.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

ALSO, I know there's clearly a difference between my 28-80mm and 78-200mm lenses, but what is the best use for each one??

Thanks!!

You use the 28-80mm lens for things close up, and the 78-200mm for things farther away.

Hmm...I use my 55-250 for things that are close. It's more a matter of looking through the lense and getting what you want to capture, near or far. Your vision for an image dictates what lens will do it for you.

Find the book Understanding Exposure.

 

[dxqcanada]

If you have the MF/AF switch in the Manual position ... then you should be able to freely turn the focus ring on the lens.

 

[britbello]

dxqcanada: THE LINK YOU POSTED HELPS SO MUCH!! Thank you!