Best book for a beginner?

[JenniferKailey]

I'm getting a Canon XSi soon I want to learn more about it before I buy it so I can make more informed decisions on lenses and the like. What is the best book for this?

 

[dakkon76]

I'm brand spankin' new to SLR photography and needed a good book that explained aperture, ISO, and all that good stuff. I found a great book on Amazon, just got it yesterday and have been reading it. It covers the technical basics in really good and easy-to-understand detail.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Digital-SLR-Photography-2E/dp/1598634011/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236546075&sr=8-1]Mastering Digital SLR Photography 2E (Paperback) (2007)[/ame]

Lots of the other beginners books focus on composition and such, which I'll also need... but needed the basics of operation first, glad I got this book.

 

[Dao]

This one is not made for XSi. However, you should find it helpful if you are new to DSLR as well as Photography.

Digital Rebel XT Lessons

 

[Dagwood56]

There is a series of book called "Lantern Guides" They are available for most cameras and are a big hlep after you get the camera also as they define everything in the users manual in more understandable terms. Also some basic books for photography that are good are two by Bryan Peterson - "Understanding Exposure" & "Learning to See Creatively".

 

[blash]

Go to your public library and look for "XSi", odds are you'll find something. Good luck managing with the boredom of reading through it though, it's best to simply read through reviews online with lots of pictures (cough, dpreview.com).

After you actually make the purchase, go ahead and purchase the following:
1) [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Kelbys-Digital-Photography-Volumes/dp/0321604032/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236555098&sr=8-4]Amazon.com: Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1 and 2 (Includes The Digital Photography Book Volume 1 and The Digital Photography Book Volume 2): Scott Kelby: Books[/ame]
and
2) [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Camera-Ansel-Adams-Photography-Book/dp/0821221841/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236555118&sr=1-2]Amazon.com: The Camera (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 1): Ansel Adams, Robert Baker: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Negative-Ansel-Adams-Photography-Book/dp/0821221868/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236555118&sr=1-4]Amazon.com: The Negative (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 2): Ansel Adams, Robert Baker: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Print-Ansel-Adams-Photography-Book/dp/0821221876/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236555118&sr=1-3]Amazon.com: The Print (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 3): Ansel Adams, Robert Baker: Books[/ame]

Most of what's in #2 applies to film, but most of what you could do to film in a darkroom with optical printing can be done to digital images in photoshop, thus helping you with digital post-production.