The best advice I can give is:- Get rid of the sony piece of crap and get a camera. ANY other camera. Not meaning to sound horrible it's just there are far better cameras available for the cost of that. If you got it for the bling (gold chains and diamond earrings factor), only your photos will suffer. If you got it because you were advised to get it, you shouyld go back and speak fiormly with the salesman. Sony do NOT make good cameras. FACT.
You're an idiot. Firstly, if you hate Sony so much, get out of the Sony forum. Your type of "advice" is not needed. Just be glad that I'm not a moderator...
OP, the best thing you can do right now is have a nice sit down with your manual.
I will tell you that as an A100 owner, it's a nice little camera. I've taken some nice
pictures. But I also firmly believe that more often than not, equipment does not limit a photographer. There are exceptions...but typically, it's about what you do with the camera, as jaykilgore said. The camera is a tool. I've seen some AMAZING pictures take with cell phones!
Now, one or two tips/bits of info:
1) Don't worry about shutter speed/aperture etc just yet.
*As an amateur (which isn't a bad thing) you'll benefit from learning before doing. Sit down with the manual, read some tutorials on line etc. As you start understanding how aperture and shutter speed affect pictures, THEN start playing with them. Greatest thing about digital photography is...you don't ever have to keep anything you don't want. Ever. Take a shot, adjust, retake, repeat as needed. But learn HOW it works, and how to adjust each setting before you just go pushing buttons and not remembering how you got there...trust me...it's no fun.
2) One thing about the A100 which varies from other DSLR's is that it only has one thumb wheel. This means you have one wheel to change aperture and shutter speed. Now, this doesn't matter on A or S mode (aperture and shutter priority, respectively) because you only change one. But on M (manual) mode, you use one wheel to adjust both settings. Now, how? Well, you can set that option in the menu (read the manual for this). For me, on M if I turn the thumb wheel, it adjusts shutter speed. To adjust aperture I simple turn the wheel while holding the AEL (Automatic Exposure Lock) button. It's that easy, but again, you can change how that works for you. You can make it so the wheel adjusts aperture and then to change shutter speed you have to hold AEL. It's up to you.
3) One thing I LOVE about the A100 (vs the comparable D40 and Canon Rebel whatever) is that the Auto-Focus motor is in the body of the camera. Which means what exactly? Well, it means you don't have to buy specific auto-focus lenses (per-say). While they do have to be compatible with Sony's A-Mount (derived from Minolta's AF Mount) in order to fit the camera, and that do...ARE Auto-Focus lenses already.
Anyway, that's all I have for now. Read you manual, read some things online about photography etc, and just have fun. Just remember two things: 1) A great camera does NOT make you a great photographer, and 2) An entry level camera does NOT mean you can't TAKE great photographs.
You'll have to upgrade one day, yes (if you choose to pursue photography more) but for now enjoy the A100...I do (don't listen to that moron), and keep in mind...if you want to get some new lenses, search CraigsList for old Minolta stuff. Anything that fits any (most) Minolta Maxxum cameras, will work with your Sony. Obviously check the fitment before you buy...but that's common sense. But you can get good lenses for CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP now-a-days. Hell, I got one of the most sought-after lenses made by Minolta anymore (the 70-210mm f/4 "Beercan" lens) for $50! Actually, I paid $50 for a WHOLE bunch of old crap, and this happened to be in the lot. Now, that's not a deal you'll find every day...but Craigs List usually has some good stuff as people are trying to get rid of their film cameras and move to digital.
