New to photography, and new to these forums.

xypex982 · Oct 19, 2008

Please allow me to introduce myself, Im a man of wealth and taste. Just kidding a little Stones lyric haha. Anywase last year a friend of mine got a D40 and ever since I have been very interested in photography. I talked to my parents last week and they let me have their Canon AE-1 that has only had 5 rolls put through it and has been sitting safly in a carrying case for 20 or so years. So a few days ago I popped in some 400 film and shot away with both the 50mm and 75-200mm lenses for really the first time on any film camera let alone a SLR. I was happy with the results I got it being my first time and all, and since I have been reading like crazy on shooting with film. I'll post those pics up later when I get my scanner up and working.

Now onto the other camera I have at my disposal, it's a Sony DSC-T200. I never have liked point and shoot digital camera, but I really want to get the most out of it since I will most likely use it more than my AE-1. I can't seem to get anything right on the Sony any tips?

I have lots of pics so here si the link to my album of them.

http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s128/xypex982/

tirediron · Oct 19, 2008

Welcome! The AE-1 is a great camera. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

I don't have the bandwidth right now to puruse the individual images on your Photobucket 'site; when you say, "I can't seem to get anything right..." to what exactly do your refer? Exposure issues, composition problems, or ? Posting one or two pictures here as examples of what has not been got right would help.

The DSC-T200 is a mid-range pocket-camera, primarily meant for snapshots. One of the issues that it shares with many of it's mid-price and cheaper relatives is a relatively slow autofocus, accounting for many lost shots. Is this perhaps the issue you're having?

tsaraleksi · Oct 19, 2008

I would suggest that you will learn a lot more about photography and generally have a better time with the AE-1 than you will with the Sony.

xypex982 · Oct 20, 2008

I agree Tsara, its just I want to try and get more out of the Sony if I can. It is mid-range?! Dang, well my dad did get it last year, but I guess the hefty price tag was for the gimmik touch screen pshhh. Well I can't get the colors right even though I messed with ISO, I have no clue how to get the focus to do what I want in any way (I understand its no (d)slr) even though it has some setting where it can auto focus facese and stuff or you can click on the screen and make it focus what you want. I just cant seem to get much of anything. The only way I can get it to have a SHARP focus on something, and then if I want have the backround blurry is to set it to like "extreme" macro and get VERY close to my subject.

See I can't get a great focus on the flower, its just not very sharp.....is that really as sharp as the Sony can get?

I really want to some day take a good pic with this cactus, most likely with my AE-1

Some just shots of my backyard nothing really trying to be done here.

Indoor is atrocious as expected

This wasn't half bad espically the first pic, these were in my room and when I noticed the cool shadows and that my battery was dying I just started snapping away really quickly. I would like to try these shots again though.

mrcrassic · Oct 21, 2008

You got an AE-1?? VINTAGE.

You'll learn a chock full of photography using that thing. Have fun!!

xypex982 · Oct 23, 2008

I went to a really nice park with a small pond two days ago with two friends, one had a Nikon d40 and the other had a nice 90's Polaroid. I got off one roll of 200 film with me AE-1, using both my 50mm and the 75mm-200mm lenses, and a few shots off with the d40. I really want to get these scanned to show you guys so you could critique me. However today at the Thrift store where the same two friends of mine who went to the park with me found yet another old school camera (all of which work except the still untested Nikomat), first it was a mint condition sx-70, then a 90's Polaroid onestep closeup, a nikomat (early nikon SLR only sold in japan??), and now this Canon:

Those were taken with my iphone so excuse the quality. It was only six bucks. I think it's a Canon lv sb2, and is from the 50's, but I could be wrong about that. Does anyone know anything about this camera, I mean I don't even think it's a SLR, it dosnt have a removable lens and the viewfinder isn't the same as the lens since I can cover the lens and still see fine.