Just got my SX10, need to ask some ?'s

[SnapShot621]

What do I need to start off. I know a camera bag, tripod, some filters, the adapter from Lensmate.
I just ordered the adapter and a CPL.
What is a decent name brand tripod not too costly. I will need a tabletop one too.
Should I look on Ebay for all this stuff? Anything else I need for this camera?
I also got a lenscap holder.

I love this camera so far and that is only shooting in the auto mode! Now I have to read the manual and figure it all out!

[Dermako]

The Lowepro TLZ Mini works wonderfully for the SX10 with the lensmate adapter and filters (UV and Polorizer). $20 should get it at several places online.
Lots of people will tell you to buy the most you can afford for a quality tripod and head. From a personal perspective, I purchased a Manfrotto 190Xprob and like it less than a 7 year old Velbon of my wife's that has seen near daily use from new. I ordered a Velbon Sherpa 600 witha PH157 head for $120 or something real close to that and use it exclusively. In fact will make you a heck of a deal on a mint Manfrotto 190xprob. I believe Velbon makes a tabletop model as well. Got mine at Adorama mainly because the had the extra Quick release plates in stock and B&H did not.
Eneloop batteries. gotta have em. Prices vary widely from what I have seen. I caught some on sale awhile back for $8.99 a 4 pack and stocked up.
Hope this helps.

[gitarmac]

Second the eneloop batteries. And the 190.

I get my batteries from thompon distribution.com. They have good chargers for a good price too.

[SnapShot621]

Thanx guys! Should I get the protective plasic film cover for the lcd screen? Lensnate has it. Can I attach a lenscap with a filter on?

[pci2000]

I would get the protective plastic film cover. I bought mine from Amazon and it fits perfectly. It was $6.95 but worth every penny.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001K6M22M/

Once you install the Lensmate adapter and filter, you will need to get a 58mm lens cap, or you will have to remove the adapter if you want to use the lens cap that came with your camera. What I did was buy a 58mm Canon SLR lens cap from my local camera store. It was less than 9 dollars.

[Jon]

I'd suggest that you not bother with the LCD cover. Just use the viewfinder. It means you'll have a more-stable hold on the camera, with less shake, so sharper pictures. Just fold the screeen so it's facing in to the body. Holding the camera out far enough to be able to view on the LCD is an invitation to shakiness.

[eosphotomanoftennessee]

Lensmate has a 58mm cover for 5.95 with strap, I would also suggest a good neutral density filter to slow the shutter down for artistic effects shots (moving water). B&H has best selection and prices on filters. You will love the sx10, had one for a few months before I upgraded to sx1. The scene modes are nice, vivd and positive film being my favs.

[pci2000]

My advice is to NOT get the 58mm lens cap cover from Lensmate. I did, and it kept popping off on me. Plus, the tether string was too long for my liking.
I then bought a 58mm Canon SLR cap, and that 1.50 elastic tether with the small adhesive piece that adheres to the lens cap, and have been a lot happier.

[SnapShot621]

Thanx everyone for all your help! I really do appreciate it! Can I ask where to get a 58mm Canon lenscap? There is a Ritz Camera store a half hour from me in Daytona Beach. Or should I look in Ebay? I also bought a tabletop tripod from Best Buy but my camera was way tooooo heavy for it.
I had a good Bogen one (regular one) years ago that I never used with my also never used Minolta Maxxum camera. Do not know where the tripod went.
Thanx again in advance!

[JustShootin']

also never used Minolta Maxxum camera.

You sure missed some great picture taking! Anyway, good luck with your new Sx10. I think you will like it a lot!

[SnapShot621]

You sure missed some great picture taking! Anyway, good luck with your new Sx10. I think you will like it a lot!

Thanx Gary. I have taken about 100 photos so far with the sx10 and am a little disappointed. Not one has come out as good as my A630 (auto). :( I must be doing something wrong. :D I do not shoot in manual yet. I have gotten out of the auto mode and am shooting in the P mode. Every pic I have taken has to be edited in my Canon software. Is it possible to get and incredible shot without editing? I am just a beginner with alot to learn. I posted some pics under the category, post your best of with SX10 IS. Will post some more.

[eosphotomanoftennessee]

What "picture style" scene mode are you using? I have got great results using "positive film" as well as "vivid". In standard mode most photos are little non-spectacular with my sx10 (now have sx1).

[SnapShot621]

What "picture style" scene mode are you using? I have got great results using "positive film" as well as "vivid". In standard mode most photos are little non-spectacular with my sx10 (now have sx1).

Thanx for your reply and help. I am just learning this camera. When I click it into P mode I just take pics, do not know of any other settings within the P mode. I just took some pics in scene mode today. I will upload them tomorrow to see how they came out. I do not see a "positive film" setting or "vivid"for this camera. I looked in the manual and could not find them either.
My Canon A630 I was able to set vivid.
Thanx for your help!
Donna.....;)

[JustShootin']

I think you're going to have to spend some time with your manual to understand your camera. You can program many settings to suit yourself in P (program) mode. For the vivid colors, press your "function set" button, then scroll down to "my colors" to set the camera to vivid. You will see several other settings in that menu that you can control. Metering, white balance to name a couple.

[SnapShot621]

I think you're going to have to spend some time with your manual to understand your camera. You can program many settings to suit yourself in P (program) mode. For the vivid colors, press your "function set" button, then scroll down to "my colors" to set the camera to vivid. You will see several other settings in that menu that you can control. Metering, white balance to name a couple.


Thanx Gary, First thing I did when I got my camera was read thru the manual for a couple of hours. I had not gotten to that page yet.
Now I am trying to understand continuous shoot. Reading on page 108 of the manual they do not tell you how to find that continuous shoot button. I tried taking pics of my dog with it in the sports mode but it snaps the shots way tooooo slow!
Thanx for your help Gary! ;)
Found the My colors.....thanx Gary!

[Jon]

The "Continuous Shoot" button is the bottom of the Control Dial on the back of the camera. See pp. 42-43 of the manual. But the SX10 isn't really fast even in Continuous mode; it manages around 3 frames every 2 seconds, tops.

[SnapShot621]

The "Continuous Shoot" button is the bottom of the Control Dial on the back of the camera. See pp. 42-43 of the manual. But the SX10 isn't really fast even in Continuous mode; it manages around 3 frames every 2 seconds, tops.


Thanx Jon, I have only shot continuous in the sports mode, just hold down the shutter button.
I am a little confused, any other mode I guess I have to push that continuous button first, like in P or AV or TV? :confused:
Thanx Jon! ;)

[Jon]

Right. But remember - the SX10 in Sports mode is shooting "Continuous with Autofocus", which is good if your subject's moving all around at a variable distance, but is only 0.7 frames/sec rather than the faster but without continuous AF (it focuses at the beginning but not during the burst) 1.4 frames/sec.

[pci2000]

Thanx everyone for all your help! I really do appreciate it! Can I ask where to get a 58mm Canon lenscap? There is a Ritz Camera store a half hour from me in Daytona Beach. Or should I look in Ebay?

Any camera store that carries Canon products should carry them. They have to have them because since the cameras don't come with tethers, they're easy to lose! LOL

[SnapShot621]

I would like to know how to change my 10mp to 8mp. Does anyone know how to do this? I do not plan on blowing up all my images to a large size and do not need these huge file with the higher megapixels taking up so much space!
Thanx......Donna :)

Also what is the largest size a photo with 10 mps can be made to?

[exwintech]

Donna - If you don't have Photoshop or Paintshop Pro, etc, you need an image-editor for re-sizing down from 3648 x 2736. A good free one is Irfanview, which does many editing tasks easily. It's suitable for all Windows versions from 98SE to Windows 7. Works very well in XPs.

While every download of Irfanview I've done has been "clean", you should download into a Logon that doesn't have Administrator Permissions, preferably into a directory on the Desktop - then immediately check it with your AntiVirus program. You can look at a lot of info about Irfanview at their site before deciding if you want it. If you do get it, don't forget to also download the Plugins - a separate download. Irfanview is at:

Ref: > www.irfanview.com (http://www.irfanview.com)

Note that Irfanview can also use many of the vast number of Photoshop plugins, too - very handy if you don't have Photoshop or Elements. (Elements is actually a fairly low-cost and very functional image-editor from Adobe.)

Also - if you have an SX10 - or most other cameras - you can shoot and save to several smaller image sizes than the default 10Mpix.

> "Setting the Recording Pixels" is shown in detail on Pages 80 and 81 of the SX10 Manual. Apart from 10Mpix, you have 4 smaller sizes to use - plus Widescreen. Page 81 shows the standard printout size for each of those saved-file sizes.

> How large-small your images print-out depends on your Printer Settings - many default to print at 300dpi (dots per inch) - but you can usually change that in Printer Settings.

> Work it out by dividing the Print Resolution - say, 300dpi - into the horizontal and vertical pixel sizes of the saved image. So if you used the SX10's Medium-3, 2Mpix size, of 1600 x 1200 - your printout will be about 5.3in x 4in. That's 4:3 AR (aspect ratio) - as most non-DSLRs do.

(Canon's suggested 6 x 4 would be 3:2 AR - same as DSLRs do.)

Regards, Dave.

[HAKANN]

just dont shoot over iso100, non dslr cams have terrible low light performance...also use vivid colors and if u r taking a shot under 1/60secs use 3-4secs timer to prevent shaking resulted from pressing shutter button, this really helps a lot.

[Richard05]

Just picked up my sx10 but am disappointed with the lenscap. It just does not stay on. I gather here that others have the same problem and buy a replacement. Sounds pathetic on canon's behalf. A AU$500 camera with 10 cent lenscap? Maybe I'm not trying hard enough?
Rick

[Immaculens]

Hi Richard - I personally quite like the 58mm one from Lensmate (they have a 52mm version if you do not use the filter adapter). The Canon one is an exercise in frustration.

It just occurred to me that I may cut down the clip on the back of it that clips to your strap... because I found when you pinch the Canon lenscap - that "clip" pops out a little - quite possibly interfering with putting it on. Take a look and you will see what I mean...

Just picked up my sx10 but am disappointed with the lenscap. It just does not stay on. I gather here that others have the same problem and buy a replacement. Sounds pathetic on canon's behalf. A AU$500 camera with 10 cent lenscap? Maybe I'm not trying hard enough?
Rick

[Harryink]

Hi there,

I'd appreciate your help (as I'm a noobie). I have an SX10IS.

I'm on holiday in Paris and left my manual in Copenhagen and I wish to know if/how I can set the continuous shooting option as default, and how. Being holiday snaps, 'spray and pray' is the rule. :) It's irking me have to set continuous each time I turn on the camera.

Cheers

[tkbslc]

sports mode?

[Jon]

Press the button that looks like a stack of pages (it's the bottom part of the "dial"). Then choose the setting you want. It's not available in Full Auto, Color Accent or Color Swap, and a couple of other modes.

That's also where the Self-Timer hangs out.

[hawaiiboy]

If you would like to have the manual with you...it can be downloaded from Canon
here
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=144&modelid=17630#DownloadDetailAct

[Harryink]

Ah, the innocence of the neophyte! Thank you all. I knew the answer would be embarassingly simple. Thanks for the manual link, too. :)

[Richard05]

Had a great day today shooting photos of my son in the park. It's great to se that smile. Explored the lighthouse and beach then our back yard. Tried supermacro on my beehive hoping to emulate lesmen but would not focus as the bees moved too fast. Explored the siepa and the colour accent. Went to the shop and got a better lens cap and also a rag to clean the lens. Felt a bit embarrassed as did not know what to do. Did not want to scratch the glass so asked the girl behind the counter what she used and she said just a clean cloth but I bought a $AU9 rag from her, worth it to know it's a bit professional. Got some shots of our local lighthouse and a zoom of our house from about 2 kilometres away. Still deleting most shots. The siepa setting had me taking white photos, the shutter lens time too. Tried shutter time extension on the tap to simulate a waterfall, longer time more white light. Didn't really work. Tied longer shutter to get Charlie 'moving' down the slide bu too much light. I uppose this is apperture but can't work out how to alter both shutter speed and apperture. Not really worried yet as just playing but i twould be great for waterfalls etc.
So problems all along but having fun.
And still got time to do some uni work attend a lecture, proof read an essay, do a reference list and spend time with my boy (aged 3). If only could be as enthusiastic about my studt as I am about my new camera. :-)
My diary for the day
Thanks

[Immaculens]

Hi Richard,
Keep up the enthusiastic striving -
Were you shooting in Manual or some other?
Consider shooting in P mode for a week which sets shutter speed and aperture automatically. You set the ISO. P is "almost" Auto. But my point is - in P - take a picture and then click play to review it - and click Disp. once or twice to review what settings the camera decided to use. You will get a feel for what different apertures and shutter speeds do to a shot - and then you can experiment in Manual from there.

Take a look at www.lenspen.com (http://www.lenspen.com) and see if a local store has them. I got the small one for $15 CND and for my SX10 - I will use it like 3 times in 1 hour - absolutely a great convenience and worth the $.

...for whatever reason - my SX10 has been a smudge & dust magnet...

Happy shooting!

Had a great day today shooting photos of my son in the park. It's great to se that smile. .... Went to the shop and got a better lens cap and also a rag to clean the lens. Felt a bit embarrassed as did not know what to do. Did not want to scratch the glass so asked the girl behind the counter what she used and she said just a clean cloth but I bought a $AU9 rag from her, worth it to know it's a bit professional.

[Jon]

Had a great day today shooting photos of my son in the park. It's great to se that smile. Explored the lighthouse and beach then our back yard. Tried supermacro on my beehive hoping to emulate lesmen but would not focus as the bees moved too fast. Explored the siepa and the colour accent. Went to the shop and got a better lens cap and also a rag to clean the lens. Felt a bit embarrassed as did not know what to do. Did not want to scratch the glass so asked the girl behind the counter what she used and she said just a clean cloth but I bought a $AU9 rag from her, worth it to know it's a bit professional. Got some shots of our local lighthouse and a zoom of our house from about 2 kilometres away. Still deleting most shots. The siepa setting had me taking white photos, the shutter lens time too. Tried shutter time extension on the tap to simulate a waterfall, longer time more white light. Didn't really work. Tied longer shutter to get Charlie 'moving' down the slide bu too much light. I uppose this is apperture but can't work out how to alter both shutter speed and apperture. Not really worried yet as just playing but i twould be great for waterfalls etc.
So problems all along but having fun.
And still got time to do some uni work attend a lecture, proof read an essay, do a reference list and spend time with my boy (aged 3). If only could be as enthusiastic about my studt as I am about my new camera. :-)
My diary for the day
ThanksYou might try shutter priority (Tv), where you set the shutter speed and the camera sets the apeture. If it's still too washed out, use your lowest ISO setting. If that doesn't do it, you'll need a neutral density filter, which means a filter holder as well.