Sample Book Pages 

from "The Complete Guide to Sony's Alpha 300 and 350 DSLRs and the Alpha Mount System"

 

 

Click here to see the full Table of Contents

 


Like what you see so far?

Download your copy now - only $19.98!

or

Purchase a Printed copy in Color or Black-and-White


Table of Contents


Chapter 0 - Introduction
The Goals of this Ebook

Chapter 1 – The A300 and A350 in a Nutshell
Introduction
Major Features
Improved Image Sensor and Extended Sensitivity
Live View
Super SteadyShot™
Anti-Dust
Wireless flash
Responsiveness
Pop-Up Flash
Dynamic Range Optimization
Smaller and Lighter
Scene Selection Modes
Some Essential History about Sony, Minolta, Konica Minolta, and Carl Zeiss
Lenses
Crop Factor
Sony and Minolta Lens Nomenclature
Frequently Asked Questions about Lenses
Vertical Grip
Summary of Chapter 1

Chapter 2 – The Basic Guide for the Impatient User
Controls
Shorthand Notation
Power Save modes
AUTO setting
Program (“P”) Mode
The “Images Remaining Counter”
Auto Review
Focusing Basics
How does the camera know what to focus on?
The Focusing Sensors
Autofocus (AF) / Manual Focus (MF) Switch
Single-Shot AF / Continuous AF Focusing Modes
Autofocus Priority / Release Priority
Batteries
Flash
Self-timer
The “Reset” Feature
Summary of Chapter 2
Chapter 3 – After You Have Taken Your Pictures
Introduction
Viewing your Pictures while they’re still in the camera
Variations on a Theme - The Display Button
Deleting an image (or multiple images)
Protecting an image
Other Ways to View Pictures
Having Your Pictures Printed at a 1-Hour Photo Lab
Generating an index print
Canceling DPOF files
Downloading Pictures to your Computer
Epilogue
Summary of Chapter 3

Chapter 4 – The Basics of Photography
Here we go…
Shutter Speeds
Shutter Priority Mode
Sports Program Mode
f/stops
Aperture Priority Mode
What you see is NOT always what you get
Manual Exposure Mode
SO, In Summary…
Tradeoffs
ISO– How sensitive is the camera to light?
Exposure Compensation
Program Shift
Time Exposures
The Scene Selection Modes
Sports Program Mode
Sunset Mode
Portrait Mode
Macro Mode
Landscape Mode
Night  Portrait / Night View Mode
Summary of Scene Selection Modes
Summary of Chapter 4
Chapter 5 – Really Cool Advanced Functions
Focusing Modes
Single and Continuous AF with Subject Tracking
Why Bother with Manual Focusing?
How Your Exposure Meter Thinks
Center-weighted  and Multi-Segment Metering
Spot Metering
How Do You Switch Between The Three Metering Modes?
Spot Metering and Exposure Lock
The AEL button
Spot Metering to the rescue!
A Brief Recap
Super SteadyShot™
White Balance
Auto White Balance and Pre-Set White Balance
Tweaking the Pre-Set White Balance
The Color Temperature setting
Custom White Balance
Flash, Fill Flash, and Wireless Flash
1) and 2) Auto Flash and Fill Flash
Flash Exposure Compensation
3) Rear Sync Flash
4) Wireless Flash
5) and 6) ADI and Pre-Flash TTL
7) Slow Sync
8) Red-Eye Reduction Mode
Drive modes
Single-Shot Advance
Continuous Advance
Self-Timer
Bracketing
White Balance Bracketing
Advanced Topics: The Histogram Display
Brightness range, sensors, and the human eye
Using the Histogram for a Finer Degree of Control
Dynamic Range Optimization
Creative Styles
Contrast Setting
Saturation Setting
Sharpness Setting
Combining Settings
B&W Mode
AdobeRGB
My Personal Camera Settings
Menu Settings
Other Settings
Summary of Chapter 5

Chapter 6 – The “Secrets” of Light and Composition
Writing with Light
Composition – The Rule of Thirds
Out of place shot
Classical Portrait
Environmental Portrait
“Hey, Look at Me!”
Summary of Chapter 6

Chapter 7 – Wireless Flash and Advanced Flash Topics
Introduction
How to Use Wireless Flash
How does it work?
Will the Pre-Flash Bursts Affect the Exposure?
How to do “Ratio Flash” for professional lighting results
Bounce Flash
Light Modifiers
Flash and Continuous Shooting
Manual Flash Mode (HVL-56AM Only)
High Speed Synch (HSS) flash
How to Activate HSS
Parting Shot
To Probe Further
Summary of Chapter 7

Chapter 8 – Digital Imaging Concepts Explained
File Format Executive Summary for the Impatient Reader
The Chapter Begins…
“What’s a pixel?  What’s a megapixel?”
 “How many Megapixels are enough?”
File Types
JPG Compression Artifacts
Image Size
Image Size and Resolution
Memory Cards
Memory Card Corruption Issues
Dust on the Sensor
“Hot Pixels” on the Image Sensor
“Hot Pixels” on the Live View Sensor
Summary of Chapter 8

Chapter 9 – An Introduction to Sony’s Bundled Software
Read This First
Introduction
After you Install
Automatically Transfer Your Images
Browse your Images
Basic Editing
Rotating and Cropping
Adjusting the Tone Curves and the Color Balance
Sharpness
Printing
Other Editing Software
RAW conversion
Version Stack
Extreme examples
What’s Available
Summary of Chapter 9

Chapter 10 – Live View
Introduction
A Little History
The Solution – the Single Lens Reflex
Frequently Asked Questions
Advantages of Live View
Advantages of the Optical Viewfinder
So Show Me How To Use Live View, Already!
Live Histogram
The Smart Teleconverter Function
How Live View Can Help You Get More Creative
Summary of Chapter 10

Chapter 11 – Additional Resources
Lens Rental
Internet Forums and Discussion Boards
The Best Alpha-Mount Magazine
25 Ways to “Wow!” e-Booklet
The Advanced Topics E-Booklet
The Friedman Archives Seminars and Expeditions
Books on Other Cameras
The Road to China
The Maui Xaphoon
Epilogue

Appendix A - a “Cookbook” for Special Shooting Situations
Introduction
Fireworks
Artistic Waterfalls
Stage Performances / Rock Concerts
Nighttime time exposures
Shooting in Snow
Outdoor Group Portraits
Street Photography
Sunsets and Silhouettes
The Moon
Nighttime Sports
Christmas Lights
Product Shots
Interiors that sell
Lightning
Candlelight Shots
Index

Hey, did you ever expect to get so much information for less than 25 bucks?? 

Download your copy now - only $19.98!

or

Purchase a Printed copy in Color or Black-and-White

Back to the Friedman Archives Home page

 

Hit Counter

There are many, many more images in this site than can be browsed. 

To quickly find an image, enter your keywords here: