06_126561 ch01.qxp 1/19/07 9:52 PM Page 13 Exploring the CHAPTER11 Sony Alpha ✦✦✦✦ DSLR-A100 In This Chapter Up front On top f you’ve gone through the Quick Tour and gained some On the back Ibasic familiarity with the layout and controls of the Sony Alpha A100, you’ve probably gone out and taken some initial Viewfinder display pictures with your camera. Even a few hours’ work with this advanced tool has probably whetted your appetite to learn LCD display more about the A100’s features and how to use them. Viewing and playing Even if you’re an old hand with digital single lens reflex back images (dSLR) cameras or have previously used Konica Minolta cam- eras with similar layouts, I think you’ll find the roadmap fea- Activating the onboard tures of this chapter especially useful for locating the key flash controls amidst the bewildering array of dials and buttons that cover just about every surface of the A100. Metering modes Of course, many new A100 owners are not old hands when it Semiautomatic and comes to dSLR photography. Learning to use the A100 as your manual exposure first dSLR poses a bit of a challenge. For Alpha owners in this modes category, I provide a bit more detail on controls and features Programmed exposure in this chapter and those that follow. It’s likely that you find modes the information in this book more accessible and easier to understand thanCOPYRIGHTED the descriptions in the manual MATERIAL furnished ISO sensitivity with your camera. However, this book isn’t intended to com- pletely replace the manual — you still need it to look up sel- Setting white balance dom-used settings and options — but it should help you use your camera effectively more quickly. ✦✦✦✦ 06_126561 ch01.qxp 1/19/07 9:52 PM Page 14 14 Part I ✦ Using the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Although you may have reviewed your three-quarters-view looks at each half of the A100’s buttons and wheels in the manual, front of the camera, which I’ve color-coded this chapter’s illustrations are designed to green (the left side of the camera when help you sort through the A100’s features looking at it head-on) and red (the right and controls quickly, especially when you’re side of the camera when seen from this out in the field taking photos. It concen- angle). trates on the buttons, dials, and other con- trols that you can access directly, without This chapter does not cover the A100’s menu and set-up visiting menus. options. To learn more about the menu and set-up options, see Chapter 2. Up Front You activate many of the controls on the A100 with your left hand. However, there The front panel of the Sony Alpha A100 is are a few controls within the reach of your shown in figure 1.1. You can’t see all the right hand’s digits, as shown in figure 1.2. buttons and controls from a straight-on These controls and features include the perspective, so I’ll show you separate, following: 1.1 The business end of the Sony Alpha A100. 06_126561 ch01.qxp 1/19/07 9:52 PM Page 15 Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 15 Control dial Self-timer lamp Hand grip Depth-of-field preview 1.2 The Sony Alpha A100’s left-front side, viewed from the subject’s position. ✦ Hand grip. The grip is the housing ✦ Control dial. This is the dial used for the A100’s battery, and also to dial in settings such as shutter serves as a comfortable handhold speed (by default) in manual or for your fingers. You can hold the program shift modes. You can grip for both horizontal and vertical redefine its behavior in the Custom photos. 1 menu so that it changes the aperture instead in both modes. ✦ Depth-of-field preview. This is the lower button (see figure 1.2) ✦ Self-timer lamp. This front- next to the lens mount. Press and mounted source of illumination hold the depth-of-field preview serves as the count-down indicator button. The lens stops down to the for the self-timer. taking aperture, the view through The other side of the A100 has a few more the finder might dim a little (or a controls, as shown in figure 1.3. These lot), and you can see just how include the following: much of the image is in focus. 06_126561 ch01.qxp 1/19/07 9:52 PM Page 16 16 Part I ✦ Using the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Lens mount aligning indicator Neckstrap lug Lens release Autofocus/manual focus button DC-IN terminal cover 1.3 The Sony Alpha A100’s right-front side, viewed from the subject’s position. ✦ Neck strap lug. You can loop the ✦ DC-IN terminal cover. On the side neck strap of the A100 through this of the camera, you can see a rub- piece to more conveniently trans- ber cover that protects the A100’s port your camera. external adapter port. Flip open this cover and connect the external ✦ Lens release. Press and hold this power source when you need extra button to unlock the lens so you juice for long exposures or taking can rotate the lens to remove it photos over an extended period of from the camera. time (say, in the studio). ✦ Focus mode selector. You can flip the autofocus mode lever on the camera body to set the focus mode to either Autofocus (AF) or Manual focus (MF). 06_126561 ch01.qxp 1/19/07 9:52 PM Page 17 Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 17 On Top A bird’s-eye view provides the best perspec- tive of some of the controls on the lens. You can see the basic controls found on many zoom lenses in figure 1.6. Not all these controls are found on all lenses, however, and some of them might DC-IN port be in different positions on different lenses (particularly those not produced by Sony). The key components are 1.4 DC power from the adapter connects here. ✦ Lens hood. This is a removable cir- cular device that bayonets onto the The internal electronic flash unit (figure 1.5) front of the lens and protects it in two ways: it shields the lens from must be elevated manually as required by extraneous light outside the picture the lighting conditions but fires only when area that can cause flare that dam- required. If you want to ensure that the flash ages your image (producing is used, set the Function dial to Flash, and reduced contrast or unwanted light choose the Fill Flash option, as I describe in artifacts), and it serves as protec- Chapter 5. The elevation of the flash helps tion for the glass if you should reduce the possibility of red-eye effects. happen to bump the camera lens against something. ✦ Focus ring. This is the ring you turn when you manually focus the lens when the camera is set to MF (Manual) focus. ✦ Zoom ring. This is the ring you turn to change the zoom setting. With many lenses, turning this ring to the right increases the focal length, but you might find that the opposite is true with some lenses, especially those from third parties (which can be very frustrating!). 1.5 The built-in flash is elevated high above the lens, which helps reduce the possibility of red-effects. 06_126561 ch01.qxp 1/19/07 9:52 PM Page 18 18 Part I ✦ Using the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Lens mount aligning indicator Electrical contacts Lens hood Focus ring Lens bayonet mount Focal length indicator Zoom ring 1.6 The top and rear views of the 18–70mm kit lens. ✦ Focal length indicator. These ✦ Electrical contacts. These connec- markings on the lens show the cur- tors convey focus and exposure rent focal length selected. information between the camera and lens. ✦ Lens bayonet mount. This is the mounting flange that mates with a The top surface of the A100 has its own set matching flange on the camera of controls, as shown in figure 1.7. They when attaching a lens. include: ✦ Lens mount aligning indicator. Line up the red dot on the lens with the matching red indicator on the camera body’s bayonet mount when attaching a lens. 06_126561 ch01.qxp 1/19/07 9:52 PM Page 19 Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 19 ✦ Function dial. This dial is your dial include Meter, Flash, and Focus access to a variety of functions not options, ISO/zone settings; White related to choosing a shooting Balance; D-R (Dynamic Range) mode. You access any of the func- optimizing (to improve tonal val- tions by turning the Function dial ues); and DEC (Digital Effects to the desired position and press- Control for color, saturation, and ing the Function button in the cen- contrast adjustments). ter of the dial. This activates a selection menu on the LCD screen Learn about each of the for choosing that function’s Function dial’s settings in Chapter 2. options. Functions available on this Shutter button Mode dial Control dial Function dial Accessory shoe cover Drive button Function button 1.7 Key components on the top panel of the A100. 06_126561 ch01.qxp 1/19/07 9:52 PM Page 20 20 Part I ✦ Using the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 ✦ Accessory shoe cover. After ✦ Drive button. Press this button to removing this cover, you can produce the Drive mode menu on mount a Sony external electronic the LCD, where you can choose flash on the slide-in shoe.