I am new to dSLR cameras and was looking for a book that would get me beyond the point and shoot world I had been living in for so many years. Basically, this book just tells you what buttons to look for on the camera and sort of what they do; but this is something my Pentax User's Manual already does in better detail. This book does try to present some principles of basic photography, but ends up doing so in broad vagaries, so do not buy it if you are looking for a clear discussion of aperture vs. ISO vs. shutter speed, etc. Buy it only if you want some direction on what buttons you should be looking for on your dSLR and nothing more. I checked out The New Manual of Photography by John Hedgecoe from the local library and found it to be infinitely more helpful and informative. I might buy that one instead, but I've already sunk $20 once, so this time I am going to be careful.

I'm not a pro photographer but I knew about half this book from common sense as an animation and film student. This book is only for people who have never touched a camera.

It is exactly what it advertises. It helps you understand the SLR world and what you would want out of a camera. I loved it.

I would describe myself as a committed amature or a prosumer photographer. In the next few months, I will be upgrading to a digital SLR in the 6-10 MP range. But which one? I consider myself knowlegeable about photography, but the array of features of dSLR cameras was overwhelming. Which are going to be important to me, given my typical needs?

This reference was just what I needed! Using a generic composite illustration created (through the magic of Photoshop) from three or four different popular dSLR cameras, this book walked me through common features located on the camera body, as well as typical menu options. It explained what each feature does, in what situations you'd typically use/need that feature, and the advantages and disadvantages of "tweaking" that particular adjustment. Then, it moved on to different popular flash options, including different kinds of flashes, common settings, and how each works with the camera.

Finally, this book discussed various types of lenses, advantages and disadvantages of each, which are typically most (and least) expensive, and situations in which it does and doesn't make sense to purchase that lens. It also discusses ways in which a dSLR can work with lenses and flashes you might already own - even manual ones from film days.

This is not a book on how to compose a photograph, but rather, on the mechanics of actually setting the camera to capture your shot. It doesn't dumb things down, but it doesn't get into anything too mechanically or scientifically technical. (I don't want to BUILD a camera - just USE it!) It explains options in language that should be easily understandable to anyone who is a sophisticated enough photographer to want a dSLR in the first place.

I still don't know what model dSLR I want to buy, but, with this reference, I am now equipped to comparison shop. BUY THIS BOOK!

I am new to DSLR's. This was a good book to get me comfortable and on my way. I would recommend to new users.