Introduction

A few years ago, the cost of a digital SLR kept it out of the hands of everyone but pros or well-heeled enthusiasts. With prices dropping into the affordable range for many photographers, dSLR sales are now exploding. Most of the people that I see using a dSLR aren't doing much more than treating it as a large point-and-shoot cameravery seldom, if ever, taking the camera off Program mode. The prospect of shooting in advanced modes isn't made much easier by reading the manuals that come with most cameras.

When this book was first being planned, I looked at the other options available, and there were some good ones. What would set this one apart from the others? To start with, most of the books already available focus on either a specific camera or principals of photography. I wanted something different. Thanks to the efforts of Peachpit, what you're holding in your hands is that different book. It's really designed for those who are just getting started with a dSLR. If you haven't bought one yet, you'll find information that will help you select the right one. The bulk of the book, though, is about taking advantage of the features that a digital SLR provides over a compact digital camera (sometimes called a digicam).

Along with that information you'll find chapters devoted to helping you get the most from your images after the shoot, including how to work with raw images to get the maximum quality your new camera is capable of and performing basic Photoshop tasks.

Everything here applies to you regardless of the brand of camera you selectCanon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, or Sonyit's the common features that are covered here. When you're ready to go into detail for your specific camera, there are companion guides, called ShortCuts, that you can download directly from the Peachpit Bookstore at www.peachpit.com. And you can register this book at the site (www.peachpit.com/title/0321492196) and receive a bonus ShortCut from my book Print Like a Pro: A Digital Photographer's Guide.

Digital photography has brought new life to the photography world with the immediate feedback and control over how your photos are presented and shared. It's my hope that this book will give you a fast start to getting the most from your new camera and capturing images that you're proud to share.

I'd love to hear from you, whether it's questions or comments, or just to say hi. You can reach me through my Web site at www.joncanfield.com.