First, yes, read the manual. Some of these cameras have manuals as thick as the space shuttle flight manual! When I bought my Canon Rebel XT, I'd already been using a Canon PowerShot G5 and there was enough similarity between the two that I was able to navigate around the XT with little problem. But, I still refer to the manual when I can't figure something out. Otherwise, since pixels are cheap, just shoot away, trying different settings and record what settings produce the results you like.
ISO. I do not shoot any higher than 100 when doing studio work. I despise image noise. The XT can't go any lower than 100. My G5 went as low as 50 and it stayed there. It takes extra steps for me to adjust for noise during post-production so if I can avoid it from the outset, I do. :)
Try to use as much ambient light as you can when shooting. Open up blinds, curtains, etc. to let in sunlight. If you have to shoot with artificial light, you can either let the camera adjust the white balance or set it yourself as "tungsten". Or, for as few bucks, you can get a white balance lens cap and make a custom setting based on your current lighting situation. You can set the camera for longer shutter speeds (to allow for more light in low light situations) but I'd invest in a cheap little tripod for shooting more static things. If your lens has a vibration compensator, you can hand hold it to a certain degree and not get blur...unless you want blur.
You can make DIY lighting using lights from Home Depot. But, you will need to adjust for the yellowish light they will give off by making sure your white balance is correct.
The Strobist site, as mentioned, is a really good resource. If you plan on using a non-Sony flash unit (I never shoot with the onboard camera flash), you MUST get a Wein Safe-Sync unit. This regulates the trigger voltage of the flash unit down to 6 volts. This lets you purchase a inexpensive, third-party flash unit and not have it cook the guts of the camera through trigger voltages that may exceed what the camera can handle. For example, Canon cameras can't tolerate voltages over 6 volts. I use a Sunpak flash that cranks over 200 volts but using the Wein, I'm golden. I use a $1.50 flash unit found in a thrift store on my XT. Works fine if you can stand slow recharge rates.
With memory cards, do NOT shoot until all the photo space is used up. Always leave a few left "at the end". If you fill up the card totally, you risk corruption. I did that one and lost nearly half a shoot worth of photos. Bad!
If the lenses you have allow for the fitting of filters, get a quality UV filter, such as by Hoya. The filter will do little in effecting the images but it does prevent dust and scratches from reaching your actual lens. A $25 to $40 filter is FAR cheaper than having to replace a lens due to scratches on the glass.
I'd also invest in a lens hood. You can get them very cheaply on eBay. Asides from keeping the sun from directly hitting the lens, it acts as a shield, again, protecting the lens. If you have to pass on a UV filter (don't low ball a UV filter...cheap glass can mean distortion in the image) due to price, at least get a hood.
no subject
First, yes, read the manual. Some of these cameras have manuals as thick as the space shuttle flight manual! When I bought my Canon Rebel XT, I'd already been using a Canon PowerShot G5 and there was enough similarity between the two that I was able to navigate around the XT with little problem. But, I still refer to the manual when I can't figure something out. Otherwise, since pixels are cheap, just shoot away, trying different settings and record what settings produce the results you like.
ISO. I do not shoot any higher than 100 when doing studio work. I despise image noise. The XT can't go any lower than 100. My G5 went as low as 50 and it stayed there. It takes extra steps for me to adjust for noise during post-production so if I can avoid it from the outset, I do. :)
Try to use as much ambient light as you can when shooting. Open up blinds, curtains, etc. to let in sunlight. If you have to shoot with artificial light, you can either let the camera adjust the white balance or set it yourself as "tungsten". Or, for as few bucks, you can get a white balance lens cap and make a custom setting based on your current lighting situation. You can set the camera for longer shutter speeds (to allow for more light in low light situations) but I'd invest in a cheap little tripod for shooting more static things. If your lens has a vibration compensator, you can hand hold it to a certain degree and not get blur...unless you want blur.
You can make DIY lighting using lights from Home Depot. But, you will need to adjust for the yellowish light they will give off by making sure your white balance is correct.
The Strobist site, as mentioned, is a really good resource. If you plan on using a non-Sony flash unit (I never shoot with the onboard camera flash), you MUST get a Wein Safe-Sync unit. This regulates the trigger voltage of the flash unit down to 6 volts. This lets you purchase a inexpensive, third-party flash unit and not have it cook the guts of the camera through trigger voltages that may exceed what the camera can handle. For example, Canon cameras can't tolerate voltages over 6 volts. I use a Sunpak flash that cranks over 200 volts but using the Wein, I'm golden. I use a $1.50 flash unit found in a thrift store on my XT. Works fine if you can stand slow recharge rates.
With memory cards, do NOT shoot until all the photo space is used up. Always leave a few left "at the end". If you fill up the card totally, you risk corruption. I did that one and lost nearly half a shoot worth of photos. Bad!
If the lenses you have allow for the fitting of filters, get a quality UV filter, such as by Hoya. The filter will do little in effecting the images but it does prevent dust and scratches from reaching your actual lens. A $25 to $40 filter is FAR cheaper than having to replace a lens due to scratches on the glass.
I'd also invest in a lens hood. You can get them very cheaply on eBay. Asides from keeping the sun from directly hitting the lens, it acts as a shield, again, protecting the lens. If you have to pass on a UV filter (don't low ball a UV filter...cheap glass can mean distortion in the image) due to price, at least get a hood.
Hmmm...that help some? :D