Source:www.jimippolito.com

I know, I know, the last thing people want to hear is, "Read the manual," and most people don't.

I know that Digital camera manuals, and for that matter manuals for most electronic devices are not quite as exciting as "Playboy" or "cosmopolitan." But reading your digital camera's manual can lead to exciting times by increasing your creativity through the use of all the options your camera offers.

The trouble is though, that they're usually the first thing that gets lost, quickly followed by the lens cap, and remote, if one was included.

If you lost your manual, don't fret, you can download and print a copy of most of them, for free, straight from the manufacturer's website.

To encourage you to become intimate with your camera manual I'm providing a list of links that will take you straight to the pages of the most popular brand's support area where you can read or download any available manual.

Hey, you can even study the manual or research cameras while at work, without your boss being any the wiser.

These links can also be helpful if you buy or are given a used, older model without a manual. If you are considering the purchase of a digital camera you can check its manual before plunking down your dough so you can see if the camera suits your needs.

There are people out there who sell low grade photocopies of manuals at outrageous prices but here are the links you need to get yours free:

Canon

Fuji

If you poke around a bit on the manufacturer's websites you can also find other useful items of interest such as Fuji drivers and FinePix viewer updaters.

Kodak

Sony

Panasonic

Konica-Minolta

Nikon

Casio

Pentax

Samsung

Olympus

Hewlett Packard

Sharp

Toshiba

Hey, how do you like that picture I took in Zion National Park two weeks ago today? That was a tough lighting situation, with extreme tonal range, but a bit of compensation allowed the shadows to show a bit, without overloading the highlights.

Note too that I included a foreground to add depth to the scene.

Check my previous posts for hints on exposure and depth of field.