So after many frustrations with limited settings and poor low light shooting with point and shoot cameras, I bought a Canon Rebel XTi. This is my first SLR camera, but I've heard a lot of great things about them and read several great reviews. My camera came with a couple lenses as well, a Sigma 28-70mm, Sigma 70-300mm, a wide angle adapter, and a set of filters.

I'm primarily using the 28-70mm for general shooting, but maybe 1 out of every 5 pictures I'm satisfied with. I focus the camera properly with the red dots in the view finder, but I tend to get some blurry shots or out of focus shots more times than not. Although, the pictures on the camera LCD look fine, it's when I view them on the computer that they're blurry.

Any advice/tips? I'm really excited to have the camera, I just wished that more came out acceptable.

The main thing is to get some good glass.

If you want to come down to San Diego to pick up your HIDs, I can give you a few pointers on SLR Digital Photography...

[quote author=dabears2k link=topic=104309.msg2114849#msg2114849 date=1204437755]
The main thing is to get some good glass.

If you want to come down to San Diego to pick up your HIDs, I can give you a few pointers on SLR Digital Photography...

[/quote]

Where at in SD? Maybe we can make sure they match too.

[quote author=UnderEstimated link=topic=104309.msg2114858#msg2114858 date=1204438277]
[quote author=dabears2k link=topic=104309.msg2114849#msg2114849 date=1204437755]
The main thing is to get some good glass.

If you want to come down to San Diego to pick up your HIDs, I can give you a few pointers on SLR Digital Photography...

[/quote]

Where at in SD? Maybe we can make sure they match too.
[/quote]

Kearny Mesa area.

1 out of 5? yeah, that's gonna happen. Take multiple takes of the same shot to combat the ratio, you'll get to learn what makes the bad ones bad and the good ones good. Drop an 8 Gig card in there and go nuts

[quote author=Alec Trevelyan link=topic=104309.msg2114965#msg2114965 date=1204443867]
1 out of 5? yeah, that's gonna happen. Take multiple takes of the same shot to combat the ratio, you'll get to learn what makes the bad ones bad and the good ones good. Drop an 8 Gig card in there and go nuts
[/quote]

I have a 4GB card right now. I've been taking several shots of the same subject, but I'm not sure what is causing the bad ones. Does anyone know if there is a mode to shutoff some of the focusing dots? It tends to use at least 4 of the 7, if not all 7. My best shots normally have just 1 or 2 of them on the target.

I'm in the same boat as you. Got one for Christmas, and have trouble getting good pictures to come out. Are the books that they have specifically for the camera (i.e., XTi for Dummies), worth it? I have a few buddies in town that are camera gurus, but with busy schedules and whatnot, it makes it hard to get with them and work on my skillz.

Like this, when it comes out - http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Digital-...900&sr=8-1

(I'm sure there are others, so any suggestions would be appreciated. And sorry for jacking your thread, but I figured this would help you as well, haha)

[quote author=UnderEstimated link=topic=104309.msg2114970#msg2114970 date=1204444037]
Does anyone know if there is a mode to shutoff some of the focusing dots? It tends to use at least 4 of the 7, if not all 7. My best shots normally have just 1 or 2 of them on the target.
[/quote]

with your right thumb, there is a + inside a magnafine glass, that will allow you to choose which dot to AF to.

The best thing someone new to SLR's can do is work on your handholding technique.

Also, make sure your shutterspeed is fast enough. If you're handholding isn't great, you should have a shutterspeed of at least 1/2*focal length of your lens(1/focal length if you technique is good). With your 28-70 you should try to maintain at least shutterspeed of 1/250 if you're shooting at the 70 mm end of your 28-70 [1/(2*70mm*1.6 crop factor)]. You'll have to be shooting in the 'creative zone' settings to be able to control your shutterspeed (by changing the aperture or ISO). If you don't understand the triangle of shutterspeed/aperture/ISO, I'd recommend purchasing "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson.

You might end up with a few more keepers with the spray and pray method, but you won't understand why you get them other than sheer volume. You'll be a better photographer if you actually know what to do to get more keepers.

^^^ if the person is new to SLRs, im sure they didnt understand anything you said in the second paragraph