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Me for one. I very rarely go anywhere without my camera, and always take it when we go camping/caravanning.

I've been into photography since my dad got me my first camera at the age of 11 - he was a very good amateur photographer and taught me everything he knew. I only got into digital photography in 2003, starting with a Fuji S300 - 3mp 6x zoom. I then upgraded to the S500 - 6mp 10x zoom, and just recently my OH bought me an early Christmas present of an S8100fd - 10mp 18x zoom. This has more features than I will probably ever use, and really came into its own a few weeks ago when I went photographing grey seals on the Lincolnshire coast. I got some great photos, but I'm hoping to get some even better ones next year.

What sort of photos do you take Gary - any subject in particular or just general stuff?

You sound a bit like me Gary. I like landscapes and water, wildlife, and sunsets too. We were at the coast yesterday as the sun went down and I got three really good shots with a nice cloud formation round the sinking sun.

Back in September, on a spur-of-the moment weekend away by a canal, I got a lovely sunset shot over the water. Captured every ripple made by the ducks, and all the different colours in the sky. I was so pleased with it I blew it up to A4 and mounted and framed it - looks like a really professional job.

One thing I don't do is take snaps of various people - I think there's nothing worse than ''this is x in the garden", "this is x at y's birthday bash" etc. I do take photos with people in them, but only if they add interest to the shot.

I'll be doing a lot more experimenting now I've got my new camera. The seal shots came out well considering I wasn't terribly familiar with the camera - I'd only got it a couple of days before we went away - so I'm looking forward to really playing about with it and seeing what i can get out of it. Best thing about digital - you can delete all the crap ones!

Nice one Gary, you will soon be telling us about 'raw files' and the pleasures of photo shop !!!!!!!!!.

You will need some image software I dont know what comes with the sony ? however there is a free download from Google called http://Picasa that is actually very good and will edit both jpeg's and raw files, you have stacks of choice with lenses, twenty odd from sony I believe and loads from the old konika minolta line up .Amatuer photographer is a very good website for all levels but they can get a bit shirty if you ask them a question that is answered clearly on page two of the instruction manual, so with your manual in your bag go forth and fill up your compact flash card with some lovely frosty scenes its the best way to learn about the camera.

Regards  Stew

Sorry my link to picassa is'nt working please try this one  http://picasa.google.com/#utm_medium=embed&utm_source=pwalogin .

Regards S

Oh no, another photography thread for me to become addicted to, soon we will have photography meets...buy and sell...

I have a Canon eos 400d which I have had for two years, it has been a steep learning curve from a point and shoot, then a bridge camera but now I use it almost always in manual and really enjoy it... not that I am really any good but I get a lot of pleasure from it and that is the aim of the game!   I don't know much about the sony cameras but they have a good reputation, if slightly limited lenses (or so I have been told) ... I use mainly Sigma lenses with my cameras (EX type) and find they are just brilliant.  I am now ready to upgrade my camera to one more suited to using in Manual (the EOS 400d is a bit fiddly) if only I had the cash!

My advice would be to largely forget using the camera on auto, once you have got used to the handling of it, and start off using Aperture priority (AV on Canon but not sure on others) to get you used to what effect the aperture has on Depth of Field etc... then move on to Shutter Priority to learn about what shutter speed you need with various apertures - with both these modes you choose either aperture or shutter and the camera works out the rest for you...

Whichever way you tackle it, enjoy!

Perhaps we can have a joint Flickr account which we can upload photographs to? Here is mine, in case you are interested... http://www.flickr.com/photos/digidaydream/

Jackie