Thanks to all the fantastic photos posted here, I pulled the trigger on the Canon SX40 (and a new 16 GB Class 10 card). It arrives tomorrow. So what tips can you veteran users offer?

Pay hal a visit. Heck, pay him to take you out on the river

Don't worry.
Be happy.
Have fun.
RTFM.
RTFM, again.
Play with as many settings as you can to familiarize yourself w/ the camera's capabilities.
Shoot in a variety of situations for same reason.
IOW, don't keep repeating the same thing until you know exactly what you're doing.
Take advantage of the various bracketing types offered, exposure by speed, aperture, focus point, etc. to speed up learning curve.
Get a monopod if you don't already have one.
RTFM, again.
Practice w/ all of the manual settings in comparison to the appropriate auto setting(s) for the same shots.
Mess with the white balance and color settings by taking a series of test shots of the same subject.
Once you're familiar w/ what the camera can do, as far a generating an image, then you can go work on composition and subject selection.
Or, you can skip the above and just set it on auto and have at it.

Congrats on a superb choice.

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STF for my post about getting a printed copy of the manual, unless you are ok with a PDF that they provide.
Make sure to turn IS off if you use a tripod with the NightScene mode.

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JoeM

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JoeM
STF for my post about getting a printed copy of the manual, unless you are ok with a PDF that they provide.
Make sure to turn IS off if you use a tripod with the NightScene mode.

I did search the forum but I didn't see how you got the printed manual...

[forums.macresource.com]

There's no need for a printed manual.
The pdf is fine... keep a copy on your iPhone, iPad, laptop, android device, etc., whatever you've got to schlep along with the camera, and/or print out a page or two at a time, if needed while going out practice shooting.

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Quote
space-time

Quote
JoeM
STF for my post about getting a printed copy of the manual, unless you are ok with a PDF that they provide.
Make sure to turn IS off if you use a tripod with the NightScene mode.

I did search the forum but I didn't see how you got the printed manual...

[forums.macresource.com]

Sorry, it turns out I posted it over in the SX40 Yahoo group. In any event here is the info from the Yahoo group:
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As I have been getting into more of the advanced features of the camera, I finally got tired of trying to fiddle with the PDF version of the manual to find answers to questions I had. I set up an account with Canon and registered my SX40 first. You can create an account here: [www.usa.canon.com]

Look on the top left for "Canon Account" for the link to create an account and then the bottom left for "Product Registration" to register your camera.

After doing that, visit the contact page: [www.usa.canon.com]
to either contact by phone or email.

I called and spoke to a Canon CS. They will give you the excuse of them being a green company now as the reason why you don't get a printed manual with the SX40 but that is a crock as I just purchased a T3i for work and there were printed manuals included in English as well as Spanish.

Ask for a printed manual and they will send one. They told me it would take 4 to 6 weeks to get it but it came in a little over a week. I was disappointed to receive a copy of the manual printed out from the PDF on letter-sized paper and stapled rather than the usual pocket manual they used to provide but at least I have a print out.

I have been shooting at night on a tripod without turning IS off, which I now see in the manual, among a number of other points I have missed.

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JoeM




Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2012 03:18PM by JoeM.

Just shoot away and keep practicing. Its such a super camera, you wont be disappointed.

SAnd post your pictures here for all of us to see.

Kate

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[cholulared.blogspot.com]
[www.cholulared.com]
[tech.groups.yahoo.com]

Anybody hacked one of these cameras to be able to take camera raw pics?