Crossing borders and exploring new lands is not such an easy thing these days - even the mention of it can cause pain and dissension.
And I'm pretty well staying put myself for now - but I am crossing boundaries every month and exploring new territory. I suspect that many readers can do so themselves, and in some cases from the comfy chair.
The heading image is one side of a Fujifilm X-T2. I use the picture because there was a very good example of this camera at the Stirling Street shop for a very good price - also because I own one of these bodies and can speak about it comfortably. If your camera system is a different brand, just follow along - it is very likely there are similar features on yours that you can also investigate. A lot of it may be whole new territory.
I should be ashamed to say that it was so for me. When I got the camera I knew what I wanted to do with it and where to find the main controls. When I twisted, poked, and slid, things changed or opened or clattered into life and the resultant files were glorious. I had little impetus to investigate what the rest of the settings would do. And I can honestly say that the the booklet that Fujifilm produced for the camera did little to encourage me to experiment. I'm sure the manual is accurate to a word, but I have had bowls of dry oats and bug dust that were easier to swallow.
Once I'd gotten the X-T2 tuned into my Lightroom program and discovered how I could set it for my average dance show or studio portrait shoot I could just keep pushing the button and taking the tickets...until the lockdowns started me watching YouTube. The number of photo sites and camera talkers out there is mind boggling...and I have a mind that only boggles on alternate days. I discovered the business of focus stacking as an automatic feature in both my camera and my computer program. I discovered the performances of the various film simulations under stressed conditions. I discovered how to take basic video and then how to correct it for better results. I finally understood the continuous focus settings.
For those of you out there on a computer...I thoroughly recommend a YouTube presenter called pal2tech. Google him. He is a startling performer to begin with, but engaging, and if you stick with his presentations you learn a great deal more about Fujifilm than ever you'll pick up elsewhere. Even his simple questions investigated can be of real benefit.
He is the one who shifted my compensation dial from the regular side to the " C " marking , and got my forefinger busy on the front adjustment wheel - hitherto a no-go area. I now miss this facility on my other, older Fujifilms. Not miss it to the extent of wanting to get rid of them, mind. But a border crossed.
Here's the other side of the camera continent. Six months ago the shutter operation collar under the ISO dial had never shifted from the " S " position - not even during still shooting at dance shows. The camera could crank a good fast sequence of images through, as can many other modern mirror-less units, but never seemed to capture the peak of movement that I could get with the " S " shot.
Now this last half year has moved this dial through to the " BKT "position for focus stacking on my miniature sets, and the video position for the dance shows. I couldn't be more pleased, even though every venture in either of these areas leads to discovery of some minor flaw or misunderstanding. I repair to pal2tech or the rest of the net and run the problems to earth.
And I'll bet there are areas of even your own best-used equipment that hold capabilities and processes that you would benefit from exploring. Not to mention pressing that overlooked icon on Photoshop or other editing program and watching what the heck happens. There's half a week of intense panic trying to get it all back to normal...
So join me on the exploration trail. All you need is a charged battery and a sense of adventure. If the thing glows red-hot or instantly bricks on you we are always here at Camera Electronic to either extend help, sympathy, or the chance to buy the next model.
