[JamesD]

I'm curious as to whether anyone here has any experience with some of the teaching videos put out by Jumpstart. There is one available through Amazon titled: Pentax k10d Jumpstart Guides (a tutorial DVD) CD-ROM retailing for $30.

Any comments?

[stewart_photo]

I purchased both the JumpStart and QuickPro guides for my wife just returning to photography after a very long absense. Neither DVD was worth the money spent. Both skimmed lightly over the K10D, with the remaining canned content covering the very basics of photography. Absolutely nothing was covered with enough detail to be really useful.

To elaborate, both DVD's started with a quick intro to the K10D, listing only the major features. Afterwards, both described how to insert a battery, mount a lens, turn the camera on, and take a picture using the green mode. Next was a sentence or two about the other modes, shake reduction, white balance, focusing modes, on-board flash, and so on. None of it talked about how to actually use any of this. That was about the extent of the coverage of the K10D.

The rest of the DVD cover the basics of photography, skimming over aperture, shutter speed, ISO, image noise, composition, and so on. There was also some very basic hints for shooting pictures of babies, kids, and uncle Bob. Again, nothing in any detail beyond a few sentences. And very little in this section was linked back to the K10D. Instead, this was canned material included in all their DVD's for every camera.

Would you benefit from this DVD? Well, if you are an absolute beginner, perhaps something might be useful. However, I suspect you're learn far more by just casually reading a book, such as the Pentax K10D Book or the Magic Lantern Pentax K10D Guide.

stewart

[JamesD]

Thanks so much, Stewart. I really appreciate this. I have the Magic Lantern Guide book which I'm currently reading. I'll not bother with the DVDs.

[HeidiB]

I thought the Jumpstart DVD had a lot of useful information. I took notes and then typed up a little cheat sheet for myself with the info. It seemed more consise on what the front and rear eDials could be used for, and how to jump around to retrieve things in all the menus and where to find what you need fast. And all that and it didn't take long to watch. I got mine used on eBay and it was well worth it. If you are truly new to the K10D, and you're out, it's great info in a pinch. (When I first got mine, it was set on ISO 1600 and I couldn't find the menu to change it - my notes helped!)

Personally, my way of learning needs to be a bit more to the point than the actual manuals with all the technical and dry jargon. I just get a bit overwhelmed. Good luck!