[Danica90]

Hello everyone!
My name is Danica. I just received the K50 for Christmas. A total surprise and an amazing one at that. I've always enjoyed looking at beautiful cameras and photos.. Just never thought I'd ever own such a beautiful camera myself! Right now my camera is set on auto mode seeing as I have no idea how to adjust the settings. Lol. I have tried looking on YouTube for tutorials but have only found basic reviews, which don't help very much. So any basic tricks and tips would be appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

[i_trax]

please read the manual
please read the manual
please read the manual
if you are new you must go through it, sorry no other way,
well unless you can find someone with Pentax who will be happy to spend hours, days, weeks with you......

[Na Horuk]

Hello, Danica!

DSLR cameras give superior quality; but a lot of this quality comes from giving very specific options to the photographer, which they must use to get the shot that they want. They are complicated. But you will learn, no worries!
The manual is a great place to start. You can find a pdf version of it online and have it on your smartphone. Next up are blogs. The good thing about DSLR cameras is that many tips and tricks apply to any DSLR model, or even DSLRs from different brands. So a book on photography, teaching about shutter speed, aperture will help you.
Finally, there is this forum. There are some posts the forum staff put up, as well as questions that were asked by people in a similar situation as yourself. You can search for those topics, as many have been answered multiple times throughout the years.
You can start here: https://www.pentaxforums.com/articles/resources

I recommend you begin with learning about what exposure is and the role of lens' aperture and camera shutter speed play. And of course about the buttons on the camera. From Auto mode you should slowly move to P mode (gives you a few more options) and then maybe Av and Tv.

[clackers]

Taking a community class or equivalent could be both helpful and fun, Danica.

It's how I started a couple of years ago. :-)

[PJ1]

Welcome to the Forums, Danica. The K-50 is a very capable camera. And, yes, "read the manual" is recommended. But because there is so much in the manual, you will probably feel thoroughly confused before you start to feel capable. Get to know how to adjust the basics - ISO, aperture, shutterspeed - but don't feel bad about shooting in Auto mode. When you know what you can do in Auto you will have a better idea of exactly what it is you want to do with your photography. Then the manual is invaluable.
I don't know how much technical knowledge you have, but if you are a real beginner you might like to start with this article:
Exposure Basics: A Complete Guide for Beginners - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com
When you have the basics of exposure, you may want to start playing with other settings such as Av mode. That will allow you to select the aperture (for greater or less depth of field) and let the camera choose the shutter speed (depending on the ISO you have selected). It is a useful mode because most lenses do not give their best results at wide open apertures. Of course, what parameters you want to play with will depend on your subject, the effect you want to create, and the lenses you have to work with.
There is a lot of information on this site, and a lot of people with great expertise (not me - I'm hopeless!) You will be able to get a lot of advice and help once you are up to the point where you need to ask specific questions.

[chromo]

Hi Danica, You will have to read your camera's manual but you can take it a bit at a time.
Here are a couple of links to get you started :
Basics: Aperture and Shutter Speeds for Beginning Photographers

The original DSLR camera simulator | CameraSim

The DSLR Explained | CameraSim

[pathdoc]

The great thing about digital is knowing you're not wasting film experimenting and having fun. And remember, making horrid mistakes and taking awful photos is part of the learning process.

[dadipentak]

The manual will explain the camera's functions and how to use them: it gives scant guidance on why you might want to use them. By all means, get familiar with it and refer to it often but look elsewhere for an understanding of how to employ the camera's features to get the sort of photographs you want to produce. PF is a rich resource in that regard.

[Colbyt]

Welcome.

I feel the same way most days. The links above are a good start. The first step after auto is probably program mode. That eliminates the camera guessing at what you are shooting and fine tunes the settings just a bit, automating some of the yet unlearned steps.

As [pointed out above at least your mistakes while learning won't cost you a developing fee. In my early days the mistakes were about 50 cents each and I never knew what I had until I got it back.

[Rupert]

My name is Danica. I just received the K50 for Christmas.

Just never thought I'd ever own such a beautiful camera myself! Right now my camera is set on auto mode seeing as I have no idea how to adjust the settings.

Cold hard facts.....I know....we hate them, but someone has to say it. Maybe the best way I can do it is to tell you my similar position about 10 years ago.

I got the Pentax DS and had never owned a DSLR or any SLR camera and had no idea how to use it. Where I bought it, they had a short course and I took it. Mostly......I learned how to get better confused. Being determined, I kept at it and eventually ended up on a Forum where I listened to others, asked questions and got good answers. I shot a lot in the Auto mode, ventured into other modes to experiment and in time I did learn to take some decent photos. It took time and some real patience, but it was fun learning and so worth it! The joy that awaits you if you stick with it is far beyond what you can imagine at this point. It is a journey......you can enjoy it or give up and turn back. Those that enjoy it are here, many are superb shooters, and almost all of them on this Pentax Forums stand ready to help you succeed. You only have to ask and they are there for you.

This is a friendly place, you won't be laughed at or criticized for your lack of knowledge, just helped to go forward and enjoy. Amazing things await you if you are willing to make the trip.

The other side......I have a friend that bought a DSLR two years ago......I told here the same things I just told you. She got frustrated, didn't come here, didn't seek advice, didn't read her manual and then ask what it meant. Her camera is somewhere in a dark closet and has never taken the fantastic shots that awaited her if she had just stuck with it a step at a time.

Welcome to Pentax Forums, the best Forum on the internet for learning and for enjoying your new camera.

Best Regards!
Rupert

[TER-OR]

Yeah, just get out there using it. The different modes are there for a reason, explore and learn. You learn by doing.

There are no stupid questions, ask away. We'll point you the right direction. You'll find there are a lot of shooting styles.

[bertwert]

Welcome to the forum!
I love my K-50.
I learned most of what I know from this forum here
Also online articles help lots.
If you read the manual you can learn features of this great camera.
I presume you got the kit 18-55 or 18-135 lens wit hit - right?

Have fun!

[Na Horuk]

Oh, and one more thing. Those Scene modes (like Landscape, Portrait,..) are not terrible. Especially if you figure out how they behave. Lots of beginners ignore them, they want to go from Auto to M. But there is no need to jump straight into the most difficult, manual modes. It takes time to get to those

[Davidparis]

Hello everyone!
My name is Danica. I just received the K50 for Christmas. A total surprise and an amazing one at that. I've always enjoyed looking at beautiful cameras and photos.. Just never thought I'd ever own such a beautiful camera myself! Right now my camera is set on auto mode seeing as I have no idea how to adjust the settings. Lol. I have tried looking on YouTube for tutorials but have only found basic reviews, which don't help very much. So any basic tricks and tips would be appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

I'd equally recommend a quick, full-day DSLR learner's class. They can be fun and you will learn a lot. You'll learn more about how much you don't know and identify areas/skills to concentrate on. Doing this is highly recommended.

[Digitalis]

I have no clue what I'm doing..

For what it's worth, none of us really did when we started walking this long road.