Photo JONG has questions

[Cruiser]

So I just bought my first digital SLR. I have been doing the digital P+S thing for a while, and I wanted something that would take better pics, but not cost a fortune. I found a good price on an Olympus E500. It's got 2 lenses. I have no idea what all the numbers mean. Can someone suggest a good website that will explain what "14-45mm f3.5-5.6 Lens and 40-150mm f3.5-4.5 Lens" means? I know these things are cheap, but that's about it. Any thoughts on a good inexpensive lens for shooting some skiing action photos in Colorado.

Try to excuse me for asking stupid jong questions, I just don't know anything about DSLR's except that they are morre versatile and take better pics than my rickety old P+S camera. Thanks in advance for the info.

[dbp]

Keep in mind that I am also a jong compared to others on this board, but if you are truly interested in taking better photos, you should also learn at least some basics of photography. Better equipment is going to help, but knowledge will let you use it to its full potential.

40-150mm is the focal length range (zoom)
f 3.5 is the aperture or f-number (zoom lenses often have ranges)

Tons of info on the web. Off the top of my head...
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/camera-lenses.htm

[Cruiser]

Keep in mind that I am also a jong compared to others on this board, but if you are truly interested in taking better photos, you should also learn at least some basics of photography. Better equipment is going to help, but knowledge will let you use it to its full potential.

Yup, my father-in-law has a bunch of photography books that he is going to lend me so that I can try to coax a few interesting pics out of my new camera. It's not going to become anything more than an adjunct to my existing skiing and hiking hobbies, but I do like to frame the occassional shot for display around the house. Thanks for the website. This stuff seems really complicated to me, probably due in large part to the fact that some of the numbers involved are higher than I have fingers to count them with.

[pechelman]

hey cruiser
Ive got a ton of photography books at my place if you want to borrow a couple, including the entire Ansel Adams series.
I also think the local Roxy library has a few camera books the last time I was in there.
Im also pretty handy with a camera and could show you what all that stuff means.

[Cruiser]

hey cruiser
Ive got a ton of photography books at my place if you want to borrow a couple, including the entire Ansel Adams series.
I also think the local Roxy library has a few camera books the last time I was in there.
Im also pretty handy with a camera and could show you what all that stuff means.

Now you're talking! I'll be in Chicago for the next few days, but when I get back I'll holler at you.

[truth]

Go hang out at www.dgrin.com it's probably the best place for a jong to get a grasp on a dSLR.