Jtones said:
Well, I just got my Sony A200 and it's time to start taking some pics. Any tips? (Like use program mode, etc...)
Learn what it means to correctly expose and image, and how the three main factors - shutter speed, aperture, and iso - contribute to that exposure.
Then understand how each of these impact the image aside from exposure.
Keep in mind composition.
In terms of modes and stuff, those don't matter, because unless you understand the above, you won't know when and why you use each mode.
Fully automatic = camera chooses all settings
P-mode: User mode, but camera chooses exposure settings (typically shutter speed and aperture)
Av-mode (aperture priority): You choose aperture, camera chooses shutterspeed.
Tv (or S)-mode (shutter priority): You choose shutterspeed, camera chooses aperture.
M-mode (manual): you choose everything.
Again, to understand the modes and what they do, you need to understand exposure and how a camera 'sees' things.
Conclusions:
1) Learn exposure.
2) Learn the three main components of exposure and how they contribute to it (A,S,I)
3) Learn what effect the components have on the image aside from exposure, so you can understand why you would change one thing over another.
1b) Keep in mind composition - this comes with looking at your own images and looking at others, identifying what you like, and what you don't.
In regards to modes: the modes mean nothing without understanding of the above. When you reach stage 2), then you can start playing with the modes. If you understand 2), you will know which mode to use.
I found diving in at Manual or aperture/shutter priority to be the most rapid way of understanding the components, as you will make many more mistakes, but just as quickly learn how to correct them.
