Carla,

There is a Ritz Camera in Redondo Beach that holds regular classes. I suggest that you just stop by and ask for a schedule.

Technically, you are supposed to buy a digital camera from Ritz Camera in order to qualify for free classes, but if you buy ANYTHING and make nice with the sales associate, you will likely be rewarded with tickets for free classes.

These are pretty basic classes, but I found them helpful. Good luck.

Hi Rocco,

Nice to meet you (informally). I have been following your exciting adventures.
Are you in the So.Bay?

Thank you for the recommendation. I almost bought my new camera online through Ritz (and the AAdvantage shopping to get FF miles). I would have saved about $50 plus get 1000 miles, but I figured it would be more valuable to have "a live person" to run to when neccessary! I thought they would have classes running constantly.

I do need to buy more memory or some kind of storage device (although the thought of learning another gaget is frightening). What did you use to clean your equipment? I need that too. So hopefully that will qualify me for a free class.

Carla

Carla,

Nice to meet you, too. I am actually in the Pasadena area but I know about the Ritz Camera classes in Redondo Beach from their schedule that covers each of their stores offering classes.

As far as a storage device goes, I wouldn't go with anything less than an Epson P2000. It offers 20GB of memory on about a 4" screen and weighs only 1 pound.

However, I chose to just buy a laptop computer, Compaq Presario. It has a 14" screen (great for looking at your photos while on safari), 80GB of memory, CD/DVD Ready, and best of all, at the end of the safari you now own a nice new laptop instead of some useless $500 photo storage device. Including the computer programs (Microsoft Word/Office/Excel and more), it cost me about $1250 at CompUSA.

The computer came in very handy on airport layovers and was also nice to use to watch a couple DVD movies during the holiday. Plus I only had to download my photos once. Otherwise, with a photo storage device, I would first have to download the photos on the photo storage device and then, again, have to download the photos from the photo stroage device to a computer.

To clean your camera, for about $10 - $15 you will be able to buy a little kit at Ritz Camera that includes an alcohol-like liquid, some q-tip like swabs and a special cloth.

However, Ritz Camera, while convenient with quite a few locations, is more like a 7-11 than a specialized store. They will have the basics, but for a really good camera store, you should go to Samy's Camera. I don't know if they have a South Bay store but they have a store on Fairfax in L.A.

Here, you will be able to buy a Giotto Rocket Air Blaster for about $15 USD and this will be the most convenient way to clean your camera lens, as it blows the dust right off. Also, if you are using an SLR camera and need to change lenses while on safari, it will help blow off dust from your sensor, as well as from the inside part of your lenses.

So, where are you going on safari?

Eight weeks is a good amount of time to become familiar with the camera.

Some alternatives if the classes don't work, or in addition to classes:

If you bought the camera at a shop, you could just go there with your questions as they arise.

Most of your shots will probably in the Auto mode anyway, so just shoot away on Auto and see what you get, learning as you go.

Friends and co-workers may also be a source of help.

I know how you feel. The small 3x optical digital I bought as my entrance into this new world of camera technology seemed overwhelming at first.

I bought the "shooting and sharing digital photos for dummies" book. Basic education, easy to understand and about 1/3 as thick as the "digital for dummies" book. There's no camera store where I live so i think this book helped me to understand how to use the camera.
Dennis