I'm taking a Canon Rebel Digital SLR with me to Costa Rica and have no idea what to do with it. Are there general tips of how to take good pictures of animal life? What are the settings I should be using most? Are there particular photo op's I should keep my eye out for?

I'd like to make a photo book when I get back and thinking too many pics of birds, etc without any people in them will look boring in that format.

On our second trip to CR I had recently gotten a digital SLR and for me the biggest difference between a point and shoot digital with a good zoom (10x) and the SLR was that to get wildlife you're going to need a decent zoom lens. I knew this going so I bought one, but I felt like I was constantly changing my lens. I have an Olympus SLR and their lenses are a bit different than the cannons (they're a four thirds system) but to get the zoom I needed and wanted I couldn't do standard pictures - for example, if we were on a boat tour, say Cano Negro or Tortuguero or at the Hanging Bridges, I couldn't take a picture of my kids or husband on the boat and use the same lens for the zoom of the Howler Monkey in the tree and get the shots I wanted. So - my solution was to carry a point and shoot for quick pictures and get a good telephoto (not a professional cost - that would be close to $1000) but one in the $400-$500 range. I got some great pictures of birds, monkey's alligators etc. And the difference between the zoom on the SLR and the point and shoot is the detail. The quality is phenomenal.

So, I guess unless you have a wide range lens, just be prepared to keep switching lenses based on your subjects. I got a great backpack camera bag that holds about 3 lenses, the camera and the point and shoot digital I can fit batteries, chargers and some other things in it too. It's not much of a hassle anymore now that I'm used to what I'm doing.

Also, put some dessicant packs in the camera bag because it's humid there.

As far as settings, you'll probably have to play around with it to get what you want. I've actually read that it's sometimes best to use the automatic settings on you're camera - that's what they're there for. Try some of them -

You can do a lot with the online photobooks to make them look pretty great, even without people. I did a book from our recent Belize trip that doesn't have too many people pictures and it came out great. Mix up the sizes of the pictures and the layouts on each page. If it's not all wildlife there will be enough variety. There's a lot more in CR than just animals - beautiful scenery, the volcano if you go to Arenal, beaches if you go to the coast....you can make a photobook look amazing.

Wow, thanks. If I can't afford to get another lens (and I already feel like this is too much camera to haul around) do you still think it's worth bringing it over a point and shoot?

What lens(es) do you have now? I assume you have the EFS 18-55 zoom with IS which is often bundled with new Canons. If you need a telephoto lens, Canon makes a EFS 55-250 with IS that is probably the best bang for the buck. With your camera's 1.6 crop factor that gives you an effective focal length of 400mm, about the minimum for wildlife. It also has some macro ability for close ups of flowers, etc. It is a lightweight and reasonably priced lens at about $250.

Read the manual to begin learning how the camera works. If you don't have time to master it, just use the auto settings as suggested above. One of the best introductions to photography I have read is Understanding Exposure. There are a number of books on travel photography which can give you some ideas for documenting your trip. Lonely has a good one. Good luck.

Sorry, that's "Lonely Planet."

fishee,

There are excellent point and shoot cameras out there. Canon S5 IS, for instance. Your questions indicate that the SLR is way too much camera for you. I hope it is borrowed or that you can take it back. Whatever camera you use, practice with it a lot before you go.

I've just upgraded from an older version of the Rebel, but here are a couple of things that really have helped me. There's a setting on the dial called "P". It's what I shoot in most of the time, because I was frustrated at the camera flash always popping up when I didn't want it. On the "P" setting, the camera adjusts the speed and aperture values to the available light without the flash, and you can push a button to make the flash pop up if you need it. I find I get much more natural looking photos that way. Once you read a bit and get more familiar with your camera, you can use some of the other more manual settings on your own.

I've recently been shooting a lot of sporting events and using the automatic setting that looks like a runner. I'm going to try using this when shooting birds and other quick moving animals going forward - I think it will work well.

Good luck. Try to get as comfortable as you can with the camera. The nice thing about digital is that you can experiment!

This is so helpful, thanks everyone. I have older Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP with standard EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens but immediately loaned it to artist friend who has had it for past couple years. (Fra -- he sent it back with a copy of Understanding Exposure!)

I now have time to learn how to use it but that's not going to happen before CR next week so I was looking for shortcuts. I'd consider investing in additional lenses if I start really liking it -- camera was very nice gift years ago and I hope i enjoy playing with it.

I don't think you're going to get the wildlife shots you want with that lens. Meaning monkey's in a tree or birds from a distance. They'll get lost in the frame. If there's any way you could either bring a point and shoot with a good telephoto lens or get or even borrow a lens - maybe from the person you lent the camera to?

You're not going to get a true feel for your camera if you don't have the lens you need for the subjects you're trying to photograph. If nothing else it might make you frustrated with the camera.

Also, I'm sure the P setting is similar on most cameras, and that's also what setting I use most on mine. I alternate between P and Auto, depending on the lighting and what I'm shooting.

Have fun with it, and have a great trip!

So, I'm going to put my two sense in. I have the older model rebel xt 8mp camera. I love it, and even though it is somewhat outdated, I am very protective of it. I kept an eye out at pawn shops and camera re-sell shops for lenses, and managed to buy a 300 from walmart on clearace for $60. Keep your eyes open. My zoom lens was made for a 35mm film camera, and it works just fine on my rebel body. I was told the zoom may be off a little (distance-wise) when you combine a film lens and digital body like that, but I still get great shots. The biggest issue I have with an SLR is getting quick shots at times because if something closer to me is in the frame, the auto focus may want to focus on the foreground instead of what I want behind it. Being familiar with your camera helps alot. In most cases, the pre-set options work just fine. That being said, I did take mine with me to Arenal. I also make sure I always have a point and shoot on me as well, so that I don't have to change lenses for closer shots. I always kept the zoom lens on my Rebel.
We just got back from Arenal and it rained each day, ususally off and on throughout. I recommend taking a plastic bag, at least, with you to protect the camera in, because you may get caught in the rain. If you have the budget to do so, you can get a decent waterproof camera for $150 through Amazon. Or, buy some disposable waterproof cameras, but I have never had much luck with those.
If you are only going to have a 55mm lense on your rebel, you would be better off getting a waterproof camera to take with you. Kodak playsport just came out and has HD video options, and I believe you can take stills from video with the included software. My point and shoot is a pentax w80. These two cameras have about 12mp so you can crop pictures in fairly well. my pentax even has macro (for super close up, holding the camera an inch or so from a subject like flowers)
Nothing beats an SLR digital, but my 55mm standard lense does not match the quality put out by my point and shoot. Plus, video clips are nice, too
The rebel will be great when you can upgrade your lens. Some places, like by waterfalls, I was afraid to take it because the moisture was so thick I was worried about damaging the camera. Other places, like the hanging bridges tour where we saw monkeys, I was glad to have it. But without the zoom lens, I don't think it would have done me much good compaired to the point and shoot pentax. If I could only bring one camera, it probably would have been the pentax waterproof for the piece of mind. It's a little rugged camera that can handle being banged up on a rough hike or getting rained on.

A few things missing from this discussion are: 1) "point and shoot" can be taken to mean everything between a simple palm-sized compact digital to the rather sophisticated ultra-zoom models offered by most of the manufacturers. The latter can offer 10x to 18x optical zoom with image stabilization. They are much lighter than the SLRs and can record images every bit as good as the typical kit lens that comes with an SLR and better than a cheap lens on an expensive SLR body. 2) Stabilization is essential when using a zoom with wildlife, either built in image stabilization or a tripod. Even a monopod will help. 3) Higher megapixel cameras (12 plus) can allow you to use less zoom and not have to worry with precise framing. Get your subject somewhere within the frame and shoot. Crop out a high resolution image later.

I would not want to change lenses frequently or casually near a volcano or in the jungle. There is too great a chance of getting debris on the sensor. My only reason for getting an SLR was so that I could get a variety of excellent lenses for special purposes. I am much happier for most tourism carrying a smaller, lighter, ultrazoom, and I have taken many top-notch bird and monkey images with the UZ.