DCR Workshop: How to use your CILC like a pro

You've entered the world of the Compact Interchangeable Lens Camera, and you are wondering how you can step up your game to take better photos. Well, by getting a camera with a larger sensor and interchangeable lenses, you've made a start. But put a professional level DSLR in the hands of someone that doesn't know how to use it, and you'll get similar results to a point-and-shoot. Here are some tips to keep in mind and to keep you going as a budding photographer.

Invest into the System
Just because you've got a spiffy new camera doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be able to take photos like a pro with it. This is a whole new ballgame. This camera will outlast your older point-and-shoots for much longer. The trade off is that you need to buy more into the system to take better pictures. Many people are swayed by the marketing that X camera that is coming out in two months is light years better than Y camera. Put some better lenses and perhaps an external flash on Y camera, and it will be able to go toe to toe and in some cases even outperform its newer sibling.

This could mean something as small as a better lens, an external flash, a snazzy leather case, or an electronic viewfinder. Get these items and you'll see that your photography will not only take a step up, but that you'll be getting more out of the sensor's potential.