choosing a mirrorless camera
John wrote to me yesterday and asked me for some advice about choosing a Mirrorless camera. I started writing back to him, and thought I should turn this into a blog post about my current thoughts on which cameras to consider when going mirrorless.
Wabi Sabi - Hopewell, New Zealand, Olympus OM-D EM-1, Voitlander 25mm f0.95 lens © Len Metcalf 2016
On Friday, 11 March 2016, <john> wrote:
Hi Len
My name is John and I live in Abbotsford Sydney.
I have and am enjoying your photography. Your images are wonderful.
A question that you must be asked by so many, but please forgive the question again.
I know that the most important ingredient to capturing an image is the person behind the camera and the available light. I have been looking to purchase a mirror less camera and the choice is quite bewildering. So many different opinions. I am enjoying your images and am wondering if you can give me some advice re this choice. I would appreciate any help that you could send my way.
Kind Regards
John
Dear John,
The first question you need to ask yourself is what sort of photographs you would like to take? If tracking of sports athletes is a high priority then Mirrorless may not be the right choice. Would you like a range of zoom lenses or a set of primes. Is weight and size your highest priority?
The second question is how big will you print? As this can sway your choice with the number of mega pixels becoming important. If you never plan to print larger than A2 with the majority of your prints at A3 then 16 mega pixels is more than sufficient. Actually ten was more than enough for my work.
Personally I am very biased towards Micro Four Thirds because it is an open mount. Meaning that any manufacturer is welcome to join and make cameras or lenses. I think this is admirable in a world where competitors try to keep you tied into their brand by forcing you to lock into their system. Because of this you have the widest range of cameras and lenses of any other mirror less system. For ethical reasons alone Micro Four Thirds is a sound choice. I find the lenses and bodies a lovely compromise between size, sharpness and quality. I always hoped some other camera manufacturers would come on board such as Fuji, Leica and Sony or lens makers like Zeiss, but alas they have chosen their own paths.
The Micro Four Thirds system clearly has the best and most comprehensive lens choice in any of the Mirrorless systems with around 70-100 lenses to choose from. I must admit I don't know how many there are. I started counting and stopped at fifty and still wasn't close. There is a list on this page here.
I am also biased towards in camera image stabilisation. It works very very well and it can be used on any lens. I can hand hold at half a second and get a reasonable photograph. It is just so fantastic for people that have trouble hand-holding.
Olympus is by far my favourite mirror less camera manufacturer. My love affair with their cameras started with my OM-1, my first slr. My first camera I loved. It was the first compact slr and it is no coincidence that its dimensions closely matched the Leica M3 as it is also a lovely camera to hold and use.
In Micro For Thirds their cameras are a firm favourite for still photography. The sensor based image stabilisation system is outstanding and for that alone their cameras lead the pack. Some of the cameras are too small and benefit from extra grips. I always buy the Really Right Stuff camera plates and add them to the camera. The EM-5's handling substantially improves with their extra grip. The EM-1 with the Really Right Stuff base plate extends the camera body just enough to get my little finger around it which makes the camera very comfortable in my large hands. For all day use the EM-1 is my preferred camera, and for walking where every ounce counts I like the EM-5 mk2, which is also my preferred camera for videoing as it has a headphone jack in the extra grip so I can monitor my audio input levels.
The Panasonic cameras are well known for their beautiful colour renditions and their high quality video. One of their latest models now includes sensor based image stabilisation. A huge improvement which I hope to see on all their future cameras. I can't comment on their use as I have never used one. You tend to find that Micro Four Thirds users are either in the Olympus or Panasonic camps and won't consider the other. A few members of my family have Panasonic cameras who aren't very serious photographers so they shoot in jpg and print or share their work. The colours and photographs from the Panasonic cameras is always outstanding. So I have no reason to doubt their quality. It was that the image stabilisation system they initially developed didn't work with my favourite lenses.
Fuji has a solid range of mirror less cameras. They are renowned for their beautiful colour rendition and and lovely lenses. They use a very different sensor array. The colours are layer out differently and therefore many third party image processing engines used to struggle with processing their raw files. So make sure you check this out before going ahead with Fuji. Some may find their lens choice limiting while others say it sufficient. Fuji cameras are very popular among street shooters as there are a few models that have hybrid viewfinders that allow for either electronic or optical and both mixed together. A feature that isn't seen in any other manufacturers cameras.
Sony's latest mirror less offerings now have sensor based image stabilisation. They apparently work equally as well as the Olympus ones. My theory is that they bought half of the company just to get this technology then sold it on latter once they had it. There are few lenses to choose from and the lenses are much larger than Micro Four Thirds. So you may find you end up with a heavier kit. Many of my students went to a shop to buy an Olympus and came back with a Sony. I think the full frame and large mega pixel count is an easy up sell (the camera store makes more money when you buy a more expensive system). You will be spending 2 - 3 times as much money as you would on an equivalent Micro Four Thirds kit when you consider the lenses. It would end up being nearly twice as heavy overall too. Mind you these students who have gone with the Sony love them dearly and haven't ever looked back. There is plenty of room if you want to crop. They also make an amazing low light camera that has great high ISO capabilities. The Sony system has limited lens choice so consider if they have the lenses you want before committing to it.
I haven't looked at the Canon or Nikon offerings in Mirrorless much as they seem to be very limited with lenses.
The new Sigma Quatro looks interesting, though only a few lenses might be limiting. The Samsung Mirrorless System didn't pass the economic test of time.
The only other Mirror less camera I would consider is the Alpa / Phase One A-Series combination which I actually lust over. When I can afford the price of it yes I would love to use it, but alas for now the plus price tags put it firmly in the 'Len you're dreaming' category.
When buying a new camera I now start with the lenses, for the most interesting and desirable camera in the world is useless to me unless I can find an as equally desirable lens. I have written an article on my thoughts for Micro Four Thirds lens choices, which you can read here.
I have another article brewing in my head comparing full frame with micro four thirds, with the advantages going to micro four thirds. After the last nine months with a full frame DSLR, my conclusion is that it is not worth the pain it causes. ;)
I wish you well in your search and purchases
Kindest regards
Len
10 rules for teaching
“Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.”
Enchanted Forest floor, Cradle Mountain, Tasmania © Len Metcalf 2015
Perhaps the essence of the Liberal outlook could be summed up in a new decalogue, not intended to replace the old one but only to supplement it. The Ten Commandments that, as a teacher, I should wish to promulgate, might be set forth as follows:
Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.
Do not think it worth while to proceed by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.
Never try to discourage thinking for you are sure to succeed.
When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavor to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.
Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.
Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.
Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.
Be scrupulously truthful, even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.
Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.
The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell
Sourced from Brain Pickings
10 rules for students
“Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail, there’s only make.”
Dove Lake & Cradle Mountain © Len Metcalf 2015
“Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail, there’s only make.”
RULE ONE: Find a place you trust, and then try trusting it for awhile.
RULE TWO: General duties of a student — pull everything out of your teacher; pull everything out of your fellow students.
RULE THREE: General duties of a teacher — pull everything out of your students.
RULE FOUR: Consider everything an experiment.
RULE FIVE: Be self-disciplined — this means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.
RULE SIX: Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail, there’s only make.
RULE SEVEN: The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It’s the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things.
RULE EIGHT: Don’t try to create and analyze at the same time. They’re different processes.
RULE NINE: Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It’s lighter than you think.
RULE TEN: “We’re breaking all the rules. Even our own rules. And how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for X quantities.” (John Cage)
HINTS: Always be around. Come or go to everything. Always go to classes. Read anything you can get your hands on. Look at movies carefully, often. Save everything — it might come in handy later.
Sister Corita Kent, Learning by Heart: Teachings to Free the Creative Spirit
Sourced from Brain Pickings.
additive or subtractive photography
Are you an additive or subtractive photographer? Something worth thinking about in your compositions.
Stone circles, South Coast of NSW © Leonard Metcalf 2014
I wonder if there are two schools of thought. One where photographers wander around with their cameras wondering what to add to their photographs, and the others who are thinking about what can be removed to make their photographs stronger.
Perhaps the the first approach is the one of the novice, while the latter is the thought processes of a master.
Which one are you?
Ralph Gibson is the latter. Here he describes his process of subtraction.
"....if you’re going to make a drawing, you take a paper and a pencil and add lines, add marks, until you finish your drawing. It's additive. When I make a photograph, I move in closer and I take things away, and I take things away, until I get everything out of the frame except what I want. Therefore my process is considered subtractive."
He goes on to explain how he does it...
"Now part of this subtraction has to do with casting things into deep shadow. I eliminate a lot of unwanted material, activity into the shadow area. And in so doing, create a shape. Instead of just being a variation on light, for me shadows become cut forms, they become shapes. And I discovered this by photographing primarily in bright sun and exposing for highlights, which is pretty easy to do. Most people struggle to get detail into their shadows. I was never interested in that kind of photographic expression particularly. - Ralph Gibson
source for quotes: http://bermangraphics.com/press/ralphgibson.htm
what makes a great photograph?
time makes a great photograph
Model: Angel Rose © Leonard Metcalf 2014
“The key is that the longer I want to keep looking at a photograph, the better the photograph is. If lots and lots of other people want to look at the photograph and keep looking at it for a long time, then that is proof that it is a great photograph. So to me the thing that makes a great photograph is time.”
what is fine art photography?
Len examines what makes photograph fine art photography...
Mea Culpa in a grass field in Sydney © Leonard Metcalf 2011
Collectability
Fine art photography has been defined by how collectable the photographs are or become. Are the images enduring enough to stand the test of time. For some the ultimate goal is to have their images preserved in museums and art collections, or in the possession of collectors. What makes an image collectable varies widely from the image or content, process, photographer and historical significance. Many collectable photographs are indeed not fine art. In discussions with a gallery owner, one of the key ingredients of a collectable photograph was its rarity (ie limited print run, by edition or death).
Archival stability
Tightly aligned with collecting is the expectation that fine art photography can survive time, long term storage and display. Though this alone does not guarantee that the image is indeed fine art. Many photographs that have been actively collected (bought and sold for high prices) may not indeed be archival, but it does seem to be of primary importance to modern photographic collectors.
Art for arts sake
Because I enjoy taking photographs against my own criteria for what a great photograph is. It is the reason I study other photographers’ (and artists’) work with such passion. To observe, to copy (for the purpose of learning) and then to produce something that is indeed different. Finding ones own personal vision in a world of appropriation has become a life long passion.
Communicates
My passions for the Gaia (mother earth) and deep felt desire to stop humanities abuse of her lie beneath my wilderness (landscape) photographs. If Dombroskis’s photograph of Island Bend can educate and influence a voting public into saving the Franklin River (Tasmania), then there is hope in nature photography to be able to influence the world to move towards an environmentally sustainable future. Art by its very nature is about the communication of ideas, principles, thoughts, feelings and passions. When you look at one of my photographs you are indeed looking through Len’s lens, my interpretation of the world and what I see.
Aesthetics
My goal is to produce an aesthetically pleasing photograph without copying those who have gone before. When you look at a photograph and you get that wonderful feeling inside, because of its inherent beauty, then it must be fine art. Not to say that all fine art makes you feel good.
Made by an artist
What makes an artist? Creativity as expressed in an artwork… is perhaps one of the only clearly defining links between artists.
Sold as art
Recently I have started to wonder if the ongoing sales and popularity of particular images, some just seem to keep on selling, are really fine art images. Some of my most outstanding fine art photographs (measured against my own criteria) have never sold. Sales is a worthless criteria if you are to judge fine art by what history has demonstrated with very few artists gaining success in their own lifetimes, though since modernism this no longer appears to be the case.
Fine art
“Essentially the distinction between ‘art’, ‘craft’ and ‘APPLIED ART’. The modern notion of ‘fine art’ can be traced back to the Renaissance when ther was a strong movement, led by Leonardo da Vinci, to demonstrate that the painter in particular was practicing an intellectual and not a manual skill. Included under this heading are drawing; music; painting; poetry; printmaking; sculpture; (photography ed) and other forms of art which do not fulfil a practical function.”
- Reynolds, K & Seddon, R 1981 ‘Illustrated dictionary of art terms; a handbook for the art lover’; Edbury Press, London
Fine art photography
“…the term is taken to be a picture that is produced for sale or display rather than one that is produced in response to a commercial commission. It is assumed that most of the pictures that are covered by the fine art banner are personal images that meet self-imposed criteria, and that they are, as a result, very close to the heart of the photographer and are representative of his or her interpretation of the world.”
- Hope, T. 2003 Fine Art Photography, creating beautiful images for sale and display; RotoVision SA, Switzerland
Len's camera equipment
Len lists his camera bag contents
Cradle Mountain Hut, Tasmania © Leonard Metcalf 2014
This is rather dated now…. if you are interested in what I am using now? November 2020
Olympus OMD EM1 mk2
Voitlander 25mm f0.95
sometimes I also use:
Voitlander 60mm f0.95
Olympus 75mm f1.8
Olympus 300mm f4
For ultralight kit for extended bushwalks:
Olympus EM5 mk 3
Panasonic 25mm f1.4
For Abstract Photography I have a full spectrum modified camera
Olympus OMD EM1 mk2
I occasionally use a full frame, but would love to sell it.
Panasonic S1r
Panasonic 50mm f1.4
I have sold and also tried
Fuji GFX 50s
Fuji 63mm f2.8
I am currently taking a hiatus on film and have a fridge with 4 x 5 & 8 x 10 film waiting for inspiration and time to be right to use.
Len dives into this equipment list and leaves some of it at home.
Camera bag
Pea less emergency whistle (Len will supply)
Ultra light head torch (Black Diamond)
Camera
Lenses
Spare memory
Neutral density filters
Polarising filter
Spare batteries
Lens cleaners (tissues, cleaning fluid & micro fiber cloth)
Cable release or remote control for camera
Lens shades
Reading glasses
Camera manual
Camera bag to put it all in
Light weight umbrella
Digital camera specifics
Olympus OMD EM-1
Olympus OMD EM-5 (spare camera)
7.5mm f3.5 Samyung lens (15mm equivalent)
14mm f2.5 Panasonic lens (28mm equivalent)
25 mm f0.95 Voitlander lens (50mm equivalent
45mm f1.8 Olympus lens (90mm equivalent)
60mm f2.8 Olympus macro lens (120mm equivalent)
75mm f1.8 Olympus telephoto lens (150mm equivalent)
75mm - 300mm f4.8 - 6.7 Olympus telephotos zoom lens (150mm - 600mm equivalent)
2 Olympus spare batteries for OMD
32 & 16 gb Scan disk Extreme Pro memory cards
Olympus battery charger for OMD
BW circular polariser
BW 10 stop neutral density filter
BW 3 stop neutral density filter
Kodak lens tissues
Lens cleaning fluid
Micro fiber lens cloths
2 x Lacie rugged external hard drives
Macbook pro 13" retina display notebook
Macbook pro power cable
Ipad mini
Ipad power cable
Film camera specifics
Razzle 900 DF 4 x5 camera
Fujinon W 5f.6 150mm lens
Linhof technica III
Fujinon A 180mm f 5.6 lens
Toyo G 8 x 10 monorail camera
Nikkor 300mm f 8 lens
Changing bag - Harrison pulp tent
4 x5 dark slides (lots)
Spare film boxes
Pentax digital spot meter
Goosen Digisix incident light meter
Film 4 x 5 sheets: HP5, Delta 100, Porta 400, Velvia 100
Film notes / reciprocity information
Bellow extension calculator
Spare batteries for both light meters
Tripod and camera supports
Really right stuff camera plates & L plates for all cameras
Gitzo carbon fiber tripod series 3
Linhof ball head Provi II
Gitzo carbon fiber tripod series 1
Linhof ball head I
a Manfrotto heavy one
Really right stuff pano head and nodal slide
Camera repair kit
Filter wrenches
Tweezers
Magnifying glass
Tape
Sensor cleaning kit
Screw drivers
Pliers
File / metal saw
Lens cleaning supplies
Giottos pocket rocket
Faces in the Canyon
The story behind my first iconic image....
Faces in the Canyon, The Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area © Leonard Metcalf 2000
A late start... A very very late start! Facilitated by the late night commitment to go and take some photographs in a canyon the night before. I can easily blame Jamie. "Len, I think you need a couple of black and white photographs in your gallery." So I had one packet of Kodak T400CN in 4 x 5, and loaded up ten shots into the five dark slides. And proceeded to add some black and white images to my colour collection of The Greater Blue Mountains Wilderness, and to my collection of canyon photographs I had been working so diligently on.
But I can't blame Jamie for being up with me late, playing pool and drinking. That was equally my fault. And was the usual past time at our house at Mount Piddington. So this Friday night was no different to many others.
I wish I could say we were up at the crack of dawn, but we weren't. I don't think we managed to get out of the house before 2 pm. I packed the Linhof Technica III with a Nikkor W 150mm f5.6 lens into a small pelican case, the tripod went into a extra long dry bag. All of which was thrown into my pack with my wetsuit, and other little luxuries like a thermos, a hand towel and my antacid. Desperately needed to help me recover from the excessive drinking.
We walked down the exit track into the canyon, passing many as they walked up the hill in the late afternoon. There was a crowd at the beach, while we blew up our lilos (air beds). Strange looks as we departed upstream. "Where are they going at this time?"
A few kilometres up stream. Some wading, some walking some paddling bought us to the tributary canyon. The walls are so tight that you can't walk through with your pack on. Particularly with a pack with a Pelican case in it. When we reached 'the green room', Jamie left me for a while, and he headed up stream further to explore. While I toweled my hands dry and started to get my camera out and set up on the tripod.
This was the first photograph I took that late afternoon. It was the single exposure onto black and white film. I scrambled around to try and get a few more shots, and manged to compose two more, which I took on transparency film. My companion was soon back, reminding me that it was time to leave this beautiful spot. So we headed off. The canyon was quiet now. Being so late in the afternoon, all the smart canyoners had left. We had the place to ourselves.
Drifting downstream on your lilo, on your back, leaning against your pack, gently paddling downstream is magical. You look up and all you can see is stunning photograph after stunning photograph. Each to snapped in my internal photo album that exists only in my head, only for me to see and look through.
Back at the sand beach where we had walked in, we could change, back into some clothes, and drier shoes. We donned our wet packs, still dripping with the cold canyon water and headed back up the hill.
It was very late by now, and we had miss-judged our daylight. As we topped the steep cliffy rise, past the small climbs we lost daylight. Neither of us had bought a torch. We walked slowly, just able to see the break in the ferns that marks the footpad. Between the king ferns a light started glowing. A full moon was just rising, and the darkness soon lifted. We were able to easily walk back to the 4WD and head home to relax with another beer, a hot shower and yet another game of pool.
This photograph didn't come up too well in the proof that I had ordered when it was developed. But there was enough there to show me that it had potential. A drum scan soon changed that, and this image jumped to life. I used it as the marketing image when I opened the "Leonard Metcalf Gallery" in Katoomba. I had it on posters and a post card. People would show up to the gallery with the post card in their hand (they needed the map that was on the back to find me). I would ask them why they came, and they always replied and pointed to this image.
On that original postcard I had named the location of this shot. The local outdoor guiding companies had a 600% increase in requests to go this particular canyon. So now I don't tell the location, and prefer just to tell you it is in The Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, in a canyon somewhere.
Details
Catalog number: 0001
Camera: Linhof Technica III circa 1950 4 x 5 inch
Lens: Nikkor W 150mm f 5.6
Film: Kodak T400CN
camera love
Does your choice of camera matter? For me loving my camera is so so important. It comes with time, so you love the moment you see them, others take time to fall in love with. For some advice on how to fall in love with your camera read on.
My beloved Ebony 45 SU which now has a new home and is hopefully serving its new owner well. I could set this camera up blind folded and had a very specific system when using it. © Leonard Metcalf 2012
People regularly say that your camera doesn't matter, but unfortunately it really does. Yes a good photographer can probably make use of any camera to make satisfactory images. It does take special tools to make outstanding photographs. Photographers at all levels should and do spend copious amounts of time choosing cameras on their performance, handling, features and lens sets. I am no exception. My favorite blog is a camera rumors site. Yes, I do admit to being a gear junkie.
Besides, it is important. No, it is crucial to love your camera. You must know your camera intimately, its foibles, its limitations, how it handles and how to coax every last drop of creative juice from it. Choosing a camera is no lesser of importance than choosing your life partner, though luckily you can trade your camera in, and keep updating it. Some even recommend that a new piece of equipment can help break that creative deadlock that many of us find ourselves in every now and then.
Spending time on the couch, playing with your camera (an exercise promoted and described by Bruce Barnum called 'Camera Cuddle'), learning and practising using it until it becomes second nature. An extension of you. Just today I was reminded of this as I had my camera suspended upside down, just an inch from the ground taking close ups of a stunning red fungus that Emily Reader found. Suddenly I was changing my settings, basically from memory and feel. I was glad that I had spent considerable time memorising every control on my camera. All of those hours practising on the couch while watching tv certainly paid off.
Lens love is worth considering as well. How intimate are you with your lenses. I don't mean taking them to bed and doing a camera cuddle, but time with that lens in an exclusive relationship. I put a new lens on my camera and it has to stay there until I become intimate with it. I have to know it inside out, be able to pre-visualise all aspects of it.. And then when I do, the images flow so much more easily. It is easier to get to know a prime lens, which might go some way towards accounting for their popularity.
how to find the ultimate camera bag?
Len discusses his frustrations about finding the ultimate camera bag.
Is there such a beast? The ultimate camera bag, does it even exist? They are a bit like tripods, over your photographic lifetime they may multiply in the cupboard. Each purchase adds to the pile. The trouble is that you get seduced with the promise of more space, and as soon as you get that space, you start to fill it up with more camera gear. It keeps growing, and so does the requirements for the camera bag.
I have gone through a fair few in my time, so without recommending the perfect one I do recommend considering a few things.
What do you want to carry in it. Lay your items out, and consider your contents over a period of time. Do you actually use everything you're planning on putting in there. Can you get away with less.
Do you go out on walks with your camera bag? Because if you go bush with one, I recommend you take with you a few things, including: raincoat, jumper, small first aid kit (here in Australia that means at least an elastic roller bandage and your favorite medications), snacks and sufficient water. I like to take a thermos of tea too, and a map, compass and EPIRB or PLB
Comfortable, it has to be comfortable. The best way to test comfort is in the shop, and put 20 kgs in the bag and put it on, and stand there or walk around the shop for an hour. If it is still comfortable then go for it. This is the same strategy we use for choosing bushwalking shoes. Nothing beats the test of time.
Size, the only way to really test the size is to take everything you plan to put in your new camera bag to the shop and put it in there and make sure it fits.. Rearrange the dividers and check to see your camera fits in with all the lenses, batteries, filters and accessories you want to take with you. Look to make sure it is deep enough. That the dividers can be rearranged to fit you gear. Some now have lower dividers for smaller cameras, giving you extra space for your laptop (great idea Think Tank).
Consider weather proofing, and if your bag is going to get soaked regularly you may want to go with a more water resistant or a water proof bag.
Regardless of how well you do all of this, you will still end up with more than one. Each one will suit different trips and equipment. What you take on an animal trip to Africa is different to what you walk along the streets of Sydney with. Different equipment, different requirements, different needs.
Ok, so I am currently considering an f-stop Loka, as I need to be able to carry a first aid kit and a whole lot more safety equipment (and special treats) while running photographic tours. :)
Which camera bag will take all of this?
getting to know your camera
The original post about camera cuddle. This has also been written up as a weekly exercise.
Learning about your camera until it becomes second nature is one of the keys to becoming a better photographer. There are two tried and true methods of doing this; study and practice. You should do a lot of both. It also helps if you can learn to love your camera. I have written about this before (you can read this here). Reading the manual is an unfortunate place to start as we would love to just pick the camera up and start. Putting the camera in auto mode and going for it, is a legitimate way to progress. Unfortunately you will still need the manual to even work out which mode this is. Many manuals are now included only as pdf files. I put mine on my phone, pad and in a folder in my computer / laptop so that I can reference it wherever I am. Years past and for those that have been lucky enough to get a a printed manual with your camera I recommend packing it into your camera bag and having it handy. It can take years to delve into the full capabilities of modern cameras. You may never even get there.
Some of my students have found the language of these so called manuals to be quiet difficult to understand, which in turn confuses flow charts and settings. This probably is an end product of translating them from their native tongue. Students have reported that third party manuals can overcome this problem. The third party authors task is to write a manual that helps the photographer understand what is going on with their camera and how to use it. I know that a few of my students have found a deeper understanding from these manuals. For some cameras online tutorials / workshops / courses are available for some common specific models of camera. Make sure you purchase the right one for your camera.
Here is a list of things I think you need to be able to do to take your photography to the next level:
Change the aperture or shutter speed when the camera is in various modes
Select aperture priority or shutter priority & change the aperture or shutter speed when the camera is in both of these modes
Set & change ISO
Set auto ISO upper limit
Change exposure compensation
Change & move the focus point /s
Change the metering mode
Change and understand each mode
Do all of these things without removing your eye from the viewfinder
Now if you don't know how to do these things, go and figure them out and practice, practice and practice.
How to practice?
Camera cuddle (adapted from original exercise by Bruce Barnum)
Go and sit or lay down in your favourite couch / lounge / chair or bed even. And hold your camera and play with it. For the first hour don't take a photograph. Just practice changing settings, over and over and over. Change them with your eyes closed. Change them while your looking through the viewfinder. Change them with the camera under a sheet or towel. Changing the aperture / shutter speed combination, exposure compensation and focus points needs to become second nature.
Take some time to really concentrate on each of your adjustment wheels, knobs, etc. Really feel them, can you tell the difference between them by just feeling or by their location. Get to know which way they turn. The more in touch you are with your camera the better.
Bruce describes this process with a large format camera, and this exercise is extended to having it in its bag, putting up the tripod, assembling the camera and adjusting all movements., inserting the film and taking picture with an empty double dark slide. Then putting it all away again and starting again. He recommends figuring out a system and sticking to that system.
Continue to practice until you can change things without thinking or looking.
After photographing most of my life if I don't use a camera for a few months or years I find I have forgotten all of the little nuances of operating the camera. It is amazing how many times I have forgotten to lock down my camera before shooting because it has been a few months since I last used that particular camera. I still practice, practice and practice. Now days the easiest way to practice is to go and take more photographs, regularly.
Lounge lizard
Now you know your way around a little it is time to start practicing taking photographs. The easiest way is to limit yourself with your subject so you can concentrate on your camera and the picture taking process.
For an hour take photographs from your lounge. Take some with wide open apertures, closed apertures, fast shutter speeds and slow shutter speeds. Use exposure compensation to get your exposure just right. Now go and have a look through your images and find a few good ones.. What settings did you have them on. Which images are blurry - check the shutter speed and the focal length of your lens. Make some notes / make generalisations / rules even (ie I can hand hold my 50mm lens at 1/30 second and still get sharp pictures)
Repeat this exercise on another day.. and even another one
If you must try a different chair in a different room in the house and repeat.
Len Metcalf with his Techinica III circa 1950