This is one to throw away before you buy it.

Written for the beginner, the book starts out OK and then quickly gets into technical trouble as the author, Erica Sadun, suggests Very Bad Ideas and spouts incorrect technical information.

Examples: Warning . . . these are wrong or Very Bad Ideas

Use Duct tape to hold up a backdrop in your rented apartment.

Japan uses the PAL standard for video

Most humans cannot detect flicker above 10 frames per second.

Built in microphones work well for consumer and small business needs.

I'm surprised at the errors in this book since the author has a MS in digital imaging and a PhD in Computer Science from Georgia Tech. She obviously didn't pay attention in class and her editor didn't pay attention to the content of this book either.

I'd give this $29.95 Sybex book a miss were I you.

Japan uses the PAL standard for video

She considers that a very bad idea?

Don't I wish Japan used PAL!!!! Then I wouldn't have to transfer everything I shoot.

No, that statement of hers is false.

I created the line, "Examples: Warning . . . these are wrong or Very Bad Ideas," so nobody would get the wrong impression. I guess you did because I didn't explain it carefully enough.

Mike,
Thanks for the warning. (That's actually a very good use for this forum, btw.) I guess I wasn't surprised to see Sybex as the publisher of such bovine byproduct. Over the years I've found their computer-related books to be somewhat bloated fluff aimed at the innocent newcomer. It looks like they're carrying that business strategy into other topical areas.