A little input. A little help please.

[Pickelfarmer]

I have been taking pics now for a few years and I started with an Olimpis or somthing like that? I now have a Kodak EasyShare DX6490. My mother gave me this camera as a gift and she down played it as a low end camera.I really dont think it is.

My question is any suggestions as to how to take the best quality pictures I can useing shutter speeds and differnt modes. I usually use only the basic pic mode but it has an action mode,a low light mode,portriat mode, and so on. I know this stuff is very basic and pretty much self explainatory but Im new and any help would be very appreicated.

[finnbay]

I have a 6490 and it really isn't a bad camera. I've taken some decent photos with it. At the time that it came out, it was an award winning camera. As I recall, I paid close to $600 for it new - you can buy entry level digital SLR's for that now. Get the manual out and learn as much as you can using the PASM shooting mode. This allows you to control shutter speed and aperture. You can use either as a priority, or a manual mode to control both at the same time. These really allow you to start to use the creative capabilities of this camera. Play a little bit, and come back with some specific questions and I'll try to help.

[Dbl]

It may help to read this Photography Basics as well.