Any advice for a beginner??

[VikBri]

I bought my Nikon D3000 in September with the 18-55mm kit lense and since then have purchased the 50-200mm. I've been out taking photos for about 7 weeks and have tried a few different types of shots with limited success. I started out using the auto functions but very quickly switched to fully manual with manual focusing. I found that my photos were much worse when using these settings compared with the auto functions, probably due to not knowing what i was doing. I'm now taking my shots using the semi automatic modes, and just adjusting either the aperture or the shutter speed, this has given me much better results. I still seem to be having some focusing problems, even though i have now switched back to automatic. My camera is set to the 11 point focus mode, i'm not sure if i need to try another setting?

Here are some of my results, look foward to hearing what you think:

night.jpg (63.8 KiB) Viewed 7151 times

leaf.jpg (73.95 KiB) Viewed 7151 times

cow.jpg (48.23 KiB) Viewed 7151 times

[John]

I have no doubt that "centre point only" focusing is the best option. You focus on the point you want to, hold the setting by keeping the half pressure on the suutter release, and then recompose before completing the shutter release action.

All I can suggest is try it, practice with it awhile, and if you still have problems bring in your camera and we'll run through it at the club.

[Paul Jones]

I bought my Nikon D3000 in September with the 18-55mm kit lense and since then have purchased the 50-200mm. I've been out taking photos for about 7 weeks and have tried a few different types of shots with limited success. I started out using the auto functions but very quickly switched to fully manual with manual focusing. I found that my photos were much worse when using these settings compared with the auto functions, probably due to not knowing what i was doing.

I'm now taking my shots using the semi automatic modes, and just adjusting either the aperture or the shutter speed, this has given me much better results.

Hi Vicky

I'm glad to see that you made it onto the forum...

Seven weeks is obviously still very early days. I personally think you're making extra work for yourself by using manual focussing. Modern lenses have excellent auto focus, providing there's enough light and something distinct for them to focus on.

Using Manual Mode will help you to understand exposure and I tend to use Manual Mode for my own photography, however there's a lot to be said for the other modes such as Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority, as you're already experimenting with.

I still seem to be having some focusing problems, even though i have now switched back to automatic. My camera is set to the 11 point focus mode, i'm not sure if i need to try another setting?

As John has mentioned, many photographers, myself included, prefer the 'Focus and Recompose' method to ensure the area that we want in focus. This Youtube video shows you the basic technique - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy3RVRFVmUE

For example, when photographing a person I would normally focus on the eye nearest the camera, half-press the shutter to lock the focus and then recompose the shot.

Here are some of my results, look foward to hearing what you think

I think you show promise.....

Don't be shy of asking lots of questions...

[oakeycoke]

Hi Vicky,

Looked at some of the Exif data for the 3 pics above, but the times of origin are out, ie the cow pic was taken at 23.35hrs on 17/10/10 according to the exif viewer on my computer. If I've lost you at this point, basically you can down load add-ins to internet browsers and they tell you lots of technical info re the photo(a mouse right click menu), in my case its an Exif Viewer for the Firefox Browser on a Imac computer. These exif viewers help to show what settings you used on the camera and thus can assist in giving you advice on what settings you may have compromised, if any.(the technical side rather than the artistic bit)

Both the cow and plant were at 1/30th sec which could lead to camera shake if not on a tripod and in the case of the cow if it was moving then you may get some blurring even on a tripod, the cow pic shows ISO 320 f/4.5 and focal length 85mm, in aperture priority mode. Thus if the exif details are correct, you set the lowest aperture on your 50-200mm lens to get an out of focus background (bokeh) which is good if thats what you intended, and in my opinion it is because the cow stands out from the background. As I'm a Canon user, i may be wrong on the next point, but if you set the auto focus to use all the focus points, then your camera will generally focus on what is nearest to the camera within those points. The focus points are as you see them through the view finder and occupy roughly a rugby ball shape in the middle 1/3rd of the pic if that makes sense. So with the cow it probably focused half way up its nose. The central focusing point is usually more sensitve/efficient and hence why many people use that as there main point of focus and then re adjust the composition as previously described by Paul and John.

The plant photo exif if correct shows: f/5.6, iso 560, shutter 1/30 sec and lens set at 200mm, thus unless you have one of the steadiest hands in the business the camera was on a tripod. The lowish f/stop helping to narrow the depth of field.

The night one 10 secs at f/16 iso 100 in manual mode. Really no problem with these settings, the white balance states auto, but with such variations in light sources , sodium lights, car headlights etc you would struggle to set anything different. I take it the blue streaks of lights were a passing double decker bus or similar, the continuous red ones high up indicating rear side lamps.

It may be that the exif data has got corrupted and thus all this is a load of twoddle (lol) however if its close then you may need to set the correct time on your camera. It also shows you used Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0 for windows on the photos. Note that you can strip this exif data from the photos and that only two in the present black/white contest show exif data.

Personally i use aperture priority most of the time and keep an eye on the shutter speed to minimise camera shake/blur , the focal length of the lens and the movement of the subject all have a bearing on this. If taking photos of fastish moving subjects (in my case horse jumping for one of daughters) then i'll set shutter priority to avoid the blur and get a sharper shot, but often the iso will have to be raised to get that higher shutter speed. I only tend to be fully manual when I'm using flash, but thats another story and generally 99% of the time on auto focus.

As you've only had the camera less than 2 months you are doing very well, keep practising.

Phil

[VikBri]

Thankyou for advice on the 'centre point focus'. I've certainly struggled with macro shots and getting a sharp focus on the subject, i look forward to trying that again after i've watched the youtube clip.

You exif data sounds pretty acurate for the shutter speed and the aperture but the ISO is definitely out. I shot all three images on ISO 100, basically because i don't know what the ISO is and 100 is the default setting. It is correct that in both the shot of the cow and the leaf i set the aperture at the widest point. I shot both on aperture priority so after deciding i wanted a low f stop the camera then judged the shutter speed at 1/30th sec. You say that this is likely to cause camera shake so perhaps this is a reason to shoot on fully manual, so i can use a faster shutter speed. I will take compliment from the 'steadiest hands in the business' as both shots were hand held.

The data for the night image all sounds accurate. The white balance was set to auto, again i'm not entirely sure what this is, so i havn't changed it as of yet. The blue streaks of light were from an ambulance passing. This photo was taken on my first trip out with the camera when i was experimenting with long exposures. Purely by luck an ambulance just happened pass, needless to say it was the best shot of the night!

Thankyou for taking your time to respond - any thoughts on the photographs?

[Paul Jones]

I shot both on aperture priority so after deciding i wanted a low f stop the camera then judged the shutter speed at 1/30th sec. You say that this is likely to cause camera shake so perhaps this is a reason to shoot on fully manual, so i can use a faster shutter speed.

Hi Vicky

Keep reading, asking questions and practising until you understand the principles of Exposure.

There is a relationship between the aperture, the shutter speed and the ISO. You need to understand how altering one will affect the others. This link will help:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid ... re+and+iso

Also, have a look through the books in the clubroom. Most photography books will explain how it works.

[oakeycoke]

Hi Vicky,

Numpty!!, not you me, to busy reading exif data rather than looking closely at the image - I should have known it was an ambulance the blue lights high up are the strobes (pulsing) and the continuous blue light half way down is a set of led's on the back door that are constant blue so they show up when passing through speed cameras.

The iso readings i thought might be out as they weren't in normal stops ie, 100,200,400 etc, though higher end cameras do do readings between those. They also showed some exposure compensation in the exif data. I would check to see that your camera isn't in auto iso mode if it has one(often in the settings someway down the onscreen menus).

Thoughts on the photos? well there are plenty of members more qualified than me at the club, the main thing is do you like them? Competition wise then the leaves would probably score highest, but thats only my opinion.

Paul just beat me replying and pointed out the aperture (f/ stop), shutter speed and iso relationship. So if you are down at f/4 to get less depth of field and your shutter speed is showing say 1/30 because its a dull winters day, but your lens is at 200mm (ie zoomed in) then you will be very lucky to get a shot without some blur/shake. The shutter speed should generally be 1/over the focal length so at 200mm it should be 1/250 or faster - thats a simplification and varies on the camera sensor (aps-c in your case and its 1.5 theoretical magnification) , whether the subject is moving and if your lens is image stabilised. Turning up the iso highers the shutter speed, there is always a compromise, as higher iso's give more digital noise/grain in the photo, but any recent dslr should take iso 800 without any really obvious problem unless you look with a magnifying glass at an A3 size print.

Hmmm your 50-200 lens will probably be at f/5.6 at 200mm, the consumer lenses have varying f/ stops when you zoom allowing less light in at the zoomed end, so though you may have set f/4 it will be f/5.6, when above roughly 100mm.

Phil

[Theo Dibbits]

It looks like you have "auto ISO sensitivity control available" switched on.


The Nikon DSLRs even let you program the Auto ISO to exactly how you would like them to work as the light changes.

On my Nikons, you go to MENU > Custom Setting Menu (pencil) > ISO Auto and turn it on. You tell it the lowest shutter speed at which you can get a sharp shot (default is 1/30).

In Auto ISO, the camera cranks up the ISO as it gets darker from the speed you set. In other words, if you're set to ISO 200 and it gets dark enough to need 1/15 of a second, the camera magically will set ISO 400 and 1/30 of a second. In the old days I had to tweak the ISO as the subject or light changed. After the ISO hits the top ISO as it gets darker, usually ISO 1,600, only then does the camera use slower speeds than what you selected in the Auto ISO menu.

Newer Nikons, like the D200 and D80, even let you select the maximum ISO you wish to permit. By default, this is ISO 1,600. If you'd rather the Auto ISO function stop at a lower ISO, tell the camera so in the same menu.

A great feature but you may want to increase the minimum shutter speed from 1/30 to 1/60 for the short lens and 1/180 for the longer one. It should be in the manual.

On my Canon I have always had problems with the matrix focus system and only use spot or centre weighted. I also change the metering point to centre.

Theo

[Paul Jones]

... bring in your camera and we'll run through it at the club.

^^^ this will help you understand it all ^^^