4 replies to this topic

[Metalmorphoses]

Hey all, I was given a D3100 camera and sat down today with the user manual to understand all the features and functions. I've watched some Skillshare videos on beginning photography and understand the basics of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

I've been using the aperture-priority setting (A) on my camera, which auto-sets the shutter speed and ISO while the user sets the aperture, but I don't think I understand the screen. It shows the aperture to the right (e.g. F5), but to the left of that it shows like 1/20 and it changes by itself based on what I point it at, (1/60, 1/50, 1/250...) I'm assuming that's the shutter speed, is that right?
But then when I change the aperture, it goes to like 1/2.5, 2"...
I don't understand what that is. What am I looking at? If that is the shutter speed, could someone explain it?

If I understand correctly, in A mode, it's not possible to adjust the shutter speed, only the aperture, yes?
And the same with shutter-priority, can only adjust shutter speed?

I'm really trying to understand the functions of this camera so I can start working with it, with the eventual goal of going pro, but at the moment I just feel frustrated and overwhelmed. I can't know how to take good photos if I don't know how to fix what's going wrong or dial in the settings I need. >_< Help!

[krag96]

No need to feel intimidated or frustrated.  I shot film with a pro camera, but going digital made me feel like a green beginner, and that was with a Nikon D5500.  I followed a few youtube videos and got the camera up and running on manual in no time.  The ones by Tony and Chelsea Northrup are excellent, but I don't know id they have one specific to the D3100. 

 

Fast forward a few weeks ago and I bought a D700, ( a tank of a camera and one of Nikon's "Gold Standard" cameras even though it's been out of production for at least 8 years).  This big boy requires a LOT more training than any D3000/D5000 series camera made, but if you understand the basic "triangle" of photography, (ISO-Shutter speed-lens stops) any digital camera can be mastered once you learn the camera and what it does with each command button and dial. 

 

Put your camera on manual, choose a composition and how you want to present it, (once you have learned the "triangle" or the Kodak, "Sunny 16" rule, again you can refer to youtube).  Watch the little marks at the bottom center of your viewfinder screen with a +, (over exposure) on one side and a -, (underexposure) on the other.  Choose an F stop and shutter speed, look at the meter bottom center, adjust as needed and take the photograph.  Check it on your screen and determine if it's what you want.  Read, study, practice with your camera, get a mentor, take a community college class, watch some youtube tutorials and things will come together for you. 

 

I hope this helps.

[Merco_61]

The basics, as applied to a beginner's camera like the D3100 is often more easily learned from a good book than from videos. Some post-it thumbgrips make it easy to find specific information until you learn one particular aspect. Then just move the post-its to another section or add more in some other colour or with other markings.

 

David Busch's Nikon D3100 Guide to Digital SLR Photography is still available and is well worth the $50-$60 price tag.

It is a basic book on photography, tweaked for your camera with its particular user interface.

[TBonz]

Excellent advise above.  The reason you see the shutter speed and / or ISO changing is because you are changing the aperture.  The camera is then using the aperture setting that you have chosen and is setting the other two pieces of the triangle so that you get what the camera believes is a perfect exposure.  Please note that the camera chooses what it feels is the best setting.  That does not always mean the setting is getting the lighting as you are seeing it.  That will come with time.  

 

A basic guideline for DSLR non-flash shooting is that you keep your shutter speed to at least your focal length.  That would mean that with a 70-200 zoom you would want to shoot at 1/200 of a second or faster.  In that situation when shooting in A mode, you might adjust your aperture so that you are getting that fast a shutter speed or faster.  

 

I would suggest considering setting the ISO yourself.  Turn of AutoISO and pick 100 or 200 on a nice sunny day or maybe 400 if it is overcast.  Then shooting in A or S is as easy as adjusting to the effects you want to obtain.  It only costs a bit of disk space and some electricity to charge your battery in order to experiment.  Before long you will be shooting in M and choosing some starting settings based on the day and what you are shooting and making adjustments based on a test image and its histogram.  But that's down the road !

[nikonist123]

Hy guys, 

 

I have an old Nikon D5100 camera and i have a huge problem: I cant turn on the microphone - I go to Movie Settings- Microphone, but is show me OFF.  I ve noticed that after a pug in a lavalier in my camera and the microphone is OFF even if I unpluged the mic.

 

So, can you help me? How should I resolve this, because my footage have only video, not audio. 

 

Thanks, have a nice day!