52 replies to this topic

[maryhelmer]

I have been taking photos for years now but just useing point and shoot cameras and staying on auto .My goal is to get off auto  and learn all the funtions on my new D7100..Where I live there is no camera courses to take so any info would be helpful like what kind of lens should I be using ?

[Rontography]

Asking what kind of lens is like asking what should I have for lunch today. There are just so many choices. What do you want to take pictures of would be a start, but still so many options.

 

I went to Manual from the very beginning. The only way to figure it out and what works for you is to p[lay with the settings until you understand what they do.

[Adam]

Generally speaking, there's never a "best" mode because it all depends on what you are shooting.  What you need to learn first are the basics of exposure, aka getting the image properly lit.  The three main components of this are ISO, shutter speed, and aperture.

 

We have a nice article about this on our Pentax site:

Exposure: Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO - PentaxForums.com

 

Wikipedia is also a great resource to get you started.  Once you know how the three parameters work, you can try them out by shooting in A mode (to control aperture) or S mode (to control shutter speed).  The ISO sensitivity is a separate setting that applies to all modes.

[mgarciacarvajal]

MaryHelmer.. I took a online class real quick to understand the funtions on my camera.... if you like I can send you the slides and start from there... It did help me a lot

[GregM1]

each function can make the cameras react so much differently in the same situations; however, i usually find myself shooting in aperture mode most of the time.

[Mark Win]

Sometimes users dont take their cameras of Auto modes simply because todays cameras do everytihng thats needed on Auto to get the required images, i myself love shooting in sports mode though i have been playing around with 'Bulb' Settings for some amazing night time pictures and recently started playing around with 'light painting''

[JenL]

I agree the first thing is to understand exposure.  Check out the book, Understanding Exposure, by Bryan Peterson.  I shoot in manual and agree that you should play around with camera settings.  Trial and error is the best way to learn. 

[Shail Momin]

for the best you need to see the tutorials on YouTube or any convenient website to you. i would just say to you just go through the tutorial and practice as much as your can. play with your gear.

[edmercer]

Read the manual, understand your camera settings, watch some Youtube or take a course.

[Mark Win]

Im with you on that one Shail, Youtube offers so many answers to questions and mostly in a very good educational way, i still check out many users videos as we never stop learning or grabbing those tips that gives us more understanding of just what a camera can do, some people think it just takes a picture but todays cameras do so much more than just take standard pictures..

Im hoping myself to start taking some long exposure pictures of nighttime traffic, anyone any examples of their long exposure work id love to see them and with what settings

Guys please feel free to click my profile and add me as a friend,

im looking forward to sharing ideas and hope to

learn so much more with users tips and tricks

[greenwing]

Use the camera, and when you aren't getting the results you expect, ask! What don't you understand? What's looking wrong? without a bit of a clue as to what to help with, you could be overwhelmed with advice...

[Twanky]

Slowly trying to get away from Auto. I've been trying to use manual as much as possible.

[MonochromeColour]

It is a how long is a piece of string question. It will depend what you are shooting. One way is to start in Manual but then take a note of the settings. this will give you an insight to settings them you can move on to AP and so on

[Wolfzbane]

Try checking out youtube for some tutorials, I find they help quite a lot and you can see what you're doing.

[Bill]

I shoot in full manual and in RAW so if necessary I can do some post processing in Lightroom or Photoshop.

[maryhelmer]

Thanks Everyone : )

[Jan]

Mostly shoot manual and aperture. The beauty of today's digital cameras is that you can play, play, play!! Find out what works in different situations - and enjoy!

[leCabri]

I almost always shoot aperture or manual.

 

 

[Landscaaped]

I have been taking photos for years now but just useing point and shoot cameras and staying on auto .My goal is to get off auto  and learn all the funtions on my new D7100..Where I live there is no camera courses to take so any info would be helpful like what kind of lens should I be using ?

I just started out recently and watched plenty of vids on you tube to guide me to what I need to do and know but its all trial an error really, as for lens get to know your kit lens first then move onto better lenses.

[JoyN87]

Manual. Plain and Simple.