Help a new guy out. - SRT Forums

moltenice · 05-12-2009, 08:03 PM

Picked up a D60, a couple lenses, and filters recently and have been going through trying to get it all figured out.
I've been shooting with a Canon S5IS for some time now, and I go into manual and mess around with Apertures and shutter speeds, but haven't quite been able to refine them, and only get them right when I have alot of time and take a million shots dialing it in.
But then there are other things I am clueless about like Flashes, Flash compensation, which metering mode to use, Optimize Image setting, ISO, D lighting.... FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUuuu

Speaking of Optimize Image Settings.... I kind of like the way the scenes look in "more vivid"... is this bad, and when do you use it?

Skill · 05-13-2009, 03:08 AM

Research topics, more reading, and keep shooting.

coolpixer · 05-13-2009, 06:53 AM

Start with aperature priority and set your lens to wide open or semi wide open i.e. using the lower number f/value settings and shoot away.

As far as flash, nikon has incorporated CLS into their cams whereas the camera and flash talk to each other. Pick up a SB600 and read the manual literature that comes with. Although there is nothing wrong being a natural light guy and avoid flash for the time being. But you'll have to know Iso stuff. start playing and reading about that.

Everyone has their own style... if you like vivid go with it. although you could also pump your pics to vivid when you post process.

castrol · 05-13-2009, 10:05 AM

HAHAHA...

So I went back to OT to copy my post there with the links to some good reading material
and saw your post there. Too funny.

I'll post it again for future readers.

Links are clickable.

DJ, I read everything I can get my hands on. I have a few books that have been recommended
to me that I have yet to pick up. One is called Understanding Exposure. Another is
called The Moment it Clicks and then there is Light, Science and Magic.

At some point I'll pick up one or all of these and just read them.

Skill · 05-13-2009, 11:04 AM

Just as an FYI i learned by starting in Program mode and reading what the camera set the settings as. Then moved on to aperture and started playing with DOF and see how the metering was being set. Thenn i started using manual when i wanted to control my highlights and shadows of certain areas within the image.

You just need to keep shooting and get lots of practice in. It won't come right away. The more you shoot the better you'll get and understand it. I also bought a few books, and read a lot of forums on topics about flash, exposure, etc etc.