DSLR Newbie - Tips & Tricks?
 

I received my new Nikon D3000 kit in the mail yesterday, it included 18-55 and 55-200 mm Nikkor AF lenses, bag, and some other goodies. Here's what I bought for reference:

Amazon.com: Nikon D3000 10.2 MP Digital SLR 6 Piece Bundle with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX & 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lenses: Camera & Photo

This represents me moving up from the simple point and shoot digital world into doing some real photography, mostly kids, kid sports, and vacation type stuff. I have no ambitions of getting to a pro level, but I'd like to be competent with the features of the camera. Other than reading through the camera manual and included DVDs, what other DSLR resources would be helpful for a dummy like me? Any tips, tricks, etc to share? I'm still working through understanding basics like ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, so speak slowly.;)

Keep the camera off 'auto' mode. Shoot in aperture priotity mode (AE on Canon cameras) and practice at all F-stops on your lenses. In low light switch to manual mode. Most importantly, PRACTICE! Digital is free, it's not like the old days with film, you get instant feedback!
As far as websites, I prefer DPreview.com.

Take lots of shots and have fun!

If it was me, I'd be buying this book. Seriously. Nikon D3000 For Dummies: Julie Adair King: 9780470578940: Amazon.com: Books

I respectfully disagree with the above comment about not using the automatic setting. I use it on my Canon 40D all the time. Those settings all have something to offer. Find out what that something is.

Using automatic white balance, though, is another issue entirely. There's a site called Earthbound Light that is really helpful. One of the owner's best posts deals with white balance, and ways to warm your images up or cool them off. You will find it here:

The Zen of White Balance - Photo Tips @ Earthbound Light

Also, consider the camera's visual focus points inside the viewfinder. I select these manually to tell the camera not only where to focus, but where to throw the light from the strobe. In other words, I will turn most of them off and select, say, the top center one, or maybe the one on the far right or left, if that's where I want the focus, the light, or both.

These things are fabulous tools, more computers with lenses than mere cameras. I think the most basic tip is to carry your camera's manual in your camera bag. Get to know it really well and don't be afraid to pull it out to look something up.

Good luck and good pictures!@

learn and use the "golden rule of thirds" and move on with life with the camera in AUTO mode. for now.

I learned about SLR photography with my dad's old film SLR camera that had a broken light meter. Through trial and error, it taught me the relationships between various components of the camera, as well as how different adjustments affect the outcome.

Fully AUTO mode is great to just start taking pictures. But if you really want to understand how a DSLR camera works, you need to go further. I would start with the "A" and "S" modes. These are Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority settings. (I have a D3200 - you should have these settings on your D3000).

There are three main variables or settings in a camera: shutter speed, the amount of time the shutter is open to allow light to hit the 'digital film', aperture opening, how big the opening is to allow the light in, and ISO setting, how sensitive the 'digital film' is to light. The combination of these three variables can alter the composition of a picture tremendously.

Take for example a picture of a speeding Porsche on a racetrack. On a sunny day, you would probably select an ISO setting of around 100 to 200. Then, you would probably want to put the camera in the "S" setting for shutter priority, and the aperture setting will automatically adjust to the correct setting. Now, you can set the shutter speed to somewhere around 1/500th of a second. As the speeding Porsche comes into view, track the car with your camera (known as panning). As the car passes infront of you, click the shutter release and continue to follow the car with the camera.

When you look at the results, you are looking for three things: a car which is in focus, a blurred background, and blurred wheels. If the car is not sharp, adjust the shutter speed up (faster - something like 1/1000th of a second) and work on tracking the car (panning) more. Blurry wheels and background give the picture a sense of motion. If they are not sufficiently blurry, then decrease your shutter speed.

In my opinion, photography is all about experimentation. While fully auto modes allow for terrific pictures to be taken, it is when a photographer starts to experiment with different settings that some great pictures can be taken!

Another suggestion: get yourself a good primary (non-zoom) lens. A 50mm or 35mm lens is a terrific lens to use. Primary lenses typically have lower apature settings (good for depth of field and low light photography) and have less compromises in terms of focal 'sweet spots.' you may need to move around a little more to compose a picture with a primary lens, but it may also force you to be more creative as well.

Good luck and enjoy!
-Z-man.

Matt
Congrats on choosing a Nikon. You've bought into a great system.
I'd recommend a couple of things:
1) Get yourself a spare battery
2) Get yourself another memory card (film, never can have too much handy)
3) You might find some interesting reading here: Nikon Digital Camera and Photography Articles by Thom Hogan
4) If you really want the pictures to turn out, be sure you charge the battery before you go on the shoot. There's nothing worse than not getting the shot because the battery goes dead.

My cameras are almost always on auto since I can't out think the Nikon guys when it comes to correct exposure settings. If you're shooting your kids playing soccer or any sports for that matter, you'll get plenty of practice panning. By the time you get to the races you'll be OK.
Good luck and post up some pics. We all love pics here.

Get one of these: Nikon Normal AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D Autofocus Lens 2137 B&H Photo for low light, high speed, depth of field and amazing sharpness.

Learn how to do the proverbial "foot zoom".
Shoot closer to the subject than you think.
Don't perfectly frame everything.
Learn depth of field and relation to f stop.
Most lenses shoot their sharpest somewhere in the middle of their f range.
Most post processing software is better than in camera.
Shoot, shoot, shoot.

Have fun.......

The D3000 can use AF lenses, but not with autofocus. Manual only.

Thanks for the feedback thus far guys!

after that one, or instead of it, try: Mastering the Nikon Dxxx etc. by Darryl Young

a friend who is as close to a pro-photog. as anyone told me to get it & read - he said it actually tells you what settings to best use for what situations (which is rare in a manual or photg. how to guide)

see if there is one for yours; if not, then read one for the closest model to your

have fun!

there is nothing (yet) that can quite match a DSLR

Take lots of photos. Seriously.

With the size and relative cheapness of memory cards there is no reason not to. My wife is a serious amateur photographer. I know a little from just paying attention. She used to hand me the camera and say, "Take a picture." I would snap a couple. Invariably she would some flaw however minor in the photos I'd take.

Now when she hands me the camera I take 30 photos and hand it back. Different angles, different zoom levels, etc. Take enough and I'll turn out a couple of good ones. Unlike in the days of film it doesn't cost a dime to delete the culls and keep rolling.

-J

It may not exist, but is there anything similar as an iPhone app? I'd like something situational that gives me a good starting point for settings that I can then tweak as required. It's the sort of thing that you learn with experience, except that I have none and I really don't want to carry a big book with me.

This is a great series: Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4: Scott Kelby: 9780321839954: Amazon.com: Books

He states outright, without apology, that it is not about the science of photography, but instead if you and he went out on a shoot together and asked what would be the best settings, he'd say "Set this to this, that to that, and take the pic", as if you were a friend out hiking with him.

Check out these forums:

https://www.nikonians.org/

Nikonites - Nikon Photography Forum

Both very informative and very friendly :)

An online site you may want to check out for general digital info: Photo Class | Mountain Adventure Photography


I reluctantly finally made the jump to digital from film just last year and went with a D5100 and love it...I know you don't want to shell out extra $$ since just getting the camera, but I'd HIGHLY recommend picking up a nice flash unit and rip the pop-up of the camera ;)

Now, about the tripod and head you want for low light, astrophotography, portraits....etc :D

Congrats on the new toy!

well... yes - I don't think much of this guy, tho he can be entertaining

he sells apps for all sorts of cameras

Ken Rockwell's Photography Updates

I bought a Nikon D40 two days before Rennsport III and set it on "auto" and took 600 photos. Too easy.

and BTW - you will need all the speed of a DSLR to capture the Duck's offense this pm :D

You can always just set it on 'auto' and press the release half way down and see what the settings are going to be. Start tweaking from there. No app, no book, just camera.;)

Ditch the two lens and get a better multi zoom. I got the D5000 that came with the same set up from Costco. I got tired of carrying the two around since they are both limiting. The hard part is the lens will cost more then what you paid for your entire kit. I thought I could recoup some of my money by reselling the lens that came with it on Ebay. I found out that they are selling often for less then $50 so that should give you some idea of the product.

Dammit. That was painful.