Manual DSLR Users...

[FG167]

...help please? How did you start? I loved my preset settings on my D5000 (like the "sport" mode was my fave), but since I have bought a D7000, I am not as pleased with my pictures. I think this is because the settings aren't suiting what I like anymore I don't know how to even begin shooting manual. I did bring my manual for my camera - is this sufficient to start with or is there a book or a certain something I should work on (like a certain lighting situation etc). My photography friends are in MI, I don't have any friends in TN so no one to hands-on show me what to do...

[stardogs]

This is the blog post that got me feeling confident enough to start playing around with manual: http://tech.yourway.net/getting-expo...-is-important/

For me, I just needed the push with the bit of info above to start playing around. I'm still learning a LOT, but I am soooooo much happier with my photos on manual than on presets. For the most part, no the only time I go to auto settings is when the lighting is changing rapidly (cloud to sun and back usually).

[Linds]

Pretty much I put it on Manual and promised myself I wouldn't take it off for a year. From there is was just trial and error and I'm still learning. It's been a year and half on Manual.

I started with a lot of over and under exposed shots.

[Keechak]

How did I start in manual? I went to college for photography.

[AdrianneIsabel]

Originally Posted by Keechak

How did I start in manual? I went to college for photography.

lol here too, but honestly just tinkering really teaches you the most. Start with some basics: higher ISO (6400 v 160) allows you to shoot in lower light but increases the grain. Higher f stop (f/16 v f/2.8) allows for a greater depth of field, less blur outside of your point of focus, but the higher you go the more light you need. Lastly the shutter speed dictates how fast your camera reacts, the higher the number the faster the reaction and the more light you need to shoot with. All three aspects can compensate for one another, it's a science of balance.

Ill hop on my computer and post some examples to help.

[Toller_08]

I'd really like to actually take a proper photography course/s at some point, but in the meantime I just decided one day that the clarity and colour of manual photography was just so much nicer and reason enough not to use any automatic settings anymore. I'm not a very technical minded person, so reading most "how to" guides kind of go right over my head, so I just started playing with my camera and settings. I still have a lot to learn and am not happy with my photos a lot of the time still, but even so, I've definitely learned a fair amount just by playing around with it and practicing.

[AdrianneIsabel]

A couple examples:
1/640 ƒ/2.8 ISO 6400 59 mm

The light was awful in this forest so I pumped the ISO up to 6400 and the dogs were not holding still well so I pumped the shutter speed up as high as I could without losing too much light which was 1/640 (for action shots I try to stay above 1/1000) and to compensate for these other two settings I dropped my f stop to f/2.8. Notice how his nose is out of focus but his eyes and anything on the same plain, such as the wubba, are? The last number is the zoom distance. I have a 24-70mm lens on and I had it at 59mm.

Grain, but not bad and frankly I enjoy grain. This photo needed it's white balance adjusted and some moderate exposure adjustments because like I said, tinkering.

1/800 ƒ/2.8 ISO 200 70 mm

The light was much better in this shot. I used a lower ISO to crisp up the shots. The I have my shutter speed up but lower than it should be in this shot, in retrospect I would up the ISO a bit and the shutter speed because I was currently shooting action shots. I still had the f stop very low to give a stronger point of focus. The lens was at it's maximum zoom.

1/50 ƒ/4.5 ISO 250

I try to never go below 1/60 when I am shooting handheld, the human hand has difficulty not vibrating with camera weight and anything below 1/60 is a rule of thumb to use a stabilizer like a tripod. I upped the f stop to encourage more of the face being in focus as opposed to just the eyes or just the nose, etc. This was a fixed 50mm lens so no data is needed for the zoom.

1/8000 ƒ/4 ISO 400 50 mm

Dog in action, higher shutter speed, daylight but roving clouds moderate ISO, and a moderate f stop helps the chance of catching the dog in focus. The smaller the f stop the more likely you are to miss your pinpoint. Depending on the number of focal points in your camera body this is a very important aspect.


Can you try to reason why these ones are set up the way they are?

1/1600 ƒ/3.2 ISO 1250


1/640 ƒ/3.2 ISO 400


1/2500 ƒ/3.2 ISO 400


1/1250 ƒ/2.8 ISO 160


This is all natural lighting... adding a flash or light boxes adds another dimension, do you use artificial lighting?

[crazedACD]

Originally Posted by Toller_08

I'd really like to actually take a proper photography course/s at some point, but in the meantime I just decided one day that the clarity and colour of manual photography was just so much nicer and reason enough not to use any automatic settings anymore. I'm not a very technical minded person, so reading most "how to" guides kind of go right over my head, so I just started playing with my camera and settings. I still have a lot to learn and am not happy with my photos a lot of the time still, but even so, I've definitely learned a fair amount just by playing around with it and practicing.

Toller...you could teach photography courses...

[Keechak]

THe thing for me is that I have all VERY entry level equipment still and it REALLY shows in the clarity of my images. I have a Rebel which is an entry level Canon, and I only have the kit lens and a cheap $200 70-300 Tamron. My Tamron sucks for clarity but I still use it a lot because I enjoy being at a distance from my subject, I would LOVE an "L" series lens that gets up to 400mm but that's a $1300 dream.

[AdrianneIsabel]

I hated my tamron gear and honestly the sigmas weren't much better. I will probably only ever buy canon from here on out. Upgrading to even a 40d & a 50mm isn't terrible, if you're looking, about 500 dollars all together. Of course it doesn't get you the distance you're seeking but it's a good set up for the time being.

These are older but shot with these.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5269/5...04026c33_z.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5266/5...3192de3a_z.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3064/5...02d66437_z.jpg

They're not my favorites but still a lot that can be done. I really like the 40d, it's a great body even lacking full format.

(sorry for blabbering, it's a favorite topic of mine)