Really liking the M mode now on my D40..!

Greywoulf

New member
Problem is, the camera usually tries to be TOO good to me..? :confused:
When I have my 1.8 lens on it, I find that the night shots I like are damn near impossible with the the A or P or Night or any auto mode settings! Far too often a photo taken on a lighted street or in a lighted hall at 10PM will look like it's taken at twilight instead, as the camera tries too hard to brighten things up for me..! And I don't want this; I want the camera to show the available light as close to what I'm actually seeing as much as possible..!

So the Manual setting works best for me. If things look too bright, I simply move the aperture up from f1.8 to f2, f2.8, or f3.2, and also set the speed a bit higher, and I get the darkened street with the correct contrast between the lighted and non lighted areas, that I'm always looking for.
 

Eduard

Super Mod
Staff member
Super Mod
Same here. The biggest difference when I upgraded from my D70s to the D300 a couple years ago, is that I'll also use ISO up to around 800.
 

Greywoulf

New member
Same here. The biggest difference when I upgraded from my D70s to the D300 a couple years ago, is that I'll also use ISO up to around 800.

Ah yes... The beautiful D300, which may well be mine someday too..! ">})

But then the nice thing about the D40 is that it's 6MPs means it's also good with higher ISO settings.
800 is no problem at all and even ISO 1600 looks pretty darn good, with a bit of obvious noise only coming in at the HI (3200) setting (which I rarely see any use for?)...
I keep the D40 set at ISO Auto (limit 1600) so the camera can choose which ISO setting fits best, and so far this part of its automated process has never disappointed me... ">})
 

Eduard

Super Mod
Staff member
Super Mod
Ah yes... The beautiful D300, which may well be mine someday too..! ">})

But then the nice thing about the D40 is that it's 6MPs means it's also good with higher ISO settings.

LOL I have to agree with your description of the D300. It is amazing.

I just got back from visiting family in Chicago. I took this about 30 minutes after sunset with the Nikkor 17-55 (1/30s, f/2.8, 30.0mm, ISO 800).

large.jpg
 
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