Newb Question: How do you change the aperture in manual mode?

fotojack

Senior Member
Re: Newx Question: How do you change the aperature in manual mode?

Go ahead make fun of me :)

NEWB****

LOL.....nah...we wouldn't do that..........would we? ;)

OK, while pressing your shutter button half way down, rotate the thumbwheel, that should be right near your right thumb, left or right and look through your view finder to see which way the numbers are going. Remember...the smaller the number F1.8 - F2.8 - F3.5 - etc the larger the aperture (the more light goes in. The larger the number...F11 - F16 - F22 - etc...the less light goes in. This has to be balanced with your ISO (light sensitivity) and Shutter Speed (1/30th - 1/50th - 1/120th of a second - etc.

All this is in your manual, by the way. Seriously...I suggest you really do read it. Have your camera with you when you read it and just experiment with the settings. You're not going to learn all this stuff overnight or even on a weekend, kiddo. :) Takes a bit of work on your part, and lots of reading and doing. And have fun while you're doing it. :)
 
Re: Newx Question: How do you change the aperature in manual mode?

Been in TV / Photography / Computers for 41 years. Here is how I go about getting new equipment.
1. Research it
2. Buy it
3. Read the manual before turning on the equipment
4. Read the manual while looking at and operating each step
5. Going through the equipment step by step from memory and referring to manual as needed
6. Use it for a while and then rereading the manual after a few week to see if I can discover something I forgot.
 

Eye-level

Banned
I've had my F2 for a while now. It is WAY more simplistic than any DSLR. I STILL have to consult the user's manual from time to time in order to refresh my memory. Just like that frigging APERTURE word...man I've looked up the spelling on the word a thousand times and I still can't remember how to spell it...lol
 

Will V|Photography

Senior Member
Yes, reading the manual is the first thing you should do. Fotojack was on the right track but his method isn't the way to change aperture in Manual. There is a pair of smaller buttons by the shutter button, you press the one farthest right (closest to edge of camera) and turn the thumb-dial. Turning it left will open up your aperture (lower number/f-stop, shallower DoF) and turning it right will close your aperture (higher number/f-stop, deeper DoF).
 

fotojack

Senior Member
Yes, reading the manual is the first thing you should do. Fotojack was on the right track but his method isn't the way to change aperture in Manual. There is a pair of smaller buttons by the shutter button, you press the one farthest right (closest to edge of camera) and turn the thumb-dial. Turning it left will open up your aperture (lower number/f-stop, shallower DoF) and turning it right will close your aperture (higher number/f-stop, deeper DoF).

Ah, OK, he has buttons...I have a wheel. Does the same job, right? :)
 

alltimeqb

Senior Member
I used to do 35mm film in an slr and develop it myself. Buying the D3100 as my first dslr, 30 years later, is an eye opener. The flexibility of a dslr is simply amazing. I've had to read the manual, but I would recommend at a minimum you go through all the pages on the pro modes: M, A, S, P. It's a lot easier than using film ;-)
 
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