Learning How To Shoot In Manuel

F

frtorres87

Senior Member
So I`ve been trying to get to know and understand my camera better threw trail and error. Today my wife was cooking and I decided to try and shot some pictures in auto and then try to imitate the same shot in manuel. Lighting seems to be my main problem, and i dont understand why. Maybe you guys can help me.

Subject A:(Shot in Auto)



Subject B:(Shot in Manuel)


Aperture F5.6
Shutter Speed 1/200
ISO 640

​What am I doing wrong?
 
D

Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
frtorres87 said:
So I`ve been trying to get to know and understand my camera better threw trail and error. Today my wife was cooking and I decided to try and shot some pictures in auto and then try to imitate the same shot in manuel. Lighting seems to be my main problem, and i dont understand why. Maybe you guys can help me.

Subject A:(Shot in Auto)



Subject B:(Shot in Manuel)


Aperture F5.6
Shutter Speed 1/200
ISO 640

​What am I doing wrong?
Click to expand...

What were the aperture / shutter speed / ISO for the Auto shot?
 
R

Rexer John

Senior Member
Well, it's clearly underexposed so you need a slower shutter speed or a larger aperture (smaller f number) or a higher ISO.
Or a combination that will give a brighter image.
If you are trying to learn to use manual and comparing it to the auto setting you need to have exif data for both shots.
You really should take control of ISO in manual too.
If you leave ISO at auto, you wont see differences made by changing the aperture or shutter, because the auto ISO will try to compensate for your changes.
 
G

GerardH

New member
The jpeg you posted was stripped of its EXIF properties, you can go back and view the original image to see what the camera did.

1/200" is way too fast for that exposure -- is that what it actually metered? Did your flash go off in the Auto mode? The 1/60" in the A-mode shot makes it suspect to me..

Edit: the previous poster is correct, the ISO should also be set to manual so you have complete control of your camera settings.
 
Last edited:
LouCioccio

LouCioccio

Senior Member
One of the things to help is in preview; once in that you will have the toggle (I don't own a 5000 series) so read the manual. The preview screen will change to give you valuable information one of which is the histogram and also it will tell you the exposure (f/stop, shutter, ISO and even which metering you chose.
There is also a graphic display in the viewfinder that has a series of marks and in the center the tick mark is large. It is your light meter working; as you move the aperture (lens opening) or the shutter (allows light to "exposed" the digital sensor) a tick mark will eventually move to the center once there focus and press the shutter button.

Now I am not being "smart" just that we all have been there at one time. So please do not take offense as I am sure you are learning. A book I would recommend is Bryan Peterson "Understanding Exposure". This is a great hobby even better now that it is digital and you do not have to wait for film to develop and getting prints.

Good luck,

​Lou Cioccio
 
A

Akiviri

New member
If you look inside the viewfinder, on the bottom right, you'll see - - - l - - + (or maybe the + sign is first I changed mine to what I'm used to) that is your meter. Watch how it changes as you change your shutter/aperture, and read your manual for more tips on how your camera works. Manual can be found online here: http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/dslr/D5100_EN.pdf or Spanish? http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/dslr/D5100_ES.pdf

What you want to do is look at the shutter/aperture settings Auto used (Bottom left in the viewfinder), and then copy them while you learn what these things are and what they do. Set your ISO to a set amount (200 is default) and only change it when you need to, and then only as much as you need to in order to shoot handheld. Higher ISO = Higher noise beyond a certain point (each camera is different).
 
D

Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
Also you would be better off to shoot in Program and never AUTO. In auto you can not control the ISO. In Program you can set the ISO.

Put it in P and see what it want to shoot. Then put it in M and move the aperture and shutter speed and see what the changes do,

In M you will see a scale with a minus on the left and a Plus of the right. The proper exposure will be in the middle. You will see a center mark. When you change the aperture you will need to change the shutter speed to compensate.
 
C

carguy

Senior Member
Search youtube for jared polin's videos. Very easy to follow and he has a way if explaining the basics :)

Tap'n on the Galaxy S3
 
M

Mfrankfort

Senior Member
In manual, get familiar with the + - - - - 0 - - - -- - and looking at it. It will tell you if the picture will be under/over exposed. While not always 100 percent, it usually does a very good job. You want it ideally right at 0 for a proper exposure. I do not own your camera, but I'm pretty sure it has one. If you see the picture is too dark, slow the shutter speed down, or use a larger (smaller number) aperture to let in more light. Try aperture priority, and take a few shots, and see what the camera is doing to the shutter speed.
 
F

frtorres87

Senior Member
After playing around with my camera I found a setting that helped me out greatly, the Playback display options. After activating Shooting Data and Overview I was able to see what was stopping me from achieving the lighting that i wanted....ISO. The picture that I took in auto had an ISO of 2000 and the picture I took in manuel had an ISO of 200. Everything else was the same. Thank you guys, because of your advice I was able to head in the right direction.
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
frtorres87 said:
The picture that I took in auto had an ISO of 2000 and the picture I took in manuel had an ISO of 200. Everything else was the same.
Click to expand...
A'yup... Adjusting the ISO -- by a factor of ten (!!!) -- will definitely have an impact alright.

Getting over being afraid of shooting in full manual mode was the best thing I was dragged into doing (kicking and screaming the whole way, I might add). It was also my biggest stepping stone in learning to see a camera as a "box of tools" and not a point-and-shoot Picture Maker that screwed up half the time by not giving me what I wanted.
 
F

frtorres87

Senior Member
Horoscope Fish said:
A'yup... Adjusting the ISO -- by a factor of ten (!!!) -- will definitely have an impact alright.

Getting over being afraid of shooting in full manual mode was the best thing I was dragged into doing (kicking and screaming the whole way, I might add). It was also my biggest stepping stone in learning to see a camera as a "box of tools" and not a point-and-shoot Picture Maker that screwed up half the time by not giving me what I wanted.
Click to expand...

Im starting to feel the same, im truly excited about take pictures in manuel. My next mission will be to learn how to take pics with the Bokeh Effect.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
frtorres87 said:
After playing around with my camera I found a setting that helped me out greatly, the Playback display options. After activating Shooting Data and Overview I was able to see what was stopping me from achieving the lighting that i wanted....ISO. The picture that I took in auto had an ISO of 2000 and the picture I took in manuel had an ISO of 200. Everything else was the same. Thank you guys, because of your advice I was able to head in the right direction.
Click to expand...

You can also turn off the "auto iso" in you camera shooting menu. You could then use the A or S mode without the auto iso interfering.
 
Top