Some Settings Questions If Anyone Has Some Time.

Marilynne

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
The first question is about image size when shooting jpeg/fine quality.
If I shoot in medium size (13.5M) am I only using half the potential for quality for this camera?
The large selection is the full 24.0M. If both pictures were cropped to the same size would the
image taken in the larger size be distinctly sharper or clearer?

The second is the focus selector lock. The levered ring around the multi-selector dial.(and the OK button)
Using the center focus in the viewfinder, if I want to use focus lock, I use my thumb on the AE-L/AF-L button.
what is that one around the OK button supposed to be set at? The choice is L or Dot

Is this in the wrong place?

Thank You, Dave

Edit: moved from D7100 group to here per Dave @adot45
 

480sparky

Senior Member
I think you're confusing crop factor with image quality.

Shooting in crop mode uses only the center portion of the sensor. The camera crops out the outer half of the image for you. This is fine if you need extra 'reach' and will be cropping the images in post anyway.

Changing image quality doesn't change the area captured by the sensor. The image is rendered the same no matter which of the settings you use, it's just the fine setting gathers more detail.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Jpeg Fine vs. Normal vs. Basic is a difference of compression. Fine has the least amount of compression. Normal has some compression which can bring in a little artifacting but lowering the overall file size. Basic has the most amount of compression so an even smaller file size with more artifacting.

The 'L' button is to lock the focus dot inside the viewfinder. When it is locked, you won't be able to move the dot with the up/down/right/left arrow keys.

Ask me how I know about both of these! ;)

When I shot high school drama photos, I stood in a darkened balcony (NO light up there except from what came from the stage). One time I changed my ISO and scrolled the rear wheel. The problem was the ISO button on the D610 was in a different place than the ISO button on the D7100. Inadvertently instead of changing my ISO, I switched from RAW+Jpeg Fine to Jpeg Basic. :sorrow: However, at the time I didn't know what happened other than I knew my ISO didn't change. When I got home, I realized my mistake. The stage lights were made up of a variety of colors plus the spot light. The overall color of my images was brown - something like tungsten. Fortunately Nikonites has some Knights riding White Stallions. One of them by the name of Jake gave me info on how to adjust my color balance. :encouragement:

And other times I have inadvertently locked the viewfinder button. There's nothing quite like needing to change your focus point then realizing it won't move because it is locked. I've lost a few shots from doing that. :beguiled:
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Oh wait...you meant Jpeg Large vs other sizes. I haven't used anything other than the large Jpeg size.
 

nickt

Senior Member
Yes, you are losing quality choosing the smaller size. If you look at the menu screen on your camera, it spells it out in pixels. So you are throwing out almost half your megapixels by dropping down to medium. You will definitely see it when cropping. No reason to do it in my opinion unless you forgot to bring extra memory cards. Or maybe you need smaller files for some special purpose.
 

adot45

Senior Member
Yes, you are losing quality choosing the smaller size. If you look at the menu screen on your camera, it spells it out in pixels. So you are throwing out almost half your megapixels by dropping down to medium. You will definitely see it when cropping. No reason to do it in my opinion unless you forgot to bring extra memory cards. Or maybe you need smaller files for some special purpose.

Thanks Nickt, this is what I suspected and it helps me a lot to hear it from someone else.
 

adot45

Senior Member
The 'L' button is to lock the focus dot inside the viewfinder. When it is locked, you won't be able to move the dot with the up/down/right/left arrow keys.

Thanks hark, I appreciate the explanation of that feature.
 

adot45

Senior Member
I think you're confusing crop factor with image quality.

Shooting in crop mode uses only the center portion of the sensor. The camera crops out the outer half of the image for you. This is fine if you need extra 'reach' and will be cropping the images in post anyway.

Changing image quality doesn't change the area captured by the sensor. The image is rendered the same no matter which of the settings you use, it's just the fine setting gathers more detail.

Thanks 480sparky, I appreciate you taking the time to try and help.
 
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