How to know your camera like an extension of your arm

Dave_W

The Dude
I really like to read and have a pretty good library of books and in one of my photography books, the author describes a way to get to know your camera. He said you should take your camera in-hand and with your eyes closed or in some cases looking thru the viewfinder, and to go over each and every button imaginable, changing ISO, shutter speed, AF to MF, etc. He said to do it over and over again and that after about a week or so these things will become second nature and you can make changes on the fly without having to remove your eye from the viewfinder.

Turns out he's right. I've been doing this for nearly a week now and I see exactly what he's talking about. At first it kinda sounded simplistic, and maybe it is, but the more you do it the more it becomes second nature. It's starting to remind me of typing and how I no longer think of the letters in a word but just the word itself and my fingers automatically spit it out. I'm not 100% of the way there yet but I can see it developing into a similar scenario.
 

jdeg

^ broke something
Staff member
That's a really good idea. There's a couple semi-complicated things I can do without looking, but definitely not everything.
 

Rick M

Senior Member
Good idea. Comming from a D5100 where most things are menu driven, I'm a long way from mastering all the dials and buttons on the D600
 

stmv

Senior Member
I shoot a lot of night photography, so,, got to know where the buttons are. One Pain is that Nikon keeps moving buttons around from one SLR to another, so,, you have to recondition yourself.
 

jcottone45

Senior Member
I really like to read and have a pretty good library of books and in one of my photography books, the author describes a way to get to know your camera. He said you should take your camera in-hand and with your eyes closed or in some cases looking thru the viewfinder, and to go over each and every button imaginable, changing ISO, shutter speed, AF to MF, etc. He said to do it over and over again and that after about a week or so these things will become second nature and you can make changes on the fly without having to remove your eye from the viewfinder.

Turns out he's right. I've been doing this for nearly a week now and I see exactly what he's talking about. At first it kinda sounded simplistic, and maybe it is, but the more you do it the more it becomes second nature. It's starting to remind me of typing and how I no longer think of the letters in a word but just the word itself and my fingers automatically spit it out. I'm not 100% of the way there yet but I can see it developing into a similar scenario.

With my luck, i'd probably break the dials and drop the camera on my foot & break that too.!!! But I'll give it try because I'll know by heart where everything is. I just hope the "Force will be with me!"
 

WhiteLight

Senior Member
Sounds great & something that'll definitely help but when everything (almost) controlled through a menu in my D5100, how do i go about it???
i want more dials!!!! :(
 
That's why you NEED a D600 :)
Serious question as I have never held a D600 or actually seen one yet. The D600 doesn't have menu's? I'm not really interested in getting a D600 just yet, but maybe someday I will be, and not being menu intensive would be a plus as far as I am concerned.
 

Eye-level

Banned
Pro level camera is going to give you more "analog" fly by wire type controls for main functions...in which case not only do you have to know the camera like the back of your hand but you have to have the mental crap down too. Personally I can blast through the menus on my old rig...
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
Serious question as I have never held a D600 or actually seen one yet. The D600 doesn't have menu's? I'm not really interested in getting a D600 just yet, but maybe someday I will be, and not being menu intensive would be a plus as far as I am concerned.

It does have menus but you wont use them as much. There are more dials and buttons to control the most used functions. This gives you faster control and less fuss trying to read menues.
 

RealPhoto

New member
It does have menus but you wont use them as much. There are more dials and buttons to control the most used functions. This gives you faster control and less fuss trying to read menues.

Hi Rick, do you like the buttons on the D600? Do you think all the commonly used features are exposed as buttons so you don't have to use the menu on the fly? Thanks.
 

stmv

Senior Member
The Nikon family starting from the D7000, D600 on up reaches that magic point where enough buttons exists. For me the absolute mininum is to have front and back control dials. One for aperature, and the other for speed, which for us old film guys just feels natural. then function buttons that allow programming, like non cpu lens assignment, and virtual horizon, etc.
 

Rick M

Senior Member
Hi Rick, do you like the buttons on the D600? Do you think all the commonly used features are exposed as buttons so you don't have to use the menu on the fly? Thanks.

Yes, much more functional once you learn them all. Especially on a bright day it can be very difficult to see a menu, plus you can adjust settings without taking your eye off the subject.
 
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