Hey all! Newb here. Just got the Iron man red D3100 last week after my sony cyber shot gave out. Im still learning & soaking in the knowledge on how to shoot dslr so i hope to improve on my photos really soon. I tend to shoot alot of family outdoor photos & 1/6 scale doll figures (another hobby of mine). Any suggestions on the settings i should b using for these situations? I have just started shooting on auto since idk what all the functions are & have been utilizing the 18-55 lens it came with. I would like to shoot more manual & raw, so pointers on these two subjects would be great. Happy shooting!
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- Thread starter koolop
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Re: New D3100 owners
For taking pictures of small items a photo box is a great investment. It eliminates glare and allows you to adjust for shadows where you want them. The one pictured was under 40.00 shipped. For portraits you need a decent tripod. Since the 3100 doesn't have a remote I would recommend a battery grip that has a IR remote for the shutter. A higher zoom lenses would be good as well for any wildlife photos.
For taking pictures of small items a photo box is a great investment. It eliminates glare and allows you to adjust for shadows where you want them. The one pictured was under 40.00 shipped. For portraits you need a decent tripod. Since the 3100 doesn't have a remote I would recommend a battery grip that has a IR remote for the shutter. A higher zoom lenses would be good as well for any wildlife photos.
Don Kuykendall_RIP
RIP :(
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Thanks
If you fill out your profile we can better answer any questions that you might have.
You can do that at http://nikonites.com/profile.php?do=editprofile
Some useful links
http://support.nikonusa.com/app/ans.../nikon-product-manuals-available-for-download
Nikon | Imaging Products | Digitutor
Thanks
Re: New D3100 owners
I don't think a macro lens is needed for what your shooting. A macro lens is for much much smaller things, like bugs,spider,flowers and such really close up!
I don't think a macro lens is needed for what your shooting. A macro lens is for much much smaller things, like bugs,spider,flowers and such really close up!
What Bill said. A macro shouldn't be needed for your requirements. If you are thinking about indoor portraits you should consider a automatic TTL flash. They come in various price ranges. I use a Sunpak RD2000. It's small, light and works well. But, it is not a speedflash. Which may or may not be a issue for you. I took this picture with my 18-55 set at 40mm using my photo box. As far as the flash goes, you should listen to other, more seasoned portrait takers.
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Welcome to the forum!
For the doll shoots I would just treat them like a portrait. Invest in a speedlight or two. The kit lens while it does get some flak is still a great little gem of a lens.
For outdoor family stuff I would look into the faster primes. Say the 85 f1.8G. And maybe a longer zoom. Say the 55-200 or better yet the 70-300. While lenses are not cheap, with a dSLR they absolutely make a difference. Buy the best you can get.
As for getting out of Auto. I would suggest the book Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. Get familiar with the Exposure Triangle. Then jump into Manual. Manual is not as scary as you probably think.
For the doll shoots I would just treat them like a portrait. Invest in a speedlight or two. The kit lens while it does get some flak is still a great little gem of a lens.
For outdoor family stuff I would look into the faster primes. Say the 85 f1.8G. And maybe a longer zoom. Say the 55-200 or better yet the 70-300. While lenses are not cheap, with a dSLR they absolutely make a difference. Buy the best you can get.
As for getting out of Auto. I would suggest the book Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. Get familiar with the Exposure Triangle. Then jump into Manual. Manual is not as scary as you probably think.
I'm going to assume that your camera came with an Owners Manual. Lots of great information in there on how to operate your camera. I'm constantly amazed at the number of people that seem to bypass this important step in learning photography.
You don't have to read it cover to cover.....just the parts that you're not clear on, or don't know about.
And of course, there's Youtube. Tons of video how-to's on everything under the sun. Google is your friend.
I'm constantly amazed at the number of people that seem to bypass this important step in learning photography. You don't have to read it cover to cover.....just the parts that you're not clear on, or don't know about.
And of course, there's Youtube. Tons of video how-to's on everything under the sun. Google is your friend.