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| New D3300 user - Page 1 | |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10th, 2015 13:32 |
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1st Post |
Sixstringslinger
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I was going to introduce my self in the new members section above but saw the latest post was from Nov. 2014. Yikes! Anyhoo, I'm strictly a hobbiest that did a few projects for friends. I had been a film guy since my teens (now 59) having accumulated many Nikon (Nikkormat) bodies and lenses. I tried to make the jump to digital photography back when the first cameras used floppy discs to store data! I didn't really enjoy the bulky plastic toys of the time, could not afford to buy pro gear, so I just pretty much stopped except for a few Canon point and shoots I used and abused over the years. Fast forward to early November this year and I bought a Nikon D3300 with the kit lens and joined the real world again at an entry level. I didn't like the kit lenses so I did buy a couple of other zooms to get started an 18-105 and a 55-300. These seem to work fairly well but I'm still looking for a nice prime macro. The 40mm DX micro seems a decent choice as does the 85mm DX macro. We will see which one arrives first! I enjoy taking photos at motorsports events, concerts, portraits, wild life, pets and landscape. I also document project builds as I scratch build and repair guitar amplifiers. My girlfriend's son just bought a business (personal training gym) and had an open house last weekend. I brought the D3300 and shot people pics with the 18-105, auto mode set for portrait and used a Gary Fong puffer defuser on the pop-up flash. I was amazed at the results. All my old film bodies were manual units so other than point and shoot, this was my first experience with a DSLR and some automation. I also found out my old Vivitar flash unit does work with my new DSLR. How cool but I didn't use it at the open house. I'm enjoying the D3300 but will most likely upgrade to something with better access to the controls in manual mode after I spend some time with this rig and figure out what a really want and need. So far so good. One thing I've noticed is that what I see in the viewfinder is a bit cropped from the image I see on the display after I click the shutter. Maybe it is my diopter setting in the viewfinder? I am a bit farsighted. So hello all!
____________________ So many subjects, So little time. |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10th, 2015 14:14 |
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2nd Post |
Eric
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Welcome to the forum. We are a small but perfectly formed, established group, with a broad experience base. The viewfinder cropping you experience is down to the fact the viewfinder is only 95% of the sensors field of view. That's not very unusual in DX bodies, in fact you need to go to the top end of the DX body range to get 100%. But it shouldn't be an issue once you acclimatise to it. The picture quality of most nkon bodies is now superb. One of the reasons the last member introduction was a year ago, is that digital photography has now matured to a point where less people are joining forums. The other is that like you most people just dive in and chat. The Gary Fong attachments are very good. I've used them when covering gatherings in poorly lit locations while wandering through the the crowds. On your setting, I would get off the Auto setting as soon as possible....even if you go to Program. This takes the focusing away from the cameras choice and gets YOU thinking about what and where you want the focus. Most of the time I use Aperture priority to further control the point of focus and depth of field. With modern cameras the low noise means higher ISOs will always give you adequate shutter speed, when you need it. One other trick is using manual mode combined with auto ISO. With this mode YOU select shutter speed AND aperture to suit the subject and you let the camera select an ISO to give you enough 'film speed' . It's like the old days of manual cameras without the constraint of a fixed ASA film in the body. The main thing is experiment, enjoy and share your experiences/questions.
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10th, 2015 14:23 |
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3rd Post |
Robert
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Welcome to the forum! Not that many new members bother to announce themselves, well done! I have a D3100, which I use for recording progress on my auto builds and general knocking about, I just set it on auto and 99 times out of the 100 it does the business. Can't be bothered with detailed camera settings when I am greased to the elbows. The 18-105 is a very good lens in my opinion. It's pretty much nailed to the D3100 but occasionally I put it on my Infra Red camera where it makes really nice, sharp images. The viewfinder thing is normal, gives you a nice surprise when you thought you had cut somebodies head off!!! You need to spend big bucks before you get 100% viewfinders, don't know why, probably a cost thing. You can of course use live view, very handy, especially for close-ups. You can zoom in on the critical detail, focus on that and then take the pic. Not sure if the D3300 can use manual focus lenses but AF is pretty useless for closeups, I use an ancient Nikkor Micro 55mm f2.8 which is a superb close-up lens. It's common enough on eBay.
____________________ Robert. |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10th, 2015 14:36 |
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4th Post |
Sixstringslinger
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Hi Eric, Thanks for the advice. Being that I wanted acceptable photos to give this young man I let the camera do the work until I have some time to practice. Having always been a manual shooter in my film days I think the transition should be fairly easy. I have experimented with manual mode with auto ISO with good results. I just need some quality time to spend with this rig then look at the results. Hone my craft so to speak. I hope to get down to the marina this weekend and burn some memory. Maybe take some pet portraits of the girlfriend's cats. I'm sure I will get used to the viewfinder crop. With such large images cropping with software should not be an issue if I'm out a bit too far. Again, thanks for the input.
____________________ So many subjects, So little time. |
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| Posted: Fri Dec 11th, 2015 03:07 |
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5th Post |
jk
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Hi SSS, welcome to the forum. We have been around a long time since 2001 but some of us use different cameras and makes. The group is a friendly digital group not a large group like DPReview with its attendant trolls. If you have questions then ask away. If you want help with an image then post in a new thread with your questions. If you want to show some of your images then there is a Gallery so feel free to post whatever number of images you want to upload.
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
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| Posted: Fri Dec 11th, 2015 11:50 |
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6th Post |
Sixstringslinger
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Thanks for the confirmation on the 18-105 Robert. So far it has worked well for me but I've only got about 350 shots on this thing so far. I documented two auto builds with my film cameras back in the day. A '57 Chevy 210 2dr HT and a '63 Chevy Nova SS Rag Top. Interestingly enough my ex took all the photo albums! I have the negs but never reprinted them. I should investigate making them digital.
____________________ So many subjects, So little time. |
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| Posted: Fri Dec 11th, 2015 14:14 |
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7th Post |
jk
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Like the avatar SSS. Looks like a very nice sailing vessel that you are helming!
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
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| Posted: Fri Dec 11th, 2015 15:34 |
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8th Post |
Sixstringslinger
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27 Newport off Dana Point. It handles very nicely.
____________________ So many subjects, So little time. |
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| Posted: Sat Dec 12th, 2015 03:43 |
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9th Post |
jk
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Very nice. Yours is the upmarket version with the central helm rather than tiller rudder.  The Newport 27 gets very good reviews.
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
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| Posted: Thu Jan 7th, 2016 11:56 |
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10th Post |
highlander
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Back on subject...lol I have a D3300 and I'm quietly impressed. OK, its not a pro camera, but its light small and convenient. It takes very good images, if you put a bit of extra effort it (tripod, decent lens etc). I would recommend looking at the prime 35mm DX AFS lens to go with it. My second purchase after the kit and now it rarely comes off the camera and only when I need to put a telephoto on.
____________________ Blog https://blythestorm.com Website http://www.blythestormphotography.com |
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| This is topic ID = 1268 Current time is 05:45 | Page: 1 2 | |
| Nikon DSLR Forums > Camera and Lens Forums > Cameras > New D3300 user | Top | |
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