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| New D3300 user | Rate Topic |
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| Posted by Sixstringslinger: Thu Dec 10th, 2015 14:32 | 1st Post |
| 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. |
| Posted by Eric: Thu Dec 10th, 2015 15:14 | 2nd Post |
| 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 |
| Posted by Robert: Thu Dec 10th, 2015 15:23 | 3rd Post |
| 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. |
| Posted by Sixstringslinger: Thu Dec 10th, 2015 15:36 | 4th Post |
| 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. |
| Posted by jk: Fri Dec 11th, 2015 04:07 | 5th Post |
| 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 |
| Posted by Sixstringslinger: Fri Dec 11th, 2015 12:50 | 6th Post |
| 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. |
| Posted by jk: Fri Dec 11th, 2015 15:14 | 7th Post |
| 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 |
| Posted by Sixstringslinger: Fri Dec 11th, 2015 16:34 | 8th Post |
| 27 Newport off Dana Point. It handles very nicely.
____________________ So many subjects, So little time. |
| Posted by jk: Sat Dec 12th, 2015 04:43 | 9th Post |
| 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 |
| Posted by highlander: Thu Jan 7th, 2016 12:56 | 10th Post |
| 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 |
| Posted by Sixstringslinger: Fri Jan 8th, 2016 12:21 | 11th Post |
| My subjects are so varied I leave an 18-105 DX AF-S on it most of the time. I've gotten very nice results taking live music stage photos with it in low light conditions shooting in manual mode with auto ISO. I do need a macro lens so I'm considering the 40mm micro DX. Anyone have any experience with this lens? I imagine I do need a good prime however.
____________________ So many subjects, So little time. |
| Posted by Robert: Fri Jan 8th, 2016 14:43 | 12th Post |
| I don't have personal experience with the Nikkor DX 40mm Micro AF but all reports and comments from experienced owners I have read is that for close work 40mm focal length gets the lens/camera way too close to the subject, making it difficult to light and causing perspective/parallax issues particularly with three dimensional objects like insects or flowers. Another thing is that being internal focus, the focal length shortens the closer to the subject you get so @ 1:1 you may be down to 30mm focal length. Don't be sucked into thinking that a shorter focal length increases your depth of focus, In close up photography the rules are different, once you get close up there is little depth of focus no matter what the focal length, the DoF is down to magnification. I use a 55 manual focus which is superb for DX. Auto Focus is pretty useless for close up work because you need to decide which part of the subject YOU want to be sharp, also you may want to push the sharpest part of the image back slightly so you don't wast half of your depth of focus in front of your subject. However, the D3300 practically requires an AFS lens of some sort I believe.
____________________ Robert. |
| Posted by Sixstringslinger: Mon Jan 11th, 2016 18:23 | 13th Post |
| In my film days I used a 35-105 F3.5 Nikkor Macro Zoom and loved it. The macro is used mostly for documenting my guitar and amp repair or builds. (Back then it was car parts!) Detail shots mostly. From what you say, and I certainly understand the DoF thing, I may be better off with the 85mm DX micro. In this mode of shooting I could really care less about auto focus so I'd be switching it off anyway. Thanks for your thoughts! Big help!
____________________ So many subjects, So little time. |
| Posted by jk: Mon Jan 11th, 2016 18:45 | 14th Post |
| I have a Nikkor 35-105mm AF that I still use when I want a single easy to use lens that covers most situations from a macro shot to an occasional portrait.
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
| Posted by Robert: Tue Jan 12th, 2016 09:32 | 15th Post |
| Again I haven't used the 85, but I would say thats probably a good compromise with DX, neither too long to hand hold, nor too short to stop light getting in and to cause extreme perspective issues. The trick with manual focus is to focus on the closest part of the subject, then move the focus point away slightly until the closest part is still acceptably sharp, that way more of the subject will be in focus, rather than the air in front of the subject.
____________________ Robert. |
| Posted by jk: Tue Jan 12th, 2016 09:57 | 16th Post |
| I have the 105VR plus the 60 and 105 Mikro AFD. I cant see any difference in results but the AFD lenses I use underwater. I think AF is a waste of time on these macro lenses (on land). Underwater I need to be able to focus remotely as I dont have a wheeled focus knob on the underwater lens housing. The 105VR is very sharp but so are the other AFD lenses..
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
| Posted by amazing50: Tue Jan 12th, 2016 12:28 | 17th Post |
| My favorite macro is a Tamron 90. f/2.8 manual focus. Although FX it is light and compatable with Dxxxx. This is a quick D300 ASPC snap of a nail cutter, 1/2 in 12mm wide, at max magnification, about 4 inches, 100mm from the front of the lens. No processing except reduction on the pix. Attachment: clip01.jpg (Downloaded 13 times)
____________________ There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept ;~) Mike Grace |
| Posted by Sixstringslinger: Tue Jan 12th, 2016 13:15 | 18th Post |
| So with the DX crop this is basically a 135 macro on the D300?
____________________ So many subjects, So little time. |
| Posted by jk: Tue Jan 12th, 2016 13:58 | 19th Post |
| Yes that is correct.
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
| Posted by amazing50: Tue Jan 12th, 2016 16:26 | 20th Post |
| Basically the same size sensor as yours.
____________________ There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept ;~) Mike Grace |
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