Want to get the most out of my new dslr....

[jenn104]

I WISH I had found this forum, like yesterday.....but hopefully you all can still help me out. I've been longing for a dslr forever. Today I went out to several stores and played with as many models as I could get my hands on. I ended up purchasing my first dslr and am very excited to start playing around (battery is still charging ;) ). This is my very first, so I have to admit that I was not exactly sure of everything that I wanted/needed and relied a lot (probably more than I should have) on what the salesperson suggested I get. I ended up walking out of the store with :

Nikon D90
18-105mm f/3.5 - f/5.6 DX Nikkor lens
AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6
2 ultraviolet lens filters
Nikon Speedlight External Flash
Extra Battery
2 Memory Cards
Case
Rechargable Battery Pack for Flash

Now what I intend to do with this is mostly portrait/family type shots and landscapes. However, Im sure that the more I play around with this camera and learn more about it, and what it's capabilities are, there will be much more I will do.

My question would be to those who actually have the experience with the equipment rather than "bob the salesman" is did I get what I needed for what I want to do? Is there a different lens (or lenses) that I should be looking at? Did I choose the right model for my intended purposes?

Thanks in advance! You guys sound like a wealth of information and I'm looking forward to sticking around and learning as much as I can.

[Rooz]

yepp. looks like Bob was spot on with the camera gear, (within reason of course...depends on your budget). theres a first time for everything. lol looks like he may have taken you a little with the accessories though.

what speedlight did you get ?
whats the rechargable battery pack ?
what brand are the lens filters ?
is it a nikon genuine extra battery ?
not uie sure why he recommended the 70-300VR. great lens, but doesnt necesarily fit into your shooting requiement descriptions.

congrats on your new kit. its a great bit of gear, you'll love it. one work of caution, if you have zero dslr experience though. be patient. there is a learning curve. but its well worth the effort. :)

[Camerajunkie]

God is there a learning curve.... I'm still on it.

Oh, and I'll trade ya gear, if you're worried you got the wrong thing..... ;)

[K1W1]

I agree with Rooz. I think that overall you got a good Bob.

Seeing as you are at Day 1 and haven't started shooting yet here is one trick to consider.
By default every time you remove a memory card and put another one in or format the card that is in there the camera will start counting the image sequence again.
The first card photos will be numbered DSC_001, DSC_002, DSC_003, etc
The second card card photos will be numbered DSC_001, DSC_002, DSC_003, etc
See the problem. :)

Read your manual and find out how to turn continuous numbering on so that card one will be DSC_001, DSC_002, DSC_003 then card two will continue with DSC_004, DSC_005, DSC_006.

It's under Custom Settings Menu (CSM) and File number sequence should be set to ON (the default is OFF). This saves a lot of anguish for most users.

[jenn104]

Okay, to answer the questions first....

__________________________________________________ _____

Rooz

what speedlight did you get ?
It's a Nikon SB-600

whats the rechargable battery pack ?
Sorry, should have been more specific...but the flash takes 4 aa batteries so I got the batteries with the 15 minute recharger and extra car charger just in case.

what brand are the lens filters ?
They are Platinum Plus by Sunpak (67mm) screw-in attachment size, Cat. no. DF-7036-UVBB. I will be honest I have NO idea if these are any good or not and solely purchased them on the recommendation of the salesguy. I didn't even know they existed until I walked into the shop.

is it a nikon genuine extra battery ?
Yes, it is the Nikon EN-EL3e

not uie sure why he recommended the 70-300VR. great lens, but doesnt necesarily fit into your shooting requiement descriptions.
I believe that he recommended this for use with the portrait shots, but again I was only going solely upon recommendation. I still have A LOT to learn when it comes to lenses and what each does....I will admit that. I mainly wanted something that would give me really good results when I took family pictures or pictures of the kids. I love using them as subjects.....albeit mostly candid shots because I love the unique moments I catch that way - but I wanted something that would give me amazing detail in the pictures. I was told that this lens would do it, but if that isn't the case please give me other recommendations. I would greatly appreciate it.

______________________________________

K1W1 - I set the File Number Sequence to on. Thank you for the heads up on that...I haven't even begun to check out all of the settings and would never have thought to look for that.

___________________________________

I can definitley see there will be a learning curve lol. My first battery just finished charging not to long ago and of course the first thing that I did was quickly get the camera up and running so that I could play around. The inside shots came out pretty good, although in some of the darker areas I had a lot of orange lighting going on. The outside shots, even though it is really dark outside, came out very crisp except for when there were lights in the shot. For example I tried to get a picture of the lighted fountain in the lake in the backyard and all I got was a big yellow blobish streak :p. I definitley need to play around and fine tune. I think it's going to be a very long and slow process, but after looking through the picture thread it's a process I'm definitley willing to go through to get the results I've seen there. Amazing shots!!

[K1W1]

Depending on the ages of the children the 70-300 will be great for sports and outdoor events like the beach. You will get plenty of use from it.

[K1W1]

The next thing that you need to do is set up and account with a web hosting site for photos so you can upload them and link to them from here.
You can post them directly to this site but they are very restricted in size and quality.

SmugMug
Flickr
PhotoBucket

There are plenty more.

[jenn104]

Kids are 13, 9, 7 and 6 - not exactly candidates to sit still for very long so I gotta be quick when the opportunities arise.

What would you all recommend for a wide angle lens?

[TheWengler]

I think you did alright. If I was getting 2 lenses for portraits I'd get the 35mm f/2 and the 85mm f/1.8. The telephoto lens you got is high quality, but not really large aperture. I have no idea about the 18-105mm lens. The flash is a good choice. It can make up for slower glass. You probably don't need those filters. You might get a circular polarizer if you'll be doing a lot of shooting outdoors (Hoya or B+W).

[K1W1]

What would you all recommend for a wide angle lens?

Seriously, use what you have and learn.
Over time (probably a couple of months) you will notice that a lot of your images tend to be in a similar focal length it may be 20-30mm or it may be 150-200mm only you will know when you take the photos. If you are finding that the 18mm is regularly not wide enough then there are options from Nikon or Sigma or Tokina in the 10-20mm range but there is no point in buying one today if in two months time you realise that you really love taking wildlife shots and that you need a 500mm lens.

[500mL]

Seriously, use what you have and learn.


jenn104,

Congrats on your new and first dSLR.
I agree on what K1W1 said. Stick with the lenses you have for now and learn from it. Once you get more comfortable with them, you'll get a better idea on what kind of lens you can get next time. Your 70-300 VR can be a great portrait lens as long as you keep it to widest aperture and having lots of light. The 18-105 VR is also a good wide angle lens to start with. If you have Flickr, you can browse around and type in the lenses you have and you can see the image quality they can produce.

Goodluck and looking forward to seeing your posts! :D

-500mL

[Rooz]

I believe that he recommended this for use with the portrait shots, but again I was only going solely upon recommendation. I still have A LOT to learn when it comes to lenses and what each does....I will admit that. I mainly wanted something that would give me really good results when I took family pictures or pictures of the kids. I love using them as subjects.....albeit mostly candid shots because I love the unique moments I catch that way - but I wanted something that would give me amazing detail in the pictures. I was told that this lens would do it, but if that isn't the case please give me other recommendations. I would greatly appreciate it.

the 70-300 is a great lens and from a distance will give you good candids. its not something i'd particularly be recommending for the express purpose of portraits but its not gonna go to waste. there are better portrait lens' though.

i agree with kiwi, stick with what you have for now and you can pick up other things as you learn and figure out exactly what suits your shooting style. :)

[mugsisme]

Hi Jenn. We have a similar set up. I can't see using the 70-300 for a portrait lens unless your kids are half way down the block. The kit lens is a great lens. I have been very happy with it.

The first thing you should do it get out there and take pictures. Then, look at your pictures and figure out what you like and what you don't like. You may look and see that sometimes they are always blurry. Or the lighting is off. Or, or, or. You need to then figure out how to get rid of what you don't like. Try different settings. The worst thing that will happen is you will have a picture that looks bad, but so what? Just delete it. But more important, LEARN why pictures don't turn out the way you want them to. Don't be disappointed if your first pictures don't turn out looking like those in a magazine.

Next, pop over the library. They should have a selection of photography books. Pick up any book on photography. Digital and regular are pretty much the same. You need to learn about apeture/shutter speed/exposure, etc. There is a great book called Understanding Exposure by ??? (Brian? Peter?)

Post pictures here, and ask for C&C. Also, look on the threads. The Nikon Picture of the Day tends to have the most awesome pictures. but people also post their information, so you can learn. Ask why someone picked a certain apeture or shutter speed.

Oh, and under no circumstance us the auto mode. Put it in P. I like A the best, but tend to get pictures that look the same. (Since I end up using my lowest apeture possible to get a fast shutter speed.)

Finally, have fun. Don't be scared of your camera. :-)

[K1W1]

There is a great book called Understanding Exposure by ??? (Brian? Peter?)


Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson

(Amazon link here (http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Updated/dp/0817463003/ref=pd_sim_b_1))

I also like Scott Kelby's books but you need to be okay with his style it doesn't suit everybody.

The Digital Photography Book (http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Photography-Book-Scott-Kelby/dp/032147404X/ref=pd_sim_b_1)

[erichlund]

The 70-300 does have a moderate focal length end --> 70.

70 * 1.5 = 105 (35mm equiv). Nikon makes a 105 f2 DC that is really considered superior to the 85 f1.4 for portraits because of the added length (on FX which is 35mm equivalent frame) and the defocus control. Now, I'm not saying that the 70-300VR is in that same class, but most formal portrait work is shot under lights at f8 to f11, perfect on this lens. Also, the 70-300 has a 9, rounded blade aperture, so it does a great job on smooth out of focus areas. The big long honking tube can be intimidating to shy subjects, which would be a significant detractor for a pro.

Jenn - what you got will work out well. I have to be myself, and say that one thing you will want to add, AFTER you get used to using the camera, is a tripod, and you should check here before then. There are some great tripod threads.

The sales guy did OK. He did sell you the usual junk filters. There's nothing wrong with keeping a decent clear filter on the front of your lenses to protect them, but make sure that you get something from a decent manufacturer, like Hoya or B+W. Your lenses are expensive, high quality instruments, so putting cheap glass in front of them can only degrade your images.

Go to www.thomasdistributing.com, and pick up a slow charger for those batteries. It will only cost a few bucks and the batteries will last longer. Nothing wrong with occasional use of the quick charger when you need them fast, but slow charging is much better for the batteries.

Lastly, the other filter I'm surprised he did not recommend (probably a good thing) is a CIRCULAR polarizer. The circular bit is critical for dSLRs. Again, a good brand like a "multicoated Hoya" or B+W polarizer will come in handy when you want to make the sky a richer blue, pull out color in a landscape, or take reflections off water (just to name a few examples). With all you will learn to do in post processing your images (remember, you are now the lab), this is the main creative filter you need. Eventually, if you get into more landscape work, you will want a set of Neutral Density and Graduated Neutral Density filters, but don't let that confuse you just yet.

[josef]

I also like Scott Kelby's books but you need to be okay with his style it doesn't suit everybody.

The Digital Photography Book (http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Photography-Book-Scott-Kelby/dp/032147404X/ref=pd_sim_b_1)

I just got this (and volume 2). They are very very good. Very easy to read and quick to get to the point. Like "Put it on this mode to get this type of shot.. etc." You will learn a lot if you are new to dslrs..

oh, and Bob had some good advice it looks like. You can't go wrong with the D90.. and those lenses are nice.. The only thing I would've done different is I would've just stuck with one lens (the 18-105 is a great all purpose lens) at first just to get used to the camera and see what you really "need" for your second lens. As far as the filters, they're okay but I generally stick to Nikon, Hoyo, or B+W ones.. They seem to be high quality stuff.

[n9nf]

Hi Jenn. Welcome to the world of dslr. Moreover its a NIKON ... :D
After reading your post, I just wondering if your speedlight comes with diffuser.What it does is, to make your photos softer.
And while indoors,remember to tilt the flash head to 75-90 degress so as to bounce light to a ceiling and to lit up your room.
Well if you don't have one, you can even make your own diffuser.
Its simple ... click on this link ... http://super.nova.org/DPR/DIY01/
This site even teach you about flash photog indoors.
I made 2. It really works.

Don't forget to post some pictures yah ... happy shootin' ... :p

[jenn104]

Well I've been playing around A LOT today as you can probably imagine. Some pictures I was quite impressed with, while others were not very good at all. I have learned rather quickly that I do not like the automatic mode at all because I don't like how limited I am with options and settings. Most of the pictures I didn't like were when using the cameras automatic mode.

mugsisme and K1W1, I went ahead and ordered both of your book recommendations from Amazon. Hoping that they will help me tremendously. I'm finding that, at the moment, I'm feeling quite overwhelmed. Thank you both for the suggestions.

I haven't even touched the 70-300 lens yet. Figuring out the first has proved complicated enough at the moment. But I'm determined to learn lol. I think that the one lens is more than adequate for my needs at the moment while I'm still learning how to fully operate the camera.

In a bit I'm planning to set up an online photo album so I can share some of my first attempts. I would gladly welcome any and all critiques and suggestions. I know already that the majority of my shots are nowhere near as crisp as they could be, but there are also drastic variations between all of the pictures as I kept changing the settings to find what seemed right. I can't wait to get feedback from you all that I can put to use with my next test run.

[Visual Reality]

The 70-300 VR is one of the easiest to use...its a lot of fun.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Welcome to the forum and good choice of gear Jenn, you and Bob did well even if he sold you a bit more than you asked for. He could certainly have done a lot worse.

Those books will be wonderful for you. A very good place to start on the learning curve. Don't get frustrated, persist and read Petersons book as soon as you get it. Particularly all the stuff about shutter speeds and appertures.

I shouldn't make blanket statements but you could do a lot worse than putting your camera to "A" mode (apperture priority) until you've gained more experience. As long as the subject isn't moving the variable you'll most want to controll is the apperutre.

A small number (eg F/4) means a narrower distance in front and behind your focus point will be in focus. A bigger number like F/16 more will be in focus. You use this variable to adjust how much your subject stands out from the background and reduce distractions so you emphasise your subject. The ability to do this is a big part of the bonus of having a DSLR.

[chromance]

Good thread, just learned a few things. I didnt realize lens filters were so important.
Im sort of a newbie , but I recently just sold my D80 and am planning on buying
the D90 soon. Anyone here recomend a good photography book?

[K1W1]

I didnt realize lens filters were so important.

There are various opinions about filters. Some swear by them others never use them some are convinced they will save a lenses others say why put a $10 piece of glass in front of a $1000 lens.



Anyone here recomend a good photography book?

Post 14 of this thread.

[ssil2000]

the "must have" book is without a doubt is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson (http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Updated/dp/0817463003/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226459949&sr=1-2)

[ssil2000]

or what kiwi said :)

[erichlund]

PASM - Those are the four settings you will use most.

P - Program: The camera takes care of the aperture and shutter speed. You do everything else. Program is for ... when you don't want to think for yourself.
A - Aperture Priority: You set the aperture. The camera sets the speed based on the metered light. This gives you control of the depth of field, which, as previously stated, is how much is in focus. Many photographers use this as their primary setting.
S - Shutter Priority: This could also be called speed priority. You set the speed of the shutter, and the camera sets the aperture based on the metered light. You use this when you want to control whether motion affects your image or not. For instance, in shooting sports, you want a fast shutter speed to stop the action. In shooting running water, some people like the milky look you get from using a slow shutter speed.
M - Manual: You read the meter, which suggests some settings. You then control both the shutter and aperture. If you have plenty of time to make a particular shot, this is a good learning choice, and there's another body of photographers that use this all the time. It puts you in complete control all the time.

As an exercise, you should read up on how to use this, then go out for a full day with the camera set on manual, and just shoot different targets in manual. Keep notes. Pick a static target with some depth, and shoot a series of shots. Shoot with the recommended settings, then adjust aperture and shutter to keep the same exposure, but with different settings, and see how this alters the result. Set a particular aperture, and adjust speed to go from under exposure to overexposure. Do the same by setting a speed and using a series of apertures. These shots will show how exposure changes. The images that are close to the proper exposure will give you some practice in saving a shot in post processing.

After a full day of this, you will be very comfortable with using manual. You may not like it, and may prefer a setting where you know the camera will be properly exposed if you just point and shoot, but you will understand why it does what it does.

Of course, there are a lot of other things on the camera that will come into play later, but it's best early to stick with the basics, and add the other things later, after you are comfortable with these basics.

BTW: The manual gives basic instructions on how to hold the camera. This is really very important, and if you are getting a lot of blur in your images, come back here, and we'll help you with holding the camera correctly.

[n9nf]

PASM - Those are the four settings you will use most.

PASM guru ...
lucky its not PMS ... :p ... just kidding

BUT seriously ... I have yet takin pictures using P mode.
I just don't understand using it.
just wondering ... is P mode really a need ... if YES, when do we need to apply ... thanks guru

[philwojo]

P mode is basically full auto, but it unlocks a lot of menu settings to tweak your image that you can't do in full Auto mode.

Phil

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Jenn, I wouldn't do Eric's manual excercise until you've had a weeks fun shooting first (and read Peterson).

Have some fun get comfortable then start exploring and add in familiarity with these and the other features gradually so you don't get overwhelmed.

[Gasbull12]

Jenn,

I am also a new D90 user -- my first SLR in many years -- and I'm finding the learning curve to be steeper than I expected. You'll find this is an amazing camera but it is a challenge to make use of even some of the more fundamental features. The ISO range is supurb and how it is set is something you want to understand and use. ISO may have accounted for some of your outdoor problems. Perhaps the following will help with this.

Others have recommended and I agree that you want to use P, S, and/or A modes. For these modes there are two ISO control options, Auto "on", and Auto "off". These are user selected in the Shooting Menu under ISO Sensitivity Settings. In P, S, and A modes, the ISO Sensitivity Setting default is Auto "off". That means that the ISO is selected by the user. See page 74 of the manual. That explains use of the ISO button and the Main Command Dial to select your ISO value. (There are other options such as "easy". Avoid that until you get used to the controls.)

My suggestion to you, especially while you are in the learning phase, is that in the P, S, and A modes that you set your camera to Auto "on". See Page 166 "ISO Sensitivity Settings". When you turn Auto ISO "on" you will see a screen showing three input lines. The first line is "ISO sensitivity". This value is the bottom of the ISO Auto range. You can set it directly on this screen. HOWEVER, be aware that this is also the value that you set manually when the Auto is "off". This means that when you use the Auto Off mode, the ISO that you manually set automatically becomes the bottom of the Auto rangem, perhaps inadvertantly, unless you override it. For example, if you manually select ISO 3200 and then switch to Auto "ON" you will have limited the auto range to one value -- 3200.

I would suggest that for now, you leave Auto ISO "on" and set your Auto ISO Sensitivity to 200, your Maximu Sensitivity to 3200, and your minumum shutter speed to perhaps 1/100 until you become comfortable with the camera. Secondly, after you take a photo, look at the display data and see which ISO, aperture and speed were selected. I believe you will find that Auto ISO works very well for you. (Note in P, S, and A you have to manually raise the flash when signaled to do so.)