It used to be so simple: Switching over to a DSLR is becoming a real challenge. Have a multitude of old Nikons, so naturally I stayed with Nikon as my lens collection was substantial.

N4646W

Switching over to a DSLR is becoming a real challenge.

Have a multitude of old Nikons, so naturally I stayed with Nikon as my lens collection was substantial. Inherited a D50, nice, simple, little small and light for my taste, but got me into the digital world. Next step was a D610. Humm, bigger menu, ok, wade through it. Still wadding through it after six months. Opps, now a D800E. Loaned a friend some cash to purchase a used one with less than 1500 shutter count and battery pack. Lost his job, I got the camera, and my borrowed lens back. I haven't figured out all the menu on the 610, and the 800E is twice as big. My head hurts.

I shoot Manual, as I said prior, I have a good inventory of AI lenses. What I am trying to do is figure out how to get the 610 and 800 to expose for over the menu settings of 1/15. I know it can be done, just can't figure out how.

I still haven't plumbed the depths of all the things the little D50 can do.

fdoyle3 Loc: Glenolden Pa.

N4646W wrote:

Switching over to a DSLR is becoming a real chall... (show quote)

fdoyle3 Loc: Glenolden Pa.

Just Got a Nikon 750 the manual has 540 pages. Got some reading to do

Mike D. Loc: Crowley County, CO.

I'm sure that someone will be along shortly to help you out. I would think that shooting manual would negate some of those problems but I totally get it. There are many menu options that have not been adjusted on my 7100 yet. Good luck.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

N4646W wrote:

Switching over to a DSLR is becoming a real chall... (show quote)

Looks like you won't lack for things to do for a while.
The great thing is that with digital you can experiment and play around a lot without a thought to using up your film like the old days. Download them, delete most of them, save the good ones and keep going.
The menu of the 610 is supposed to have shutter speeds from 30 seconds to 1/4000 and the 800e goes 30s to 1/8000. I use Canon but friends with Nikon (and our friend goggle) tell me this. Supposedly set the dial for shutter priority and use the dial to change the speed. Beyond 30s it is blub just like the old days.

jbmauser Loc: Roanoke, VA

I have the D7100 but I can tell you that Ais lenses work just like they did on film cameras. I set it on manual, turn off the AF and set the ISO to my liking. I can also set it to auto ISO and set my Ai lens to my desired aperture, set a preferred shutter speed and fire away. I am sure your Nikons have similar settings.

N4646W

robertjerl wrote:

Looks like you won't lack for things to do for a w... (show quote)

Thanks,
I can find the shutter priority on the 50 and 610, but not the 800. Will give the 50 an 610 a try later.

My wife is reading this over my shoulder and just told me she knows where to find it on the 800. We shall see!

Will update later in this never ending saga.

Ron

N4646W

robertjerl wrote:

Looks like you won't lack for things to do for a w... (show quote)

It is fun to play around and not have to wait, but I kind of miss the fun of the darkroom (still have most of it packed away, patiently awaiting the day when I have room to build another). The learning curve on photo programs is just as daunting as the menu's for the cameras. Miss watching images come to life in their bath and deciding if now is the time to pull or wait a second longer. Butttt, not having to wait, is real cool too.

Ron

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

N4646W wrote:

It is fun to play around and not have to wait, but I kind of miss the fun of the darkroom (still have most of it packed away, patiently awaiting the day when I have room to build another). The learning curve on photo programs is just as daunting as the menu's for the cameras. Miss watching images come to life in their bath and deciding if now is the time to pull or wait a second longer. Butttt, not having to wait, is real cool too.

Ron

Yes, the darkroom could be enchanting. But I have asthma and the chemicals some times got to me.
One of the great things about digital over a darkroom is that in the darkroom you had to keep good notes so you could reproduce a print, and it never came out exactly the same. With digital you just save it (or multiple variations) and print a new one whenever you want. Of course getting a new printer can throw a monkey wrench into that until you learn the differences, esp if it is a different brand or they change the inks on you.

N4646W

jbmauser wrote:

I have the D7100 but I can tell you that Ais lenses work just like they did on film cameras. I set it on manual, turn off the AF and set the ISO to my liking. I can also set it to auto ISO and set my Ai lens to my desired aperture, set a preferred shutter speed and fire away. I am sure your Nikons have similar settings.

I only have one new lens, it came with the D50. Nice, but having shot manual all my life it feels right to shoot with the lenses I'm familiar with. I guess if I want to shoot auto, I can just pull my phone out and click away. Is that the proper term for a phone?

Ron

N4646W

robertjerl wrote:

Yes, the darkroom could be enchanting. But I have... (show quote)

Oh yes, the note books, kind of forgot about that. Still have boxes of them packed away with the rest of my stuff. And keeping the temperatures constant, humidity constant, cleaning all the equipment, calibrating sensors, Digital is looking better. But still miss the darkroom.

Ron

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

N4646W wrote:

Oh yes, the note books, kind of forgot about that. Still have boxes of them packed away with the rest of my stuff. And keeping the temperatures constant, humidity constant, cleaning all the equipment, calibrating sensors, Digital is looking better. But still miss the darkroom.

Ron

And if you did any color work!!!! I could see OK, sorta, by the red B&W darkroom light. But those dark green color darkroom lights, ugh! I could barely see the bulb. I got everything laid out ahead of time checked the angles etc. Then did it all by touch and time on a dim glow in the dark wristwatch.

N4646W

robertjerl wrote:

And if you did any color work!!!! I could see OK, sorta, by the red B&W darkroom light. But those dark green color darkroom lights, ugh! I could barely see the bulb. I got everything laid out ahead of time checked the angles etc. Then did it all by touch and time on a dim glow in the dark wristwatch.

Oh yes, what memories. And the wrist watch, loading 20 sheets of 4x5 in a bag, and forgetting to remove my watch, that was a lesson learned. Keeping the temps for the color baths, that was fun. Light baffles around the enlargers that were always in the way of getting something you needed but forgot to lay out where you could get to it. Guess there is a learning curve to everything. Lot of neat memories though.

Ron

Ron

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

N4646W wrote:

I only have one new lens, it came with the D50. Nice, but having shot manual all my life it feels right to shoot with the lenses I'm familiar with. I guess if I want to shoot auto, I can just pull my phone out and click away. Is that the proper term for a phone? Ron

Ron, phones are for selfies!!
Rolling over will only get you so far. It's time for the old dog to start to learn a few new tricks, move into the 21st century and become a real photographer. You've got a real camera, now get a few real lenses to go with it!! :lol:
SS

N4646W

Up dating, got the bulb setting on the 610, finally got it on the Wife's 810, but can't get it on the 800E. Could it be that the firmware update had something to do with it? I noticed that it had to be completely reset (non cpu lenses, date, ect) after the update. Have not seen anything regarding the bulb setting being gone in the Nikon site.

Ron