Experience Counts? I've been using SLRs since the 70's, and I've had Nikon DSLRs for several years. Yesterday, my son and I went out to get some shots around town. He was using the D40...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I've been using SLRs since the 70's, and I've had Nikon DSLRs for several years. Yesterday, my son and I went out to get some shots around town. He was using the D40 I bought him a few weeks ago, his first SLR. It was set to Auto. I had a D7000 with a Nikon 18-200mm and a D5000 with Tokina 12-24mm. Being the experienced UHH guy that I am, I avoided Auto and switched from P to S to A to M - on both cameras.

My son's pictures were perfect. Mine, not so much. I guess there is such a thing as doing too much during a shoot. Some pics were too dark, some were too light, and some were good.

I went outside this morning and experimented with various settings, and I think I learned a lot in a few minutes. In the future, I'll have to be more careful about watching the little exposure indicator inside the viewfinder. I believe I didn't pay enough attention to that as I was making adjustments. Maybe tomorrow I be an expert.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

jerryc41 wrote:

Some pics were too dark, some were too light, and some were good.

I believe I didn't pay enough attention to that as I was making adjustments. Maybe tomorrow I be an expert.

It goes deeper than that.

You could center the needle perfectly....recompose the shot and have the needle shift 1 full stop...then you have to wonder which exposure was correct?

You have to be able to second guess your meter and readjust as necessary...

tk Loc: Iowa

Man have I had days like that. Went snowmobiling in Wyoming last week. Took pictures quickly with auto when I didn't have time to set things up. Some I took in Landscaping (Nikon D3000) and others I went the whole gammut and did in manual. Except for the fact that I forgot to check the ISO setting and when I got home realized it was way too high. Thank goodness I took the other setting or everything would have been toast.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

rpavich wrote:

It goes deeper than that.

You could center the needle perfectly....recompose the shot and have the needle shift 1 full stop...then you have to wonder which exposure was correct?

I was thinking of that -...0...+ scale more in terms of exposure compenstaion, and I made adjustments with that control. Live and learn, right?

I'll try again soon. It's the first day of spring, but it's like we didn't have a winter. Wonderful!

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

jerryc41 wrote:

rpavich wrote:

It goes deeper than that.

You could center the needle perfectly....recompose the shot and have the needle shift 1 full stop...then you have to wonder which exposure was correct?

I was thinking of that -...0...+ scale more in terms of exposure compenstaion, and I made adjustments with that control. Live and learn, right?

I'll try again soon. It's the first day of spring, but it's like we didn't have a winter. Wonderful!

I KNOW I shouldn't say this....it always leads to the conversion where people tell me that I'm off of my rocker..but you seem reasonable so here goes....

You could second guess your meter...adding or subtracting up to 2 stops of exposure depending on your "guess" as to what the scene needs....never absolutely knowing how the shot will turn out until you hit the computer....

OR...(please put those torches away)

Just use an incident meter and pop for the conditions and never have a "one came out dark....one came out light....one came out just right" day...

I'm really serious when I say it will free you up...no more guessing, no more wondering if the LCD shot + the histo gave you a properly exposed shot...

You now can shoot away in confidence and never chimp at all.

Rant over.... :)

Bonus...you can get them for about 100.00 on KEH generally.

tk Loc: Iowa

I have always left my meter at about 2 under. That is what I like my shots at. I do like the idea of the purchase. I'll look into that. Thanks.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

rpavich wrote:

Bonus...you can get them for about 100.00 on KEH generally.

Or, I can give that little dial a turn. Umm, what to do? In the old days of matching needles in the viewfinder, I knew I could have the needle slightly above or below the center, depending on how I wanted the shot to turn out. I guess I'll have to learn the same thing with this camera.

Looking back, I see that most of my "bad" images were taken with the D5000 and 12-24mm. I was experimenting ala Bryan Petersen and setting the lens at a very small aperture.

As they say, it's a learning process.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

tk wrote:

I have always left my meter at about 2 under. That is what I like my shots at. I do like the idea of the purchase. I'll look into that. Thanks.

Good to hear..
Try it for a week...if you don't like it and would rather go back to second guessing you can always return it...I'm betting you won't. :)

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

jerryc41 wrote:

rpavich wrote:

Bonus...you can get them for about 100.00 on KEH generally.

Or, I can give that little dial a turn. Umm, what to do? In the old days of matching needles in the viewfinder, I knew I could have the needle slightly above or below the center, depending on how I wanted the shot to turn out. I guess I'll have to learn the same thing with this camera.

.

True...both ways work for people; some better than others.

For myself, for 100.00 I'd rather not monkey with it and still not be sure.

I have enough to worry about than wondering if I got the exposure correct on top of everything else.

To each his own.

Acountry330 Loc: Dothan,Ala USA

To me that is the fun as well as the frustating part of photography experamenting. Some turn out outstanding but most are just so so and a whole lot make the delete button. But I will not stop trying.

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

Learning to shot manaul is much more than just learning to center the little blinky on the in-camera light meter. That is just the first step in the process, after you figure that part out, then comes the tricky (and fun) part, learning what happens when you push that little blinky one, two or three stops either direction and using that knowledge to get the best possible images.

I rarely center my bliky, depending on my desired outcome it can be one or two notchs off in either direction.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

jerryc41 wrote:

I've been using SLRs since the 70's, and I've had ... (show quote)

or just use P and don't tell us :wink:

BigDaveMT Loc: Plentywood, MT

docrob wrote:

or just use P and don't tell us :wink:

Until we look at the EXIF data! LOL

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

BigDaveMT wrote:

docrob wrote:

or just use P and don't tell us :wink:

Until we look at the EXIF data! LOL

Even then, you can just be like a politician...in the face of the Exif data you can just say....

"....what?...what Exif data? Nope...I used M mode...I can't recall what you are referring to....the Exif data must be in error..."

:)

heyjoe Loc: cincinnati ohio

that always happens when you are shooting with someone new,been there,
my go to setting is AV,less thinking,if i shoot Manuel
i keep it about a space to the left of center,just me seems like my shots are a little softer