trapper1 Loc: Southside Virginia

I wanted to upgrade from my Canon point and shoot so after performing due diligence, I decided to buy a Nikon 5600 despite never having owned a replaceable-lens camera, my ultimate goal being macro photography. The camera having duly arrived, I am certain I am in over my head. The vast amount of potential activities and all the bells and whistles and the PDF manual delineating how to perform them have served to make me wonder if I should return the 5600 and opt for a Nikon 3500SLR which I have been assured is a far more simple camera for my intended purposes. Would appreciate thoughtful opinions on this subject.

Jerry Coupe Loc: Kent, WA

Don't give up yet. Get on you computer and you Tube and search for D5600 videos. There are probably many that will help you get started.
Second, for immediate gratification, just set the camera to P or A (auto) and shoot away. Then later start using shutter or aperture priority.
Ask friends that may have DSLRs to go on a shoot with you and ask them for some basic tips to get started.
When you get to a macro lens you will be amazed.

Keep at it and good shooting.

Bill_de Loc: US

I agree with Jerry. Set the camera to auto, or program so that it works the same way as your point and shoot. Then try the other modes one at a time reading the appropriate section in the manual and looking at videos. There are plenty of videos devoted to this camera.

https://www.google.com/search?q=getting+started+with+d5600&ie=&oe=

Don't try to learn it all in a day. You will come to find the mode(s) that work best for you.

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cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

Bill and Jerry are right. Baby steps! The camera that you bought is a very-capable-though-lower-level Nikon that you can grow with should the camera bug bite you as hard as it has most folks on this forum. Don't be intimidated. This hobby can be a heck-of-a-lot of fun.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Start with the auto setting, advance to P(rogram) it allows you to experiment at changing settings from those picked by experts for different situations. Then start exploring the different priority settings. And work your way to full manual and start learning the advanced features. Don't worry if you don't use or learn all of them. They are there for specific uses and many photographers neither need nor use all of them.
A book on the 5600, a good basic photography book and some tutorial videos will guide you along the way. Maybe find a Photo Club to join.

You can set an advanced camera to act like a simpler one, but you can't make a simple camera act like an advanced one.

So keep the 5600 and grow into it a little at a time. It will take you much further than a 3500. Then you may want to move up to the 7000 series or even the D500 (or 600? maybe by that time). Who knows you may decide to move into the advanced full frame models in a few years.

I just got my wife a more advanced camera than she is used to. And I have started her using A and P settings. In some circumstances even experienced or pro level photographers find those settings useful.

I and my whole family are Canon users. I am kind of proud of myself for not telling you to take the 5600 back and get a Canon.

John Sh Loc: Toronto, Australia

"I am kind of proud of myself for not telling you to take the 5600 back and get a Canon"
This smacks of the "Canon fodder v Nikonian" feud...

foggypreacher Loc: Dickinson, Texas

I got my first DSLR almost two years ago. I started with auto, then some of the program modes. I read all I could find and watched many videos, learned the priority modes and finally am working on manual. It is a process but an enjoyable one.

Check out Tony Northrup's videos on your camera. He goes over individual models of major manufacturers. Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjym7d0K9qY. It is over an hour long and Northrup goes over everything to do with the D5600. Good Luck.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

You don't have to use all the bells and whistles right away. Start out using the exposure triangle basic controls and slowly mix in the other settings after you're comfortable.
You want to have room to grow.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Yes, But... A 100mm Macro or a reverse lens set up will provide the optics. If possible use A or Ai and let the Orientals who live in the camera decide the exposure.
[Google "shooting macro with reverse lens" and start reading and watching.]

Buy an artificial flower and practice with it in a variety of settings... indoor desktop, outside in various lightings.

Flash with a diffuser is often recommended for giving a known lighting which overpowers ambient [sun] light. [Fast shutter speed would underexpose if it were not for the flash]

Yes, rely on Plagiarism ... The EXIF of macros on UHH provide settings.... copy success. If you were to cook Scones, you would use a receipt and be assured of good results, same applies to photography.

By all means KIS, keep it simple.

CO

There's not much difference between the D5600 and D3500. Keep the D5600. You just have to work through the owner's manual slowly.

You might even consider a D7200 or D7500. The D3xxx and D5xxx series cameras have a pentamirror viewfinder. If you go up to a D7xxx series camera or above, you get a superior pentaprism viewfinder. The glass prism inside gives a larger, slightly brighter view through the viewfinder. There are other great features like the U1 and U2 memory banks.

A great macro lens to consider is the Nikon 85mm f/3.5 DX micro lens. Because it's a DX lens, it's lighter and a little smaller than full frame lenses. It will balance better on your D5600. Full frame macro lenses would be very nose heavy on your camera.

Collhar Loc: New York City.

When we first learned to read no one jumped to start reading War and Peace. Read a section of the manual at a time. Then check out YouTube videos.

justhercamera Loc: NW Michigan

As someone who shoots in manual, I was helping friend with her 3XXX series Nikon, and I found to change basic settings, I could not easily dial them in, I needed to dig into the menus. For that reason alone, I would not want to go to that series. I am with the others, don't let it intimidate you, figure that it allows "room to grow". As others have recommended, start with some basics, and baby steps, and enjoy the journey.

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

You will grow into the camera. Creativelive.com has a series of instructional video on almost all cameras. The series is called fast start. The instructor is excellent and when you buy the course for your camera it’s yours for life. I bought 3 of them for my Olympus and Fuji cameras. No regrets and still refer back to them.

FreddB Loc: PA - Delaware County

Try "Nikon D5600 for Dummies". Easier to follow, and more informative than the manual.

trapper1 Loc: Southside Virginia

Can't thank all of you enough who posted reassuring advice. You certainly made me determined to have a concerted go at learning the 5600. It won't be quite easy for me as the videos are beyond my reach since at 84 I am almost stone deaf but that is just one more mountain for me to climb. Again, thank you all for your support and encouragement. Watch out 5600, here I come!