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Disappointed.
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Oct 16, 2012 18:08:09   #
dickie2 Loc: Somerset, UK.
 
Hi again guys. I'll persevere with the camera. I'm interested in minor league wildlife photography - 1 step up from a snapper :-). As I mentioned I got the D5100 with the two kit lenses. I am thinking that down the road a way I might change the AF-s 55-200 1.4-5.6 ED Vr that came with it for a Af-s 70 300 F4.5 6 VR, that's the top end of my price range. Not sure what I'd get PX for my two kit lenses. Good choice for a new lens d'ya think??? Regards Dick.

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Oct 16, 2012 18:30:34   #
PaulG Loc: Western Australia
 
Unfortunately kit lenses are generally substandard. They tend to be lightweight intro type lenses and plasticy (as in construction, not necessarily internal elements). It's usually best to buy a camera body then specific lenses that you require for your particular work.

I bought a Canon 1000d with accompanying 15-55 and 70-300 kit lenses which in a nut shell are crap. They do the job but if your'e after something of better quality will never suffice.

You can always sharpen slightly in PP. Go to filters; unsharp mask and slide the bar accordingly (higher). Don't go too drastic though or you will suffer image degradation. This will definitely give your images a bit of extra bite though.

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Oct 16, 2012 19:29:46   #
martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida
 
The 70-300mm VR is an excellent Lens, if anyone says not, then they don't know how to use it. I'll just bore you with one example, have several hundred more.
dickie2 wrote:
Hi again guys. I'll persevere with the camera. I'm interested in minor league wildlife photography - 1 step up from a snapper :-). As I mentioned I got the D5100 with the two kit lenses. I am thinking that down the road a way I might change the AF-s 55-200 1.4-5.6 ED Vr that came with it for a Af-s 70 300 F4.5 6 VR, that's the top end of my price range. Not sure what I'd get PX for my two kit lenses. Good choice for a new lens d'ya think??? Regards Dick.



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Oct 16, 2012 19:36:02   #
jdarter1932 Loc: Oklahoma
 
Yah can't beat the fz 150...

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Oct 16, 2012 23:18:12   #
Chevy Loc: Central Texas
 
Make sure you set your image size to large and Image quality to fine that also helps.

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Oct 16, 2012 23:41:04   #
wisecrafter Loc: Pocahontas, Arkansas
 
Where is the pictures?

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Oct 16, 2012 23:42:50   #
bygeorge Loc: Fl.<N.J.<Fl.
 
Wabbit wrote:
dickie2 wrote:
Hi all. I recently sold my Panasonic FZ150 to fund the purchase of a Nikon D5100. Mine came with the two "standard" kit lenses but I have to say I'm disappointed with the quality of the photos. I thought it might be my setting up but even on Auto the standard of pics is not up to that of the FZ150. Any advice on tweaking the camera -- Cheers Dick


Hey Doc ..... how bout a pic ..... I set my sharpening to 6 and Saturation to +3, I use base ISO never auto .....
quote=dickie2 Hi all. I recently sold my Panasoni... (show quote)


:-D

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Oct 16, 2012 23:43:17   #
jdarter1932 Loc: Oklahoma
 
Sold most of them.

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Oct 17, 2012 23:45:01   #
MtnMan Loc: ID
 
The kit lenses that come with the D5100 are very good. They are capable of taking tack sharp pictures.

For the longer lens mine came with the 55-300. It is better than the 18-55 but both are fine.

Most likely you have to learn how to focus and deal with the much narrower depth of field that comes with a DSLR. Auto will help you with that in the beginning but you also need to be sure you pick an appropriate focus mode and use it correctly. Read up on focus in the manual to be sure you are doing what needs to be done.

I have gone to normally using spot focus and matrix metering. When you use spot focus you need to be sure you have the red spot on the place in your image you want to be sharpest.

I have also set mine to not shoot until it is focused. That is one of the options you will read about relative to focus.

If you are handholding be sure the lens switch is turned to VR on and be sure you haven't switched focus mode to Manual in your camera settings.

If you still have concerns after the above you'll have to post some images for diagnosis.

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Oct 17, 2012 23:50:52   #
MtnMan Loc: ID
 
Al Beatty wrote:
Hi

I recently purchased a D5100 and like you I was disappointed with the quality/sharpness of the pix I got until I adjusted the sharpness in the alphabet menus. The from-the-factory sharpness setting on my D5100 was 3. When I reset it to 7 I really like the pix. Now after a couple of other "tweeks" I really love the camera for what it is, an entry level camera. It's not my D300 but the pix it shoots are as good or better. It just doesn't have all the bells & whistles of the D300. Take care & ...
Hi br br I recently purchased a D5100 and like y... (show quote)


Note that if you shoot in RAW the sharpness settings of the picture control menu don't matter. They only affect the jpeg images.

Sharpening is a destructive process. If you do post processing (and you should) you should save sharpening for the last step in your workflow.

Usually if your pictures look soft it is because of camera movement, focus, or depth of field effects.

Oh, and if you have any filters on the lenses take them off. Cheap filters make soft images.

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