HamBar06 Loc: Philadelphia, PA

I am a new owner of the Nikon p950 camera and would be interested to know if any UHH'ers have this camera and:
What settings do you use for the various modes ( birds, landscapes, close-up, etc.) shown on the top dial.
I also have discovered that when in point and shoot or birds and use the side focus wheel, that when I think I have what I want and press the shutter button the photo jumps back to original small and unfocused start-up shot. I am obviously doing/not doing something to cause this and would appreciate help.
Thanking you in advance.
Larry [HamBar06]

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Attached below is the user manual. On pages 235/236 there is information about the side dial (digital zoom).

The Scene Modes on top wheel are pre-packaged settings for specific situations and subjects; don't select any of those if you want to input your own shutter speed, ISO or aperture. Scene Modes are discussed in the user manual beginning on page 78.

If you want to learn more about adjusting your settings for various shooting situations (e.g. landscapes or birds), you could visit specific forums here on UHH: go to All Sections at the bottom of this page for the list.

Or create a new topic, attaching photos you have shot, and ask for advice/feedback on those. That's a better place to start than a general settings question since specifics are needed to advise properly. Every photo op varies with lighting, distance to subject, weather, your creative choices (everything sharp focus or blurred background?) etc.

Attached file:
(Download)

flyboy61 Loc: The Great American Desert

Do you have a manual, and have you read it? You can download some manuals from various sites on line. Good luck! You'll soon figure it out!

flyboy61 Loc: The Great American Desert

Duplicate entry! ??? apologies!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I attached one in my reply

.

Abo

Most of the preset modes are about as useful as a hip pocket in a singlet.

The most beneficial modes are "Manual" (exposure, not focus); as well as "Shutter priority" and "Aperture priority"... learning what they do and how to use those should be your first steps...

IMHO there's a time and a place for full auto (possibly called "Program" mode
on your camera) too.

Click this link for "Side Dial" manual focus instructions: https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/p950/en/#!/05-17

Have fun.

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

Am always amazed on here from what the question is from the OP and those who answer perceptions. Although reading and studying the Manual in presence of Camera is probably always the best first step, a quick glance would show the OP has started 30 topics, some of photos 50 yrs ago, most posting in the Photo Gallery so looks to know how to take a photo however wishes to do so.

As a photographer since mid-1960's, first thing I did was put my new P1000 in Auto mode to see how well it did on various settings before advancing. And I find it does as well on Moon setting as all those manual settings I have tried with other cameras. So my advice is read the manual, try the preset modes, enjoy the reach of your new camera.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Each mode has its attributes and detriments.
I use whatever mode I feel is warranted for the shot.
I agree. See what Auto does and learn how the other modes work (how they operate) before writing them off.

Read the manual, read it again, then read it holding the camera for reference.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Oh man, you're so right. I've been inactive on UHH for quite awhile; I forgot that checking an OP's topic history was almost always my first step before replying. Thanks for the reminder, and apologies to the OP if he was offended.

photoman43

I have friends who have the P950 and the p1000. They are very seasoned nature photographers and they tell me that the scene modes work quite well for them. As pointed out already, you have to experiment with each scene mode and see what the camera "choses" (ISO, aperture, shutter speed, etc).

The biggest problem I have observed with any bridge camera like the P 950 or P1000 for bird photography is image taken with a shutter speed that is too low especially if the camera is used hand held. You need a fast shutter speed like 1/1000 or even higher. You will have to read the manual carefully to determine the best way to accomplish needed shutter speeds. It might be Aperture Priority with auto ISO where you can set a minimum shutter speed.

HamBar06 Loc: Philadelphia, PA

To Linda, AboFlyboy, longshadow, and Stardust:

I thank you all for your quick and thoughtful responses. Especial thanks to Linda for both content and genuine helpful attitude.
I will explore your messages and see how it goes.
A bit of explanation to my request.... I purchased my p950 as a reconditioned machine and cannot say that there is anything wrong with it. It did have some former owner setting changes but I did download the Instructions and have read them and actually read again with camera in hand. I also played around with settings and now feel that I may have screwed a couple of things up. I will reset back to factory standards and start over. I actually only wanted your settings info to see how they compare to what I have put on my camera. I was puzzled as to why manual focus reverted back to original size prior to any of my revisions when I pushed the expose button.
Stardust is correct in that I have been taking photos; they go back to 1949...standard negative film, then color slides and now (from about 2000) digital. I have never considered myself anything but amateur, never tried to sell any photos; but feel that I have some really good stuff in my files even if they were just ones that I like for content, experiences and emotional attachment. That does include some shot with the p950.

Really, thanks again for your comments and I will follow up on your advice.
Larry

Guyserman Loc: Benton, AR

Deleted

Abo

I get your point.

And I did make the incorrect assumption that the OP was new to photography as well as the P950.

The reason I made that incorrect assumption is because of his choice of camera as well as the
questions the OP presented... the questions still seem to me to be that of a clueless novice.
As well as the camera being the choice of a clueless novice. For the same money he could
have acquired any one of numerous units with an APSC sized sensor (including a sensational X-Trans Fuji)
instead of a toy such as the P950 with its minute and grossly noisy sensor.


Apart from that, the first steps I recommended learning; (Modes manual, aperture priority and shutter
priority) are explained in the users manual... ie learning modes manual, aperture priority and shutter
priority are one and the same as reading the manual... You have made the same "perception", so
you should have amazed yourself when you wrote your above quoted post.

And what is abundantly obvious is that the amount of time one has done something
is not necessarily an indication of ones competence...

In fact, a criminally incompetent ex
USAF flight engineer turned Aircraft Maintenance Engineering lecturer,
expounding an erroneous and potentially fatal maintenance practice
to a class of students; defended his teaching
of that practice by shouting at me, "DON'T ARGUE WITH ME, I'VE BEEN DOING IT THAT WAY FOR 20 YEARS".
Needless to say he no longer works at that college.

Here's a 1:1 crop of the product of 50 years of (the OPs) experience and the p950.

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

This is the wrong place for this discussion having learned long ago those with closed minds are not worth the effort to attempt discussion but I do feel compelled to defend the OP and myself from your elitist bullying. For when you state "I get your point" you aren't even aware of the point let alone getting it. To still call the OP a clueless novice and to put down HIS CHOICE of a $1,000 camera as a toy (or my auxiliary P1000 camera) must make you feel so superior. Our money, our choice. Unless one uses it to do business all cameras are toys, some just more expensive or better quality than others.

A person who buys a point & shoot camera has their reasons beyond always novice and seldom ever is their first use to go to fully manual settings. I can envision you teaching someone to drive and telling them first they need to tear down the engine to understand how it operates.

And with your wrong perception I never said anything about repetition indicating compentence or implied it about my 55 yrs experience. The point was, as was the OP, when I added the P1000 my first use was in Auto and Preset modes to see how it did although I am definitely not a novice. I already knew what it was going to do in manual modes. But according to your "wisdom" that should have been my first settings. Hope you enjoy using your equipment and may the OP enjoy in your words "his novice use of his toy".

Abo

You say; "This is the wrong place for this discussion", yet here you are having it... do you know what that makes you?

And you claimed I am a "bullying elitist"... I presume you think I use an
expensive camera... well bud, my most valuable camera, a Fujifilm X-E3
can be had for $713 with an XF Lens*... substantially less than the $1000 you quote for a P950.
So it seems I am less of an "Elite" than you... with your P1000 LOL!

You started this exchange when you quoted me and derided my post with the following in italics:
"Am always amazed on here from what the question is from the OP and those who answer perceptions."
AND you have the nerve to call me a "bully"... and again; do you know what that makes you?

And this pile of steaming horse shit you wrote really makes me laugh:
" I can envision you teaching someone to drive and telling them first they need to tear down the engine to understand how it operates.
It's on record on this very website that my first and primary assertion for a driver/safe driving, is:
"Concentration... unwavering concentration on the job of driving and the road ahead."

Your "point"less is as transparent as you are

Having said that, there's no law against your delusion that if I was teaching a driver I'd
tell them "first they need to tear(sic) down the engine" or the other delusions you have bud... so... enjoy

* https://www.ebay.com/itm/374010311506?