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Get me out of "Auto"...please!
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Jul 31, 2014 04:41:35   #
RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA
 
Jackinthebox wrote:
It is not you at all Andy. The smuck that called it lazy is just a d*c*he*ad.
You Andy are doing just fine and she posted a good question as indicated by 5 pages of commends.


"Smuck" is a far more complimentary term than I would use! :thumbup:

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Jul 31, 2014 04:48:33   #
GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI
 
RWR wrote:
http://www.expoimaging.com/product-overview.php?cat_id=1

It's a diffuser that screws into the filter thread on your lens, and allows you to measure the light falling on your subject (incident reading), rather than the light reflecting from your subject (reflection reading), as is normal with your in-camera meter. It may also be used for setting your white balance, which I think is its most useful function since modern in-camera through-the-lens (TTL) meters are so accurate that (in my opinion) incident readings are superfluous. Others will disagree with this last statement.
Thanks for asking, and good luck with your photography. Looks like you're doing mighty fine so far. :)
http://www.expoimaging.com/product-overview.php?ca... (show quote)


oooh...I think I need that!I've been given lots of good ideas. Now I need to: 1) Read the book on "Understanding Exposure 2) Play with my camera & practice with all the modes 3) Read the book about my camera (while practicing, of course) 4) Find a good photography class and/or instructor 5) Go to my nearest Photography store & handle all the equipment (& maybe buy something like Pocket Wizard, another speedlight, light meter, Expodisc, better head on my tripod to hold my camera more steady)

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Jul 31, 2014 04:51:34   #
GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI
 
Thank you to all who responded to my request. Now I'm going to practice with my camera & inanimate objects; but I will be back with pictures & probably more questions!

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Jul 31, 2014 05:40:05   #
RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA
 
GrandmaG wrote:
oooh...I think I need that!I've been given lots of good ideas. Now I need to: 1) Read the book on "Understanding Exposure 2) Play with my camera & practice with all the modes 3) Read the book about my camera (while practicing, of course) 4) Find a good photography class and/or instructor 5) Go to my nearest Photography store & handle all the equipment (& maybe buy something like Pocket Wizard, another speedlight, light meter, Expodisc, better head on my tripod to hold my camera more steady)
oooh...I think I need that!I've been given lots of... (show quote)


You can check out the specifications of light meters here:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Lightmeters/ci/900/N/4077634543

B&H is a favoured store of many here, and is my preferred source. I would recommend you get a meter that measures flash, this feature will prove of more use than reflected or incident readings. Gossen is my preferred brand, as I've been using the same (now discontinued) Luna-Pro for over 45 years. Sekonic is another good brand. I have no experience with any others. I'm sure some Google searches will result in a wealth of tutorials and helpful information on the use of meters and speedlights. You can never go wrong with Nikon speedlights, but you may also want to check out Metz (my personal choice). Have fun!

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Jul 31, 2014 06:21:56   #
bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.
 
you didn't say you couldn't shoot in other modes, just that you were in too big of a hurry. so slow down, choose a mode ahead of time. if you have time to switch between 3 lenses, then you have time to set your mode for a series of shots.

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Jul 31, 2014 06:55:19   #
fotohouse Loc: Northern Illinois
 
amehta wrote:
I have trouble with absolutes like this. It really depends on the difference between the cameras and the lenses for which change will have a bigger effect.


The absolute "good glass always trumps bodies" is more in reference to the fact that a good lens will be in your kit through several bodies. I have 20 year old lenses on a 3 yr old body, the optics do not degrade with time. The lenses have seen their way through the KM7D, A700, A77, and will probably wind up on the A99MII when it comes out and I make a change to full frame.

Also there is not a whole lot of difference between sensors on say an entry level APS-c and a prosumer level APS-c, most of the differences are in the build quality, ergonomics, the ability to have a PC-sync, the ability to add a vertical grip, and other advanced features such as two control dials, micro focus adjust, etc. Now the difference from crop to full frame, that is another story but few go from an entry level crop sensor to a pro level FF DSLR, and when they do they will need TOP SHELF glass to go with it or it is just overkill.

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Jul 31, 2014 07:17:06   #
lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA
 
RWR wrote:
You can check out the specifications of light meters here:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Lightmeters/ci/900/N/4077634543

B&H is a favoured store of many here, and is my preferred source. I would recommend you get a meter that measures flash, this feature will prove of more use than reflected or incident readings. Gossen is my preferred brand, as I've been using the same (now discontinued) Luna-Pro for over 45 years. Sekonic is another good brand. I have no experience with any others. I'm sure some Google searches will result in a wealth of tutorials and helpful information on the use of meters and speedlights. You can never go wrong with Nikon speedlights, but you may also want to check out Metz (my personal choice). Have fun!
You can check out the specifications of light mete... (show quote)


I like Gossen too. My Luna-Pro got stolen a few decades ago. I now have a used Luna-Six (similar). I also have a Minolta Spot Meter (Reflected / Flash). But to tell you the truth today I never really use my hand held meters for my digital cameras or my one film 35mm SLR with Auto-Exposure. I use them for my manual film cameras, 35mm to 4x5". If you know how to use your modern digital camera and understand how to tweak its settings, including exposure compensation, white balance, and knowing the light you are seeing, the camera gives me anyway better exposures on seemingly any mode, Auto, Av, Tv, M. I sometimes do also have to switch metering modes between Spot and Center Weighted.

I've bought used and new items from B&H. I am also very careful and have gotten great deals on new and used items from both Amazon and Ebay. But you've got to be careful and know what you want and need, and know the equipment first.

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Jul 31, 2014 08:47:51   #
RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA
 
lamiaceae wrote:
I like Gossen too. My Luna-Pro got stolen a few decades ago. I now have a used Luna-Six (similar). I also have a Minolta Spot Meter (Reflected / Flash). But to tell you the truth today I never really use my hand held meters for my digital cameras or my one film 35mm SLR with Auto-Exposure. I use them for my manual film cameras, 35mm to 4x5". If you know how to use your modern digital camera and understand how to tweak its settings, including exposure compensation, white balance, and knowing the light you are seeing, the camera gives me anyway better exposures on seemingly any mode, Auto, Av, Tv, M. I sometimes do also have to switch metering modes between Spot and Center Weighted.

I've bought used and new items from B&H. I am also very careful and have gotten great deals on new and used items from both Amazon and Ebay. But you've got to be careful and know what you want and need, and know the equipment first.
I like Gossen too. My Luna-Pro got stolen a few de... (show quote)


Nothing wrong with the meters you have. I also see no point in using any hand-held meter with a metered camera, except perhaps for manual flash units.
I like the variable-angle attachment for the Luna Pro, 7.5° approximates what I'm accustomed to in my Leicaflexes. Since going to full-frame, my crop-sensor camera, which only meters with CPU lenses, sits on the microscope most of the time and I use the Luna Pro with that attachment.
Hope the OP gets something out of this conversation. :)

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Jul 31, 2014 10:24:09   #
AndyCE Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
 
Jackinthebox wrote:
It is not you at all Andy. The smuck that called it lazy is just a d*c*he*ad.
You Andy are doing just fine and she posted a good question as indicated by 5 pages of commends.


As others have said this has been a great informative thread! Just wanted to make sure I wasn't losing it! :-)
Thanks!
Andy

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Jul 31, 2014 11:48:21   #
speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho
 
GrandmaG wrote:
Wow, you're the 2nd person who said that I was lazy. Hey, I'm working on that. I need a lot of practice in situations that are not "precious" before I will "know" what I want. I will still listen to yours and ALL the advice I get. Thanx!

I did not say that you're lazy, but your style of shooting. Instead of thinking it through, you let the "Auto" decide it for you, but rarely will that get you, what you had in your mind (the camera has no idea what your intensions are). Once you "train" yourself to do that approach, you will most likely get joy from it as well. Have fun!!

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Jul 31, 2014 16:14:36   #
GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI
 
bull drink water wrote:
you didn't say you couldn't shoot in other modes, just that you were in too big of a hurry. so slow down, choose a mode ahead of time. if you have time to switch between 3 lenses, then you have time to set your mode for a series of shots.


I took all my gear and the manual that came with my camera on vacation with me a while back so I could figure out all the controls & menus. I kept falling asleep reading the manual. However, I did learn a few things, just not the confidence to shoot in the other modes. This site has given me the confidence & motivation to really learn my camera and I've already read the first few pages of the books I ordered. They are much better written than the manual!

Once, I was "forced" to use manual at my grand daughter's baseball game because I was taking her picture through the fence and auto focused on the fence, not her. The picture came out great in manual. Other times I've used the other modes "by mistake" and, of course, didn't make the other adjustments so the pictures were horrible. A few times I've tried taking a picture without the auto focus but I guess my eyes see different than the camera and the results were blurry. I need to readjust the eyepiece. I can see that I have a lot of work to do and I'm up for that. I have the opportunity to work 6 weeks full-time and I already know what I will spend the money on. Ha!

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Jul 31, 2014 16:23:36   #
amehta Loc: Boston
 
GrandmaG wrote:
I took all my gear and the manual that came with my camera on vacation with me a while back so I could figure out all the controls & menus. I kept falling asleep reading the manual. However, I did learn a few things, just not the confidence to shoot in the other modes. This site has given me the confidence & motivation to really learn my camera and I've already read the first few pages of the books I ordered. They are much better written than the manual!

Once, I was "forced" to use manual at my grand daughter's baseball game because I was taking her picture through the fence and auto focused on the fence, not her. The picture came out great in manual. Other times I've used the other modes "by mistake" and, of course, didn't make the other adjustments so the pictures were horrible. A few times I've tried taking a picture without the auto focus but I guess my eyes see different than the camera and the results were blurry. I need to readjust the eyepiece. I can see that I have a lot of work to do and I'm up for that. I have the opportunity to work 6 weeks full-time and I already know what I will spend the money on. Ha!
I took all my gear and the manual that came with m... (show quote)

I would suggest not reading the whole manual. Use the table of contents to get a sense of what the camera is capable of, then concentrate on the sections of the manual which you want to explore now. If you use the manual in 5-10 page chunks, I think it will be much more effective.

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Aug 1, 2014 11:17:32   #
bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.
 
GrandmaG wrote:
I took all my gear and the manual that came with my camera on vacation with me a while back so I could figure out all the controls & menus. I kept falling asleep reading the manual. However, I did learn a few things, just not the confidence to shoot in the other modes. This site has given me the confidence & motivation to really learn my camera and I've already read the first few pages of the books I ordered. They are much better written than the manual!

Once, I was "forced" to use manual at my grand daughter's baseball game because I was taking her picture through the fence and auto focused on the fence, not her. The picture came out great in manual. Other times I've used the other modes "by mistake" and, of course, didn't make the other adjustments so the pictures were horrible. A few times I've tried taking a picture without the auto focus but I guess my eyes see different than the camera and the results were blurry. I need to readjust the eyepiece. I can see that I have a lot of work to do and I'm up for that. I have the opportunity to work 6 weeks full-time and I already know what I will spend the money on. Ha!
I took all my gear and the manual that came with m... (show quote)


like you I too have trouble reading the whole manual. when I get past the basic"how to take pictures" part, I refer to it for specific situations.

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Aug 1, 2014 13:54:30   #
GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI
 
bull drink water wrote:
like you I too have trouble reading the whole manual. when I get past the basic"how to take pictures" part, I refer to it for specific situations.


Well, the specific parts aren't specific enough. That's why I ordered the book, "Mastering the
Nikon 5000".

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Aug 1, 2014 15:22:12   #
SharpShooter Loc: NorCal
 
GrandmaG wrote:
Thank you
but I will be back with pictures & probably more questions!


Sorry GG, but I think you may have used up all of your allotment for the year with this one question!
But if you're really nice, you know, like naughty or nice, nice, admin might allow a 1/2 a question!! :lol: :lol:
Again, welcome and good luck. ;-)
SS

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