Guyserman Loc: Benton, AR

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Factory settings are relatively useful. CHARGE ALL BATTERIES (hopefully you ordered an extra or two). Put the camera on full auto, and see what it does.

You were VERY smart to read the manual! It will make a lot more sense with the camera in hand.

Learning photography is a life-long, never-ending process for some, and a casual hobby for others. You can get really deep into the finer points of the gear, the technique, the art, and so forth, or you can just "point and shoot".

The D7200 is an extremely capable tool. Your challenge will be to tap those capabilities. The best advice I can give you is to NEVER blame the camera for a bad image, unless you truly cannot get it to work. 98% of problems people think they have with camera gear are simply lack of knowledge leading to operator error.

If you once used medium to large format film, forget all the rules of thumb you learned. You'll need f/stops larger (wider) than f/11. You can work at much higher ISOs than we used to with film. Tilt/shift is mostly done in software these days. The only filters you need are Neutral Density, Graduated Neutral Density, Circular Polarizer, and a Clear Glass Protector. UV filters are useless for digital below about 6000 feet. Practically all other filtration can be done in software. Good depth of field can be had at medium apertures for most scenes.

As you grow into your camera, you'll learn that successful digital imaging requires a systems approach. Some of the tools that build that system:

Tripod, monopod, beanbag (camera stabilizers)
White balance reference tools (18% Gray Cards, One Shot Digital Calibration Targets, WhiBals, ExpoDiscs, ColorChecker Passports...)
High speed SD card readers (USB 3.0, capable of reading SDXC cards used by newer cameras)
A recent Mac or Windows Computer (8-16 GB RAM, 1TB or more drive space, fast video card...)
A decent computer monitor (not a laptop monitor) capable of displaying 100% of the sRGB ICC color gamut, or better, 99% of Adobe RGB color gamut
A monitor calibration and profiling kit (from X-Rite or DataColor)
Software for post-processing raw files (many choices there...)
A decent photo lab (do a Google search for 'professional photo labs') AND/OR (if you're a control freak):
A decent *photo quality* inkjet printer (more than four ink colors... Epson and Canon are the top brands)
Depth of field calculator app for your smartphone

Enjoy!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

These will be helpful to you:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=nikon+D7200
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_17?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=understanding+exposure+4th+edition+by+bryan+peterson&sprefix=understanding+exp%2Cstripbooks%2C350&crid=1GDPCNOYPZ43Q&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Aunderstanding+exposure+4th+edition+by+bryan+peterson

Hal81 Loc: Bucks County, Pa.

Read the manual. Do as I say not as I do. I didn't at first, now Im going back to it quite often.

F8 Forever Loc: Lng Island, NY

Yes, for now, but a P&S camera that will eventually go to places no P&S has gone before.

jaycoffman Loc: San Diego

Considering the time constraints you are under I'd suggest the following (as have others).

(1) You will almost certainly have to charge the battery and this will take several hours so you won't be able to practice much unless you do without sleep.

(2) Set your control wheel--top-left of camera--to Auto (it's green on my D7100). (I'm assuming this as I'm working from a D7100 that is very similar to yours.)

(3) Go into the menu button (upper left on the back of the camera) Move the curser to tools (wrench on left). Pick "Image Quality" and pick JPEG normal.

(4) Move the menu button to ISO sensitivity and pick Auto ISO sensitivity control and move it to ON and set the highest ISO to 800. (NOTEj--step 2 and 3 may not be necessary as it may be a pre-set using AUTO mode which I'm going to recommend but it's pretty easy to check if you follow my instructions.)

(5) I would recommend not setting your lens all the way to short or long as that can cause a problem with the pictures.

Since you're just starting this should give you good basic pictures without having to muck around with the camera too much. Once you download the pictures (if you use Apple it should be to "Photos") you should be able to tweek the pictures just a bit to get the most quality you can out of them.

Then as you have time start working with all these settings as the more manual you get and the more you understand exposure, depth of field and focus as well as composition you will really start seeing the fun and art of photography.

Welcome to the HOG and if you have other questions in the future it would help us help you if you tell us what camera and lens you're using and what types of pictures you wanting to take--you got half of it this time. Most of all have fun...

Logan1949

No! "A" is Aperture priority. "Auto" is Auto. I also will recommend using "P", Program mode, over "Auto" for casual snapshots. "P" will balance your Aperture size and Shutter speed to get a good exposure (usually at the largest/fastest f-stop). But you may want to set a minimum Shutter speed at 1/125 or 1/250 second for people, or faster for sports or Birds in Flight (BIF).

Setting it to "Auto" will automate everything for a reasonably good shot in most circumstances. Ditto the recommendation on shooting RAW+JPEG.

stanperry Loc: Spring Hill, Florida

The camera will do anything you want exactly as it is. Go online and download ALL of the manuals (3 or 4). There’s also an app called manual viewer that puts them all in one place and makes it easier to compare and select the one you want (user guide vs. tech manual vs......etc). Stick with the user guide at first. Get familiar with the physical controls first, i.e., how to set aperture or shutter priority. That will be the way to get started. Spend a LOT of time learning how to interpret and understand the display on the top of your camera. You REALLY need to know what your camera is telling you! If your a newbie, let the camera pick the settings for you. It’s MUCH smarter than you are at the moment. Unless the camera is messed up, you’ll get great, useable, focused and properly exposed photos, almost without exception. Point, depress the shutter release 1/2 way until the camera tells you it’s ready, and then push it all the way down. You’ll have a great photo!
Let me give you one suggestion from my recent experience. Leave SnapBridge alone for a while. It’s a mess. It’s MUCH easier to download pics to your laptop and email them. You’ll spend LOTS of time trying to get SnapBridge to work, AND if you turn on the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi features, you better have a spare battery!!

charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

My manual is always with me. Electronic version.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I would make sure to read the quick start up included with your camera. If it is not their, make sure your battery is charged before you put it in. Make sure you put a memory card in.
I would start out with setting the camera to "P" for program, it will handle everything for you and you can start out this way.
Then read the manual and try the other setting one at a time. I would suggest "A" aperture priority next, then "S" shutter priority. After you are OK on these settings then try "M" manual. Make sure when you are trying each setting you are reading the manual about each setting. Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.

charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

Just so you know the d7200 does not come with a card and only one battery, unless you bought a package.

cdayton

Shoot jpeg fine, set at P (Programmed) mode, find the dial to change the P settings and shoot away for a while. You will get very good pics.

jrh1354 Loc: Dayton, Ohio

You will find the Nikon provided manual confusing and difficult to use in setting up your camera for different shooting scenarios. I would strongly advise that you buy Busch's User Manual for the D7200. He has a very clear and easily understood writing style and tells you how to use the various settings together to get the results you want. I've had 2 Nikon digitals so far and his manuals were invaluable.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

P mode does not set everything. Auto does that.

With P mode you need to set things like focus and exposure modes and ISO. You can set other things like white balance and active D lighting. And you can use the rear dial to scroll through a range of shutter speed / f-stop combos that satisfy exposure after holding release half way down.

It still amazes me how many do not understand P mode.

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

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I have seen recommendations to start in "Auto mode" but I would suggest "Program mode (P)" instead if you are going to start out that way. Program mode is just as easy and just as good as Auto, but it also gives you the ability to still make some choices rather than totally allow the camera chose them all. If you have read through the manual I would suggest trying out Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority as soon as you can since that offer far more flexibility. Als,o when you first get it I would recommend setting it up to shoot in either "RAW" or "RAW & JPG" rather than just JPG, and I recommend using the "Adobe RGB" rather than the default "sRGB". These options will give you a lot more options when you go to process your shots.