photodaddy Loc: Missouri

Learning to take good photos takes time. Just like a surgeon. It takes time to be a good one. The STL Rams got beat by the Cowboys but they won their first game last sunday against the Saints. Rams have a long road ahead.

photoshopmikey Loc: Boston Ma.

it's not to bad, but is is oof, when i got my pentax k5 used it came with a 50mm 1.4. I wanted to return it because i could not nail the focus at 1.4 when i shoot at 2.0 or 2.5 the pic is way better in focus. the only way to nail 1.4 for me was to use a tripod. keep on trying and read the posts here, i have taken much better pics by following the advice of the awesome helpful members here.

rone Loc: Ohio

Can someone tell me why Toothmakker & my software says the photo was shot with a Panasonic, but he said he had a NIKON 5100?

kimberliswenson Loc: Ridgefield, WA

Could be the info from the memory card??

MtnMan Loc: ID

I had the same question when I posted the picture of the screen from the Nikon ViewNX2 software which also showed the Panasonic and that the picture was taken in 2009, before the D5100 existed.

I still suspect he doesn't have autofocus working; either because he was sold a lens that does not have the motor in the lens by the dildo in the camera store or because he didn't turn on autofocus on the lens. The latter is an easy oversight for someone skilled in the older 35mm film cameras (like me) to make. He didn't respond to that point.

If not either of those then he may have made a poor choice of autofocus settings to get the flower results described (but not posted); e.g. selecting shutter priority and pushing the release too fast for the camera to finish focusing.

But I'm going with one of the first two alternatives till he tells us more.

Regards,
Larry Leach

joe west Loc: Taylor, Michigan

im not trying too be funny, you have a good camera there, maybe you need glasses....your out of focus, i wear glasses for reading, forgot i had them on..pics were terrible.......

crittercam

Tamsey, You said you used to take photos. Did you use a film camera or was your camera digital? In spite of the fact that there ismuch the same, there are also a lot of things that are different. Also, if you don't know the DOF for your 50 mm lens there are other issues you need to learn as well. I would suggest that you sit down with your manual and "learn" the first page and use that info several times, then go on to the next page. This sounds more laborious and time consuming than it is, but you willget to know every facet of your camera until the basics are second nature which is critical in good photography. I have been photographing for 25 years and I do this with every new camera because, in spite of the fact that I have always shot Nikon, every camera has its nuances.Every camera has a different meter and every meter is a little different as well. Take the same picture several times using progressively higher or lower f stops and you will learn a lot about your meter and your camera and yourself.

crittercam

Tamsey, I just read through the info on your exposure. To begin with, it shows it as being 1/15". That is way too slow unless you were using a tripod. There is no way you can handhold at 1/15" and not get blur.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Hi, Folks

Rene, you may want to pick up the dummies book on human relations...

For others, I just want to share some thoughts on the D5100. It probably relates as well to the competitors such as the Canon T3i.

Just so Rene doesn't accuse me of being a dummy also I'll let you know I graduated 3rd in class from one of the best engineering colleges in the country, have two masters degrees, have written several books on engineering related topics, etc. My work experience has been in research and development and the design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants. For those that do not know it is a field somewhat more complex than rocket science.

I have had cameras all my life including a 35 mm SLR for over twenty years and many versions of electronic cameras since.

I am also new to the D5100. I take a slightly different approach having carefully reviewed not only the printed manual that came with the camera but the multihundred page one on the DVD that came with it. I carefully reviewed the video on the DVD several times. I have purchased and read two additional books on the D5100 and three on digital photography and taken one of Scott Kelby's short courses (on the D3100, but close enough that I learned much from it.)

The main thing I want to share is that I consider the D5100 to be the most complex and sophisticated machine I have ever worked with. It is going to be a long time before I will feel that I have mastered it.

That said, it is also an astonishingly elegant machine in that if you set it on "Auto" (including turning on the lens autofocus) it takes great pictures right out of the box in most situations.

Next choice is to use P which also pretty much assures you great pictures. Then you can move to the next level of built-in set up options such as scenery and portrait. After that you can move to taking more control with A and S options. In all of those you can also fiddle with stuff like color control and white balance. Then you can take more control with M (oh, yeah, I also took a course last month from community educattion that helped on that...although in my case that was what I was best at because I had done it for 20 years with my SLR). We haven't even touched on things like HDR and Active D-lighting, bracketing and focus and metering choices, etc. And then there is video.

I am well beyond using it in Auto and still manage to take what I consider great pictures most of the time using some of its other capabilities. I still have much to learn about all of its incredible power and about composing better pictures...something the starter of this thread already seems to know better than I as he demonstrated with the wonderful picture of his granddaughter.

I note he has gone silent on us so I suppose we have given him what he needs.

Regards,
Larry Leach

crittercam

Just read another fact. According to the data your f stop was 2.8. The DOF for 2.8 is about 2 inches which is not enough for a portrait. Much of this would indicate that you have a great deal to learn before you condemn the camera.

alaskanfrog Loc: Alaska

You asked for critique. Please first of all, try not to take anything said about your comments personally. Regarding this photo of your granddaughter, it's a very nice photo. The composition is actually very good. She's off center, that's good. She is framed very nicely but the top of her head is cut off. Not necessarily bad... I would prefer the entire head, or an extreme closeup to show her facial expression. A better composition would be for her to be looking up, rather than down. The photo is only slightly out of focus and is correctable in post. However the slight out focus actually adds to the photo rather than distracts, because it makes for a much softer appearance and look. The color balance needs to be a little brighter to enhance your granddaughter's skin tone, an easy fix in Photoshop Elements. Other than these few items, it's actually a nice photo...

Sorry to hear about your frustrations with your camera. As many people stated, patience really is key to learning how to use your camera correctly. I'm not familiar with Nikon DSLR cameras but I can tell you this; Take the time to get to know your camera. It isn't going to happen over night and you certainly won't learn how to use it in a month. The best way to learn what your camera can and can't do, is to shoot a lot of photos. Experiment with ALL the settings, both manual and automatic. Photograph anything and everything, and look at how the camera responds and reacts to different lighting and photo situations.

But most of all, be patient with yourself. If you're patient with you, then you will be patient with your camera. If the camera proves to be too difficult for you to understand, then trade it in for a point and shoot camera. Most newer cameras, even the digital point and shoot are capable of capturing very nice quality photos There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a point and shoot camera.

What I was seeing in your post was a lot of frustration because you weren't able to take the photos you wanted to capture immediately. A lot can be said about "instant gratification," but I won't. Sometimes it applies and can be achieved in photography, but most of the time, patience really is key. Patience and practice,practice,practice... Thank you for sharing your lovely young granddaughter with us...

kimberliswenson Loc: Ridgefield, WA

Couldn't have said it better myself.

naturepics43 Loc: Hocking Co. Ohio - USA

I think Tramsey may have posted an "old" photo by mistake. His first post indicated that he want to replace an older camera ( Lumix DMC-FZ20 ?) This is assuming the EXIF info is correct for the picture posted. TRY POSTING A PHOTO TANEN WITH THE NIKON!

MtnMan Loc: ID

If he can manage that I am pretty sure it will tell us that he didn't turn on the autofocus switch on the lens.

Perhaps the dope at the camera shop, trying to sell him the most expensive stuff, even sold him a lens without the focusing motor in the lens...a requirement for the D5100.

;-)

Regards,
Larry Leach

Jacquie

I know you have heard this time and time again, Patience. I have the Nikon D5000. You really have a nice camera. You will get better, I promise. Have fun, don't try and be a professional. Read your book, I have a friend with a Nikon 3100 and she had it for months. But she didn't read the book that came with it. I wish you live close, I would show you. Email me at jacquie1952@live.com and I'll try to help you. Did you get the wide angel lens with your camera, 18-55 mm, I use this the most, put it on and have FUN. Jacquie