I feel bad!

MiiLovely · Aug 1, 2012

How long did it take you to get use to your camera?

I just got a D7000(nikon) and feel bad because I dont know how to use it to its full potential yet. I know it will take time so I'm jut wondering how long did it take until you guys felt comfortable /knew your camera?
I love that my camera has so many settings! I cant wait to know what they are all for (properly lol)
I kind of wish they had shown me a few things in the store though but oh well lol so yeah! <3

SCraig · Aug 1, 2012

Are you in a hurry? Take as long as it takes. There is no rush and if you learn to use one feature a day or a week or a month, so what?

To honestly answer your question, I haven't. I won't ever use every feature available on my camera because some of them aren't useful to me. All the filters and in-camera processing tricks and such I didn't even bother reading about. Likewise, the sections of the owner's manual on "Automatic" and "Programmed Automatic" exposure I skipped over.

Learn to use what is of value to you and just know that the other features are there if you need them.

480sparky · Aug 1, 2012

I got my D7000 in February of '11. And I still don't 'know' it.

Forkie · Aug 1, 2012

You just got it?!

I had my D40 for 4 years before I considered upgrading and I'm pretty sure I squeezed it for all it had. But if I didn't have a craving for a higher frame rate and more cropping freedom I'd still have it and be learning from it!

It's not enough just to learn what all the features do, you have to learn how to get the most out of all the things the camera can do as well as combining different features and experimenting to improve your shots.

I got to the point with my D40 where I knew what I had to do with that camera to get the images I wanted. I knew it's little nuances and how to exploit them or avoid them where necessary and what it was and wasn't capable of. When you know these things, you will have learnt your camera.

But don't expect to learn it in 6 months. It could be 6 years before start to feel like you know the camera.

Tuffythepug · Aug 1, 2012

It's one thing to know your camera's capabilities and settings; another thing to know how to use them to achieve the results you are looking for. Coming from a film background I still find it somewhat difficult to grasp all the knowledge necessary to master digital photography.. no matter which camera I use. It's a totally different ballgame. I found it useful to read instructional books that explained the aspects of each feature of digital cameras, regardless of make or model. Then I could understand how to get better results with my own. Good luck. I'm sure you'll figure it out. How long it will take depends on how much effort you put into it. I'd give it a few months at least.

MiiLovely · Aug 1, 2012

Thanks everyone, I dont feel so bad now lol
I guess I was just suprised that my camera had so many settings. I mean I knew it had a lot but when you really look at everything it can do its amazing! (and slightly overwhelming lol) but thats exactly what I wanted

(Im weird when it comes to technolegy, if it isnt challanging I get bored with it to easily.)

Designer · Aug 1, 2012

MiiLovely said:
How long did it take you to get use to your camera?

I've had my D5000 for over two years, and still don't know a lot about it.

Relax, Miilovely, take your time. I have my user's manual by the side of the bed for late night reading. You should read and re-read, and then read it again. While you're reading about something, try it out on the camera. The silly pictures you take at home while practicing can simply be deleted.

Meanwhile, go ahead and use "auto", and "program" modes, and ignore the "manual only" snobs on here who will criticize you for it. You can get some worthwhile pictures while learning composition, lighting, etc. Try all the various modes that the camera has. Try various light, including too much and too little light. Try making a few portraits, some still life, some landscape, and whatever.

Don't assume you have to know everything immediately.

MiiLovely · Aug 1, 2012

Designer said:
MiiLovely said:

How long did it take you to get use to your camera?

Click to expand...

I've had my D5000 for over two years, and still don't know a lot about it.

Relax, Miilovely, take your time. I have my user's manual by the side of the bed for late night reading. You should read and re-read, and then read it again. While you're reading about something, try it out on the camera. The silly pictures you take at home while practicing can simply be deleted.

Meanwhile, go ahead and use "auto", and "program" modes, and ignore the "manual only" snobs on here who will criticize you for it. You can get some worthwhile pictures while learning composition, lighting, etc. Try all the various modes that the camera has. Try various light, including too much and too little light. Try making a few portraits, some still life, some landscape, and whatever.

Don't assume you have to know everything immediately.

Thank you Designer. I have been playing around with some of the auto modes (and I will admit, I did feel bad about it ((My thoughts exactly: If I was just going to use the auto modes I could have gone with a less complicated camera)) but you right, I shouldnt expect myself to know everything right away especially when I just got it.

nmoody · Aug 1, 2012

Everyone has their own pace they go at. If this is just a hobby, take all the time you need. You need to start somewhere its not like you can pick up a camera with no knowledge and expect to use manual correctly. Start with Auto to get a feel for the camera. Then move in to (A)Aperture and (S)Shutter Priority to get a feel for how the camera adjusts its setting to compensate for the settings you picked in the A or S mode.

Understanding the exposure triangle will be the first big step to figuring out what you are doing. Not sure what your previous experiences are or how knowledgeable you are about exposure. If you are just starting out picking up a few books would help. The Scott Kelby: Digital Photography series is great for just starting out for general knowledge. Bryan Peterson: Understanding Exposures makes it very easy to understand exposure and how the exposure triangle works.

KmH · Aug 1, 2012

My first DSLR camera was a Nikon D1X, and it took me a good 12 months to learn how to use it, even though I was already an accomplished photographer using film cameras. Each successive Nikon DSLR I have used has had many similarities, which greatly shortened the learning cycle.

The same applies to Nikon's user's manuals. They too are all very similar, so once someone has been thoroughly through one manual, and are familiar with it's layout, subsequent Nikon user's manuals are much easier to assimilate.

Note that the user's manual only explains the functions, features, and capabilities of the camera, but does not explain how to use those features, functions, and capabilities to do photography.

MiiLovely · Aug 1, 2012

nmoody said:
Everyone has their own pace they go at. If this is just a hobby, take all the time you need. You need to start somewhere its not like you can pick up a camera with no knowledge and expect to use manual correctly. Start with Auto to get a feel for the camera. Then move in to (A)Aperture and (S)Shutter Priority to get a feel for how the camera adjusts its setting to compensate for the settings you picked in the A or S mode.

Understanding the exposure triangle will be the first big step to figuring out what you are doing. Not sure what your previous experiences are or how knowledgeable you are about exposure. If you are just starting out picking up a few books would help. The Scott Kelby: Digital Photography series is great for just starting out for general knowledge. Bryan Peterson: Understanding Exposures makes it very easy to understand exposure and how the exposure triangle works.

I have no knowledge of the 'exposure triangle' .. lol acutally I am a newb when it comes to exposure. before I got my camera I did most of my research on iso and appature but compltely forgot about exsposure! now I feel like an idiot lol off to do that now!

jamesbjenkins · Aug 1, 2012

Designer said:
Meanwhile, go ahead and use "auto", and "program" modes, and ignore the "manual only" snobs on here who will criticize you for it.

Great advice. I had no idea I was a snob for recommending people understand silly little things like how ISO, aperture and shutter speed relate to each other and how to put that knowledge to work.

There's nothing wrong with using programmed auto in a pinch, but relying on it for regular shooting is like forcing a kid to keep the race car at 20mph.

jamesbjenkins · Aug 1, 2012

I don't use full manual unless I'm working with off camera flash. I use Aperture Priority for probably 70% of what I shoot and Shutter Priority for subjects that I know will be moving fast.

MiiLovely · Aug 1, 2012

Oh I know how most of the manual settings on my camera work (ie manual settings on the lens/ iso/ appature/white balance etc) but there are a loooot more features in the menu in the camera that make my head spin abit when I try and play around with them lol I know I will get and understand the settings one day though!

(Ps I personally dont think photographers who use fully manual settings are snobs or think they are better lol ((it is intimidating though, seeing as you have to have a lot of knowledge to do that)) I just feel like other photographers will think "You just did a point-n-shoot you're nothing special.") You know?

Right now though I am actually having more trouble with the computer/editting part of it lol.