I'm sooooo CONFUSED, someone please help me

[Tiffany M]

Hi everyone. I have a Nikon d3300. I just got a new 50mm lens. I have been studying ISO, f stops (aperture) and shutter speeds. But I am very confused about the focus distance indicator.

It's like alien language to me. I understand that it has something to do with hyperfocal photography and something to do with making your photos sharp from up close to far back. I also understand you have to use math (I'm really horrible in math)

Do I have to use this? And to keep from using it do I just control my focusing from camera LED screen? The only thing I understand is that you can move it to infinity (that symbol that looks like a sideways 8) for an object at night that is far away (like the moon).

Please help me, it's confusing me. I am still trying to understand lens. My camera came with a kit lens that I kinda understand but it doesn't have the distance indicator on it. The distance indicator confuses me. Thanks in advance.

 

[zombiesniper]

If you really want it to be easy flip that switch to "A" for auto focus but the dial is pretty easy to read. The white numbers appear to me in meters and the yellow letters in feet. Those numbers are just a reference for a starting point based on the distance the object is away that you want to focus on.
So if you have a subject at 10 feet. Adjust the focus ring to 10 feet and your focus should be pretty close. You can then fine tune the adjustment while looking through the camera. In reality though. Most of us don't even look at the dial while manually focusing.

Hope this helps.

 

[table1349]

First this would probably be a good set of tutorials for you. Digital Photography Tutorials

DOF Scale Explanation: Lens Depth of Field Scale

 

[Tiffany M]

If you really want it to be easy flip that switch to "A" for auto focus but the dial is pretty easy to read. The white numbers appear to me in meters and the yellow letters in feet. Those numbers are just a reference for a starting point based on the distance the object is away that you want to focus on.
So if you have a subject at 10 feet. Adjust the focus ring to 10 feet and your focus should be pretty close. You can then fine tune the adjustment while looking through the camera. In reality though. Most of us don't even look at the dial while manually focusing.

Hope this helps.

Hi there is a switch in the side of the camera that had m/a and then m. I switched it to m/a. Is that correct if I don't want to use it?

And also I am very horrible with like guessing how much feet/meters I am from something to be truthfully honest.

And when you say fine tune does that mean just looking through the view finder and turning it until I feel it is at it's the desired sharpness?

Thank you so much for your help

 

[Tiffany M]

First this would probably be a good set of tutorials for you. Digital Photography Tutorials

DOF Scale Explanation: Lens Depth of Field Scale

Thank you

 

[480sparky]

Hi there is a switch in the side of the camera that had m/a and then m. I switched it to m/a. Is that correct if I don't want to use it?

And also I am very horrible with like guessing how much feet/meters I am from something to be truthfully honest.

And when you say fine tune does that mean just looking through the view finder and turning it until I feel it is at it's the desired sharpness?

Thank you so much for your help

M/A means Manual/Automatic. If you don't touch the focus ring, focus is automatic. If you want to, you can move the ring Manually to change what the camera chooses for focus.

M is Manual only. The camera won't bother with trying to focus. It's all up to you.

Don't try using the scale on the lens to set focus. Look in the viewfinder instead. Either look at the image there and see if it looks in focus, or use the focus assist mentioned in your camera's manual.

 

[Tiffany M]

Hi there is a switch in the side of the camera that had m/a and then m. I switched it to m/a. Is that correct if I don't want to use it?

And also I am very horrible with like guessing how much feet/meters I am from something to be truthfully honest.

And when you say fine tune does that mean just looking through the view finder and turning it until I feel it is at it's the desired sharpness?

Thank you so much for your help

M/A means Manual/Automatic. If you don't touch the focus ring, focus is automatic. If you want to, you can move the ring Manually to change what the camera chooses for focus.

M is Manual only. The camera won't bother with trying to focus. It's all up to you.

Don't try using the scale on the lens to set focus. Look in the viewfinder instead. Either look at the image there and see if it looks in focus, or use the focus assist mentioned in your camera's manual.

Oh ok cool. Thanks.

 

[KmH]

If you're concerned about depth-of-field (depth of acceptably sharp focus) there are both online and mobile device applications that do the math for you.
Understanding Depth of Field in Photography

Online Depth of Field Calculator

 

[Tiffany M]

Hi there is a switch in the side of the camera that had m/a and then m. I switched it to m/a. Is that correct if I don't want to use it?

And also I am very horrible with like guessing how much feet/meters I am from something to be truthfully honest.

And when you say fine tune does that mean just looking through the view finder and turning it until I feel it is at it's the desired sharpness?

Thank you so much for your help

M/A means Manual/Automatic. If you don't touch the focus ring, focus is automatic. If you want to, you can move the ring Manually to change what the camera chooses for focus.

M is Manual only. The camera won't bother with trying to focus. It's all up to you.

Don't try using the scale on the lens to set focus. Look in the viewfinder instead. Either look at the image there and see if it looks in focus, or use the focus assist mentioned in your camera's manual.

I took your advice and used the ring. I looked through the camera and took a picture of a chair and it came out pretty ok.

Also one last question...it'sa dumb question lol.

If I use that ring to focus...can I still use it after setting what I want in different camera modes (aperture, shutter priority , etc). I know I'm asking lots of crazy questions, just want to become good at this.

I always stick to Aperture mode (because I heard it's the best mode to use and I like shutter priority because I love taking pics showing smooth water flow.)

 

[480sparky]

I took your advice and used the ring. I looked through the camera and took a picture of a chair and it came out pretty ok.

Also one last question...it'sa dumb question lol.

If I use that ring to focus...can I still use it after setting what I want in different camera modes (aperture, shutter priority , etc). I know I'm asking lots of crazy questions, just want to become good at this.

I always stick to Aperture mode (because I heard it's the best mode to use and I like shutter priority because I love taking pics showing smooth water flow.)

Unless you half-press and hold the shutter button then turn the focus ring to where you want it, the camera will simply refocus the next time you press the shutter button. The only other ways around this is 1. turn off the AF (turn switch on lens to M) after setting the focus you want or 2. use Back-Button Focus.

The shooting mode has nothing to do with focus.

 

[spiralout462]

Your probably over thinking the whole thing. I only look at the distance scale if I'm using a long lens in low light. Even then it's just to "help" the camera focus faster by getting my subject relatively sharp before hitting the shutter. I trust autofocus way more than my aging eyesight!

 

[Tiffany M]

Your probably over thinking the whole thing. I only look at the distance scale if I'm using a long lens in low light. Even then it's just to "help" the camera focus faster by getting my subject relatively sharp before hitting the shutter. I trust autofocus way more than my aging eyesight!

Yes I know I am over thinking. I think I just want to be perfect when taking photos lol. It's like every little thing in the lens I want to learn.

 

[480sparky]

Try not to take everything in all at once. One step at a time. Find something on the camera or lens, research and study until you wrap your head around it, then move onto something else.

 

[KmH]

The original DSLR camera simulator | CameraSim

This, ↑, might help you.

 

[dennybeall]

I've used a few other simulators but the one that KmH linked is the best I've played with. good recommendation.