Nikon D5100 problems

[MTVision]

The reason your shutter speed is slow in the 4 pictures you posted (not sure if those were the ones you were talking about) is because you were using such a small aperture. Not much light was coming into the lens at f/11 so you need a longer shutter speed to get more light in. That's why when you used shutter priority mode and set it to 1/125 you got f/5. Are you still using auto ISO? If so, you should take it off auto. Set it at 400 and leave it there. ONLY raise it if you have too. If you set the aperture to f/11 and the shutter speed is too slow choose a larger aperture. If the shutter speed is still too slow then and only then raise your ISO.

Small apertures = long shutter speeds
Large apertures = fast shutter speeds

 

[MTVision]

What would I have used for the 4 pictures on an overcast day? ISO 100 f/5 1/125. I have some pictures taken recently on an overcast day (no sun at all) and those were my settings.

 

[marcdax]

Uhu , i understand what you mean , but than you only take pictures on M ?
Because you can't change shutter on A or aperture on S.
=> So taking a picture on A or S isnt a good idea also ?

i can see that you can take a picture on several settings (like you can f.e. say that 12 = 3x4 or 3+3+3+3+ or .........simply said) but Just one thing i don't understand in your explanation :
......you put in F/5 and the camera gives you a shutterspeed of 1/100 doesnt mean .................or that those are the best settings.
Why would that 1/100 not be good ? you say higher is better , correct , but other than that 1/100 would be enough to handheld , unless your very shaky.

Or do you mean (i dont think so , but to be sure) =
i put in F/5 , camera gives me 1/100ss at iso 800
So , i turn to M
i set fo F/5 , set ss1/100 (like minimal requirement) and than my iso at 100 and this would work ?

in concern to matrixmeting :
it's the most common used , partial is mostly for portret with backlight and spotmeting is less used and more difficult.
So i think i dont need to think a lot about that i presume ?!

 

[marcdax]

The reason your shutter speed is slow in the 4 pictures you posted (not sure if those were the ones you were talking about) is because you were using such a small aperture. Not much light was coming into the lens at f/11 so you need a longer shutter speed to get more light in. That's why when you used shutter priority mode and set it to 1/125 you got f/5. Are you still using auto ISO? If so, you should take it off auto. Set it at 400 and leave it there. ONLY raise it if you have too. If you set the aperture to f/11 and the shutter speed is too slow choose a larger aperture. If the shutter speed is still too slow then and only then raise your ISO.

Small apertures = long shutter speeds
Large apertures = fast shutter speeds

No , i adjust it myself.
Okay , like i said in my other reply , i could have lowered it with an lower f n°.
But what if i want that F n° ?
Fjrabon said that f6-8-11 are the best for this lens.
I can see what you mean with lowering f , more light and ss goes faster , and so on , but F/11 is not that small ?
btw , that ss1/125 and F5 had a ISO 640 and it was "object to dark" , so correct it wasnt also.
So i dont get it why i can't do a 1/125 - f/5 and iso 100 on a cloudy (or overcast) day..............

but now , please forgive me for this one but i have to say it , i will play devils advocate.
You told that it doesnt always give the best or correct combination , so why would that F/5 be the correct one ?
If otherwise when i set my F/.. first my ss isnt the correct one ?????
And please , dont misunderstand me , but this is confusing.
If it sounds mean or something i dont mean it that way !!!!

 

[MTVision]

Uhu , i understand what you mean , but than you only take pictures on M ?
Because you can't change shutter on A or aperture on S.
=> So taking a picture on A or S isnt a good idea also ?

i can see that you can take a picture on several settings (like you can f.e. say that 12 = 3x4 or 3+3+3+3+ or .........simply said) but Just one thing i don't understand in your explanation :
......you put in F/5 and the camera gives you a shutterspeed of 1/100 doesnt mean .................or that those are the best settings.
Why would that 1/100 not be good ? you say higher is better , correct , but other than that 1/100 would be enough to handheld , unless your very shaky.

Or do you mean (i dont think so , but to be sure) =
i put in F/5 , camera gives me 1/100ss at iso 800
So , i turn to M
i set fo F/5 , set ss1/100 (like minimal requirement) and than my iso at 100 and this would work ?

in concern to matrixmeting :
it's the most common used , partial is mostly for portret with backlight and spotmeting is less used and more difficult.
So i think i dont need to think a lot about that i presume ?!

Spot metering isn't less used nor more difficult - a few websites do say that so i understand how you go to that. A lot of people use spot metering for all types of photography. Spot and partial are basically the same thing. Our camera doesn't have partial. And you do need to think about it since it plays a role in how your pictures will come out.

You can change your shutter speed on A mode by changin your shutter speed and you can change your aperture on S mode by changing your aperture!

F/5 and 1/100 might not be the best exposure for that picture. The settings I used f/5 1/125 ISO 100 was because I spot metered off something neutral and then adjusted my settings to get the exposure I wanted. Your settings determine exposure and you can use different settings to get more creative images. If you understood how exposure works you wouldn't ask "why would 1/100 not be the best." you do realize that aperture and shutter speed work together to expose the picture?!? So, common sense would mean that 1/100 might let in slightly too much light at f/5 so the photo might be slightly overexposed

How am I suppose to know if 1/100 ISO 100 and f/5 would work for you? That is something you will have to figure out. Take your freakin ISO off auto and set it yourself!

I'm feel like I'm wasting my time. I'm answering all the same questions and giving the same answers. You tell me to forget about the exposure triangle but then ask me what settings I would use to expose an image. And if you already know how everything works -exposure and metering (like you say you do) then why are you asking the same questions over and over again?

 

[MTVision]

No , i adjust it myself.
Okay , like i said in my other reply , i could have lowered it with an lower f n°.
But what if i want that F n° ?
Fjrabon said that f6-8-11 are the best for this lens.
I can see what you mean with lowering f , more light and ss goes faster , and so on , but F/11 is not that small ?
btw , that ss1/125 and F5 had a ISO 640 and it was "object to dark" , so correct it wasnt also.
So i dont get it why i can't do a 1/125 - f/5 and iso 100 on a cloudy (or overcast) day..............

but now , please forgive me for this one but i have to say it , i will play devils advocate.
You told that it doesnt always give the best or correct combination , so why would that F/5 be the correct one ?
If otherwise when i set my F/.. first my ss isnt the correct one ?????
And please , dont misunderstand me , but this is confusing.
If it sounds mean or something i dont mean it that way !!!!

The settings were correct because that's what I chose - the camera didn't choose any settings for me. I wanted f/5 because I wanted a somewhat shallower depth of field. The shutter speed was used to make sure the photo wasn't under/over exposed.

If you want f/11 for an aperture then you have to deal with the slow shutter speed and noise if you decide to raise your ISO. I take photos when it says photo too dark.

 

[marcdax]

It's all getting difficult to understand some things and maybe that's why maybe you dont understand what i'm trying to say and otherwise

Like (and yes , i search and read) I was reading Ken Rockwell about the d5100.
this is a quote like i said "great point and shoot"

The D5100 makes great photos, even when used as a point-and-shoot. (OK, the shot above was shot by my wife on my D40, but you get the point. The D5100 is even better.) When I hand my D5100 to a non-photographer (like my wife), I leave the D5100 at its defaults of AF-A and Auto Area. This lets the D5100 figure out where to focus, and it works great.​

So i still dont understand why this works for him and mine goes off like crazy. And i dont mean a blury picture at 1/4 (which I know is to long to handhold).
And I'm totally not doubting your knowledge (so i dont get misunderstood) but here people say it won't be right and he says its great , and figures it out by itself.
So who do I need to follow ?

This one makes it confusing also :

[xxx] Auto Area (default) Auto Area lets the D5100 guess which AF area to use. In Auto Area, the D5100 almost always gives a great, in-focus shot.I use this setting almost all of the time.I only use the settings below if Auto Area isn't guessing my subject properly.

You say it's better a single point.
If i focus for example on a cat , i can expect the cat to be sharp right ? Or does Nikon turn out less sharp pictures than other brands ?
(and yes i'd remember that you said you sharpen them afterwards because you take them in RAW)
And that Photo of that little child , I would be happy if they came out that sharp and focussed !

And yes , i told a few posts earlier that i set my iso myself
but this confuses me again

I use Auto ISO, which lets the D5100 set itself perfectly in any light.

So why ...................
You see what I mean and that I dont know anymore what/who/how is correct ?!
And it's not the only one (website-review) who says these things.
And the perfect beginner DSLR , get great shots without any knowledge , and so on.........
Are they sponsored to say that ?

And yes i understand that when the conditions are perfect the picture will be better/perfect also.
And yes , sometimes it's handy if you can make a few quick pictures on Auto , as I can expect of a 1200$ camera. And NO it's not for using it all the time , otherwise i won't be asking these questions

But , what FJrabon mentioned about that VR , could that mess up my ISO measuring ?
pictures closeby are sharp but if you move away.... and i don't mean a picture at 30cm and than one at 50meters
And could i compare it with another DSLR (to see what n°'s that turns out) or wouldn't this work with the +6 different ............?



​

 

[fjrabon]

But , what FJrabon mentioned about that VR , could that mess up my ISO measuring ?
​

VR can't mess up your 'ISO measuring' All VR might do is make your pictures blurry when they shouldn't be. I really feel that the D5100 is a bad camera for you and that you should go back to your olympus. It worked for you, go with what works.

 

[MTVision]

It's all getting difficult to understand some things and maybe that's why maybe you dont understand what i'm trying to say and otherwise

Like (and yes , i search and read) I was reading Ken Rockwell about the d5100.
this is a quote like i said "great point and shoot"

So i still dont understand why this works for him and mine goes off like crazy. And i dont mean a blury picture at 1/4 (which I know is to long to handhold).
And I'm totally not doubting your knowledge (so i dont get misunderstood) but here people say it won't be right and he says its great , and figures it out by itself.
So who do I need to follow ?

This one makes it confusing also :

You say it's better a single point.
If i focus for example on a cat , i can expect the cat to be sharp right ? Or does Nikon turn out less sharp pictures than other brands ?
(and yes i'd remember that you said you sharpen them afterwards because you take them in RAW)
And that Photo of that little child , I would be happy if they came out that sharp and focussed !

And yes , i told a few posts earlier that i set my iso myself
but this confuses me again

So why ...................
You see what I mean and that I dont know anymore what/who/how is correct ?!
And it's not the only one (website-review) who says these things.
And the perfect beginner DSLR , get great shots without any knowledge , and so on.........
Are they sponsored to say that ?

And yes i understand that when the conditions are perfect the picture will be better/perfect also.
And yes , sometimes it's handy if you can make a few quick pictures on Auto , as I can expect of a 1200$ camera. And NO it's not for using it all the time , otherwise i won't be asking these questions

But , what FJrabon mentioned about that VR , could that mess up my ISO measuring ?
pictures closeby are sharp but if you move away.... and i don't mean a picture at 30cm and than one at 50meters
And could i compare it with another DSLR (to see what n°'s that turns out) or wouldn't this work with the +6 different ............?

If you read Ken Rockwell's "About Me" page, you find this disclaimer:

" I offer no warrantees of any kind, except that there are many deliberate gaffes, practical jokes and downright foolish and made-up things lurking. While this site is mostly accurate, it is neither legally binding nor guaranteed. The only thing I do guarantee is that there is plenty of stuff I simply make up out of thin air, as does The Onion."

For all we know he's never used this camera. If you take a picture of a cat - where would you focus?? On the eyes just like with people. The eyes would be sharp and the rest as long as you have enough DOF and you are doing everything else right. Why don't you experiment with everything and figure out what works for you? Auto can take decent snapshots but not great photographs. Don't follow anybody. Do what works for you. If your photos suck in auto then don't use it - easy as that.

How exactly would VR mess up ISO? I'm confused there.

No idea what the rest of your post meant. Most people don't know what crappy photos look like so yeah most people think they take amazing photos when they get their DSLR. I don't really have anything else to tell you - anything anybody has suggested has been pretty much shot down.

Why dont you bring it to a canera store and let someone look at the camera or let someone who knows what they are doing use it. Hopefully you figure out auto mode!

 

[anfibil]

Judging by the length of this topic and the number (and variety) of complaints you are reporting, it really does seem like this is not the camera for you. You should get a different one (or go back to the one that made you happy). I've had my D5100 for a while and despite it having its limitations, it has been a great camera for me. I've learned quite a lot with this camera (it's actually my first DSLR), and I must say that most of what I learned came from the lengthy and detailed manual that was included in the box Here are some of my images, all taken with my D5100, including some night shots with very long exposure. To my eyes at least, the camera did a good job.

 

[marcdax]

You can change your shutter speed on A mode by changin your shutter speed and you can change your aperture on S mode by changing your aperture!

If I'm on A the only way i can change my shutterspeed is by changing the A(perture) and when I'm at f/5 it won't change at all (unless I go to a higher F n°)
I've looked at the manual (page 61-66) but no mentioning how i possibly could do that .
So how do i do that or did you mean it like I said ?

My former camera I don't have anymore and i don't know how it is in the USA , but here we can't bring it back. sold is sold , no refund or exchange.
And to loose 250$ on a camera that's about 3 weeks old

I don't shoot everything down , maybe it seems like that , but it isn't.
And if I weren't looking and reading and trying to find the right way i wouldn't have all those "comments".
I don't say I didn't believe you , I don't say i believe KR.
I'm a byciclemecanic and if I told you that most of the brands buy the frames in China and someone told you something different , you would ask things to find out more.

 

[marcdax]

Judging by the length of this topic and the number (and variety) of complaints you are reporting, it really does seem like this is not the camera for you. You should get a different one (or go back to the one that made you happy). I've had my D5100 for a while and despite it having its limitations, it has been a great camera for me. I've learned quite a lot with this camera (it's actually my first DSLR), and I must say that most of what I learned came from the lengthy and detailed manual that was included in the box Here are some of my images, all taken with my D5100, including some night shots with very long exposure. To my eyes at least, the camera did a good job.

first of all , very nice pictures.
Do you set everything yourself or set f.e. S or A and let the camera do the rest ?

second : the manual
first thing about picture taking is page 26 and that is automode and automode no flash
page 30-34 are the different subjects (close up , landscape , ......)
39-45 is the focuspoints (af-s , single , 3d , .....)
page 61-98 is PSAM : 61-68
69-98 has the lightmeting - lightcorrection (+/- button) , flashcorrection , active d lighting , hdr , multiple lighting , white balance , picture control
from than on its how to make a movie , special effects , display , personal settings , setup menu , enhanchingmenu.
So is that the same you guys have of the manual or is it more stupid in Dutch ? I have the printed version next to me and it's 260 pages.
So if you say read the manual i read from 39-45 and from 68 till 98 and skip a few pages ?
everything after 98 is more how to set the camera and where to find it (and by setting I mean the menu by accessing with the button on the left)

So is it in English more detailed or ?

 

[MTVision]

If I'm on A the only way i can change my shutterspeed is by changing the A(perture) and when I'm at f/5 it won't change at all (unless I go to a higher F n°)
I've looked at the manual (page 61-66) but no mentioning how i possibly could do that .
So how do i do that or did you mean it like I said ?

My former camera I don't have anymore and i don't know how it is in the USA , but here we can't bring it back. sold is sold , no refund or exchange.
And to loose 250$ on a camera that's about 3 weeks old

I don't shoot everything down , maybe it seems like that , but it isn't.
And if I weren't looking and reading and trying to find the right way i wouldn't have all those "comments".
I don't say I didn't believe you , I don't say i believe KR.
I'm a byciclemecanic and if I told you that most of the brands buy the frames in China and someone told you different , you would ask things to find out more.

Yeah I wrote it backwards. On A Mode you change your shutter speed by changing your aperture. If you are on f/5 the shutter speed won't change. You have to change the aperture to change the shutter speed. On s mode - changing the shutter speed changes the aperture.

Everything you are saying/asking proves my point. You need to spend more time trying to understand/learn your camera and exposure. You may know what all the elements are but how do you put them together to create a beautiful photo?

In an earlier post you said something like "what if I wanted my aperture at f/11". What will your picture look like at f/11? Do you know why you would want to take a picture at f/11? And the correct answer is not because you were told it's a sharp aperture.

You are shooting everything down. Ken Rockwell said its a great point and shoot - obviously on a photography forum everyone is going to disagree with you. Auto cannot make creative photos but it can take decent pictures. I guess I just don't get it. You may be reading everything but have you tried anything people have suggested? I'm not asking you to believe me - if you think something is wrong with your camera bring it into a camera store to get it looked at.

 

[EchoingWhisper]

@ O hey Tyler : No , you got me wrong. If I say that i set the shutter first , I mean that i f.e. set my shutter at 1/125 and that the camera gave me (f.e.) f 7.1 or the other way around.
I know it would be silly to set S an than go to A . I know that i have to be on M to adjust them both .
But thanks for mentioning it

@EchoingWhisperer : AF-s is set on my camera.
And everybody says NOT to set iso on auto.

I know for those pictures f/11 is maybe a little to low , but I was talking in general.
And the same in Automode or P mode (if you look at the 2 triumphphotos). They aren't really sharp.

F.E. like this picture is shot with an D5100 (courtesy Ken Rockwell) and i saw other pictures on reviews that are really sharp also (tested with kitlens)

And thanks for the answers !

Why not? If you know what to do, auto ISO will save you time.

 

[anfibil]

Judging by the length of this topic and the number (and variety) of complaints you are reporting, it really does seem like this is not the camera for you. You should get a different one (or go back to the one that made you happy). I've had my D5100 for a while and despite it having its limitations, it has been a great camera for me. I've learned quite a lot with this camera (it's actually my first DSLR), and I must say that most of what I learned came from the lengthy and detailed manual that was included in the box Here are some of my images, all taken with my D5100, including some night shots with very long exposure. To my eyes at least, the camera did a good job.

first of all , very nice pictures.
Do you set everything yourself or set f.e. S or A and let the camera do the rest ?

second : the manual
first thing about picture taking is page 26 and that is automode and automode no flash
page 30-34 are the different subjects (close up , landscape , ......)
39-45 is the focuspoints (af-s , single , 3d , .....)
page 61-98 is PSAM : 61-68
69-98 has the lightmeting - lightcorrection (+/- button) , flashcorrection , active d lighting , hdr , multiple lighting , white balance , picture control
from than on its how to make a movie , special effects , display , personal settings , setup menu , enhanchingmenu.
So is that the same you guys have of the manual or is it more stupid in Dutch ? I have the printed version next to me and it's 260 pages.
So if you say read the manual i read from 39-45 and from 68 till 98 and skip a few pages ?
everything after 98 is more how to set the camera and where to find it (and by setting I mean the menu by accessing with the button on the left)

So is it in English more detailed or ?

Thank you. Answering your questions about the settings... I do try to take most of the pictures in full manual and I only bump up the ISO when I really have to (i.e., need to take faster pictures at lower light), but when I'm in a hurry I'll eventually use Aperture priority as well.

At first I was also letting the camera select the ISO for me, but it seemed like it would always choose very high numbers that would give me nothing but noise. Doing that by hand works just fine, so I really do encourage you to do that yourself. For all the other settings, it seems to me that the camera does a fine job selecting what it needs to select for a good exposure.

As for the manual, I'm from Brazil and my manual is actually in Portuguese. But seems to be equivalent to what you described. Also, you can get the English version of the manual here if you wish.