Nikon D80

JJUK · Feb 28, 2008

Hi,
My name is JJ i am 17 from the UK. I love taking pictures and have been using a Olympus FE-190 for the last year or so.

Last Christmas i was bought a Nikon D80 now my knowledge of DSLR Camera's are crap so can anyone give me any tips or tricks to do with a Nikon D80 please. Also when i take photos in night mode i am very shakey and the photo's go blurry even with a tripod is there anyway i can stop this until i get a remote control ?

By the way here is a photo i took of my Choc Labrador.

Thanks in advance

RKW3 · Feb 28, 2008

Cute picture, but my advice would be to take your dog outside or to the park. A better location could make this shot less "snapshotty".

To reduce camera shake with a tripod, try setting the self-timer on 2 seconds or more. Then your problem should be solved.

Good luck with your photography. :biggrin:

JJUK · Feb 28, 2008

Thanks RKW3,
OK i will try that and thank you for the feedback.

I have tried outside but they don't seem as good.

passerby · Feb 28, 2008

JJUK said:
Thanks RKW3,
OK i will try that and thank you for the feedback.

I have tried outside but they don't seem as good.

You will get there eventually. It takes time and a litlle bit of your will. As the wise word states: When there is a will there is a way, am I right?

Beside, your Choc Labrador won't complain in never ending posing. I am sure she won't hurry you to produce good shot, and I am sure she won't say: I don't have all day dude. :lol:

Anyway say hello to Choc.

Mav · Feb 28, 2008

If you're shooting at night on a tripod, you need to use the delayed shutter release on the camera. It'll let the vibrations settle out from hitting the shutter before starting to take the picture. You can also get the nifty $15 ML-L3 wireless shutter release which works great. If you have a VR lens, make sure VR is turned OFF on a tripod also.

R0TT3NBURIT0 · Feb 28, 2008

JJUK said:
when i take photos in night mode i am very shakey and the photo's go blurry even with a tripod is there anyway i can stop this until i get a remote control ?

If you don't know already up the ISO for for night time, manual focus, and make the shutter speed fast and you should be fine.

Socrates · Feb 28, 2008

Mav said:
If you have a VR lens, make sure VR is turned OFF on a tripod also.

Why is that? I would expect that it wouldn't matter either way when using a tripod.

kundalini · Feb 28, 2008

Straight out of the manual for the 70-200mm AF-S VR f/2.8

"When the lens is mounted on a tripod, set the vibration reduction ON/OFF switch to OFF. However, set the switch to ON when using a tripod without securing the tripod head, or when using a monopod."

Reason being (I think) is that the VR motor will continue to try to reduce vibration and actually cause camera shake when secured down.

Mav · Feb 28, 2008

Yes, correct. VR algorithms are tuned to eliminate natural shake, but when you secure the thing down the side effect is that it actually adds blur to your photo. There was a thread with some actual examples of this awhile back, right after Christmas I think.

Mav · Feb 28, 2008

R0TT3NBURIT0 said:
If you don't know already up the ISO for for night time, manual focus, and make the shutter speed fast and you should be fine.

But he's got a tripod, so the lowest ISO with a slower shutter speed is what you want for the best results.

ghpham · Feb 29, 2008

Not all tripods are equal. Make sure you don't get something cheap as that will add to the camera shake.

JJUK · Feb 29, 2008

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I will try everything which everyone has posted above and just see which one works best. once again thank you very much

Lakewood Photography · Mar 1, 2008

Yes - let me know if you decide to get the VR lens! I'm in the market as well. I have a Bogen tripod, which seems to do the work... but

1) I don't want to either pay a fee or get fined in certain parks for using a tripod.

2) It seems to me it might be easier to carry a VR lens without having to carry a tri/monopod to certain locations.

Your thoughts???

Socrates · Mar 1, 2008

kundalini said:
Straight out of the manual for the 70-200mm AF-S VR f/2.8

"When the lens is mounted on a tripod, set the vibration reduction ON/OFF switch to OFF. However, set the switch to ON when using a tripod without securing the tripod head, or when using a monopod."

Reason being (I think) is that the VR motor will continue to try to reduce vibration and actually cause camera shake when secured down.

Interesting. I would not have expected that.

brileyphotog · Mar 2, 2008

Lakewood Photography said:
Yes - let me know if you decide to get the VR lens! I'm in the market as well. I have a Bogen tripod, which seems to do the work... but

1) I don't want to either pay a fee or get fined in certain parks for using a tripod.

2) It seems to me it might be easier to carry a VR lens without having to carry a tri/monopod to certain locations.

Your thoughts???

The VR lens is very helpful but it obviously doesn't replace tripods in extremely low light. As far as in parks...if you are shooting landscapes a tripod is still nice to have if you can for shooting landscapes, etc. I use a tripod a lot more now that I've been playing with HDR.