Auto Bracketing for D3300?

Thunderchunky · Mar 12, 2014

Hey,

New here and just purchased my first DSLR, a Nikon D3300. I now realize it doesn't have auto-bracketing. Which isn't a huge deal for me, but since I am a beginner it is kinda useful for me since I am trying to learn some HDR.

My question is, if I were to get the wireless adapter or Wi-fi adapter, whatever it's called, to remotely shoot with my phone or remote would this enable auto bracketing? I know the Camera isn't capable of it, but I am wondering if from my phone I could set it and it could manually do it rapidly from my phone?

I kinda hope so cause my first attempts at manually doing different exposures for HDR came out horrible. I don't know if it was the photo taking or after combining them in photoshop? Either way, I think the auto-bracketing is something I kinda need eventually for changing HDR shots.

I'm new so go easy. My area of expertise is videography. Just recently getting into stills.

Thanks

SpikeyJohnson · Mar 12, 2014

Sorry but no. The wireless adapter is very limited in it's functions. The best way to do HDR with a D3XXX series is via tripod and a 2 second timer. Between shots, move the shutter speed down a full EV, the next shot expose at regular exposure, then at one EV over exposed. Check your images after to judge whether they are usable. If not you can under expose or over expose even more by adding a few more shots, such as a 5 photo HDR. The tripod is essential and the 2 second timer, I have found is almost a must. Both of these help steady your photo's after changing shutter speeds.

SpikeyJohnson · Mar 12, 2014

Btw I shoot with a D3200, I know your pain!

Big Mike · Mar 13, 2014

Welcome to the forum.

I bracket my shots all the time, and I never use auto bracketing. All you need to do, is have the camera in manual mode and change one of the three variables, usually shutter speed.

Thunderchunky · Mar 13, 2014

Alright, thanks for the responses. It is as I had hoped then and I am just not to good at HDR yet. I'll have to mess around some more and maybe branch out from photoshop.

Braineack · Mar 13, 2014

or skip it altogether?

SpikeyJohnson · Mar 13, 2014

I would say it is pretty important to know how to do. Especially if you choose to do landscapes. As long as we don't do the "HDR" that most people are doing with their cell phones where they have the HDR "effect". I think just using a tripod overlapping the shots and erasing layer's to blend is the best way to go. It gives you a natural look, something more like an eye would see.

I wouldn't change ISO or aperature because you have the probability of changing the composition. The only way I would modify the exposure is with shutter so that you don't change depth of feild, focus or noise.

xFireSoul · Mar 13, 2014

Using D3200 too and I hate this too

But, it's not that hard using the manual bracketing.

Thunderchunky · Mar 13, 2014

I know how you feel with the HDR. It's like fisheye lens with filming. (I do action sports videos) But I like it for some photos, so I wanna learn.

The first two times I tried, it was really HDR. It was too strong. Not sure if I did it wrong on Photoshop, (tried Luminance HDR) or took them wrong. Any tips on what programs to use or what I am doing wrong?

Thunderchunky · Mar 13, 2014

xFireSoul said:
Using D3200 too and I hate this too But, it's not that hard using the manual bracketing.

I love the d3300. It has an HDR photo mode, but it over does it most of the time. It only takes 2 photos also.

SpikeyJohnson · Mar 14, 2014

Thunderchunky said:
I know how you feel with the HDR. It's like fisheye lens with filming. (I do action sports videos) But I like it for some photos, so I wanna learn.

The first two times I tried, it was really HDR. It was too strong. Not sure if I did it wrong on Photoshop, (tried Luminance HDR) or took them wrong. Any tips on what programs to use or what I am doing wrong?

The most natural looking HDR I generally see come from photoshop. But no by using the HDR program. People do it manually by layering the photos and blending. Here is a tutorial from one of my favorite youtube photographers

sifelaver · Mar 17, 2014

Manual bracketing can be a pain in the ass. But doable with a static scene.

GeoBonsai · Jan 18, 2015

You most certainly can tether your Nikon D3300 to your smartphone/tablet/computer. If the optional wireless adapter (WU-1a) is not for you, you can hard wire the devices. You may need an USB A Female to Mini USB B 5 Pin Male Adapter Cable to connect the devices. On my rooted Kindle Fire (Cyanogenmod/Android), I installed the "DSLR Dashboard" app because it supports the Nikon D3300, but there's a bunch of tether-camera apps to choose from online for free. "DSLR Dashboard" enables auto-exposure bracketing (AEB), focus bracketing, and a bunch more functions that are not available on the Nikon D3300.

frank raney · Apr 24, 2017

I use a D3300 also. It will not perform AEB.....You must do it manually then use photoshop to bring in the photos in layers. then flatten Or merge them....