First trip to the zoo with my slr

[jlykins]

I just took a trip to the zoo with my new d40 and a 55-200vr lens. I am a deffinate newbie so go easy on me.

 

[jlykins]

sorry i screwed up I posted the pre-photoshopped photo's here are the right ones.

 

[N'Kolor]

I like the colors...can you provide your settings? They look a little noisy and this might be an ISO setting that needs to be adjusted from Auto to 200 or so.

 

[N'Kolor]

Ahh, just noticed...D40, I think that is a fully auto SLR, right? I don't know if that has an ISO adjustment or not...someone else will need to step in here.

 

[jlykins]

I like the colors...can you provide your settings? They look a little noisy and this might be an ISO setting that needs to be adjusted from Auto to 200 or so.

here are the settings for the orange bird:
Nikon D40
2007/12/30 05:46:34.1
JPEG (8-bit) Fine
Image Size: 1024 x 1055
Color
Lens: VR 55-200mm F/4-5.6 G
Focal Length: 150mm
Digital Vari-Program: Auto (Flash Off)
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/20 sec - F/5.3
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 1600
Optimize Image:
White Balance: Auto
AF Mode: AF-A
Flash Sync Mode:
Flash Mode:
Auto Flash Comp:
Color Mode: Mode IIIa (sRGB)
Tone Comp.: Auto
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Auto
Sharpening: Auto
Image Comment:
Long Exposure NR: Off
VR Control: On
High ISO NR: Off

Here are are the settings for the other bird:
Nikon D40
2007/12/30 05:41:58.6
JPEG (8-bit) Fine
Image Size: 1364 x 1181
Color
Lens: VR 55-200mm F/4-5.6 G
Focal Length: 200mm
Digital Vari-Program: Auto (Flash Off)
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/15 sec - F/5.6
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 1600
Optimize Image:
White Balance: Auto
AF Mode: AF-A
Flash Sync Mode:
Flash Mode:
Auto Flash Comp:
Color Mode: Mode IIIa (sRGB)
Tone Comp.: Auto
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Auto
Sharpening: Auto
Image Comment:
Long Exposure NR: Off
VR Control: On
High ISO NR: Off


And here are the settings for the Cat:
Nikon D40
2007/12/30 06:40:09
JPEG (8-bit) Fine
Image Size: 1495 x 1872
Color
Lens: VR 55-200mm F/4-5.6 G
Focal Length: 175mm
Digital Vari-Program: Auto (Flash Off)
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/8 sec - F/5.6
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 1600
Optimize Image:
White Balance: Auto
AF Mode: AF-A
Flash Sync Mode:
Flash Mode:
Auto Flash Comp:
Color Mode: Mode IIIa (sRGB)
Tone Comp.: Auto
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Auto
Sharpening: Auto
Image Comment:
Long Exposure NR: Off
VR Control: On
High ISO NR: Off

 

[N'Kolor]

Well without looking past ISO I can see one of your biggest problems...ISO!

I also notice that your NR is off...trying turning it on if you can't adjust the ISO to a lower level.

 

[jlykins]

Well without looking past ISO I can see one of your biggest problems...ISO!

I also notice that your NR is off...trying turning it on if you can't adjust the ISO to a lower level.

Thank you. I was planning on shooting christmas lights, and I didn't change anything from being outside to being inside taking the bird and cat pics. Honestlly I'm so new I just put the camera in no flash mode to take the pics outside and it didn't work out very well for me, but that's why I posted them, to see what I can do better. Thanks for the tips and input.

 

[Ronman]

jlykins, While your pictures loaded on my slow connection I went on down the page and was reading the comments. When I came to 150mm @ 1/20 sec, and 200mm @ 1/15 sec, and finally175mm @ 1/8.....I was expecting to see some motion in your images. I could never shoot that slow without lots of wasted shots. I've been thinking about a Nikon SLR, these shots are encouraging. Is that a motion compensating lense? ron

 

[N'Kolor]

Yes, it is a VR lens...VR stands for Vibration Reduction. His lens is a VR 55-200mm F/4-5.6 G.

 

[Ronman]

N'Kolor, does than lense give you 3 or 4 steps in shutter speed? I think thats impressive, isn't it? I don't see motion at all. Did he mention a tripod?

 

[jlykins]

N'Kolor, does than lense give you 3 or 4 steps in shutter speed? I think thats impressive, isn't it? I don't see motion at all. Did he mention a tripod?

No tripod. I was just holding my hands as steady as I could. I love the lens, all of the pics I have taken with it in daytime light conditions turned out nice. Here is a pic I took right after I got the lens at christmas. It's of my dad.

Nikon D40
2007/12/25 03:44:22.2
JPEG (8-bit) Fine
Image Size: Medium (2256 x 1496)
Color
Lens: VR 55-200mm F/4-5.6 G
Focal Length: 145mm
Digital Vari-Program: Auto
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/60 sec - F/5.3
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 400
Optimize Image:
White Balance: Auto
AF Mode: AF-A
Flash Sync Mode: Front Curtain
Flash Mode: Built-in, i-TTL-BL
Auto Flash Comp: 0 EV
Color Mode: Mode IIIa (sRGB)
Tone Comp.: Auto
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Auto
Sharpening: Auto
Image Comment:
Long Exposure NR: Off
VR Control: On
High ISO NR: Off