help explaining these buttons

[stephras07]

I just got my Nikon D5000 yesterday. I spent most of today reading through the book (this is my first SLR - so different from the point and shoot canon that I am used to! I am a little lost. The book it came with really didn't help me all that much. I know what the scene icons mean - the book almost OVER explained those and I already knew them - but then the buttons that are new to me they hardly explain. My friend has been able to help me with a couple of them, but the one that is really stumping me is the AE-L/AF-L

The book never actually tells me what those mean, other than they have something to do with Exposure and Focus. Argh. Can anyone help me try and understand the buttons? I really want to take good pictures, but it will be hard if I can't use the features. TIA

 

[mrpink]

Exposure lock and Focus lock. Use exposure lock when in a mode other than full manual and you wish to get a light meter reading off a certian subject in frame. Place the camera in spot or center weighted metering mode, center your intended subject, zero your meter, hold the AE-L button and recompose the shot.

AF-L is similar to above, only substitute focus for exposure. This can also be achieved by switching to manual focus once auto focus has done it's job.

I switch this button to "AE-L Only" in menu, it is much more useful than AF-L (for me at least)






p!nK

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Get a "*your camera* for dummies" book. They will explain stuff in a way that is more understandable than the clinical, just the facts ma'am, manual.

 

[mrpink]

Get a "*your camera* for dummies" book. They will explain stuff in a way that is more understandable than the clinical, just the facts ma'am, manual.

Youtube for dummies is also an option.






p!nK

 

[dyyylan]

Not sure if your camera does video as well but that button is almost required if you're recording, it'll prevent the exposure from jumping around and looking awful. other than that it does what the pink guy said

 

[Alan92RTTT]

My D5000 is my first SLR.

I highly recommend [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D5000-Snapshots-Great-Shots/dp/0321659430]Amazon.com: Nikon D5000: From Snapshots to Great Shots (9780321659439): Jeff Revell: Books[/ame]


AE-L Auto Exposure Lock / AF-L Auto Focus Lock: This feature lets you set and lock the exposure and Focus before you compose your shot. More here Nikon D5000 rear controls

 

[myfotoguy]

When I first started with my Nikon D80 I found Thom Hogan's book helpful, He wrote a guide for the D5000 Complete Guide to the Nikon D5000

 

[stephras07]

thank you everyone! I will look at all those books. thank god for kindle - I have an 11 hour plane trip coming up,and now I'll have stuff to read without the weight lol.

I really like the from snapshots to great shots - sounds like exactly what I need!