Need some pointers

[robbins.photo]

DSLR cameras don't have the very effective in-the-viewfinder manual focusing aids, like a split-screen prism, SLR cameras had before AF became a routine feature in SLR cameras in the late 80's.

The D3200 has Rangefinder manual focusing mode, which is not available when Manual shooting mode is selected. (page 142 of the D3200 user's manual.)
When using Manual shooting mode, the D3200 will still light the in-focus indicator in the viewfinder when manual focus has been achieved at the selected AF point.

Ahh geez Keith, there you go again, hitting them with the facts. Lol - seriously though, I guess I could see a point to this if you had say an old manual focus lens that you just couldn't afford to get in an AF version (Like say one of the old 500 mm's or something along those lines), but other than that I'm honestly just not getting the point. There just aren't that many situations where I could see this "skill" coming in handy. Macro photography, maybe, in extremely limited situations. Only other time I could think of would be in a very lowlight situation, if the light level was so low that your lens just couldn't autofocus on it's own - of course is such is the case odds are good if your lens is so slow that it won't focus in that lighting your final image probably won't come out that great regardless.

But other than that I just can't think of to many situations where it would really be that handy - me I think it would be more beneficial to practice using focus points and recomposing the shot as needed. But hey, again, might just be me.

 

[KmH]

DSLR cameras don't have the very effective in-the-viewfinder manual focusing aids, like a split-screen prism, SLR cameras had before AF became a routine feature in SLR cameras in the late 80's.

The D3200 has Rangefinder manual focusing mode, which is not available when Manual shooting mode is selected. (page 142 of the D3200 user's manual.)
When using Manual shooting mode, the D3200 will still light the in-focus indicator in the viewfinder when manual focus has been achieved at the selected AF point.

In my viewfinder all my targets were clear and in focus. But my pictures are all blurry.

There can only be 1 plane of focus (only 1 focus point can be used), and the lens aperture stops down when the shutter is released so DoF can make parts of the photo that were sharp in the viewfinder, blurry in the photo.
IIRC the D3200 does not have a DoF Preview function, nor do any of Nikon's other compact DSLRs.

Basically I think the problem is you don't yet understand enough about how your camera works.

 

[robbins.photo]

........ but since your switching to manual mode which will disable VR .........

Must be a Canon thing.

Nope. VR is vibration reduction - Nikon. Canon uses IS - Image stabilization. Pretty much the same thing, slight differences here and there but they both serve the same function. As far as I know when you switch to manual focus mode on a canon you'll have the same issue, IS will be shut off so you either need to raise the shutter speed to compensate, or you'll need a tripod or monopod to avoid camera shake.

 

[480sparky46 45]

........ but since your switching to manual mode which will disable VR .........

Must be a Canon thing.

Nope. VR is vibration reduction - Nikon. Canon uses IS - Image stabilization. Pretty much the same thing, slight differences here and there but they both serve the same function. As far as I know when you switch to manual focus mode on a canon you'll have the same issue, IS will be shut off so you either need to raise the shutter speed to compensate, or you'll need a tripod or monopod to avoid camera shake.

I can't find anything in either my lens or camera instructions that state that. I just tried my 70-200, both in manual and autofocus. VR still engages in both focus modes. Same for my 24-120, 24-85 and 70-300.

 

[robbins.photo]

Must be a Canon thing.

Nope. VR is vibration reduction - Nikon. Canon uses IS - Image stabilization. Pretty much the same thing, slight differences here and there but they both serve the same function. As far as I know when you switch to manual focus mode on a canon you'll have the same issue, IS will be shut off so you either need to raise the shutter speed to compensate, or you'll need a tripod or monopod to avoid camera shake.

I can't find anything in either my lens or camera instructions that state that. I just tried my 70-200, both in manual and autofocus. VR still engages in both.

Interesting, I'd been told by a camera technician this wasn't the case. But if you've tested it and it worked I'll have to take your word for it. Still doesn't make a lot of sense to me personally to spend a lot of time trying to manually focus "just for the fun of it" but hey, like I said earlier to each their own.

 

[amolitor]

When I am manually focusing my D3100, I switch to A mode to activate the rangefinder, and then back to M to shoot (I'm not an M guy, the D3100 just can't see my AIS lenses and won't fire in any other mode, so, M it is).