New Kit arrived today

[ac12]

Spend some time going through the menu, to get familiar with it, so when you do need to go in, you have a better idea of where things are at.
If you are an enthusiast, sooner or later you WILL have to go into the menu.

 

[dunfly]

Like others said, learn the features of the camera. Learning on the fly is really difficult. The Manual is a good reference tool, but is not a great learning tool. Find some You Tube tutorials specific to that camera. Here is on from Michael Andrew that is pretty good introduction to the camera and how/why some of the controls work.

 

[JosephH]

thanks guys and I watched that video day before yesterday. its funny not many tutorials on you tube on the 3500 but the 3400 is close to same and none I found mentioned the grid but it was in the info button I didn't know there was 4 menus in there so I missed it. I been reading manuals etc but some things like the grid I just never saw in them.

Today I wasted a few hundred Digital Pictures lol.

Sunset on the river, abt 430 pmish, winds blowing 45 mph with 55 mph gusts which actually blew the stocking cap off my head and it was on tight. so sat in car with window down and blasted a few hundred shots at the sunset.

I was in Shutter speed mode as I wanted to see the same shot at many different speeds. Unfortunately for the first hundred I thought I was in Shutter mode and i was adjusting shutter speed but I was in manual mode. ISO set at 100 ASA at 22 I think it was.

I then corrected and went to shutter speed mode for sure and shot a few hundred more. I was in 5 shot at time mode so I could try and get at least 1 good one as I was hand holding the camera and fighting the wind through the Window.

All files shot in raw format so it gives me a couple images to work on post with, I also shot in Black and White so hopefully got a few good images then try to convert them to color and see how it looks so I can compare.

So Now to download them and pick a few that look ok. I also want to compare all the different speed settings to see how it affects the image.


PS these are the first pictures I have taken with this camera so should be interesting

 

[JosephH]

My First Photo with my New Camera and I think it turned out great it was of a sunset and the info is below. I posted a link instead of just embedding it so you can see at full resolution. it was originally shot as a Black and White RAW file. Would appreciate critiques please as it will only help make me better , however even though I am stoked at how good I think it is and my composition is you wont hurt my feelings if you rip it apart as I expect I probably totally screwed up somewhere or could have done it better.

PS I was in manual mode for this one as I wanted to play with some settings my other images were garbage but this one seemed to work out.

Camera: Nikon 3500 DSLR
Iso: 100
Lense: 200MM
ASA: f/14
Shutter Speed: 1/1250

Weather conditions:
Friggin Cold
27 deg F
visibility 10 Mile
Winds Gusting 45-55 mph (note blew my stocking hat off that was tight on my head)
Party cloudy
Time of Day 430 ish PM CST


Sunset-01

 

[tirediron]

A respectable result for your first go! Keep at it.

 

[Derrel]

BOTH your new 70-300 AF-P telephoto zoom, AND your new 18-55 AF-P lens have Vibration Reduction, which is astoundingly good against wind. Even high-speed, gale force wind. As well as astoundingly good at combating automobile vibration, and wave action aboard sport boats, ships, and ferry boats. And Nikon VR is also fantastic when shooting while slow-walking,or shooting while panting and huffing and puffing and short of breath. So...there's that...

 

[JosephH]

yes I was using the 70-300 today need to get a UV for it as mines only for the 55.

out of 346 photos I only got 4 that I think were decent though none of the others were as good as the first.

This was mainly a speed test though so I kept the ISO at 100 I think I should have put it up to about 800 and was the reason everything so dark but the effect as a sillouette against the sky I kind of like. Now when I say 4 theres really about 30 as I took several pics on each setting and am just going by the setting, Below are the 4 settings where I got the best Images from

Sunset-01
Camera: Nikon 3500 DSLR
Iso: 100
Lense: 200MM
ASA: f/14
Shutter Speed: 1/1250

Sunset-02
Camera: Nikon 3500 DSLR
Iso: 100
Lense: 70MM
ASA: f/5
Shutter Speed: 1/500

Sunset-03
Camera: Nikon 3500 DSLR
Iso: 100
Lense: 70MM
ASA: f/4.5
Shutter Speed: 1/800

Sunset-04
Camera: Nikon 3500 DSLR
Iso: 100
Lense: 70MM
ASA: f/14
Shutter Speed: 1/50

 

[Derrel]

Turn vibration reduction to OFF at speeds of 1/500 second or faster. Don't use ISO `100 when it kills the chance to get a good image...such as at twilight during windy conditions...keeping the ISO at 100 RUINS more photos than it helps when conditions are marginal. It's no longer 1999,nor 2007...higher ISO levels on modern, ISO-invariant Nikon cameras produce fantastic photos, for those who know what they are doing as far as how to post-process images...outdated concepts like ETTR ruin more pictures than they help when using an ISO-invartiant modern Nikon or Sony or Fuji in marginal conditions...

 

[JosephH]

thanks I wasnt really expecting anything decent out of today just to see the differences the shutter speed had. it is kinda like how I le3arn first will take something like shutter speed and see how it affects the images, then I will work ASA, ISO etc.

this way I can visually see how they are affecting things rather than reading hey should use this or that setting. Basically I am experimenting so I can see for myself what happens if I dont follow the norms.

You ever notice the old farts are sometime set in their ways that this is the only way to do it and there isnt any other way. well I try to stay away from being one of them and just see what other things do.

if any of the above makes sense lol

 

[JosephH]

So I set my camera for tomorrow to try again if it doesnt get too cloudy for the sunset.

Speed 1250
f14
iso 800

I will also up the speed to 1600 and the iso to 1600 see how that affects things
I will also use my 10-55 with UV filter

This is all playing around just to see what I get with the camera before I go all serious trying for the perfect shots
I will also use my tripod if the wind dies down and turn AV off.
I have a remote shutter release but it didnt come with any instructions so I am looking for some the only thing I have to work from is the word commander on it. My new shutter release should be here next week I just didnt know this came with one or missed it in the discription

 

[ac12]

Tip: When I shoot sunset/sunrise, I bracket like crazy, cuz I don't know which shot/exposure I will like better.
You cannot rely on the tiny screen on the back of your camera, you have to wait to look at it on the big computer screen for final decision.

I will also use my tripod if the wind dies down and turn AV off.

You mean turn VR off.
​

As @Derrel said, raise the ISO to whatever you need to get the shot. That is why it is adjustable.
And you don't need to be up at f/14, you can be lower, like about f/5.6 or 8.

 

[JosephH]

ty will keep it all in mind

 

[JosephH]

Well I put in a ticket with Nikon about my remote Shutter release and got back bad news



Response from Robert H.
Thank you for contacting us at Nikon.

Unfortunately the d3500 does not work with remote releases.

Sincerely, Robert

I think it is because they Bluetooth it to your smart Phone which can be used as a shutter release you dont need one. I just dont want to be in the picture and have to press my big phone to take one would rather have something inconspicuous

 

[edsland]

My Cannon is bluetooth and you can stand up to 150 feet away and still control the camera so you can be out of picture

 

[JosephH]

yea I know I can do that I just dont like messing with my phone lol old fashioned I just not big on doing everything with my phone besides you cant just feel the button in your hand with a phone. Not to mention the advert said had remote cap so I spoent 30 bucks on a flash shutter remote setup due in next week.