Nikon D90 Tips & Tricks.....? Please Share

[av8er79]

I just got my d90 last week along with the 18-200 vr. I will soon be adding the 50mm 1.8 and a wide angle as well. I am reading throught the manual as well as playing around in the field.

I was hoping that some of you that are more experienced d90 owners would share some advice and or tips?

 

[chrisburke]

this should be in the beginners forum, not beyond the basics...

not a d90 owner, but i recommend doing some reading... [ame="http://www.amazon.ca/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Camera/dp/0817463003"]understanding exposure[/ame] would be a good place to start

 

[av8er79]

Not sure why it should be in the beginners forum when I hope to discuss exposure methods, bracketing techniques, lighting, control tips, custom white balance settings, AF Modes/tips, metering, flash compensation as well as personal experiences with iso settings... ect. Thanks for the book recommendation. I already own it and I agree that it is a good book.

 

[Craddie]

Don't buy 3rd party lenses longer than 35mm if you plan to AF with LiveView.

 

[chrisburke]

Not sure why it should be in the beginners forum when I hope to discuss exposure methods, bracketing techniques, lighting, control tips, custom white balance settings, AF Modes/tips, metering, flash compensation as well as personal experiences with iso settings... ect. Thanks for the book recommendation. I already own it and I agree that it is a good book.

because if you look at the beginners forums, there are many threads on exposure methods, bracketing techniques, lighting, control tips, custom white balance settings, AF Modes/tips, metering, flash compensation as well as personal experiences with iso settings

my understanding of beyond the basics is that its for people who for the most part have a grasp on these basic things... i guess i could be wrong, but I dont think i am

 

[JerryPH]

Not sure why it should be in the beginners forum when I hope to discuss exposure methods, bracketing techniques, lighting, control tips, custom white balance settings, AF Modes/tips, metering, flash compensation as well as personal experiences with iso settings... ect. Thanks for the book recommendation. I already own it and I agree that it is a good book.

It should belong in the basics, becuase what you are asking for *are* the basics! Even though... with all the things that you are asking for, it would take a BOOK to answer, and not likely to get answered in a single post here (not realistic to ask for such an answer either).

I highly suggest you look into Thom Hogan's Complete Guide to the D90 (I am not sure if it is even out yet, but this is the BEST place for D90 info).

As an example, I got the version for the D700... close to 900 pages of pure unadulterated knowledge (and yeah, a lot of it is still basic).

 

[chrisburke]

^^^ i can always count on you jerry to feel the same as I do about topics like this... sometimes I wonder if people think i'm a cranky old man... i'm not people (only 24), and I don't think jerry is either... i just hate it when people post in the wrong place because they think they will get better answers... the "vets" of TPF look at the beginners forum too, and they almost always answer questions.. posting a beginner question in the beyond forum just strikes me as "i didnt think i'd get good answers in the other forum"... just my opinion..

BTW Jerry, do you have a site or a flickr or anything like that?? i'm not sure i've ever seen any of your pics... you seem knowledgeable though.. makes me think you might have some good shots

NM i think i found it.. ??? http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerryph/????

 

[av8er79]

Well thanks for all you help guys.... Guess I will hit amazon and order a stack of books... obsovioulsy I am simply wasting our time asking dumbass questions in your forum.

 

[lockwood81]

I'm not a Nikon user so I shouldn't be posting in this thread, but I think the point they are making is that specific questions can and will be address, but the OPs first post was much too general.

 

[av8er79]

this is what i had in mind. but whatever

http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikon_d90/discuss/72157608642284594/

 

[Overread]

Firstly read your manual - cover to cover
then go read it again!
many tips like the ones you link to are people discovering modes in the camera that they never noticed - its all in the little manual book.

beyond that the sort of advice you ask for is just way too general in nature - much applies to the ambient lighting around you, the scene before you - what you intend to capture as well as what kit you have. I could tell you about shooting wildlife, but that would be wasted advice if your mostly shooting in studio environments.

Best thing is to go out and take some shots yourself of what you want to - use auto modes or custom modes as you desire and see the end results - then come here, post some (say 5 at most) of the best results along with what kit you used and the aperture, ISO and shutter speed for each shot (this info isin the EXIF data and can be accessed by going to the propertise on a photo file on your computer and reviewing the details tab) Also note what mode you were shooting in.
People then have an idea of what you are photographing, what your light was like atthe time (roughly) and also how your mind is working with regard to taking the photo - we can then start giving more specific help

 

[andrew99]

The 50 f1.8 is a great little lens. I also recently got the Nikkor 35mm f2.0, which I think is a more useful range for shooting indoors, so consider that one too. As for wide angle, I love the Sigma 10-20!

 

[JerryPH]

i can always count on you jerry to feel the same as I do about topics like this... sometimes I wonder if people think i'm a cranky old man... i'm not people (only 24), and I don't think jerry is either...

Goes back to what I was saying about people wanting to be spoon fed all the time instead of doing the leg work themselves. In terms of photography, some of the newbies think one setting does it all. If only they knew the truth of that. Even when you tell them where to go for info, they get all insulted and what not... lol.

As far as age? I am a Chris Burke X 2... lol (surprised? )
I still jog 10km and attend 3 different martial arts classes a week, so, though not in as good shape as others... can hold my own against the young bulls... lol.

i just hate it when people post in the wrong place because they think they will get better answers... the "vets" of TPF look at the beginners forum too, and they almost always answer questions.. posting a beginner question in the beyond forum just strikes me as "i didnt think i'd get good answers in the other forum"... just my opinion..

No one is perfect, I sometimes post off-topic or in the wrong area, but man, when told, and come off with a smart-ass remark, well I don't even bother with them ever again, no matter what.

BTW Jerry, do you have a site or a flickr or anything like that?? i'm not sure i've ever seen any of your pics... you seem knowledgeable though.. makes me think you might have some good shots http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerryph/

I never advertised it, never posted it in the thread specific to that, but yes that is it (I also have a website that I play with and perhaps only 10 people know about, but that is another story... lol). I'll be honest and say that on the flickr site I have several thousand more pics in there than the "public" can see (under 2000 perhaps is all I have made visible for general use?). I mostly use it as a place to share pics with my girlfriend and family in other countries and provinces.

I've always said that if you are concerned about losing a pic on the net, don't post it and all my best work is right here on my hard drive, well protected (or on my walls). I'd never post my best on the net. Because I am in computer networking as a professional, I *know* that the terms security and the internet are not usable in the same sentence... lol

PS - Good luck to the OP. I hope you find the info you were looking for.

 

[AdamBomb]

Hey Man, Congrats on the D90, I love mine!

I dont exactly know why, but here ppl don't really care for Ken Rockwell, But I think his site has actually helped me out quite a bit!

Here's his "Plain English D90 Guide" Read it, it's pretty helpful.

 

[anubis404]

Hey Man, Congrats on the D90, I love mine!

I dont exactly know why, but here ppl don't really care for Ken Rockwell, But I think his site has actually helped me out quite a bit!

Here's his "Plain English D90 Guide" Read it, it's pretty helpful.

Ken rockwell does actually have some good stuff, but some of the things he says is just plain false, or at least slightly untrue. If I can't trust some of his info, how can I trust all of it?