Camera Labs

I am new to dslr photography and trying my best to learn with my nikon d7000 could you please post some basic shutter speeds .iso and aperture settings for different times of the day as I am trying to use manual mode .

Try Aperture Priority instead

This will make things much simpler, and you'll understand exposure a lot quicker.

After a shot in A, check the histogram. If there are clipped highlights (peaks off the right of the histogram) then dial in a little exposure compensation (-0.3, -0.7, -1) and try again. If there are clipped shadows (peaks off the left of the histogram) then dial in positive exposure comp.

Diving straight into Manual may confuse you a little. Also, you'd be surprised how little it is used by people, generally preferring A or S modes, unless in patricularly controlled circumstances (at night, on a tripod, for example)

I agree with dubaiphil. Use aperture priority mode the camera will figure out the rest. In some situations like making pictures of a waterfall or nightshots, or maybe racing car action shots you can use shutter priority mode or go fully manual becuase sometime you want a slow shutter speed on purpose.

You can try to use the Automatic iso configuration too, which basicly just restricts the choices the camera makes.

Also in Full manual mode you should see a exposure bar in your viewfinder which shows you the way if you are over exposed or underexposed or correctly exposed.

getting the exposure right is actually the easy part....

Your choices in aperture or shutterspeed can make the difference between just a photo or a photo with some extra effect (for example a sense of motion in a waterfall or racing car, a blurred background in a portrait).

In other words I can use a fast shutterspeed or a slow one and the exposure can be correct in both cases(depending on aperture or ISO) settings), but the actual photo looks diffrent.

Take a look at some of the DSLR tutorials in the top menu of this website, It will get you started and you will understand as Gordon can explain it much better then I do.

I have to disagree with the above regarding aperture mode, as you are new to DSLR I would suggest on static objects use program mode and see what setting the camera determines and adjust these to your needs. Using P mode as a base line will help as cameras these days in most conditions rarely get it wrong and gives you an idea of where to start. This way you can get reasonable shots while increasing your knowledge. Have a look at the tutorials on the forum which may help in in different situations.

I would imagine most start by using P (professional) mode until they have gained experience and some on the forum still do and still take great photos.

Cheers

_________________
Nikon D7000, D40X, Nikkor 18- 200 VR II, f3.5-5.6, 70-300 AF non VR, Kit Lenses.

How can P mode help if the camera is just figuring everything out.
You can learn from the changing aperture settings because you will actually see that the camera is changing shutterspeeeds and/or ISO settings.

If you know how they interact with each other helps you understand it a bit more. The problem is not really getting a right exposure becuase that is actually pretty easy to accomplish.

You can use 3 different settings for your shutterspeeds and in actions shots you get 3 different pictures. Its not getting the exosure right that is the problem it is finding out the best shutterspeed or aperture for the situation, for example a racing car (and the camera P mode doesnt know that).

You can get a correctly exosed picture in any situation and it will be sharp too but the picture itself can be either boring or very exciting. The photographer has to do that not that camera.

@nikonfreak, Hmm, With hind sight, we now know what setting we want. As a beginner using P mode is a base line indication, coupled with that looking at the tutorials on the forum also gives quality information and what to expect from different setting rather than shooting ad hoc hoping for the best. After looking at the tuts he/she can then try them out with some knowledge .

It also encourages the newbie as he/she will take reasonable shots while increasing their skills. It's of no value giving advice to use A or S mode without practical information and particular setting which is differcult as in the 3rd paragraph above. I must be dumb as when I first picked up my first DSLR I did not know anything. When all else fails read the manual.


Cheers,

_________________
Nikon D7000, D40X, Nikkor 18- 200 VR II, f3.5-5.6, 70-300 AF non VR, Kit Lenses.

MM I still dont really agree. At an overcast day or in a very sunny day the light can differ a couple of stops so P mode is maybe more confusing to learn anything (why does this stupid camera do diffrent setings I dont understand why.... last time it did something else)

Its not really dificult to learn. The lower the F number the more light comes in the camera, the lower the shutterspeed the more light you have. In fact any number lower is better for getting light in (except for ISO then it must be higher). But sometimes you need less light to prevent overexposure.

The D7000 has a excellent manual that explains how it works and what to do if the exposure is not correct in manual mode.

But most of the time you can get the same results much quicker by using Aperture or shutterpriority mode. You just have to change one setting instead of worry about 3 things (well actually you still have to change 3 things but the camera worries about shutter and ISO).

In the old days you just had to worry about Shutterspeed and aperture becuase the filmrol had a fixed ISO. Digital DSLR make it more flexibel by allowing you to change the ISO settings as well (but one more choice to make that influences the result).

In my opinion Analogue SLR camera have far superior photo results anyway and Digital SLR has a very long road ahead to match with that. But the convenience of RAW digital files and photo repair/editing software such as CaptureNX2 make it much much much more convenient.

I have to agree on the virtues of the P (program) mode. It’s in fact a manual mode on steroids.
I don’t know how it specifically works on Nicons , but I suppose it works like in any other brand. You start with a computed exposure but you may change any parameter, (shutter speed , aperture, ISO) and the camera resets the others accordingly. You may even use EC (exposure compensation) in order to push the exposure in your desired direction. Change the metering mode and you have a plethora of other possibilities. Lock exposure and recompose and you obtain another shot entirely. So, If used correctly and intelligently, P mode may be very creative and also fast, and it may be very useful even for experienced photographers. I won’t look down on it and use manual only because it’s a more “pro” mode. Yes there are situations when manual mode is preferable, or A / S for that matter, but P mode, even if it may be used like a P&S camera, is not less creative in a DSLR than the rest of the “pro” modes.
Viewed from a didactical perspective, I find it hard to decide, I’ve learned to shoot with analog cameras whit a paper table that was in every film box that listed the correct exposures for various situations, basically what JAWAD asked in his post.
JAWAD you camera has a light meter that shows you what to do. Read the manual and learn how to use it and you will be able to set your camera in manual mode for every situation.
Almost.
You will learn from reading and experience what triplets of settings (shutter speed , aperture, ISO) to use,(it’s logical), but he light meter is always your starting point. In the P, A,S modes the camera decides for you based on the same metering, in M mode you set them yourself according to the effect you want.
How to know what to choose? Read about depth of field, motion blur, freezing motion, backlight , composition and so on. It will be gradually clearer.

_________________
Radu
Canon PowerShot S100
Canon 50D , SIGMA 10-20 f3.5 ,Canon EF 24-105 L IS USM, Canon EF 100/2.8 macro Canon EF 50/1.4 ,Canon EF 85 f1.8,Canon EF-S17-85 4-5.6 Old Tamron 28-300 inherited from my Canon Rebel G film camera
Canon580EXII
http://www.errre.net