wed the day !!!!

[f86sabjf]

Allright everyone
I will be finally stepping up from the point and shoot world . I have a Nikon d5100 with 18-55 and 70-300mm nikon lenses coming in along with uv and polarizing filters and hoods for the lenses. I also got a tripod and monopod for the days at the track . I have about 1 1/2 weeks to get familiar with it before vacation. What should i put the most time into figuring out before i leave or should i just leave it in AF the whole time and try to fill up my 3 memory cards and have fun. I cant wait for this camera to get here.

I will say i bought everything from Cameta camera and the persons name was Bill . I was looking for the best beginners deal pkg I could get within my "budget". I told him what i would be using the camera for and he made suggestions to me . Not a hard sell or anything. As a beginner I feel I could have been taken advantage of quite easily and wasnt . So if your looking for somewhere to buy from at this pont I would say give them a call and see if they fit your needs.

[Ronpc]

First thing you should do is read the camera manual. Then read it again.

[weeata]

Nikon School offers some model specific DVDs. Here's one for a whopping $2 from Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-School-Explore-New-Techniques/dp/B005ZFXU1G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330962627&sr=8-1
If you have some time to sit down with the camera, one thing that helped me learn in the 'beginning' was taking a picture in full auto mode, then looking at all the settings that the camera picked (you can do this right on the camera by reviewing a photo). Then I would set it to full manual mode, enter all the settings that the camera picked when in full auto mode. Change one setting at a time (shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, etc). and take that same picture, and see how it changed my image. It's all good in theory (longer shutter speed makes your image brighter, blah blah) but until you have some examples of your very own to mess with, it may not make complete sense. This really taught me more than anything else. And practice.

[f86sabjf]

I do have the nikon school dvd comig in with the pile of stuff . So hopefully that will give me a jumpstart but the wife and I are both looking at this vacation as a "what can i do with my camera experience" we're headed into the carribean so there should be plenty of oppurtunity

[f86sabjf]

First thing you should do is read the camera manual. Then read it again.

and take it with me on vacation to read and then go test some shoits to see what happens

[2001SE]

and take it with me on vacation to read and then go test some shoits to see what happens

I had to shoot a friends wedding in the keys the day my first dslr arrived. I had my GF take the wheel once we got on the Alley so I could read the instructions and do some test shots in the truck. By the time we arrived in Key Largo I was ready to go (had no choice) the wedding was at Holiday Isles (Islamorada)!

Enjoy your vacation. The camera will be there when it's over, photography is somewhat like golf. It is something you can enjoy for the rest of your life. You never fully master it. Some days you get a few great shots but dont forget to enjoy the scenery while you are at it!

Shoot lots, shoot RAW, if you don't already know why, you will learn why later. You can do lots in post months after your vacation is over!

[f86sabjf]

So if I shoot raw any idea how much that will affect my pic capacity? I have a 16gb and two 8gb cards all are spd class 10. The camera is 16mp.

Tonight will be the first powerup. Since I spent a good deal of time unrapping it all last night . Maybe I can get some good shots for the car of the month contest.

[f86sabjf]

well i answered my own ??'s about photo count > If i'm understanding it correcly i can use the large pic format and have 3,200 photos on a 16gb card:slayer:

[2001SE]

Yep, that sounds about right.
Think that will keep you busy?

I only shoot raw when it's something important. They are large files and use up some storage space.
The reason I suggest RAW on vacations etc is that you can't just get back there and take them again.
All the real "photographers" will scoff at this but I still use Photoshop Elements. The program is less than 100 mbucks, free trial downloads are available. There are better programs that do more stuff but it will take you a while to learn elements, then you can decide if you need to dump 6 or 7 hundred into a full blown editing suite.
You will find that much can be done in RAW post production.

OBTW
The first thing I do is to copy all of the images to another drive. In case camera gets lost, stolen, dropped overboard etc. Take a 1T hard drive with you. I carry my camera gear (bodies and lenses) with me and check the big bag with all the other stuff. You can still function with a body and a couple lenses if everything else gets ripped off. Depending on where you are going (carribien right?) you will likely go through MIA or and Puerto Rico. Keep your cameras where you can keep an eye on them. FWIW, stow them in an old backpack, whapped in bubble wrap, the more beat up the better. Nothing with big logos that say "Steal Me I am Camera Gear"

Large picture format? Is that what you are looking at?
JPEG large is different than RAW.

[f86sabjf]

well i bought a camera backback to carry it all in . So ill be toting it around with me. Including the boarding time onto the ship. The bag scanners wont harm anything will they?? I'll be honest my computers been down for a few days and i have devoted most of my time getting it at least functional so i will be almost blind going into this trip.
my camera just asks sm med or lrge format . So i havent found the menu section yet that has the diff settings for raw or jpeg.

[2001SE]

The bag scanners wont harm anything will they??

my camera just asks sm med or lrge format . So i havent found the menu section yet that has the diff settings for raw or jpeg.

Nope, scanners are fine. Nothing in there to get hurt (they really never hurt film unless it was very high speed like ASA 800 and above but that's another story.

IIRC: What you refer to is Image size, look for the image "Quality (?) I don't recall, sitting here at my desk if its in the customs settings, shooting or set up menus but you will find it.

Remember about an external hard drive, COPY your stuff on to it (if in windows, just use the windows import pics, it doesnt matter, all the data comes along for the ride) but don't delete it from the camera. This way you have TWO copies, in case something goes bad lost, stolen, pilot error, whatever.

Good luck, I hope this is helping a little

And BTW, as I said before... enjoy the vacation. Don't ruin it by always seeing EVERYTHING through the viewfinder!

Taks a mini tripod with you, very small, very cheapo, Wally World special is fine. It's nice to take photos the include the photographer! It's also great for long exposures just at or just after sunset or sunrise which, depending on where you are going, you get to see both of in the same day. Sometimes from the same spot!

[f86sabjf]

No tripod but I do have a monopod with me .
Let's see the stops will include Aruba , curaçao , grand Turk and Dominica so there must be a good pic in there somewhere .
I won't have a pc to download to until I get back so hopefully I won't lose data.

[f86sabjf]

Obtw yes you are helping this newbie. Hopefully I can bring back some nice pics to show you.