Relearning for "auto" cameras

How long did it take some of you to relearn how to do everything on

the newer auto everything, LCD panel, electronic wonder cameras ? I've

been looking at the N90 and the F100 and even the old 8008 and I would

DEFINATELY need the manual and refer to it A LOT .

Put it on 'M' and it's really not much different from a full-manual camera. Yeah, the light meter has numbers instead of a needle, and you change things with little dials instead of big chunky metal controls, but it's not impossible.

As suggestet above, put the the new camera in "M"anual mode, and you will even have an electronic version of your needle in the view finder, at least in the F100. One warning though, if you are used to a simple light meter, you should be aware that the matrix metering does some compensation. The first time I used a camera with matrix metering I got a lot of badly exposed photos, because both camera and nyself tried to compensate for different light situations. Of course you can switch it off, and used center or sport meter. It will just work as you are used too.

<em>"How long did it take some of you to relearn how to

do everything on the newer auto everything, LCD panel, electronic

wonder cameras ?" --John Williamson</em><br>

<br>

Over night, then I forgot it all.<br>

<br>

When I got my F5 I already had experience with the F4s so that

was a head start. I bought a spare manual for my F5 and F100 so I

have one to keep at home and one to carry and beat up. You

quickly remember the features you use often and chances are

pretty good youll need help with less used ones. You can

simplify these cameras by using only certain features that really

work for you and then you wont need the manual often. The F5

helps more with two sets of custom settings so I all but never

reset custom settings in the field. The F5 is also well suited to

manual as well as auto focus and it balances well with long

telephotos.<br>

<br>

Considering the subject shown in your portfolio you are going to

need to simplify and standardize the camera setup as you are

working at reflex level.<br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

I'll echo what David said. I shoot with a wide variety of Nikon cameras, and I find that the basic controls for exposure, focus, shutter release, DOF and lens release are pretty common and instinctive. I get hung up sometimes trying to remember how to set the self-timer, or how to illuminate the display; the stuff you don't use every day.

Why would you or anyone consider getting an F100 and running it on M only?

 

What kind of advice is being given?

 

The consensus of non-backward looking technically experienced photographers is that the exposure system on the F100 is better than zoning in 98% of the shots; the AF is more accurate, except in very critical portrait, deliberate situations.

 

That is not from the literature, but from thousands of users who sell their pics, win competitions etc etc.

 

So: just get that F100, set it to P mode in matrix, AF and rip.

The learning starts when you realize you wanted another kind of picture in those 2% of shots that do not come out right. (And probably would not have come out any better if you had measured hand-held and used M mode etc etc.)

 

And granted, to go with deliberation and adjustments to matrix P on an F100, the learning curve is somewhat steep, but if you know your basics from a manual camera, you will learn nevertheless how to overcome automation when it is necesary.

 

So, I repeat: set exposure to matrix P, and AF wide focus and run away with terrific pictures. (But use M in macro, with indoor flash, ... if you like to stay current on the old mastery of manual cameras.)

If you are going to run the F100 in P mode why not just get a point and shoot? I use both the N90s and the F100. The F100 took a little more learning just because of all the cutom settings. Some functions are easier to set of the F100, metering mode for instance. You can certainly duplicate your manual camera with either of these. Then try using aperture priority and you may like it. I think most people use these cameras in one mode for the most part. But when you need other modes they are available.

Dave,

 

I know of no point and shoot with exchangable lenses, the sophistication of matrix metering and on and on.

 

P mode is in fact no different than your preferred A mode: I always twiddle the dial in p mode to get the f stop and or speed that I want. You do the same in A mode, I presume?

 

So, why is P mode so maligned? In fact if i need an instant picture, just turn camera on, direct and shoot, all in one split second, the choice of speed and f stop in P mode has often saved me from my former A mode settings ... had I used A mode... So there is a real bargain to be had with automation. One still has to control the parameters, even in P mode, of course !!!

 

But we old bulls are all somewhat stuck up in our old M modes and A modes, spot metering, etc, not being able to taste the green grass of modernization outside our old trof full of dry hay. (spelling of trof ?)

 

That is too bad!

<em>"...non-backward looking technically experienced

photographers..." --Frank Uhlig<br>

</em><br>

Long and loaded with innuendo: this is where youll loose

the audience you apparently want to reach.<br>

<br>

You make a good point on Flexible Program but without Easy

Exposure Compensation I have little use for it. The F100 has both

the F5 has only Flexible Program mode. I find Manual and Aperture

Preferred simple and logically direct. I use manual mode the most.

I guess that means Im "backward looking" and

"technically inexperienced."<br>

<br>

"IT'S ONLY ROCK N ROLL (BUT I LIKE IT)" --Mick Jagger-Keith

Richards

Wow. A debate rages !

 

While my portfolio does have some race car shots, and I will always try to get those, I may also do scenic stuff , while on vacations, family stuff, sunsets, lightning shots, etc. The car picts were put up to aid a nother thread about composition and not getting on a print what you thought you saw in the lens. I don't shot near as much film as I'd like, and I have yet to take a shot worth hanging on a wall. I'm just an amatuer that appreciates good equipment. To that end, I try to save as much as I can. I have never bought a single new piece of camera gear, except a monopod. So...when I look at cameras I look to the features and COST as much as anything. Most new cameras seem to be aa lot more than I will ever make use of, and the price is....eye opening. The F100 seems to be in the $600 used to $900 new range. The N90 seems to be in the $250-$300 Range for used. The 8008 seems to be in the $100-$150 range for used. Obviously, the price I might get on the big auction site could be less, but you have to trust the party at the other end, and I wouldn't get to handle any of them. So, for my bang for the buck camera, what would be the best way to go ?

I think P mode does it all wrong. It gives completely unsuitable shutter speed / aperture combinations for my purposes. And I'd just rather shoot in A/S modes where at least I can request it to do something without it forgetting the shutter speed or aperture when I switch the camera off.

 

As for matrix metering, I find the one in the F100 adequate for some color neg shooting, inadequate for good light (backlight), and useless for slides. But then I know my light and spot metering technique (probably 98% of photogs using the camera don't).

 

I do agree that the AF on the F100 works very well. But for exposure metering with slides, manual mode and spot metering (or a hand-held incident meter) is it.

As for the original question, five minutes.

Once you learn the Zone System and how to use a spot meter, you'll never go back. As one whose first camera was a digital point-and-shoot, as one that ran, open-armed, to Nikon's Matrix Metering - it's all bunk. Yes, the Matrix Meter is great 95% of the time; the other five percent will have you hating life. Spending five seconds finding something you want to make white or black and adjusting the metered reading +/- 2 stops will save you immeasurable grief at the hands of your editors and clients.

As for the original question - Hell, I still don't know what half of the crap on my F5 and my d2h do.

 

This is only a half tongue in cheek reply. For the basic stuff, I concur with the fellow who said 5 minutes. If you know how to work a basic manual camera body and you set your auto camera to either aperture or shutter priority, it is pretty simple to figure it out.

 

But...if you want to fully utilize all of the sexy bells and whistles of the D2h......my guess is that it will take me about 5 years to master all of the little nuances.

 

An example - I was out with a friend doing a little people shooting when we stumbled across a waterfall and some interesting foliage. I had my tripod in the car, so I broke it out, set up my gear and got ready to shoot. Needed a shutter speed of about 1/2 sec or so and I went to lock up the mirror. Easy right - I know where the MLU lever is on my F2, my F4 and my F5. Well....guess what. I couldn't find the damned thing on the D2h. Spent about 5 minutes scrolling through all of the hundreds of menu choice to no avail. Got home and found out that the MLU is controlled by the dial where one sets the fast or slow motor drive (and the timer and the double exposure) by the way - just like on the F5.....except for the "extra" little symbol for MLU.

 

Oh well...live and learn. I figure that after about 3 years, I probably know about 5% of what photoshop can do, so the D2h is at least easier than that Maybe I am just a dinosaur.

John

 

I made the jump from a Nikkormat to a Canon EOS A2 camera several years back. I

was able to get the basic hang of things pretty easily by reading the manual, but I

found it took me much longer to really get the feel of using the automatic camera. In

fact, I didn't really feel comfortable with it even after a year or so. This is in part

because the camera could do so much more (complex flash controls, etc.), but also

because you use automatic cameras differently. One potential pitfall is that how such

a camera works depends in part on how you leave the settings. It is key, especially in

the beginning, to always leave the camera set a particular way. I'd start slowly, say

with aperature priority, one type of metering, and one type of focusing - and then

gradually expand from there. I don't think the Magic lantern books are great, but

they can help you get a better understanding of the capabilities of whatever camera

you buy.

 

I should add I later went from the Canon A2 back to Nikon (an F100, N80, and FE-2). I

find the newer Nikons a bit more intuitive (and I like their viewfinders better in

general), although to be candid, the A2 seems pretty intuitive now also. IMHO, the

interface on the F100 or N80 is much more intuitive than the N90 or the 8008 -- you

may want to consider that in your deliberations.

 

Have fun.