Manual control in Nikon D40

[T.I.P]

Hi

I am learning on how to use the Manual Control on the Nikon D40 and i am finding it very difficult to select the appropriate aperture/shutter speed/EV etc for each shot.

I was browsing the internet to help me out and came across : http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm

This article/tutorial has a chart "Exposure Factor Relationship chart C"

http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm#EXPOSURE%20FACTOR%20RELATIONSHIP%20CHA RT%20B


I was wondering if anyone is aware of something similiar for the Nikon D40 in particular. Also this article talks about Nature photography. I guess, I am the regular Wedding and vacation photographer. Do we have something for Portrait related information?

Thanks in advance

[ShaolinTiger]

Hi T.I.P and welcome to SA!

First up, very few people use manual and even then not very often.

I only use manual in situations where the cameras very intelligent metering system doesn't give the results I want, for example when shooting macro with flash.

The best thing to do is forget about calculations and use the meter built into the camera.

The easiest way to learn is to set the camera to A or Aperture Priority, and chose the Aperture you want to use for your shot according to the depth of field you require.

Then see what shutter speed it gives you, you can then dial these settings into M mode, and adjust the shutter speed to taste.

The other way is just to dive into manual mode and use the small barchart inside the viewfinder that displays your exposure - it should have a +/- there and the middle is the exposure, so if the chart reads negative it's underexposed and vice versa.

For 95% of situations A or S modes are just fine.

Notice the guide was written in 1995 originally, that's when manual metering was still valid!

You can read this for getting started:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/users-guide/index.htm

Don't take everything he says to heart though as he can go off tack a bit.

Good luck!

[T.I.P]

Thank you my friend!!!

I will check out http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/users-guide/index.htm and the PDF file.

This is what I have been trying till now!!

Set my camera to f/60. or f/80
Play with the Aperture till the Exposure Compensation is at ZERO or as close I can get it.. and then click on the shutter..

I was hoping for a table for ready reference like the one mentioned on http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.ht...%20CHA RT%20B

[ND40]

TIP, i'm also a D40 user for few months old. But i hardly feel difficulty in setting my D40. I mean there are times i feel that the result is not what want also. What i did i will start to play with metering and Manual mode.

As for portrait, i always use center weighted if i take half body, and evaluative if i want to capture the background. When the condition is back lite, then i will use spot metering. Not sure am I doing in the correct way, but trial and error is the way. Correct me if i advise wrongly.

by the way..you say set ur camera f/60 or f/80??? i thnk you are saying 1/60 and 1/80. The f/XX is aperture setting.

Anyway, welcome to the forum and nice to meet you!!

[Mavik]

Yup I use a D40 as well and most of the time I use Manual Mode and play about with the metering. Sometimes when taking landscape photography especially bright occasions, Aperture or Shutter priority do not give me the images I like so Manual mode it is and shooting a couple of shots until I like the results. :)

[GuBee]

The other way is just to dive into manual mode and use the small barchart inside the viewfinder that displays your exposure - it should have a +/- there and the middle is the exposure, so if the chart reads negative it's underexposed and vice versa.
.

Good luck!

ST, just a silly q.

Is the barchart inside viewfinder have take in the consideration of the flash power ? If not, how should we calculate this ? :shrug:

[ShaolinTiger]

ST, just a silly q.

Is the barchart inside viewfinder have take in the consideration of the flash power ? If not, how should we calculate this ? :shrug:

No it doesn't it's calculating the exposure according to whatever meter mode you have selected (matrix/spot/center) and where you are pointing your camera.

Flash power depends if you want to meter for ambient light, or have darker background, or you are using fill flash/bounce flash/multiple lights and so on.

If you are metering and use iTTL it makes intelligent guesses and tries to balance the flash exposure with ambient light, depending your camera settings and mode (PASM).

That's a complex subject :)

[derickuan]

Welcome to the forum, T.I.P.

Hahahah...from what ST have stated, I am one of the few people....kekekeke. I use manual exposure all the time as I want to have consistency of exposure in my shots. I only use A when I don't have the time to switch the settings. Other settings.....never use before like ...the mountain, the flower, green block, man running, man standing, man standing with moon and the S. :D

[kiankheong]

If you learn to use Manual mode well, slowly you will get used to it. Manual mode can be quite easy by then.

I am always in M mode. You just have to utilise the metering (bar chart) and learn where to meter and when/how to compensate. Check out google about the zone metering.

If your image is very bright, then usually you will have to compensate the camera by adding + eV (moving towards the + side instead of centering the meter's indicator). If your image is mostly black/dark, then you will have to compensate by reducing the eV (-eV). Practise more to know how much of compensation is needed.

The only other mode that I am using is P, when I'm shooting blind or to quickly grab a shot (still mostly without looking at the viewfinder). My aperture is usually set at the widest or f/8.

:)

[sinister]

well here's d feedback from my limited knowledge...

When i have all the time in the world to compose a scene, i usually shoot in manual so that i can get the scene i want ( which usually never happen.. but dats another story)

When taking event pictures, i usually set to apperture mode as i don't have time to make sure the metering when the scene u want to take are moving everywhere and as soon u take off ur eyes from the scene to check ur setting/histogram.. dats it.. u may have lost a good scene..

But there is no right answer as there is still people out there use manual mode all d time.. including event.. so maybe i'm not good enough in manual mode yet... :(