Got Nikon D3000 .... Is this a Good Choice ??

[ganesh_bbr]

Hi All,

I got a Nikon d3000 KIT last weekend.
I had asked many friends about this camera and everyone gave me a possitive feedback.

However, i was not aware about this good website which would have helped me a lot.

I am a starter and this is my first camera in my life time. I had used only my friends point and shoot cameras for quite some time.

Did i make a right choice ??

Because, i remember reading in a DPS article stating that this camera is not made for manual focus . I did tested it and i could get a right focus from 18-55 in my lens of the object i wanted to take a picture of . I tried in S mode with the lens kept on manual focus.

I have the 18-55mm VR lens which came with the KIT.

Need your views and expert comments.

[IABoomer]

You might be slightly mistaken. The D3000 won't auto-focus on some Nikon lenses, such as the popular 50mm f/1.8 or 1.4 prime lenses. You should always be able to manually focus a lens, either by turning off the auto-focus in the camera menus, or more simply, flipping the A/M switch on the lens to "M" for manual.

If all you've used are point and shoot cameras in the past, the D3000 should be a fine kit to learn the ins and outs of DSLR shooting, the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), etc.

[ganesh_bbr]

^^
You say D3000 is still a good camera ?

I tried taking a indoor picture sterday by flipping the A/M switch to M on the lense.
Then, tried focusing the object i wanted to shoot. I tried all round the lens but could not the object in to focus. It was still blurr.

Any Ideas ?

[IABoomer]

Any lens you use will have a minimum focusing distance, so if you're too close to the object, you might not be able to get it in focus. You might also want to check the diopter (viewfinder) and make sure that's set so when you look through the viewfinder, what you see is focused.

I'd probably setup on a tripod or some other stable object, use the lens in auto-focus mode (which the kit lens should do) and make sure that the lens will focus on an object across the room and that it's clear in the viewfinder and when I take a shot.

[ganesh_bbr]

Hi,

Thank you for the quick response again.

diopter is a new work to me i will find it and try to set the same.

Thanks once again ...

[ganesh_bbr]

Originally Posted by jennyjohn

This was really a nice choice, According to me I think that the Nikon D3000 is a new entry-level digital SLR camera designed to make photography simple and accessible. it shares the 10 million pixel CCD sensor as the D60, and almost exactly the same body and design, but this camera is more than a cosmetic revamp of the older model. I hope that many people will really like this Nikon D3000.

Thanks for the feedback.

[isaiah40_31ph]

hello

there is a spot that comes ON on the lower left side in your viewfinder if your subject is in focus. uhm..i suggest playing around in AF first so you can enjoy the camera.

explore the MF once you get the hang of it.

enjoy.

btw. welcome to DPS.. and this is a good place to learn how to use your new camera

[ganesh_bbr]

Originally Posted by isaiah40_31ph

hello

there is a spot that comes ON on the lower left side in your viewfinder if your subject is in focus. uhm..i suggest playing around in AF first so you can enjoy the camera.

explore the MF once you get the hang of it.

enjoy.

btw. welcome to DPS.. and this is a good place to learn how to use your new camera

Thanks for the feedback.

[Talita]

I have the exact same kit and I love this camera ! Still learning though so I don`t really have anything technical to add. :-)

[Grumby]

I think the D3000 is a great starter's camera. As well as being able to start out in completely auto mode, and gradually progress to P, A, S, and M as you learn more, it also has the 'Guide' mode that prompts you with basic questions about the type of picture you are trying to take (you want a soft background?), and then gives you a bit of info about the options you have to achieve that result (use wide aperture and longer focal length...) By using the Guide mode, you quickly start to a) think about your pictures rather than just snapping them, and b) associate specific camera settings with required outcomes, and then you can start applying that knowledge using the other modes as well. Of course, you can get all that info here on DPS as well, but with the camera prompting you each time you take a photo, you can get immediate feedback.

Quite apart from all that, you have a good quality bit of kit, backed by all the experience of one of the two biggest players in the camera and lens markets. I know - I have one too, and am well pleased with it. You don't need $10,000 of kit to take good pictures, only the eye to recognise a good picture when you see it.

Enjoy the learning experience, and keep in touch with the forums - show us what you can do, and look at what others do if you want some inspiration. Don't be afraid to try and recreate something someone else has done, if that helps you to learn (just don't try and pass it off as your own). Finally - don't be afraid to ask "how did you do that" or "what were your settings"... This site is all about learning and sharing.

Cheers
Grumby