Nikon D100

[3rdGear]

How many people have or have used a Nikon D100?

The reason that I as is I just bought one from my dad for 400$.. I know it was a good price but I've been using the thing everyday since I got it.. And have used it a few time before just to shoot some outdoor images that my old Sony Point and shoot get.. I love the camera I just think I'm not using it correctly..

for example I took the family to the Houston Museum of Natural Science this past weekend got some great shots or so I thought.. there are 3 areas in the museum that I really took pictures and of course the lighting is all completely different.. and have issues with all 3..

Main area - Low light not horrible but low enough that I needed to bump up the ISO.. and they either came out dark but good quality or the right aperture but grainy because of the ISO so high..

Butterfly area - Good light.. got some decent shots.. but most of them came out blurry mainly when I was trying to get a good close up shot of something.. I was able to shoot at about 200 ISO at and about 20 FPS but I don't remember what the f was..

and the last was the vault.. - Rare gems and jewelry behind glass. in a pretty much pitch dark room except light on the items in there.. and I don't remember my setting.. i'll try to go home and see what they were.. I shot them in NEF.. the images came out clear for the most part considering the ISO was high.. but the colors were really muted..

any help would be great getting better at this thing..

thanks
J

[kirbinster]

Sorry to tell you but your dad saw you coming

Should have been a lot less than that.

[3rdGear]

Well I'm not really concerned about the price.. it was the body and lens for that price.. but regardless it was mainly to help him get the D7000 that he wanted..

In a year or so I would really like to get something new.. but until then this is what I have to work with.. and I'm happy..

[kirbinster]

Oh, if it had a lens then it might not be so terrible. The D100 is older technology and you are not going to be able to shoot at high ISO without a good bit of noise. That is part of the reason they have dropped in price like a stone - the newer sensors are just soooo much better.

[3rdGear]

Yeah.. but its been a good solid camera.. I can justify spending that on a hobby especially if I'm just starting out.. you know.

Eventually when I start getting better and it seems to be something that I really enjoy.. then I would like to get my hands on the D700..

[sk66]

Use ISO 200 or less, and make sure you are not underexposing...If underexposure is fixed in post it will generate a bunch of noise.

[3rdGear]

In an area where light isn't good thought don't I have to use an higher ISO so the pictures aren't under exposed?

[kirbinster]

No, you can increase the light with a flash. If you can't do that then yes you need to raise the ISO but there are negative trade-offs in the form of noise in doing that.

[3rdGear]

Ok, in my situation at the museum I couldn't use a flash.. or it would just reflect back off the glass.. Any other suggestions that I might try?

[RLucas]

On my D70, which is pretty much the same technology as the D100, if I have hit the wall with either shutter speed or aperture, I will raise the ISO to a point where I am a 1/2 stop to a stop overexposed. When I bring it in to Lightroom, which has excellent Noise reduction capabilities, I will pull the exposure back just enough for the noise to start disappearing, then I will employ noise reduction. I have found lately, that I am very often at ISO1600 with my shots, and am very pleased for the most part with the results.
Don't be scared of high ISO, you just have to expose for it. A little "grain" to me is actually pleasing, plus I am not a pixel peeper either.
Hope this helps!