Camera Information

Esteven08

I'm extremely new to Nikon D3100, I have some experience with photography, but when I unboxed my camera, everything felt foreign. Where can I get the most info about every little thing this camera can do? What do all the numbers and abbreviations mean?

brandyk94

Hi @Esteven08!

I highly suggest reading the manual thoroughly! It will help with many of the basics. However, it doesn't get so technical as to explain what an aperture or ISO is.

You don't exactly need criteria on your specific camera to learn about all of the numbers and abbreviations. What you need is to learn about DSLR settings in general.

I am still learning and this website has helped me tons, but I also highly suggest this website:

http://digital-photography-school.com/digital-photography-tips-for-beginners

I don't know if you are a big reader, so this YouTube channel might be helpful (I like to read on a certain topic and then go to the YouTube channel for visuals):

http://www.youtube.com/user/PhotographersOnUTube/videos?shelf_index=0&view=0&sort=dd

Here is a video on a how to get around your camera (menu, settings, etc.):




I hope this helps!

bluestar

You could try buying one of the many books on the camera; it is worth the small investment. I bought Nikon D3100 Field Guide by J. Dennis Thomas (a photographer). Look at the different authors books in a bookshop and see whose format works for you before buying the first one you see. Come up with a question and see which book answers it to your satisfaction.
It cost me £15 in the UK or $20 US $24 Canada.
It starts with a quick tour of the buttons then goes into more detail about the menu items, menu by menu.
Read through it once like a novel, then go chapter by chapter with your camera in hand.
You will not learn every wrinkle at once, but take it slowly and build up your knowledge of the camera and its functions. Keep going back to the book.
There are many color pictures and diagrams, before & after shots and extensive but simple explanations of what each function does.
The Nikon book just tells you what the knobs are, not why.
One function I have trouble finding is Histograms (Highlight controls, Data, Playback Menu, Display Mode, Detailed Photo Info).
Best to leave them all on and turn them off at the Multi Selector (except Highlights).

I once had a professional (he thought he was) photographer tell me that the flashing highlights was because my camera was stored to close to a computer and was caused by magnetic interference as opposed to the overexposed in places.

The following website is also worth looking at and continually going back to. It is set up from novice to expert (no charges) in all types of photography and camera controls. He happens to use a Nikon (not the D3100), but he comes over well on his videos and you see the result of his shot straight away.

Photographycourses.biz videos of how to use a DSLR from novice to expert.

I have no connection with any of the above, but this is how I learned and I'm still learning about the D3100.