Cheat cards for the Nikon 7100

Nicki8875

I just upgraded to the Nikon 7100, will my cheat cards still work? I have the same lens. I am going to do some outdoor photographs of my daughter and her friends this afternoon and was hoping my cheat cards would be close to what I should do with the D7100. I just got it so I have not had any time to learn much about it yet. TIA!

bruto

They should be close, in the sense that anything your older camera could do what the D7100 can do too. There may be some better ways a D7100 can do some things, but most of its features don't change function greatly. So even though you may end up finding better ways to get where you're going, you can at least for a while pretend that your D7100 is a D5100 with a lot of extra buttons.

Some things that will differ are autofocus options, which the D7100 has more, and better. Also its ISO noise is considerably less than the D5100, so there may well be times when you can opt for a higher ISO than you used to, and use a correspondingly faster shutter speed. At least in comparison to my D3200, I find the D7100 can get about the same results two or three stops faster.

You will also have the envied option of being able to toggle between manual and Auto ISO with the flick of a wheel.

You'll also, of course, have to learn a whole different set of controls and menu positions, since Nikon for reasons unknown to me puts both the buttons and the menu choices in completely different order.

My wife, who has a number of older 'screwdriver' type AF lenses, has one of these, and it's a wonderful camera, which I hope you come to enjoy. I find hers pretty easy to use and similar in basic results to the D3200, except of course for the many added options, and (a big reason I may well end up getting one too) the much better viewfinder.

I should add that the extremely clean 24 megapixel image is also something you may find different enough to change some approaches. You can crop a D7100 image a whole lot and still end up with something pretty nice. Go out and find some wildlife!

Moose

Hey @Nicki8875 - Like @bruto mentioned, the settings will be very similar, however, the process for enabling and adjusting the settings might be different. I'm actually working on a set for the D7100 and should have it available soon. All the best!

bruto

Yes indeed, many of the settings are enabled and done in a slightly different manner on the D7100. For example, the ISO is adjusted with its own button, and auto ISO toggled with the second control wheel. Other options that are on the "i" menu in a D3200 and its ilk are elsewhere, including auto focus modes, which have their own switch down by the lens mount (a placement that has been standard on most AF Nikons since the f/4).

It's all there and then some, but it takes a little learning.

Nicki8875

This camera is killing me. It is very different and getting the settings I want is hard because I have not had the time to sit and learn it yet. I tried to take pictures at a football game the other night, and they were all blurry, unless there was no movement. So I know I have my settings all messed up. I took some great basketball shots over the summer with it, but I lost the tutorial I found on the settings. I have another game tonight so I am trying to figure out where I went wrong last week. @Moose are you any closer to your cheat sheets? I am anxiously awaiting them!

bruto

All I can recommend at this point is to hang in and read the enormous instruction book. All the settings are there and when you find them it is a better AF machine than any other. Getting there can be difficult, but once you're there you'll be happy.

Nicki8875

Thank you! I have been reading the book today and think I have an idea where I went wrong so I will try it again tonight!

Moose

Hey @Nicki8875 - Which lenses do you currently own? That will help determine what is and isn't possible with your D7100. Yep, I'm almost done. I promise!

Nicki8875

I think it is my camera! I went to the game Friday, ready to go, and tried both lenses, and neither would autofocus. I have a Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8, I believe it is, and the Nikon 18-200mm. I used the Tamron and manually focused and got some great pictures!

bruto

Make sure you have read and understood the AF settings on the camera itself.


All AF settings are made with the little lever and button on the front of the camera. The lever selects AF and M, and the button, along with the two selection wheels, selects the mode and the area. Make sure the lever has not gotten jiggled to an in between setting, and reset it to AF.

When you push the button and turn the front wheel, it changes the settings for area: S, D(for Dynamic area) 9, D21, D51, 3D and Auto. When you push the button and turn the rear wheel, it changes the servo mode, from S to A to C. Those settings are the same as the lesser models except for being able to choose how many focus points dynamic area uses.

When you change the servo mode, some of the options chosen with the front will disappear, since, for example, in S servo mode you can use only one focus point.

For normal viewing, the single starting focus point will be shown in the viewfinder, along with a bracket showing the outer limit of all the AF sensors. If you push the front button while looking through the viewfinder, it will illuminate all the activated sensors, and show you what area is set. So, for example, if you have 21 area dynamic chosen, and push the button, you will see 21 little squares surrounding whatever point you have chosen as your center. If you push it in 3D or Auto mode, it will show which focus points the camera has chosen to use. It won't change dynamically as you move the camera, but will be different every time you refocus. In 3D mode, without pressing the button, you will see the chosen focus point jump around in the finder as the camera or the subject moves. This is similar to the behavior of 3D in other models, except that the square moves, while in the others, the change is shown by lighting new focus points.

Make sure that your focus point is centered. That's the little red box in the viewfinder. There is a lock on the rear control to keep it where you put it, but if the control is unlocked it's easy to move by accident. Unlock and hit the [OK] button to recenter it.

If you are set to Dynamic area, and move your focus point to a far edge of the available AF frame, you may not get all the possible focus points surrounding it, since none exist outside the frame. It appears that in 51 point, you get all 51 every time, but in 21 an outside corner gets you only 9, and in 9, the outside corner gets you only 5. This issue only exists at the extreme corners of the frame. Some people are of the opinion that 9 or 21 points work a little faster and more reliably than 51 for many things, but if you start with your subject in a corner and expect it to move all over, stick to 51.

Finally, make sure your electronic contacts are clean and making good contact. For some reason I notice on my wife's D7100 that complete lens engagement is less certain than it is on my D3200, and every once in a while she has to wiggle the lens to get full contact. Remove the lens and reseat it and wiggle it a bit to be certain it's going on properly.

bruto

One final note, that's not very likely but you should check. In the assignment of buttons, it is possible to set "AF-ON" for the AE/AF lock button. Make sure that is not set, because it activates back button focus and it will focus only when you push that button. This is a very handy feature, and many people prefer it to shutter button AF, but you need to make sure it's not on by mistake.

mik

Hi there, you mention the D7100 cheat cards. I have recently upgraded from a D5100 to a D7100 and I'm struggling with the differences! I would be really interested in buying a pack - are you still making them @Moose?
Thanks! Mik

Moose

@mik - I'm getting ready to release a set for the D7100. If you'd like I can notify you once they are available. All the best!

mik

Hi @Moose, I would really like that, please let me know! Your D5100 cards really helped to no end and improved my photography! Thank you! :)

Nicki8875

@Moose can you please notify me too? Thank you!

Moose

Hi @mik and @nicki8875 - Of course! I'll add you both to the list. They're almost done!!! :)

mik

Awesome! Thank you!!