Initial setup for the Nikon D3100

GYS

Hi, I'm new to photography and recently bought my Nikon D3100. Most of my pictures are coming out blurry and I can hardly take a clear photo using manual focus. Could you provide some initial settings for this camera. Thanks in advance!

Moose

@GYS - Which lens are you using? In the beginning, I recommend sticking with the scene modes until you get a good grasp of how aperture, shutter speed and ISO work together. You can enable the scene modes by rotating the mode dial to portrait, landscape, sports, etc... You can also enable the 'SCENE' option on the mode dial and you'll have even more scene modes available to you. Happy shooting! :)

GYS

I am using the 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G. I've experimented with the scene modes and have attained a good knowledge of aperture mode, shutter speed and ISO settings by reading various documents available on internet.

What I want to be sure of is that there's no manufacturing defect in the camera...is there a way you to test this? Maybe test a certain setting and see if the picture comes out good. That way I'll know if it's me or the camera.

Moose

@GYS - I would first jump into your MENU and reset the 'Shooting Options' and the 'Setup Options' back to factory default. After resetting, ensure your battery is fully charged. Then enable P (program mode) and take a few test shots outdoors in bright light (10am to 4pm). Give that a try and let me know how it all shakes out.