# OK! The D7000 has arrived. Now what?!



## bmilcs (Mar 17, 2014)

So, I've picked up David Busch's Nikon D7000 Guide to Digital SLR Photography, a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor 35mm/1.8g lens. After about the second chapter, the book lost me.

I'm new to DSLR photography and photography in general. I've done a little research via google about ISO, aperature, shutter speed, etc. and have a very minimal understanding of it all.

As of right now, I could use help with my lightbox and getting the best possible settings with my D7000. I understand that ISO should be as low as possible for the least amount of noise. I'm sure I could use a tripod, but I like to get in there and take pictures at odd angles. I like to set my products apart with unique photos (ebay) and a tripod limits what I can do. 

How should I go about this? I take pictures of vintage metal razors primarily.

Does anyone have any good reading material / complete idiots guide to DSLR photography that I can read online somewhere? Maybe tutorials on different camera settings that produce cool effects?


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## D-B-J (Mar 17, 2014)

Youtube.  How to Create an Inexpensive Photography Lightbox: 15 Steps

Also, to learn settings, go and shoot manual for a month. Play with different settings of ISO, Aperture, and Shutter speed.  That's the BEST way to learn and understand how the three are connected, but you'll find it frustrating.  Books and tutorials will help, but hands on experience is the best way to learn. 

Best,
Jake


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## JerryLove (Mar 17, 2014)

The technical details of operating a DSLR? I'm a big fan of Play | Canon Explains Exposure

Razors: I'd be looking at angles, light reflections, and macro-photography I think. I have no particular suggestion in that regard.


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## bmilcs (Mar 17, 2014)

Yes light reflecting off the razor looks great. Angles are important as well. Specifically how do you achieve better contrast between lights and darks?


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## manicmike (Mar 17, 2014)

bmilcs said:


> Yes light reflecting off the razor looks great. Angles are important as well. Specifically how do you achieve better contrast between lights and darks?



You can do that in post easily.


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## tirediron (Mar 17, 2014)

Read these.  ALL of them.  Buy the bible.  Don't forget your camera's manual.  Nikon actually produces VERY good manuals.  As well, there's a HUGE number of tutorials on YouTube.  Search "DSLR tutorial" and similar terms.


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## tirediron (Mar 17, 2014)

manicmike said:


> bmilcs said:
> 
> 
> > Yes light reflecting off the razor looks great. Angles are important as well. Specifically how do you achieve better contrast between lights and darks?
> ...


Maybe... but, it's a LOT easier to get it right in the camera.  A solid understanding light and how it acts, and how to control it is absolutely critical to product photography.  Check out the second link in my post above.


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## manaheim (Mar 17, 2014)

I'm a fan of NOT going all manual because you're trying to learn like five inter-connected things at once, and that's going to be REALLY hard. It's akin to learning sky diving, by being thrown out of a plane with a sewing machine and a bolt of fabric.

Go to program mode and shoot some pictures. Wait until something doesn't work for you, and then go figure out why. THEN choose the mode that best fits the variables in that situation and use it. Return to Program when you're not in that situation. Over time you will evolve away from using program mode and will use mostly aperture or shutter priority, and occasionally manual. Again, depending on your needs.


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## astroNikon (Mar 17, 2014)

^^ listen to above

I do have to add, when I bought my d7000 and started reading the manual it made no sense.

I basically did ONE THING at a time to learn on the camera.
If you take photos and then check the settings for each photo, then vary what you take photos of - in various light, etc.  Then compare each of the cameras setting for each photo - the ISO and Shutter, Aperture.  But for what you are doing you may want to stick to one Aperture, such as say 5.6.

Then learn your exposure triangle better .. many website out there about it such as
Learning about Exposure - The Exposure Triangle - Digital Photography School

and also set up your d7000 for all data on the camera
Playback Menu
Display Mode
then turn on all the settings - all the checkboxes

- this will provide you all that information on your LCD when you preview a photo.  You have to scrolls through the different displays (other than magnifying +/- via the buttons on the left).  you use left right on the round pad on the back that you use your thumb with.

but start learning your exposure triangle
then play around with whitebalance
then things will start making more sense and the manual will start being informative !!

but with the manual, try to learn what each button does for now.  You'l learn how to use them properly later.  It took me a long time to get used to placement and what each button does (or what it accesses) but it helps everything down the road.


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## bmilcs (Mar 17, 2014)

Wow! Fantastic advice here!

Thank you all for your input. I was a little discouraged - overwhelmed by all the terminology and striking the right balance of all settings said above. I am eager to be able to do it - at least for my stills. 

What I was doing is changing every setting randomly, bumping it by one and seeing how it affected the image. But I really wasn't gaining anything because I wasn't keeping any variables constant. I'll do as you said and learn as I go.

The more input the merrier. Again, I didn't realize people posted youtube tutorials on this but it's not a surprise. Does anyone have a specific channel recommendation for the basics of DSLR and/or D7000?


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## JerryLove (Mar 17, 2014)

Static objects with controlled lighting with (presumably) a tripod? 

I think I'd be ISO 100, 
I think I'd use Aperture to set  DoF to wherever worked,

Then I think I'd start playing with flash power-vs-shutter speed to get the lighting I wanted. I think that is where most of the manipulation of settings for effect would be.


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## BrickHouse (Mar 17, 2014)

I feel like it has taken me a solid year to really understand and know my camera to the point that I can make any changes I need without pulling back to look at the screen. Now, I don't shoot much, maybe once every couple weeks, and this was my first camera ever, so the average person can probably do it much quicker, but the point is it just takes time playing with the camera. Just get out and play.


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## manaheim (Mar 17, 2014)

bmilcs said:


> Wow! Fantastic advice here!
> 
> Thank you all for your input. I was a little discouraged - overwhelmed by all the terminology and striking the right balance of all settings said above. I am eager to be able to do it - at least for my stills.
> 
> ...



Part of the problem is that things are tied to each other. So, you change the aperture, and then either your ISO or your shutter may need to adjust to compensate. Hell... you change your FOCAL LENGTH and your aperture or shutter may need to change. Just moving one thing to see what it does winds up giving you all kinds of random crap, and since you don't know what ANY of it is, it just gets really frustrating.

There is NOTHING wrong with putting that sucker in Program and just taking some shots. Get comfortable with the camera. Learn it slowly.

The one caveat I tell people, is I avoid using AUTO. AUTO will also vary your ISO automatically, and will even pop up your flash. These are two things that can have a MAJOR impact to your image, and you're better off just seeing where the camera is unable to take the shot and adjusting those things yourself if you have to.


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## bmilcs (Mar 17, 2014)

manaheim said:


> bmilcs said:
> 
> 
> > Wow! Fantastic advice here!
> ...



What exactly does program do? I'm at work otherwise I'd look myself.


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## Derrel (Mar 17, 2014)

bmilcs said:
			
		

> What exactly does program do? I'm at work otherwise I'd look myself.



Program mode picks a good combination of f/stop and shutter speed for the light level and the focal length in use. It "sets" the shutter speed and the f/stop, automatically.

THe user can shoot a picture, then turn the main control wheel left or right, and EQUIVALENT shutter and f/stop combinations can be shifted to. This allows the user to easily "shift" to a slower speed and a smaller lens opening, so as to slow down the speed for a more creative slow-speed panning shot OR to achieve deep depth of field, OR the user is free to spin the main control wheel to shift to a faster shutter speed and a larger lens opening, to stop motion or to create shallower depth of field.

Program mode used to be referred to as Shiftable Programmed Automatic mode in user manuals. The beauty is that Program mode allows FAST, easy, convenient automatic adjustment of the shutter and lens f/stop, and then if the user wishes to make a choice for deeper depth of field/slower speed or shallower depth of field/faster shutter speed, it's as easy as a few clicks on the thumb-wheel controller.


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## manaheim (Mar 17, 2014)

I actually never even knew you could shift it around back when I was using it, which is funny.  I've really not used it in probably 6-7 years now, so I haven't had an excuse to play with it since I found that little tidbit out.

So thanks for mentioning it. I totally forgot about that.


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## Derrel (Mar 17, 2014)

manaheim said:


> I actually never even knew you could shift it around back when I was using it, which is funny.  I've really not used it in probably 6-7 years now, so I haven't had an excuse to play with it since I found that little tidbit out.
> 
> So thanks for mentioning it. I totally forgot about that.



I figured I should mention the "shift" capability of Program mode. The MAIN difference between Canon's "Green Box" mode and P mode is the shiftability of P mode, whereas the Green Box automatic mode is pretty much "you get what you get" and is not user-shiftable.


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## manaheim (Mar 17, 2014)

The green box mode also does auto-ISO and flash, too, right?


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## goodguy (Mar 17, 2014)

D-B-J said:


> Also, to learn settings, go and shoot manual for a month. Play with different settings of ISO, Aperture, and Shutter speed.  That's the BEST way to learn and understand how the three are connected, but you'll find it frustrating.  Books and tutorials will help, but hands on experience is the best way to learn.
> 
> Best,
> Jake


Agreed, I found shooting in manual in the beginning most helpful to understand the basics of photography.
I also found youtube very helpful and free.


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## robbins.photo (Mar 17, 2014)

Ok, step one remove from box.  Step two insert battery.  Step three attach lens.  Step four start shooting and enjoy.

The rest you just pretty much figure out as you go.

Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk


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## astroNikon (Mar 17, 2014)

robbins.photo said:


> Ok, step one remove from box.  Step two insert battery.  Step three attach lens.  Step four start shooting and enjoy.
> 
> The rest you just pretty much figure out as you go.
> 
> Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk


Dont forget to charge the battery first!!
And take the OEM lens caps off.


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## robbins.photo (Mar 17, 2014)

astroNikon said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > Ok, step one remove from box.  Step two insert battery.  Step three attach lens.  Step four start shooting and enjoy.
> ...



Lens cap?

Aha!  Ok that explains a lot.   Lol

Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk


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## JoeW (Mar 17, 2014)

bmilcs said:


> So, I've picked up David Busch's Nikon D7000 Guide to Digital SLR Photography, a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor 35mm/1.8g lens. After about the second chapter, the book lost me.
> 
> I'm new to DSLR photography and photography in general. I've done a little research via google about ISO, aperature, shutter speed, etc. and have a very minimal understanding of it all.
> 
> ...



I shoot with a D7000.  I also have that 35mm f1.8 prime and the Busch book.  Let me offer a few tips.

1.  Start with the manual over the Busch book.  I like Busch.  But it will make a lot more sense once you get familiar on a basic level with a DSLR.  Right now, I bet it's all Greek to you.

2.  Get a household object like a pencil.  Or a pen.  Or a fork.  Don't start with a razor b/c you'll just frustrate the crap out of yourself.  Take your pencil/pen/fork.  And start manipulating the camera and shooting that object.  Set the camera to "A" (for aperture mode).  Read in the manual how to adjust the aperture.  Get yourself a white board or a bunch of post-it notes or index cards.  Start at f1.8 and keep raising the f-stop as you shoot that object (and each picture, you right down on the index card or white board what the aperture setting is) and make sure that is next to the object you're shooting (right next to it).  Have a couple of other objects scattered in the background (so you can see the difference the change in aperture makes).  There are a lot of things that you will need to learn about your D7000.  But given what you're shooting, what you said you wanted to do (get bokeh or blur in the background), and the lens you got, then the first thing you should learn to do (once you get past turning the camera on, learning where basic bells and whistles are) is the impact of aperture and how to adjust it.  And if you start by shooting razors you'll get frustrated b/c the pictures aren't looking like you want them to look. But if you shoot a fork it's just an experiment with a fricking fork.  Take your time.  Once you've discovered the impact of aperture, start changing how you shoot the fork and what your distance/perspective/angle is.  You think a fork is just a fork?  In fact, don't even attempt to shoot a razor for at least a week, maybe two weeks.  Otherwise your camera phone razor pictures will look better than your DSLR razor pictures.  And that will just discourage you and piss you off simultaneously.




This is a fork.  If I remember correctly, I shot this with the same 35mm f1.8 (either than or my 50mm f1.4).

3.  The next thing you're going to need to work on (and this is where both the manual and the Busch book will come in handy) is the whole issue of focus.  Focal points (one or many?).  How to shift the focal point in the view.  How to deal with a range of depth.  The D7000 gives you a lot of options, they aren't all intuitive.  My wife, for instance, refuses to take pictures of me on vacation with my D7000 body b/c they always come out unfocused (or focused on something other than me) if when set on "auto"...she doesn't know how the focal points work and how to freeze the focus.

Okay, there's a lot more to it than just these things.  But do these three things and you'll be able to start shooting some snazzy pictures of razors in a couple of weeks.


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## bmilcs (Mar 18, 2014)

JoeW said:


> bmilcs said:
> 
> 
> > So, I've picked up David Busch's Nikon D7000 Guide to Digital SLR Photography, a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor 35mm/1.8g lens. After about the second chapter, the book lost me.
> ...



Fantastic. So there IS a way to control the autofocus haha. I was messing around with metering but never got into detail with it. It's hard with so little free time. 

I know how to set iso, aperature, shutter and all that now. I know the basics of A mode and S mode. I'm not good at it but I am beginning to get it  

Focusing is my issue. I wan to utilize the advanced focus technology. The book explains that well and in lay and terms?


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## bmilcs (Mar 18, 2014)

Also, I love the built in raw photo editor in photoshop! I accidentally changed from jpg to raw format. Amazing!


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## bmilcs (Mar 26, 2014)

...


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## astroNikon (Mar 26, 2014)

I bought the book 
Mastering the Nikon d7000  by Darrel Young
as the manual was nothing but confusing to me
This book taught me so much in simple terms that the manual started making sense lol

Mastering the Nikon D7000: Darrell Young: 9781933952802: Amazon.com: Books

To learn Depth of Field, basically what a 1.4 or 1.8 lens does for you, I simply went to a fence and took a shot along it.  This allowed you to understand before and after your focus point (use AF-S Single Focus point) to focus on one part of the fence.  YOu then see how the depth of field works in large apertures such as f/1.8.   You can also do this was a yardstick/ruler to see the effects too.


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## bmilcs (Mar 26, 2014)

Thanks man. 

Yah in about a week, I've learned so much. I fully understand iso, aperature, shutter speed and so on. It just clicks. Now I need to learn how to compose


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## bmilcs (Mar 26, 2014)

More importantly I would like a lens that I could get closer to a subject to shoot macro style. My 35mm/1.8 is awesome but not ideal for my close up razor and brush shots. What should I look for?? Less than 1 ft distance


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## astroNikon (Mar 26, 2014)

I used that book I mentioned and went through and tested each feature/function on the camera.
It really helps to know what your camera can do and recognize it - then you can look up specifics in the manual.


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