# Two things I have done lately that have improved my work/fun with the D5100



## greybeard (Apr 28, 2012)

1.  Assign the ISO function to the self-timer button.
              CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU->f Controls->f1 Assign Fn button  ISO

  Coming from film, having control over ISO/ASA is a new thing to me.  In the good/bad old days of film you set the ISO to what ever the film speed was and dealt with it for the entire roll.  You could not change film speed in the middle of a roll.  With these new fangled digital cameras ISO can be changed as easily as shutter and aperture.  So why keep it buried in a menu, assign it to the self-timer button.  Now, when you hold down the self-timer button and spin the control wheel, the ISO changes just like the other exposure controls.  I think this really improves things.  

  2.  Use a White/Gray card for WB setting.
              SHOOTING MENU->White balance->PRE Preset manual->Measure->Overwrite existing preset data? (and then take a picture of your gray card)

  This procedure sets your D5100 to the existing light in the room.  You have to do this every time your lighting changes but the white balance has been spot on for every thing I have shot using this method.  I dont use this for everything as it can be time consuming and I shoot RAW so I have control in PP.  

These procedures are described  in detail in the manual.




  Just thought Id pass this on.


----------



## Derrel (Apr 28, 2012)

Good suggestions, greybeard. The ability to use a "*FUNC*" button plus a camera control wheel to quickly enable or disable one's very own,personal, user-set custom *FUNC*tions is one of the Nikon innovations that have long earned the brand a reputation for superior ergonomics and control design ethos. Heck, even Canon has seen how well the Nikon FUNC button concept works, and has now introduced their very own version of the FUNC button! I agree with you on your amazement and joy about the ISO adjustability that these newfangled d-slr cameras have brought us! Need ISO 1,250 for ten frames? Need ISO 640 to give a little bit more flash bounce range? Want to bracket flash exposure results with an off-camera flash set to manual output control mode? ISO adjustment to the rescue!!!! It's pretty sweet--especially now that the very-newest sensors and cameras allow such good dynamic range and good color across more than just the base ISO values! Truly, we live in amazing times.


----------



## otherprof (Apr 28, 2012)

Thank you very much for the advice. I just assigned the ISO settings to the function button, and look forward to making use of this easy access to more control.


----------



## Mrgiggls (Apr 28, 2012)

Good call....if I didn't have a ISO button on my D90 I'd probably do the same.    I have learned that auto-ISO is not a good thing a lot of the time.  Coincidentaly, the Fn on my D90 is set in a closely related area of exposure...metering.   I have my D90 set to matrix but when I need to spot meter I simply press the Fn button and there it is.


----------



## Designer (Apr 28, 2012)

Even back in the film days we did things to modify the ASA of the film.  We occasionally set the ASA to a higher number, and "pushed" the developing process.  Problem was, we had to process the entire roll to that specification.  That is why some of us loaded some short rolls of only about ten shots when we knew before hand we were going to push the process.  Of course, we often lost detail in the shadows, but the SPEED!  When printing, we generally could burn in the detail areas a little to help.  

Using the function button for the ISO is a good plan.


----------



## zamanakhan (Apr 28, 2012)

I wish I could do this with the d7000, I would love to control all the settings without having to take my hand off the lens.


----------



## TamiAz (Apr 28, 2012)

Perfect timing.. I just bought a gray card last week and haven't had a chance to play with it. Now I know how!!    Thanks for the tip on using the self-timer for adjusting  iso..  I use my AE-L/AF-L for focusing and I find it much easier to use.


----------



## Roman Smolkin (Oct 27, 2014)

Hi, just discovered that fn button for ISO, but how do you take a timer shot if the fn button is used for ISO?


----------



## greybeard (Oct 27, 2014)

Roman Smolkin said:


> Hi, just discovered that fn button for ISO, but how do you take a timer shot if the fn button is used for ISO?


I never use the self-time, I use a off camera radio trigger instead.


----------



## DGMPhotography (Oct 27, 2014)

Roman Smolkin said:


> Hi, just discovered that fn button for ISO, but how do you take a timer shot if the fn button is used for ISO?



You can just do it in the menu (press i), which works if you're not doing it all the time -just change from single or continuous to 10s.


----------



## MichaelHenson (Oct 27, 2014)

Good stuff. I have a grey card, just haven't used it yet. Setting ISO to the FN button was one of the first things I did...

Something else that I just discovered this weekend was the setting for focus lock. I though I'd had it set but kept running into issues whenever I would focus and recompose. Double checked all my settings again and found that, apparently, I'd set the lock button to AE lock? Fixed it and played with focus lock and some back button focusing...I think that from now on, with portraits, I'm going with back button focusing...I love having the ability to focus on a static object and recompose without accidentally taking a picture or losing focus (with the half shutter press + AF lock button) because my HUGE hands slip and accidentally finish pushing the shutter.


----------



## sleist (Oct 29, 2014)

Saved yourself some money.
Upgrading gear won't get you as much as upgrading your brain.

Nice post.


----------



## 480sparky (Oct 29, 2014)

Back in my film days, I could easily change the ASA of the film I'm shooting.

I'd just pick up my second camera.  

If push came to shove, I'd make note of the number of exposures taken, wind the film back in and put in a different ASA film.  When it was time to put it back in the camera, I'd use a leader retriever.  Reload the film, take exposures at the fastest shutter speed and smallest apertures with the lens cap on, go a couple frames past the end of the exposed portion, and start firing away again.


----------

