# Nikon D5100 image quality



## hussain143

Dear all,I bought recently Nikon D5100 as I'm new wi DSLR. In fact, this is my first DSLR All image that have been taken by me were bad. I don't mean the camera is bad but I need your advice for taken high quality images for both indoor and outdoor. Most pictures were for family photo and children.Please advice!


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## Markw

Step 1: Make sure the lens is connected to the camera.
Step 2: Make sure the lens cap is *off* the lens.
Step 3: Make sure the battery in the camera is charged and the camera power switch is turned to the *on* position.
Step 4: Practice.

Mark


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## jrizal

1. Learn the basics of the Exposure Triangle (Shutter speed, aperture, ISO)

2. Go fully automatic and use scene mode and guide mode.

3. Read the EXIF data on the shots you have taken. Taking note of the settings (shutter, aperture, ISO) used in each type of shot.

4. Go semi-auto. Program auto, shutter and aperture priority modes.

5. Do number 3 again.

6. Go fully manual.

7. Be creative in taking your shots and continue practicing taking shots.

I'm not a pro, but I've definitely noticed that I'm taking better photos since doing that. And I'm still practicing.


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## EchoingWhisper

Don't worry, it has one of the best, if not the best image quality of DX/APS-C cameras.

Okay. Now let's find out what's your problem.
What do you mean by bad image quality?
Is it focus issues? Is it vibration blur? Is it too dark or too bright? Is it grainy? Or is the whites all blown out?


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## hussain143

It seems I need to learn more with Shutter speed, aperture, ISO and so on.

Where I can find some tutorial links to be become a professional.


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## IByte

hussain143 said:
			
		

> It seems I need to learn more with Shutter speed, aperture, ISO and so on.
> 
> Where I can find some tutorial links to be become a professional.



Google, YouTubes, and Fro Knows Photos ....use those internets people!! Lol


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## SCraig

Cambridge in Colour - Photography Tutorials & Learning Community


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## EchoingWhisper

SCraig said:


> Cambridge in Colour - Photography Tutorials & Learning Community



Hmm, that site seems to mislead quite a lot. Good for basics, but beyond that, skip this site.


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## AByrnes

I read a couple technical book and then a Jim Harmer book on my kindle about beginning photography that really helped me start to put all the technical concepts in order in my head. He kind of dummies it does by getting to the root of the concepts your trying to learn and gives you a good starting point. Plus his writing is very conversational and easy to get through.

Once you get through the basics and are starting to play with your settings, what I've done is slowed down if I can when I take pictures to really think about the process and what settings I'm using. I also bring a notebook with me so I can make notes as to what settings didn't work and why, or vise versa, and anything that might help me later on.


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## Solarflare

Check your lens. It should be on the "M/A" or "A" position, not on the "M" position, in order to enable autofocus.

Check your autofocus settings. Make sure they are not on manual. Always choose manual with the lens, not this submenu. Preferably choose Auto, that so far worked well for me. Alternatively you can choose the two autofocus modes depending upon your current needs.

For the modes P, S, A, M:

1. Use the submenu "ISO Sensitivity Settings" to enable automatic ISO and set the minimal shutter speed there to the minimum you still need for your current motive.

2. In the submenu "Picture Control", increase sharpening to maybe 6 or some such. Seems that the default sharpening is way soft and gives an impression of blurr even in sharp pictures, at least when viewed on the computer screen.


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## Markw

Solarflare said:


> Check your lens. It should be on the "M/A" or "A" position, not on the "M" position, in order to enable autofocus.  Yes.
> 
> Check your autofocus settings. Make sure they are not on manual. Always choose manual with the lens, not this submenu. Huh?. Preferably choose Auto, that so far worked well for me. Alternatively you can choose the two autofocus modes depending upon your current needs.
> 
> For the modes P, S, A, M:
> 
> 1. Use the submenu "ISO Sensitivity Settings" to enable automatic ISO and set the minimal shutter speed there to the minimum you still need for your current motive. No.  ISO is probably the easiest of the exposure triangle to understand.  Set the ISO to 200, take a photo.  Set it again to ISO6400 and look at the shadows of the image.  Note the difference.  The grain/noise you see is less severe the lower the number of your ISO.  Your shutter speed is also slower the lower ISO you choose, so choose wisely as to not slow your shutter speed too far and blur your image.  Practice like this and note the changes in exposure as they happen.  You'll pick up on it quicker than you think.
> 
> 2. In the submenu "Picture Control", increase sharpening to maybe 6 or some such. Seems that the default sharpening is way soft and gives an impression of blurr even in sharp pictures, at least when viewed on the computer screen. Again, no.  If you're getting blurry photos, the problem isn't the camera.  The D5100 has the second-highest resolving sensor in Nikon's DX lineup (was #1 until the D3200 came along).  It can produce razor sharp images.  If they're not up to par, your lens may be in question.  You should have nice glass to go along with the great sensor.  If the images are BLURRY, though, you are 100% at fault (or turn the VR off on the lens if it's on a tripod).  Bad technique is really the only thing that can cause blurriness (not choosing the correct shutter speed, not turning the VR off while the camera is on a tripod, or moving/shaking the camera while it takes the photo).



Message in blue.

So, just read up as much as you can, ask as many questions as you have to, and practice.  You'll get the hang of it.

Mark


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## KmH

EchoingWhisper said:


> SCraig said:
> 
> 
> 
> Cambridge in Colour - Photography Tutorials & Learning Community
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm, that site seems to mislead quite a lot. Good for basics, but beyond that, skip this site.
Click to expand...

IMO, it's one of the best digital photography tutorial sites on the web, and I recommend it alot.

Point out a specific instance where one of their many tutorials misleads.


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## TamiAz

Read, practice, read, practice, read some more, practice some more.. The more you read and practice, the better you will get!


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## Solarflare

Markw said:


> Solarflare said:
> 
> 
> 
> Check your lens. It should be on the "M/A" or "A" position, not on the "M" position, in order to enable autofocus.  Yes.
> 
> Check your autofocus settings. Make sure they are not on manual. Always choose manual with the lens, not this submenu. Huh?. Preferably choose Auto, that so far worked well for me. Alternatively you can choose the two autofocus modes depending upon your current needs.
> 
> For the modes P, S, A, M:
> 
> 1. Use the submenu "ISO Sensitivity Settings" to enable automatic ISO and set the minimal shutter speed there to the minimum you still need for your current motive. No.  ISO is probably the easiest of the exposure triangle to understand.  Set the ISO to 200, take a photo.  Set it again to ISO6400 and look at the shadows of the image.  Note the difference.  The grain/noise you see is less severe the lower the number of your ISO.  Your shutter speed is also slower the lower ISO you choose, so choose wisely as to not slow your shutter speed too far and blur your image.  Practice like this and note the changes in exposure as they happen.  You'll pick up on it quicker than you think.
> 
> 2. In the submenu "Picture Control", increase sharpening to maybe 6 or some such. Seems that the default sharpening is way soft and gives an impression of blurr even in sharp pictures, at least when viewed on the computer screen. Again, no.  If you're getting blurry photos, the problem isn't the camera.  The D5100 has the second-highest resolving sensor in Nikon's DX lineup (was #1 until the D3200 came along).  It can produce razor sharp images.  If they're not up to par, your lens may be in question.  You should have nice glass to go along with the great sensor.  If the images are BLURRY, though, you are 100% at fault (or turn the VR off on the lens if it's on a tripod).  Bad technique is really the only thing that can cause blurriness (not choosing the correct shutter speed, not turning the VR off while the camera is on a tripod, or moving/shaking the camera while it takes the photo).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Message in blue.
> 
> So, just read up as much as you can, ask as many questions as you have to, and practice.  You'll get the hang of it.
> 
> Mark
Click to expand...

 I frankly dont get the first half of your answer.

The D5100 has a nice mechanism where you can tell the camera what shutter speed you want minimum, then you give it the f-number, and the camera then decides if it has to raise the ISO. If not, it will use ISO 100 and maybe even a faster shutter speed, if light allows it.

Why exactly is it a bad idea not to use this mechanism ?

At least in general. I'm well aware there are times where you want to have a low shutter speed, for example to make movement visible.


About the second half, I dunno. I tried to make pictures without setting the sharpening higher as Ken Rockwell suggested, and the resulting pictures look blurry to me on the computer, when watched in original size, even if they should be sharp. Pictures that I did before following his suggestions look better.


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## Markw

Solarflare said:


> I frankly dont get the first half of your answer.
> 
> The D5100 has a nice mechanism where you can tell the camera what shutter speed you want minimum, then you give it the f-number, and the camera then decides if it has to raise the ISO. If not, it will use ISO 100 and maybe even a faster shutter speed, if light allows it.
> 
> Why exactly is it a bad idea not to use this mechanism ?
> 
> It's not a bad idea NOT to use it.  I'm suggesting that they not use it.  The OP is trying to LEARN how to use their camera.  Setting everything possible to full auto will learn them nothing besides how to let the camera do the work for them.
> 
> At least in general. I'm well aware there are times where you want to have a low shutter speed, for example to make movement visible.
> 
> And if you use the mechanism as a crutch, you'll never know when the times you need this are, or how to make it happen.
> 
> 
> About the second half, I dunno. I tried to make pictures without setting the sharpening higher as Ken Rockwell suggested, and the resulting pictures look blurry to me on the computer, when watched in original size, even if they should be sharp. Pictures that I did before following his suggestions look better.
> 
> Something tells me you're using a subpar lens, then.  If the lens is soft, you're going to get a soft image.  Otherwise, there's no reason why you would need in-camera sharpening. (In-camera edits are generally a bad idea, anyhow.  That's why shooting RAW is preferred by most.)



Mark


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## Solarflare

Oh ok.

My philosophy is more like "learn one thing at a time".


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