I tried to give a Nikon class!!!!

[theantiquetiger]

My next door neighbor got a Nikon D3100 and has no clue how to use it. So I figured I would invite her over for a crash course in the operation of the camera.

Man, that thing is complicated!!! I couldn't figure out how to change anything (WB, ISO, points of focus, etc).

I ended up just giving her a composition class and telling her to read the manual!!!

I told her to get out of automatic, shoot what she likes and join here. I told her its better to take poor images in manual and learn from her mistakes than to take Polaroids in auto. That's how I am learning.

[Barefoot]

Man, that thing is complicated!!! I couldn't figure out how to change anything (WB, ISO, points of focus, etc).

Probably the biggest drawback of the entry level DSLRs is their lack of dedicated function buttons causing the user to have to dig through the menu. Its somewhat intuitive for me now, but I've never felt intimidated by the Nikon menu settings and find them logical and well thought out. YouTube, brother. It's all there.

[JAS_Photo]

Yeah, if you want to use the camera in manual you have to go into the menus to change stuff up. She might be better off using aperature priority most of the time and just adjusting exposure with the exposure compensation dial(when AP won't give you a good result as in a bright snowy day). Anyway, AP is probably a good place to start anyway. Good luck! B&H or Adorama may have a Youtube video on that particular camera as well. Hold on a sec....

[JAS_Photo]

O.K. This guy is both awesome and annoying but never boring:

[JAS_Photo]

[Barefoot]

O.K. This guy is both awesome and annoying but never boring:

Ha! Based on your description, I knew who it was before I clicked the link. He really lays it on the line with this one.

[theantiquetiger]

Yeah, if you want to use the camera in manual you have to go into the menus to change stuff up. She might be better off using aperature priority most of the time and just adjusting exposure with the exposure compensation dial

I showed and explained to her AV, TV, etc. I just couldn't figure out how to scroll around the LCD screen to change other settings (WB, Points, etc).

A Canon is simple, i push "Q" and scroll around with my arrow keys.

[Barefoot]

A Canon is simple, i push "Q" and scroll around with my arrow keys.

That's pretty cool. How's that work, exactly? I mean, what are the steps?

[theantiquetiger]

That's pretty cool. How's that work, exactly? I mean, what are the steps?

Pretty simple. Now I use the top control buttons to control ISO, speed, and/or f-stop, but to quickly change other functions, its pretty quick (Q button). I am sure the Nikon does something similar, just couldn't figure out how to do it.

[Barefoot]

Pretty simple. Now I use the top control buttons to control ISO, speed, and/or f-stop, but to quickly change other functions, its pretty quick (Q button).

I like that. Have you looked into Magic Lantern? I wish something like it was out there for Nikon.