Beginner Help with Nikon D5300

Esther

Esther

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Esther
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I'm an absolute beginner so my 2 problems may not be problems at all and just the way camera is so please bear with me!

Last week after many hours of reading up I purchased my first dslr, a Nikon D5300, one of the reasons was the 39 auto focus points which I assumed would be useful as I'll mainly be taking photos of my 2 young kids and the dogs which rarely keep still.
When I first tried the camera I'm sure the AF points were displayed in a grid on the lcd but now all that shows up when I half press the shutter is one square with a dot in the middle, the AF grid only shows through the viewfinder and not on the lcd screen. I'm starting to think they were never on the lcd at all yet I'm sure they were.

Also when I take a photo I hear the click then the screen goes black for a couple of seconds then there's another click before the image then shows up on the screen, therefore I can't take several photos in quick succession manually because each one is taking so long the kids/dogs have moved before I get chance to take another.

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
Rather than offer you various possibilities, may I suggest you study the manual that came with the camera. If you've been knob twiddling or button pushing randomly, as we all like to do with a new camera, then possibly you've changed some basic settings, e.g. you may have inadvertently set a long exposure. Nikon's manuals are bit of a torture to work through, but stick with it! Not an answer but hope it helps!
 
The 39 auto focus points only show in the viewfinder, and not in liveview. In liveview you have the option of face priority AF, Wide area AF, Normal area AF or Subject tracking AF.

I would imagine that for shooting animals and kids moving around Subject-tracking AF would be that better option.

Your second problem is caused by a couple of things related to shooting in liveview. In liveview the mirror has to be moved out of the way so you can see the image, the shutter normally covers the sensor but this to is open. When you take the shoot the shutter has to close, then open to expose the shot then close again, this is the black you see.

The way around this is to set the shutter/release mode to continuous.

Hope this helps

G
 
Thanks for the replies, it looks like I'll have to get used to using the viewfinder instead, it's good to know I hadn't altered any settings.

Regarding the manual I've read it cover to cover a couple of times and been on Google but couldn't find the answers, I've just missed the beginning of a local photography course and the next one isn't until September so it's been such a help getting the answers now.
 
Well good for you, but the manual is difficult. You're better off getting used to the viewfinder. Soon with practice you'll improve immensely. I rarely use live view other than when on a tripod.
 
Esther, what about picking up a new or second hand copy of a book dedicated to the D5300? There's a few about. I've bought one called D5300: From Snapshots to Greatshots :)
 
That's a good idea Bletch, at the moment I'm trying to learn as much as I can online but it'd be much easier with a specific book.
 
[QUOTE="Esther, post: 7347630, member: 81935"....., at the moment I'm trying to learn as much as I can online but it'd be much easier with a specific book.[/QUOTE]

Perhaps you are trying to learn too much too soon

when i got my D5000 i set it all to the default values on the Ken Rockwell D5000 website
i know there are mixed feelings about KR ...:) but at least he got my D5000 setup to go out and start learning

if you want to chase sprogs and dogs - maybe set set it on Shutter and set 1/250 - let the camera pick the aperture
http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/d5300/users-guide/index.htm
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d5300/af-settings.htm
 
Esther said:
I'm an absolute beginner so my 2 problems may not be problems at all and just the way camera is so please bear with me!

Last week after many hours of reading up I purchased my first dslr, a Nikon D5300, one of the reasons was the 39 auto focus points which I assumed would be useful as I'll mainly be taking photos of my 2 young kids and the dogs which rarely keep still.
When I first tried the camera I'm sure the AF points were displayed in a grid on the lcd but now all that shows up when I half press the shutter is one square with a dot in the middle, the AF grid only shows through the viewfinder and not on the lcd screen. I'm starting to think they were never on the lcd at all yet I'm sure they were.
Click to expand...

Hi Esther et al

I could explain in simple terms, still long-winded, about the 39 points, but this is really for a single moving object. If you want to try and get 2 kids and a dog all in focus, you're better off learning a bit about aperture ... plus shooting in Auto Area AF.

Let's start with what your Info display looks like ... Graphic (L) hopefully, not Classic (R)

420075.image7.jpg


Ignore the numbers/settings in the above image, look at the rectangle with 39 dots just above the word FINE. The central one is highlighted depicting a single focus point, the best way to shoot most of the time. We'll come back to the 39 display. Read on with your camera in A (Aperture Priority), my mode of choice.

See above image again ... below the FINE word, right a bit, it says AF-S, select that on your camera and then select the default AF-A Focus Mode. With these Focus Modes you are selecting HOW you focus. AF-A means Auto, and mine's on Auto all the time (default) works perfectly ... for me anyway but some say it can occasionally get confused between the stationery and the moving.

See above image again ... just to the right of the Focus Mode selector there's [o] kinda thing, select that and change your AF Area Mode. With these AF Area Modes you are selecting WHERE you focus. Ignore the 9, 21, 39 points, that leaves you with Single, 3D, and Auto [see my mention of Auto Area AF in my first paragraph]. Select 3D for chasing a moving object.

Hit the MENU button on your camera, select the pencil, select a Autofocus, a2 Number of focus points .... 39 and 11 are your options. 39 is said to be better for unpredictable movements. Select either ...

See above image again ... the rectangle with the 39 dots, when AF39 is selected they will all be highlighted, when AF11 is selected 11 will be highlighted.

Now sit back, put your feet up, well, one foot anyway. Look thru your viewfinder, half press the shutter button, press the OK button to bring your focus point into the centre if it's not there already. With a half pressed shutter button aim at your foot, pan your camera and/or move your foot and see what happens.

>

There's more to it, but hopefully that will get a conversation started.
 
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I'd be pleased to hear any comments, additions, criticism. :D
 
Thank you so much for your replies.

John I'm definitely trying to learn super fast, I'm very impatient with a lot of things and once I set my mind on something I want it all done asap! I've ordered the book Bletch recommended and have been on the Ken Rockwell site a fair bit too, I find I read it all through then get a bit bogged down in trying to learn various settings and then when I'm out with my camera I forget what I'd learnt the previous evening and end up putting the camera on auto and hope for the best.

d00d thank you too so much for the detailed reply, I've been out all day at a theme park so only just had the chance to sit down and alter my camera to your recommended settings, I see now that the 1 focus square follows my foot around which I assume is great for things that move, I have several photos of my foot now! Would those settings be appropriate for more than one moving object at a time?
I took some photos on Friday of my daughter chasing bubbles and have a lovely one where the bubble is bursting on her face but her hands are blurred which I'm so disappointed with as it was such a rare moment to capture. I've been relying on the childrens or sports setting in the hope they'd keep everything sharp but I'd much prefer to learn how to control it myself and hopefully get to keep more photos.
 
[QUOTE="Esther, post: 7349744, member: 81935"............... and then when I'm out with my camera I forget what I'd learnt the previous evening and end up putting the camera on auto and hope for the best.

.I took some photos on Friday of my daughter chasing bubbles and have a lovely one where the bubble is bursting on her face but her hands are blurred which I'm so disappointed with as it was such a rare moment to capture. .........[/QUOTE]

Esther
I dont think ''Auto'' will help you learn - cos the camera is doing all your thinking
'''...if you want to chase sprogs and dogs - maybe set set it on Shutter and set 1/250 - let the camera pick the aperture...''
do the settings 'before' you leave the house..:)

ref the daughter -
if the hands were blurred - maybe too slow a shutter speed if the hands were moving

if they were OOF [out of focus] but not moving - maybe you had too small a DoF [depth of field ] ie face OK
so you could try .... set the camera to Aperture - select say f/11 or f/16 for a larger DoF
[stepping back will also increase DoF.]
this will of course reduce the light levels, so the shutter speed will drop

BUT dont be afraid to raise the ISO setting - i dont know the D5300 but my older D5000 would happily goto 1600 and above

if you have the ISO set to Auto
check out the Auto value settings..!
maybe the 'max' is set too low [eg 800 or less...:(..]....raise the max to 1600 [or more]
and the min shutter speed to 1/60

all assumptions on my part about the D5300 - but its a matter of

analysing the subject
speed or aperture decision
raise the ISO if needed

hopefully the far more experience ppl here will add/modify my thoughts.........:)
 
Esther said:
Would those settings be appropriate for more than one moving object at a time?
Click to expand...

I don't think so.

Maybe you should try Auto Area AF.
Maybe you should try the Auto mode (not to be underestimated).
Maybe you should get creative, focusing on one child/dog at a time.

Keep at it, keep playing.
 
Apologies for the delay replying, it's been a few days of either me or the kids with a sickness bug so I haven't had much time to play around with my camera.

Thanks for the replies again, now the lighter evenings are here I'm planning to go out once the kids are in bed and learn my way around the functions without distraction, I'm also going to join a local camera club next Wednesday evening.
 
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