How and where to start

Xlr8tin said:

Hey guys!

Click to expand...

Yo again!

Next step is to learn the basics -- aperture (and how it affects depth-of-field) and shutter speed (and how it affects blur). These are the two primary tools available to a photographer (at least, traditionally) and they will help you begin to see how you can take control of your photography. Shooting the same pic at multiple settings will help you see the differences.

Here's a book I always recommend for beginners (linking to the used 10th edition because new 12th edition is hella expensive). The 4th edition was my textbook in the 90s and I still refer to it.

Someone else asked about online classes. I watched this one when it was free at the beginning of the pandemic and thought it covered the basics quite nicely. (And the info applies to all cameras, not just Nikons.)

Meanwhile go out and take "photo walks" -- go someplace you wouldn't normally go, walk around for an hour and snap what looks interesting. Great way to practice composition, and that's what starts you thinking about technique: "Hey, this would look good with the background fuzzy, so I'll use a larger F/stop" or "Blurring the motion of the cars on the street would give this some action, so I'll shoot at 1/30th". Things like that.

HTH

Aaron

Xlr8tin said:

I'm thrilled to be here, but I am overwhelmed because I'm not sure what to do. I recently bought my a7Rii. Right now I only have a handful of old manual focus lenses that seem to be very nice for what I've done so far.

I bought my camera and lenses last week, and have been going over a lot of settings of the camera. (many have been helpful on here on this topic).

Click to expand...

Once you find a focal length (or focal range) that you find useful, consider getting yourself a Sony autofocus lens so that you can appreciate the full capabilities of your camera, which you will find to be very impressive. Choose carefully, since suitable lenses can be expensive. Although your existing manual lenses seem to be of reasonable quality, you might find that more up to date lenses are better.

There are many autofocus options provided by your camera, and sorting them out can be quite a task, but a worthwhile one. Utilising the User Memories of the camera can be a great help in this regard; these provide useful starting points for standard shooting, but can be modified to suit the prevailing conditions.

Xlr8tin said:

Hey guys!

I'm thrilled to be here, but I am overwhelmed because I'm not sure what to do. I recently bought my a7Rii. Right now I only have a handful of old manual focus lenses that seem to be very nice for what I've done so far.

I bought my camera and lenses last week, and have been going over a lot of settings of the camera. (many have been helpful on here on this topic)

I'm very new to all of this, but I love taking pictures. Prior to this I have been using my Samsung phones. I have taken what I believe to be some great pictures. I feel like I have a good eye, but that's where it ends.

I want to take landscape pictures mostly. I don't feel like being someone who takes portraits of people since I am an introvert and am not good with conversation face to face. I also, don't like making videos of myself, so youtube is not something I've looked into.

At this point, I don't know what to do. There are too many directions to go in. I would like to be able to do photography as a hobby to make some money on the side, but I have no idea how or where to start. To at least make my money back on the camera and lenses would be at least the most I expect to be happy.

I opened a flicker account, but I don't know how to utilize it. I looked at the pro level, but not sure if it is worth it at this point in the game.

Besides getting out there and taking photos, what do I need to do? There is too much material out there, and it seems like everyone and their grandmother are photographers.

Real estate looks like a good option as well, but I don't know where to start. Any help or suggestions would be helpful. Maybe let me know how many of you started and how you are doing now, and how long it took for you to get going?

At the very least I have a great camera for family pictures, but I could have bought something 1/3 of the price to do that

Gregg

Click to expand...

My first thought is to read some books on composition and lightning. Even if you have a good eye, it is useful to understand some of the reasons why a certain composition works and another does not. It is also useful to understand what light characteristics to look for. Fortunately, a previous post recommended a good book. I will note that many think they have a good eye for photography when they begin, but can look back on previous work and see significant improvement over time.

Making money on the side is a bit more challenging. And it's something I wouldn't worry about right away. Since this is primarily a hobby, find what you enjoy shooting and start building a portfolio. Get others to critique your photos (not family and friends). Enter competitions. Just have fun. When you feel like you have a good portfolio and/or have mastered the craft you may try selling landscape photos at local art fares, selling them online, doing some paid portraits, etc. But I think putting pressure on yourself to recoup the cost of the camera will sap all the fun out of this new hobby.

BTW: my dad went down a similar path and had the goal of making a bit of money on the side to pay for equipment cost. He has some very nice work, has won some contests, and sold several prints. However, 15 years later I am not sure if he has recouped his equipment cost. You may be a better business person (my father is not a great business person), but monetizing photography can be challenging and frustrating.

Determine how you learn to start.

For example are you a visual learner? If yes then you prefer learning by observing things. If yes invest time on YouTube. Invest time in a class where they use slide decks, whiteboards, etc..

Maybe you are a social learner. Take a class. Join a photography club. YouTube may not work for you if you are this type of learner.

Maybe you are a solitary learner. Then definitely YouTube should be your primary source along with reading forums like DPReview and others, along with blogs.

So figure out what type of learner you are and follow that methodology for the greatest success.

Have fun!

Autonerd said:

Xlr8tin said:

Hey guys!

Click to expand...

Yo again!

Next step is to learn the basics -- aperture (and how it affects depth-of-field) and shutter speed (and how it affects blur). These are the two primary tools available to a photographer (at least, traditionally) and they will help you begin to see how you can take control of your photography. Shooting the same pic at multiple settings will help you see the differences.

Here's a book I always recommend for beginners (linking to the used 10th edition because new 12th edition is hella expensive). The 4th edition was my textbook in the 90s and I still refer to it.

Someone else asked about online classes. I watched this one when it was free at the beginning of the pandemic and thought it covered the basics quite nicely. (And the info applies to all cameras, not just Nikons.)

Meanwhile go out and take "photo walks" -- go someplace you wouldn't normally go, walk around for an hour and snap what looks interesting. Great way to practice composition, and that's what starts you thinking about technique: "Hey, this would look good with the background fuzzy, so I'll use a larger F/stop" or "Blurring the motion of the cars on the street would give this some action, so I'll shoot at 1/30th". Things like that.

HTH

Aaron

Click to expand...

Crap, he found me! I think you are stalking me..lmao;-)

Yea, shutter speed is one I don't get yet. I've played with it a lot, and all I can figure so far is that it seems to also darken or lighten my photo. So based on what you just told me I'm wrong..lol

Thanks, I went ahead and added that book to my cart as well. I bought one that was recommended and just got it, so I can start reading it. I'll definitely look into this video as well.

I need a good photo editor that is easy to use. I downloaded Capture One and it isn't as easy to use as I would like it. I am looking for something as easy as it is for my phone or uploading photos to Instagram. I'm new to this so I need something I don't need a degree to operate it or else I'll never edit photos, and I like editing when it's convenient enough.

Yea, I gotta get out and take a walk with my camera. I've been taking photos of the backyard. So far I'm getting a little discouraged as most of them are rubbish. Most don't seem that great once I upload them to my computer. I don't know if it's my lenses or my laptop. Do I need a good desktop with a good quality screen? I have a thinkpad X1 Carbon. It's one of the best laptops out there, but maybe not for viewing photos?

WryCuda said:

Xlr8tin said:

I'm thrilled to be here, but I am overwhelmed because I'm not sure what to do. I recently bought my a7Rii. Right now I only have a handful of old manual focus lenses that seem to be very nice for what I've done so far.

I bought my camera and lenses last week, and have been going over a lot of settings of the camera. (many have been helpful on here on this topic).

Click to expand...

Once you find a focal length (or focal range) that you find useful, consider getting yourself a Sony autofocus lens so that you can appreciate the full capabilities of your camera, which you will find to be very impressive. Choose carefully, since suitable lenses can be expensive. Although your existing manual lenses seem to be of reasonable quality, you might find that more up to date lenses are better.

There are many autofocus options provided by your camera, and sorting them out can be quite a task, but a worthwhile one. Utilising the User Memories of the camera can be a great help in this regard; these provide useful starting points for standard shooting, but can be modified to suit the prevailing conditions.

Click to expand...

Yes, this is one concern. I am still trying to figure out what focal length I like. I like taking landscape photos, and I want to be able to take good low light photos of the sun and stars. I have the portrait focal length basically figured out. My 50mm f/1.4 is great but other than that I am at a loss. None of my lenses seem all that great for zoom or capturing decent landscape.

I've been thinking of the 24-105m G lens, but not sure how great this would be for what I want. And to get something like the 18mm or 25mm prime I'm worried it won't capture the other things. I keep reading reviews about how either of these is good for landscape.

There's no way I can make a decision with the prices for either of these lenses.

LightCameraAction said:

Xlr8tin said:

Hey guys!

I'm thrilled to be here, but I am overwhelmed because I'm not sure what to do. I recently bought my a7Rii. Right now I only have a handful of old manual focus lenses that seem to be very nice for what I've done so far.

I bought my camera and lenses last week, and have been going over a lot of settings of the camera. (many have been helpful on here on this topic)

I'm very new to all of this, but I love taking pictures. Prior to this I have been using my Samsung phones. I have taken what I believe to be some great pictures. I feel like I have a good eye, but that's where it ends.

I want to take landscape pictures mostly. I don't feel like being someone who takes portraits of people since I am an introvert and am not good with conversation face to face. I also, don't like making videos of myself, so youtube is not something I've looked into.

At this point, I don't know what to do. There are too many directions to go in. I would like to be able to do photography as a hobby to make some money on the side, but I have no idea how or where to start. To at least make my money back on the camera and lenses would be at least the most I expect to be happy.

I opened a flicker account, but I don't know how to utilize it. I looked at the pro level, but not sure if it is worth it at this point in the game.

Besides getting out there and taking photos, what do I need to do? There is too much material out there, and it seems like everyone and their grandmother are photographers.

Real estate looks like a good option as well, but I don't know where to start. Any help or suggestions would be helpful. Maybe let me know how many of you started and how you are doing now, and how long it took for you to get going?

At the very least I have a great camera for family pictures, but I could have bought something 1/3 of the price to do that

Gregg

Click to expand...

My first thought is to read some books on composition and lightning. Even if you have a good eye, it is useful to understand some of the reasons why a certain composition works and another does not. It is also useful to understand what light characteristics to look for. Fortunately, a previous post recommended a good book. I will note that many think they have a good eye for photography when they begin, but can look back on previous work and see significant improvement over time.

Click to expand...

I'm definitely not saying there isn't room for improvement. Far from it. I know where I am and it's nowhere near an amateur level. Way below it. I agree with learning composition and lighting. It's on my list

LightCameraAction said:

Making money on the side is a bit more challenging. And it's something I wouldn't worry about right away. Since this is primarily a hobby, find what you enjoy shooting and start building a portfolio. Get others to critique your photos (not family and friends). Enter competitions. Just have fun. When you feel like you have a good portfolio and/or have mastered the craft you may try selling landscape photos at local art fares, selling them online, doing some paid portraits, etc. But I think putting pressure on yourself to recoup the cost of the camera will sap all the fun out of this new hobby.

BTW: my dad went down a similar path and had the goal of making a bit of money on the side to pay for equipment cost. He has some very nice work, has won some contests, and sold several prints. However, 15 years later I am not sure if he has recouped his equipment cost. You may be a better business person (my father is not a great business person), but monetizing photography can be challenging and frustrating.

Click to expand...

Yea, normally I wouldn't care too much past a hobby, but I'm not working right now so I have nothing but time. This is why I was thinking maybe I could try to make something to pay myself back. But I agree, it might not be feasible

If you haven't already done so, make sure you understand what exposure actually is.

Everything else, camera settings, composition techniques etc etc etc will flow on from that.

Exposure = the amount of light that hits the sensor per unit area.

Only scene luminance, aperture and shutter speed affect exposure.

ISO does not directly affect exposure at all. ISO sets the lightness of the outputted image.

For example, for a given scene luminance:

1. f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 100
2. f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 400

are exactly the same exposure but setting 2 will output a lighter image.

The most basic fundamental for me is that to minimise visible noise I need to maximise the exposure while meeting my DOF and motion blur requirements without clipping important highlights.

Once I got my head around the above everything else became much more straight forward and simpler.

JeffSlade said:

Determine how you learn to start.

For example are you a visual learner? If yes then you prefer learning by observing things. If yes invest time on YouTube. Invest time in a class where they use slide decks, whiteboards, etc..

Maybe you are a social learner. Take a class. Join a photography club. YouTube may not work for you if you are this type of learner.

Maybe you are a solitary learner. Then definitely YouTube should be your primary source along with reading forums like DPReview and others, along with blogs.

So figure out what type of learner you are and follow that methodology for the greatest success.

Have fun!

Click to expand...

I am a visual learner. I have to see it. I think with this, I should also do it at the same time. Hands-on also works. Videos have always been a great tool. So far I haven't been able to find any classes and thanks to Rona I don't know how feasible it will be since everyone is scared to death of this stupid virus.

Yeah with the virus some avenues to learn are shutdown.

I'm a visual learner combined with hands-on as well. I learned basic film photography while in the service many years ago through the photography club on the kaserne in Dexheim, Germany.

When I decided to learn studio portrait photography lighting YouTube was my go-to source for information along with a person here who goes by Sailor Blue. Have not seen him around recently in the Studio and Lighting Technique forum.

Someone mentioned the book Photography. That was a great recommendation.

If you are going into the portrait arena then you may want to check out the book Skin

Have fun!

Xlr8tin said:

LightCameraAction said:

Xlr8tin said:

Hey guys!

I'm thrilled to be here, but I am overwhelmed because I'm not sure what to do. I recently bought my a7Rii. Right now I only have a handful of old manual focus lenses that seem to be very nice for what I've done so far.

I bought my camera and lenses last week, and have been going over a lot of settings of the camera. (many have been helpful on here on this topic)

I'm very new to all of this, but I love taking pictures. Prior to this I have been using my Samsung phones. I have taken what I believe to be some great pictures. I feel like I have a good eye, but that's where it ends.

I want to take landscape pictures mostly. I don't feel like being someone who takes portraits of people since I am an introvert and am not good with conversation face to face. I also, don't like making videos of myself, so youtube is not something I've looked into.

At this point, I don't know what to do. There are too many directions to go in. I would like to be able to do photography as a hobby to make some money on the side, but I have no idea how or where to start. To at least make my money back on the camera and lenses would be at least the most I expect to be happy.

I opened a flicker account, but I don't know how to utilize it. I looked at the pro level, but not sure if it is worth it at this point in the game.

Besides getting out there and taking photos, what do I need to do? There is too much material out there, and it seems like everyone and their grandmother are photographers.

Real estate looks like a good option as well, but I don't know where to start. Any help or suggestions would be helpful. Maybe let me know how many of you started and how you are doing now, and how long it took for you to get going?

At the very least I have a great camera for family pictures, but I could have bought something 1/3 of the price to do that

Gregg

Click to expand...

My first thought is to read some books on composition and lightning. Even if you have a good eye, it is useful to understand some of the reasons why a certain composition works and another does not. It is also useful to understand what light characteristics to look for. Fortunately, a previous post recommended a good book. I will note that many think they have a good eye for photography when they begin, but can look back on previous work and see significant improvement over time.

Click to expand...

I'm definitely not saying there isn't room for improvement. Far from it. I know where I am and it's nowhere near an amateur level. Way below it. I agree with learning composition and lighting. It's on my list

Xlr8tin said:

Making money on the side is a bit more challenging. And it's something I wouldn't worry about right away. Since this is primarily a hobby, find what you enjoy shooting and start building a portfolio. Get others to critique your photos (not family and friends). Enter competitions. Just have fun. When you feel like you have a good portfolio and/or have mastered the craft you may try selling landscape photos at local art fares, selling them online, doing some paid portraits, etc. But I think putting pressure on yourself to recoup the cost of the camera will sap all the fun out of this new hobby.

BTW: my dad went down a similar path and had the goal of making a bit of money on the side to pay for equipment cost. He has some very nice work, has won some contests, and sold several prints. However, 15 years later I am not sure if he has recouped his equipment cost. You may be a better business person (my father is not a great business person), but monetizing photography can be challenging and frustrating.

Click to expand...

Yea, normally I wouldn't care too much past a hobby, but I'm not working right now so I have nothing but time. This is why I was thinking maybe I could try to make something to pay myself back. But I agree, it might not be feasible

Click to expand...

In that case, have at it . And it's am not saying that making money on the side is not possible. Just that it's a tough industry.

Xlr8tin said:

Autonerd said:

Xlr8tin said:

Hey guys!

Click to expand...

Yo again!

Next step is to learn the basics -- aperture (and how it affects depth-of-field) and shutter speed (and how it affects blur). These are the two primary tools available to a photographer (at least, traditionally) and they will help you begin to see how you can take control of your photography. Shooting the same pic at multiple settings will help you see the differences.

Here's a book I always recommend for beginners (linking to the used 10th edition because new 12th edition is hella expensive). The 4th edition was my textbook in the 90s and I still refer to it.

Someone else asked about online classes. I watched this one when it was free at the beginning of the pandemic and thought it covered the basics quite nicely. (And the info applies to all cameras, not just Nikons.)

Meanwhile go out and take "photo walks" -- go someplace you wouldn't normally go, walk around for an hour and snap what looks interesting. Great way to practice composition, and that's what starts you thinking about technique: "Hey, this would look good with the background fuzzy, so I'll use a larger F/stop" or "Blurring the motion of the cars on the street would give this some action, so I'll shoot at 1/30th". Things like that.

HTH

Aaron

Click to expand...

Crap, he found me! I think you are stalking me..lmao;-)

Yea, shutter speed is one I don't get yet. I've played with it a lot, and all I can figure so far is that it seems to also darken or lighten my photo. So based on what you just told me I'm wrong..lol

Thanks, I went ahead and added that book to my cart as well. I bought one that was recommended and just got it, so I can start reading it. I'll definitely look into this video as well.

I need a good photo editor that is easy to use. I downloaded Capture One and it isn't as easy to use as I would like it. I am looking for something as easy as it is for my phone or uploading photos to Instagram. I'm new to this so I need something I don't need a degree to operate it or else I'll never edit photos, and I like editing when it's convenient enough.

Yea, I gotta get out and take a walk with my camera. I've been taking photos of the backyard. So far I'm getting a little discouraged as most of them are rubbish. Most don't seem that great once I upload them to my computer. I don't know if it's my lenses or my laptop. Do I need a good desktop with a good quality screen? I have a thinkpad X1 Carbon. It's one of the best laptops out there, but maybe not for viewing photos?

Click to expand...

Don't buy a new computer (at least not yet). Screen calibration can matter, but I have edited on poor quality non-calibrated screens before and the pictures turned out ok. You may want to get a small print made and see how closely it matches your screen.

Is the issue sharpness, colors, or lighting? If you post a sample we may be able to give some suggestions.

David1961 said:

If you haven't already done so, make sure you understand what exposure actually is.

Everything else, camera settings, composition techniques etc etc etc will flow on from that.

Exposure = the amount of light that hits the sensor per unit area.

Only scene luminance, aperture and shutter speed affect exposure.

ISO does not directly affect exposure at all. ISO sets the lightness of the outputted image.

For example, for a given scene luminance:

1. f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 100
2. f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 400

are exactly the same exposure but setting 2 will output a lighter image.

The most basic fundamental for me is that to minimise visible noise I need to maximise the exposure while meeting my DOF and motion blur requirements without clipping important highlights.

Once I got my head around the above everything else became much more straight forward and simpler.

Click to expand...

So how do I maximize exposure? As of right now I am not familiar with it.

Also, The ISO is on auto. So I'm not sure if it is even working since the lenses are manual focus? I haven't messed with ISO at all yet

Xlr8tin said:

David1961 said:

If you haven't already done so, make sure you understand what exposure actually is.

Everything else, camera settings, composition techniques etc etc etc will flow on from that.

Exposure = the amount of light that hits the sensor per unit area.

Only scene luminance, aperture and shutter speed affect exposure.

ISO does not directly affect exposure at all. ISO sets the lightness of the outputted image.

For example, for a given scene luminance:

1. f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 100
2. f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 400

are exactly the same exposure but setting 2 will output a lighter image.

The most basic fundamental for me is that to minimise visible noise I need to maximise the exposure while meeting my DOF and motion blur requirements without clipping important highlights.

Once I got my head around the above everything else became much more straight forward and simpler.

Click to expand...

So how do I maximize exposure? As of right now I am not familiar with it.

Click to expand...

Exposure is not something that you "maximise". It's a combination of Aperture and Shutter Speed. Your camera will have an exposure indicator to assist with setting the exposure, and there are other indicators such as Live Histogram and "Zebras" (indications of localised over-exposure).

Xlr8tin said:

Also, The ISO is on auto. So I'm not sure if it is even working since the lenses are manual focus? I haven't messed with ISO at all yet.

Click to expand...

Keep ISO on 100 until you gain experience. Aperture, SS and ISO work together to produce a satisfactory preview, even in low light. Some refer to this by the ugly term "Lightness".

For processing, you don't need a high performance computer.

There are free programs such as Picasa and IrfanView. I often use Picasa, but it is only available now as download, and some sites are not trustworthy.

Avoid low-light photography until you gain experience.




Wide angle shot.




Low light. Note ISO setting.

Xlr8tin said:

Yea, shutter speed is one I don't get yet. I've played with it a lot, and all I can figure so far is that it seems to also darken or lighten my photo. So based on what you just told me I'm wrong..lol

Click to expand...

If the photos are coming out darker or lighter, you're not getting the exposure quite right.

This is where a book of the basics will help. A given exposure will need a given amount of light; you control how big the opening is (aperture) and how long the shutter is open (shutter speed). It's like filling a glass of water: You can turn the water on a little for a long time (small aperture, long shutter speed) or a lot for a short time (big aperture, short shutter speed). How you set up that balance determines how the photo will look -- motion blur, depth of field, etc. You'll get it.

Xlr8tin said:

I need a good photo editor that is easy to use.

Click to expand...

I'll defer to others' recommendations. I use GIMP which is free but has a learning curve (I know the basics from Photoshop). But really I do little editing -- maybe some cropping and bumping up brightness/contrast.

Xlr8tin said:

Yea, I gotta get out and take a walk with my camera. I've been taking photos of the backyard. So far I'm getting a little discouraged as most of them are rubbish. Most don't seem that great once I upload them to my computer.

Click to expand...

What don't you like about them? Composition or the quality (sharpness)?

If it's the latter, part of the problem could be shooting with a larger aperture (which reduces depth-of-field, so less is in focus) and part could be manually focusing -- that really is a bit of an art form. Old film cameras have focusing aids to help you (split screens, microprisms, etc.) but digital cameras just aren't set up for it as well.

Xlr8tin said:

I don't know if it's my lenses or my laptop. Do I need a good desktop with a good quality screen? I have a thinkpad X1 Carbon. It's one of the best laptops out there, but maybe not for viewing photos?

Click to expand...

Least of your worries at the moment.

Aaron

Xlr8tin said:

Also, The ISO is on auto. So I'm not sure if it is even working since the lenses are manual focus? I haven't messed with ISO at all yet

Click to expand...

Leave ISO on auto for now.

Here's a historical-ish explanation if you want it... (you're not working, what else are you gonna do?) I will start with film as a background, and I promise I will get to digital...

ISO originally referred to film "speed" -- how sensitive the film was to light. AN ISO 400 film was more sensitive than ISO 100 so it needed less light ("fast" film).

ISO worked in the same increments as exposure (f/stop and shutter speed increments). Everything works in stops and it doubles. Obviously an exposure of 1/60th/second is twice as long as 1/125th/second. F/stops double the amount of light--so f/4 gives you twice as much light as f/5.6. (A smaller number means a bigger opening.) Cue the unauthorized "borrowed" photo:



So an exposure at f/5.6 for 1/60th lets in the same amount of light as one at f/4 for 1/125th. (Latter is open the faucet more and let it run for less time.)

ISO is calibrated the same way as shutter speed. ISO 100 film requires twice as much light as ISO 200 film and four times as much light as ISO 400 film (higher number = more sensitive, needs less light).

So if I was shooting on 100-speed film at f/4 @ 1/60th, and I switched to ISO 200 film, the correct exposure would now be f/5.6 @ 1/60th or f/4 @ 1/125th. Half the light since the film is twice as sensitive.

When digital came on the scene they decided to carry the ISO metaphor on to sensors. With a film camera you cannot change ISO until you change film. With a digital camera you can change ISO on the fly. So some people consider it part of the exposure -- the so-called exposure "triangle" because it uses the same calculation. You can shoot f/4 @ 1/60th @ ISO 100 or f/4 @ 1/125 @ ISO 200 and get the correct exposure.

The concept of the exposure triangle isn't *entirely* correct. Really exposure is the amount of light you're letting in, and only aperture and shutter speed control that. But it's kind-of okay to think of the triangle in your exposure calculation.

A lot of people think changing ISO changes the sensitivity of the sensor (as it indicates the sensitivity of film). Technically this is not true -- it's amplification of the sensor signal. But you can sort-of think of it as sensitivity. At ISO 200 your sensor "needs" half as much light as at ISO 100.

So why change ISO? Why not leave it alone? Higher ISO will let you capture images in less light. BUT higher ISO introduces noise into our pictures (just as high ISO film had more grain). Pictures will (generally) look best at lower ISOs. You'll figure out how high you can go on ISO with your own camera.

Some people manually set specific aperture and shutter speeds to get the effect they want, and let the camera pick the right ISO, using that as a variable. Others lock the ISO (at one setting or a narrow range) and let either shutter speed or aperture vary. There's no right way; it's down to preference. (I tend to lock ISO, set aperture and let the camera pick the shutter speed.)

Hope this helps. It might just make things more corn-fusing.

As I said, leave ISO on auto for now, concentrate on learning about aperture and shutter speed.

Aaron

--
My Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/aarongold/

Autonerd said:

Xlr8tin said:

Also, The ISO is on auto. So I'm not sure if it is even working since the lenses are manual focus? I haven't messed with ISO at all yet

Click to expand...

Leave ISO on auto for now.

Click to expand...

Remember that OP is shooting with manual lenses, which usually means Aperture priority, with the camera selecting the appropriate SS. Auto ISO will give confusing results.

A modern mirrorless camera is crippled when legacy lenses are fitted. Although there are focus aids available for MF, it's not much fun. Quite sad really.

You have also introduced some unhelpful concepts, such as exposure triangle and high ISO causes noise. Expect incoming criticism, which will further confuse the OP.

Xlr8tin said:

David1961 said:

If you haven't already done so, make sure you understand what exposure actually is.

Everything else, camera settings, composition techniques etc etc etc will flow on from that.

Exposure = the amount of light that hits the sensor per unit area.

Only scene luminance, aperture and shutter speed affect exposure.

ISO does not directly affect exposure at all. ISO sets the lightness of the outputted image.

For example, for a given scene luminance:

1. f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 100
2. f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 400

are exactly the same exposure but setting 2 will output a lighter image.

The most basic fundamental for me is that to minimise visible noise I need to maximise the exposure while meeting my DOF and motion blur requirements without clipping important highlights.

Once I got my head around the above everything else became much more straight forward and simpler.

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So how do I maximize exposure? As of right now I am not familiar with it.

Also, The ISO is on auto. So I'm not sure if it is even working since the lenses are manual focus? I haven't messed with ISO at all yet

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The reason you need to maximise exposure to minimise visible noise is because it is a low exposure that causes visible noise due to the lower signal to noise ratio (SNR). ISO does not directly create noise. The larger the exposure the higher the SNR and so visible noise is minimal, if at all.

The way I maximise exposure is in Manual mode + Auto ISO. Other people might prefer a different mode.

I set the largest aperture (smallest f-number) that will give me the DOF I want for the shot and the slowest shutter speed that will meet my motion blur requirements (freeze motion, eliminate camera shake etc) without clipping important highlights. I then let the camera set ISO where it thinks is appropriate.

The histogram is my best friend when reviewing images on the camera's LCD screen.

If the image is still too dark on my LCD screen I raise ISO, preferably, or adjust the image lightness in post, less preferable.

WryCuda said:

Exposure is not something that you "maximise".

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I disagree.

I do it on just about every photo as I described in my previous post.