It's here....

[ken1953]

...and arghhhh...my Nikon Coolpix 8400 is kicking my butt!! Although I have been reading the online manual for the past 5 days and my Kodak book on 35mm photography...I am still so confused. So I guess it'll take me a day or two to figure out how to take a good picture. I have taken a couple of pics with it already, on auto, but they were just to check out the 8mp clarity, vs my 3mp Kodak...and it was wonderful...now just have to figure out all the apertures, f stops, scene modes, this and that and the other things...whew...a lot to learn over my Kodak!!! So, I may be a bit quiet for a few days, since I want to be able to use it this weekend at my wifes family Christmas get together. We rent a big house down in the Galena Territories and spend a weekend with all the family gathering!!! It's really kind of fun!!!
Well, back to the camera...I'll get some pics on as soon as I get some acceptable shots...
Ken

[Photo-John]

Ken-
Psyched for you! How does it feel? I remember that it felt very substantial and the lens was really nice.

Don't complicate things. Go ahead and shoot on auto, like you're used to doing with your Kodak. And start experimenting with the other features a little at a time. I'd recommend bypassing the scene modes completely. Ignore them and play with aperture priority and shutter priority instead. But go ahead and take pictures in auto - right now. Don't let trying to figure it out get in the way of enjoying it or getting the photos that are right in front of you.

[Old Timer]

Great advice from Photo John. The main thing now is to shot a lot pictures and enjoy that great new camera. I did the same thing with the Fuji when I first got it a few years ago. I think you will be suprised at how smart that camera is if you give it it's head. I am so happy for you I know that you will have tons and tons of fun with that new toy.

[ken1953]

Thanks for the encouragement and suggestions...actually, as for the "feel"...it's a lot lighter than I thought it would be. My Kodak actually feels a bit heavier, but it may just be the fact that the Nikon is so much bigger that the perspective is thrown off...hehe...Also, I need to get used to the "feel" of it compared to my little rectangular Kodak...but, I can tell you, it already feels comfortable. I have been playing with the auto focus and some manual goofing off...I took some good manuals but mostly bad ones...hehe...but...I've never really used a manual focus...so I'm sure it will take lots of practice...To make a long story short...so far after playing with it for about 2 hours now (had to wait for battery to charge)..hehe...I LOVE IT!!!
Pictures should start coming tomorrow...got a nice snow storm possible for tomorrow...maybe I'll play with the "Snow/Beach" setting!!!! hehe...
Ken

[payn817]

That's great! Glad to hear your having fun, and enjoying tinkering with it. John is right, there is plenty of time to learn all the settings, so don't miss those grandkids, and such fussing over it!!

[JSPhoto]

Hey Ken, glad to hear you got your new camera. And I am still figuring out all the features on my MKII N that I got in October. Every time I look at the manual I find something different from the old 1D. It's that way with every new camera, and in most cases it's best to learn them slow and learn them right.

The neatest thing I found recently on the MKII N is the ability to change WB by adjusting specific colors instead of the standard WB changes (which you can still do). The staff photographer was shocked the other day when he got a shot from me that wasn't the normal "yellow" we all get from that gym...OMG, I actually impressed the guy
Anyway, don't rush, learn it slow and it will stick with you when you need it most.

JS

[Photo-John]

The neatest thing I found recently on the MKII N is the ability to change WB by adjusting specific colors instead of the standard WB changes (which you can still do). The staff photographer was shocked the other day when he got a shot from me that wasn't the normal "yellow" we all get from that gym...OMG, I actually impressed the guy

You know you can do that when doing the RAW conversion, don't you? I've been doing some studio stuff with "gels." Only the "gels" are just different white balnce settings and hue changes in Photoshop.

[JSPhoto]

You know you can do that when doing the RAW conversion, don't you? I've been doing some studio stuff with "gels." Only the "gels" are just different white balnce settings and hue changes in Photoshop.

Yeah, but I normally shoot my newspaper stuff in JPG M1 because of having to email the photos and it's quicker than having to deal with RAW, especially on deadline. Deadlines are always fun, especially when your an hour late and it's an hour drive!

JS

[another view]

Don't let trying to figure it out get in the way of enjoying it or getting the photos that are right in front of you.

Great advice. I'd probably pass on the scene modes too - really learning them will probably take as long as getting more comfortable with aperture or shutter priority modes, and you'll have more control over the results. You'll have a lot of things to shoot this time of year in Galena!

[Speed]

No such thing. You're just behind the power curve learning how to use it. It'll come to you soon enough.

I shoot with a Coolpix 5700, and it is a great little camera. I primarly shoot in apeture priority mode (just like my SLR's), though I use manual mode for astrophotography.

Enjoy and we'll be looking forward to seeing those images!

[mjs1973]

Congrats on the new camera Ken! Be sure to stop at the Images of Nature Gallery in Galena if you haven't alread been there.

[ken1953]

Thanks all...I have been playing with it alot...I haven't ventured into in of the manual modes yet, only because I feel I need to be able to get a feel for what works the fastest, so I can use it this weekend. I really love the 8mp...I was playing with some macro stuff and wow...the detail is awesome!!!! I took a picture of my Kodak and it's 256Meg sd card...I could see detail in the photo, that I couldn't see looking at it directly...even with my glasses on. Whew...took my breath away...anyway...I'll be quiet most of the weekend as I will not have access...but when I get back from Galena...I hope to have some great shots to post...there are a lot of places there that are beautiful and lots of wildlife. And with all the snow we have...I should get some interesting shots...
Ken