New Toy Enroute

fitz Oct 25, 2014

  1. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    I have just about worn out the USB port on my Nikon D50 DSLR, and am worried that it will quit when I need it. Decided to give myself a birthday present, so ordered a Nikon D3100 from Amazon, great price. I notice no one advertises cameras any more, and suppose that is because the quality of photos you can get from Smart Phones is rivaling that of the cameras. I have done a lot of searching on the various DSLRs and just eliminated the 24 megapixel ones. Who is going to produce images suitable for posting on roadside billboards? The 3100 is a 14 megapixel machine and has a lot less fancy stuff than the 3200. Shot film on SLRs for years and am comfortable with them. I'm looking forward to the delivery, and will follow up with a critique on things I like and don't about it, compared to the 50.
    Do any of you currently own and use a D3100? I would love to hear your comments about it.
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Lucky fellow! I wish the day would come when I could get a new camera!

    Any steam events forthcoming for a test run?
     
  3. RBrodzinsky

    RBrodzinsky November 18, 2022 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    Looking forward to your comments, Jim. I, too, am still using my trusty D50, and am always looking at the new units with longing. Would love to hear your thoughts. One thing in particular I would love to know, can the focus be remotely controlled, so that the Helicon software can take a series of stacked photos automatically?
     
  4. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    Ken, unfortunately no steam events coming up, except maybe the Holiday Express in Portland. I wasn't going to volunteer this year as I do not enjoy driving around Portland (not familiar with the streets) in the dark after a shift. Maybe I'll just run up there for a day and get some shots without working.
    Rick, I will find out if the focus can be remotely controlled, but doubt it. I do not have nor use the Helicon software.
     
  5. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    The D3100 arrived today, along with its 207 page User's Manual. So far I have just done the basic setup things, battery, strap, format an SD card, set the image quality to what I want and checked a few functions. Looking through the manual, the camera has the capability of enhancing photos by altering many things we usually do on the computer, and I need to research this. It has many more capabilities than the D50, and the video capability is pretty awesome, providing HD images and audio-microphone on the camera. So far I have one complaint, and that is the menu stuff on the back viewer does not stay present long enough for one who is trying to figure out how to use the thing. I'm sure they set it up that way to preserve the battery, but it is annoying. It is smaller than the D50 and the controls are in different locations. I think I'll shoot a photo of them together and put it on here.
     
  6. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    I bought almost exactly 2 years ago. Honestly, I don't use it enough. At the time, I didn't understand what Helicon focus was. My dad's Canon has Helicon Focus and I now wish I held out for a higher-end camera.

    Don't get me wrong, I really like the camera and I learn more about it every time I use it. I need a shorter lens so I can get clearer close-up shots. I recently discovered how to manual adjust the F-stop with the thumb wheel, that made a huge difference in model photography.

    I like my D3100, I wish I would remember to get it out and use it more!
     
  7. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    YIKES!!!! That's almost as long as War & Peace!
     
  8. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Naging reminder- Hey, Pat, get out your camera and us it! Nag, nag, nag..... :)
     
  9. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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  10. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    Ken, that thing is a little out of my budget. Here is the comparison photo taken by a point and shoot, so it isn't detailed enough to see the differences, but the mode switch is on the opposite side of the 3100.

    nikons1.jpg
     

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