Help with some questions please

[Catz]

I have been reading the manual slowly due to not enough hours in a day and I have a few questions I cannot figure out. If you wouldn't mind helping me, I would appreciate it.

1) I have always seen but not used the DOF preview button on cameras and I know it has to do with DOF but I don't understand how this helps DOF. When I press the button down, I don't see anything different in the viewfinder.

2) On page 91, there is a paragraph on Exposure Warning which says if the camera is unable to produce the correct exposure at the selected aperture, the electronic display (page 93) (which I know what that is. The bars. Right?) in the viewfinder will show the amount of under- or over-exposure. How can you tell exactly what increment the exposure is under or over so I can try to fix it? On outside day shots, I don't have a problem with this too much and can usually take care of it by changing the aperture but inside where it is darker, is where I have the problem the most.

3) One last question for now. I can't find in the book exactly what that number in the viewfinder to the right in parentheses means. For example, when I looked through it just now it says (r 34) What does this mean?

Thanks for the help,

 

[Flew]

I have been reading the manual slowly due to not enough hours in a day and I have a few questions I cannot figure out. If you wouldn't mind helping me, I would appreciate it.

1) I have always seen but not used the DOF preview button on cameras and I know it has to do with DOF but I don't understand how this helps DOF. When I press the button down, I don't see anything different in the viewfinder.

2) On page 91, there is a paragraph on Exposure Warning which says if the camera is unable to produce the correct exposure at the selected aperture, the electronic display (page 93) (which I know what that is. The bars. Right?) in the viewfinder will show the amount of under- or over-exposure. How can you tell exactly what increment the exposure is under or over so I can try to fix it? On outside day shots, I don't have a problem with this too much and can usually take care of it by changing the aperture but inside where it is darker, is where I have the problem the most.

3) One last question for now. I can't find in the book exactly what that number in the viewfinder to the right in parentheses means. For example, when I looked through it just now it says (r 34) What does this mean?

Thanks for the help,

Melissa,

I have the H not the X, but several of your questions apply to either. I'll try to answer as best I can.

The DOF preview doesn't help the DOF, it shows what the DOF will be when you actually take the shot. When you are looking through the viewfinder, you see the DOF for the lens wide open. It is not until you actually press the shutter that the aperture is closed down to your setting. This is done so that the camera gets the maximum amount of light possible for focusing.

Some folks though want to see what the shot will look like at the set aperture. Pressing the DOF preview button does this.

To get the exposure right when the metering system can't cope, you have three choices. 1) you can increase or decrease shutter speed, 2) you can open or close the aperture, or 3) you can change the ISO setting. (There is actually a number 4 if the shot shows not enough light, and that is to use a flash, but I'm sure you already knew about that one....;-))

The number in the viewfinder that you describe shows the number of shots that it will take to fill the buffer at the current image size settings that you have. So r34 means that you can take 34 more shots before the buffer fills up.

Hope this helps.

Frank

 

[Larry Gleason]

Frank, as usual, gave you correct answers.

I never found the dof preview to be helpful on the D1X and don't use it. I have seen other comments to that effect. I don't expect the D2X to be any different but if someone will say that it really works, I might review it. I've never noticed a discussion on the DH series but wasn't looking for one either.

If the exposure bar shows three tick marks to the right (dark) I will add three tick marks of exposure to the left (light) to see if that will take the reading back to 0.0 for starters. Reverse if metering is too light. If metering is way off then I'd start stepping the ISO in direction needed with exposure adjustment check between each ISO check. I'd be looking for the least amount of adjustment. The above is if your really want to use a specific f/stop. If all fails then you probably will have to change shutter speed or f/stop. Its going to be a bad day if the metering shows -5.0

Remaining shots as indicated.

 

[Flew]

Frank, as usual, gave you correct answers.

I never found the dof preview to be helpful on the D1X and don't use it. I have seen other comments to that effect. I don't expect the D2X to be any different but if someone will say that it really works, I might review it. I've never noticed a discussion on the DH series but wasn't looking for one either.....snip

Why thanks Larry.

I agree on the usefulness (or lack thereof actually) of the DOF preview for me; but then I shoot flying birdies, so I really don't have the time.... :lol:

Frank

 

[Scott Sherman]

there is also an exposure compensation button on the top to the right of the shutter release. This is used in conjunction with the rear thumb wheel. It is useful when shooting in mixed lighting such as backlit subjects or extreme contrast such as a dark object in snow or sand or when you are shooting water with reflection of sunlight. Don't forget that there are still some useful filters that can not be replaced efficiently by Photoshop such as split or graduated Neutral Density for landscape or a polorizing filter for reflections in water or shooting through glass for example. It also adds a natural looking sky with much greater vibrance under some conditions.

there are other things you can do. Remember photography is just a way of recording the reflection of light off an object, The object is the easy part, it's the correct use of light that seperates the good from the great.

 

[Larry Gleason]

there is also an exposure compensation button on the top to the right of the shutter release. This is used in conjunction with the rear thumb wheel. It is useful when shooting in mixed lighting such as backlit subjects or extreme contrast such as a dark object in snow or sand or when you are shooting water with reflection of sunlight.

Thanks, I should have pointed that out since that (function) is what I meant by adding or substracting exposure. I probably use that button more than any other function other than the shutter. In fact, I use it for quick exposure bracket shots instead of the auto exposure bracket function.

 

[MontyDog]

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax;

 

[Catz]

Hi and thanks to all,

I appreciate the answers you have given me but my mind is not on track right now.

I haven't responded sooner because I got a phone call late this afternoon that my brother and his wife was in a terrible accident. I am reliving the same nightmare I did last June 26 when his daughter, his only child died in a car accident. She was 17. This has been a year of nightmares and sadness so I poured more of my soul into photography after grieving for my niece for months until this call came this morning.

So if you my friends will say a prayer for my brother, it would mean so much to me.

I will probably be going to Pennsylvania soon depening on the prognosis tomorrow.

Thank you again for the answers to my questions.

 

[Flew]

Melissa,

You have our heart felt sympathy and hopes, and you will be in our thoughts until we get some good news from this terrible event.

I know that there is probably nothing we can do but give you our support, but if there is, let us know.

Regards,

Frank

 

[beaucamera]

Gee, Melissa, how awful. Not the kind of phone call you want to get anytime.

Just wanted you to know my thoughts are with you.

Virginia
aka beaucamera

 

[MontyDog]

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax;

 

[Panos Kazanelis]

Melissa, I'm so sorry to hear this. My thoughts and prayers are with you, for your brother and his wife. I wish you come back with the greatest news.

 

[greyflash]

Melissa, so sorry to hear about your brother and the sad story of his daughter earlier. Hope you are holding up OK and best wishes for his speedy recovery.

 

[GeeJay]

Melissa,

You're all in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted along the way and I certainly hope this story has a reasonable ending.

Please let me know if there's anything I can do. I think everyone on this forum is ready, willing and able to help in anyway possible.. ANd I hope knowing we're all thinking of you will be somewhat of a help.

Gaye

 

[Catz]

UPDATE

Thanks to you all for your prayers and thoughts.

This is what I know so far about my brother. He has been in a meds room since the accident where the hospital has been giving him a steady stream of pain meds. He is tied down because of any possible damage to his back. Today, howeven, was the first time, they put the bed up for him at a tilt level instead of straight down. He can't move although the good news is he has feeling in his whole body so no paralyzing there that we know of. Thank God.

They redid some tests on his neck and back but we do not know why. My brother won't ask, he just wants to go home to be with his wife who was released the same day with a cracked chest plate. I can't imagine why a doctor would release someone so soon with injuries like that.

I hope to get up there to PA on Friday. I couldn't go any sooner because I did not have a sitter for the nights this week. Plus one of my little ones is in school and the other is 3 yrs. This is not a trip for the little ones so I have to wait until the weekend. If my brother would have been worse, I would have gone no matter what and took them with me but since my brother is not in critical condition, I can talk to him on the phone and see him later this week.

He does have quite a few injuries including glass in his face. He was not wearing a seat belt of which I am the opposite. I'm an avid seat belt believer so sister will be lecturing him when he is well.

His wife thankfully was wearing her seat belt or her chest would have been crushed by the steering wheel.

I will give you an update when I get one myself soon of the test results.

You are such great friends to me and I thank you soooooooooo much for everything.

I too have been praying for Harris' wife that she too will beat what is ailing her. I pray God will heal her.

 

[Larry Gleason]

That is very good news that your brother can "feel" body wide. As far as a cracked chest plate goes for his wife, since that is associated with the rib cage, I would guess that it is being treated the same as a cracked rib. Aspirin and go home. They don't even bind the ribs anymore like they did years ago. The restriction was causing more breathing problems and wasn't necessary. Seat belts by all means, you give that brother the dickens!!!

Good update.

 

[Catz]

That is very good news that your brother can "feel" body wide. As far as a cracked chest plate goes for his wife, since that is associated with the rib cage, I would guess that it is being treated the same as a cracked rib. Aspirin and go home. They don't even bind the ribs anymore like they did years ago. The restriction was causing more breathing problems and wasn't necessary. Seat belts by all means, you give that brother the dickens!!!

Good update.

Thanks Larry for post. More good news is he was released from the hospital. I think the doctor let him go too soon but he kept telling the doctor he wanted to go home to his wife which I understand fully whom he hasn't seen since the accident.

I still don't know what all of the tests show. I hope he will tell me soon.

I just thank God he is okay. Now I can get back to photography and hope nothing else happens to him.

 

[Flew]

Melissa,

This is about the best news that we could have gotten from you. Thank goodness they are both at least OK enough to go home.

Give them both my best (and give your brother a kick in the pants for not wearing his seat belt....;-)).

Regards,

Frank

 

[Catz]

Melissa,

This is about the best news that we could have gotten from you. Thank goodness they are both at least OK enough to go home.

Give them both my best (and give your brother a kick in the pants for not wearing his seat belt....;-)).

Regards,

Frank

Believe me Frank, when he gets on his feet, I will give him a kick in the butt and super glue them on now. Take care and hope to have more later on his tests.

Thanks again Flew.