Full Manual, Nikon, SLR

[Kekhotep]

Hi,

I'm really, finally, thinking of going digital...Are there any Nikon DSLRs that are fully manual? I want something not trying to correct what it sees as "mistakes."

Thank you.

 

[pschwart]

Dead Link Removed

 

[Doug K]

I'm a Nikon guy when it comes to 35mm and SLRs. I have a D80, D300s, and N6006 bodies for my various lenses. Digital is a different world than the film world, so manual does mean something different, but not entirely. With digital, if you shoot in JPG mode, there's always some kind of algorithm applied to your photo. If you shoot in RAW mode, the file is just the 1's and 0's that the camera captures, and you have full control of the image. This is just a generalization, but that's my experience. With memory being so cheap, why apply algorithms in camera anyway?

So yes, Nikon has DSLRs that shoot in manual mode, and if you shoot in RAW, you have control over things after the fact like white balance which aren't exposure related.

 

[Eric Rose]

I use both a Nikon D700 and a D70s. Both of them will go full manual. That's the mode I use the most for all my work. I even turn off the AF.

 

[Kekhotep]

I heard these cameras have "AUTO ISO" that tries to correct manual exposure. This is what I don't want.

 

[keithwms]

So turn auto iso off, that's easy. You can use almost any of the Nikon DSLRs in fully manual mode. I used my d700 in manual everything all the time. My d40x too.

 

[2F/2F]

All the Nikon and Canon and Pentax and whatever brand digital SLRs will give you fully manual control. Where you might not get any is with lower-end point and shoots. I suggest getting a digital SLR that takes the lenses you want to use (certain Nikon cameras won't take certain Nikon lenses) and provides a file that is big enough for your uses, but not too big. I suggest using AI or AI-S lenses if you never need autofocus. They are not only cheaper, which will save you tons of money and/or allow you to buy more of them, but they are generally built better than AF glass (the pinnacle of mass-produced lens construction quality IMHO), they focus easier and smoother, they have scales that are actually useful, and they give you aperture control on the lens itself, if you like that better (like I do).

 

[Kekhotep]

Thank you. I just looked at the D70 manual and see the default for ISO Auto is off. I'm gonna get the D70 b/c of it's 1/500 sync speed.

 

[Kekhotep]

Keith, I just viewed your work on your site. Awesome.

 

[keithwms]

Keith, I just viewed your work on your site. Awesome.

*blush* Thanks, haven't updated it in a year or so. But thank you!

 

[keithwms]

Or, err, maybe you meant the other Keith??? :s

 

[2F/2F]

No way...not with comments that nice!

He is right, your pix are great. I am having trouble getting them all to pop up, though. Am I supposed to be able to click on the thumbnails? Because I don't get the pointy hand when hovering over them. I only got a few to pop up in large size, and I really have no idea how I did it.

 

[keithwms]

Thanks, that's very kind. Humm, yeah, I think the images only pop up to a smallish size, by design. A year or two ago I had an issue with certain images showing up elsewhere. One shot of Monticello even showed up somewhere as an historical image- funny. I heard that the best remedy for image theft is to make little flash galleries, so I made something up quickly in lightroom and that's how I left it. I have been meaning to make it all more appealing but, to be honest, I have been very unmotivated in general of late... I've probably taken no more than a hundred shots this whole year. In a slump.

Anyway thanks for the very kind comments. I should at least do a better job presenting what I shot before.

I will add a link to my apug portfolio, that one is better in some ways.

 

[2F/2F]

If it is flash, that is probably why I am having trouble. I haven't been able to update my flash thing for going on four years now. I inherited this computer and I need a password to add software.

 

[Doug K]

I agree totally with Keith Williams regarding lenses etc., although I wouldn't be afraid of getting an 18-55 mm kit lens with whatever body you decide to get. Yes it's cheap, and built that way, but it's a pretty darn well performing lens for the money, plus you get it for a discount with a kit.

I would also reaffirm what I said earlier if you want to have total control: shoot in RAW mode. While yes, you can control everything when you shoot, why would you want to be bothered with going through your menus and picking out white balance, color, and the like for each situation when you shoot? Memory is very cheap, and you can have spare memory cards very inexpensively. When you shoot in Jpeg, the camera applies whatever settings you have, and you can't change it without significant alterations in software, which to me degrades quality. I shoot in RAW mode, and use Nikon Capture NX for editing. It gives you complete control over your images, and I like capture for editing photos. There are very few things that I turn to Photoshop for anymore. To me the only drawback with shooting in RAW mode is the time to transfer photos to the computer, which has never been an issue for me since I'm not a news or sports photographer that has to get things up instantly.

 

[keithwms]

Oh yes, Doug makes a great point, definitely shoot raw! And get lightroom.

About the d40x, I took an old manual lens to a camera store to try it out before I bought it. The clerk said: sorry but you can't use that lens on that body. I said: what? It's nikon F mount? why not? He said that lens isn't AF; the body has no focusing motor. I said: it's a manual lens, and anyway AF, what's that? Then he said: well okay but anyway you still can't use the lens. I said: why? He said: you can't meter. I said: meter? what's that? He said well you won't get the exposure right. I said: so what? So I then took a photo with a guess and it was reasonably well exposed and he was amazed.

Anyway the little bitty d40x turned out to be a nice travel companion. I think I always used it in manual-everything mode. I do possess a nifty AF lens but it now sits on my fm2n, go figure

 

[keithwms]

Oh I almost forgot, the other objection the clerk had was that my oldie manual lens was a full frame lens not a DX one

 

[Doug K]

That's hilarious, Keith. It's a different world out there, that's for sure. Of course I get the same reaction when I'm shooting film, especially with my Voigtlander Superb or something. The D80 is my first DSLR, and now my wife uses it. It definitely is a nice smaller, lighter body than the D300s, and nice to carry around like the D40x is, though not quite as small. I love those oldie lenses too...

Also, as a sign of cheap memory, I just bought a 16 gig micro SDHC card for my Nook Color, and paid less than 30 dollars. Plus it comes with an adapter so I can use it as a USB drive, or a SDHC card. I remember paying nearly 100 dollars for a 1 gig thumb drive, and it doesn't seem that long ago...

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I heard these cameras have "AUTO ISO" that tries to correct manual exposure. This is what I don't want.

You can always turn Auto ISOoff, but it is one of the big digital camera advantages.

 

[Pioneer]

You can always turn Auto ISOoff, but it is one of the big digital camera advantages.

I do agree with one proviso. I had to figure out how to adjust the Program Line in my camera to push the shutter speed higher. I have naturally shaky hands and need to increase my shutter speeds above what others find acceptable. Otherwise I lose a lot of shots to camera shake.

 

[OzJohn]

You can always turn Auto ISOoff, but it is one of the big digital camera advantages.

Absolutely agree especially with the more recent low-noise, full frame chips. OzJohn

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Hi,

I'm really, finally, thinking of going digital...Are there any Nikon DSLRs that are fully manual? I want something not trying to correct what it sees as "mistakes."

Thank you.

itseems they made the Nikon Df just for you my friend