just got myself a D3100 as my first dslr.

D3100 18-55 kit lens (RM1900) + nikon bag (free) + 8gb class 10 (RM40) + nikon NC filter 52mm (RM90) + Keep Lens cleaning kit (RM25) + screen protector .... total RM2070
i think the price is quite ok right?

This post has been edited by mmohdnor: Dec 5 2010, 03:33 AM

thanks! i find this comparison useful.
i'm also a new d3100 user.

This post has been edited by mmohdnor: Dec 9 2010, 05:36 PM

1) anyone got a good guide/tips on product photographies? i'm new in dslr photo but i want to get some product shots with my new d3100 + kit lens. i made a light box/tent with two florescent table lamps and borrowed from a fren Nissin Di622 + 35mm f/1.8G to try out.

but so far my attempts aren't that good. the white is not pure white, more like grey/blue most of the time. I'm using Av mode for the shooting. how to get white to be white and remove most of the shadows?

example taken from zellleonhart's flickr :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jiatern/4543060092/
*credit to zellleonhart ...i dunno how to append flickr pic into post also ..haha

2) is it a good move to buy lens from other country like US/SG/UK? how about the warranty later?

thanks!

This post has been edited by mmohdnor: Dec 16 2010, 02:37 PM

for the time being i just use the auto white balance and shoot them in jpeg instead of raw. not so familiar with NEF/raw. hehe.


This post has been edited by mmohdnor: Dec 16 2010, 03:41 PM

thanks for the replies guys.

yeah, i'm alrdy using it. but like i said previously, i'm still learning. i admire how other ppl can get good results with their product shots. you know, a very clean white background ang higlights the object clearly. i just can't get the right white background with or without the light box and the external flash . could it be that i diffused the light too much and i got a blue/grey-ish cast instead?
but ur idea of white wall/ceiling triggered me sth. i'll try that too if that helps. thanks.
i know a lot of ppl prefers shooting in raw. but i wud love to get it right the first time i shoot the subject or at least closest to what i want even with jpeg format. (and learn the techniques in the process )
i'll give raw+lightroom a try soon .

This post has been edited by mmohdnor: Dec 16 2010, 09:03 PM

let me upload a sample or two ...brb

This post has been edited by mmohdnor: Dec 16 2010, 09:44 PM

ok, here are some pictures. please pardon the bad picture composition. LOL!
the 1st 3 shots were taken by my kit lens and the last 2 lens shot was taken by 35mm f/1.8G



This post has been edited by mmohdnor: Dec 16 2010, 09:46 PM

zellleonhart,
Wall & ceilling are white. And the light box i made oso white inside (the curved card board). But there's slight portion inside the box that i didnt cover with white paper la (inner box ~chocolate). I'll try to kit everything white inside the box then.

adriancs,
Thanks for ur suggestion. And yup my d3100 is set to matrix metering & TTL flash. hehe. As for the setup suggestion, i only have to table lamps (~100W equivalent each) and Di622. the first setup looks quite viable for me. FYI, my light box is something like this but with dimension of 17in x 17in x 14in :
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/...sive-light-tent
for those shots above, i put the two lamps at left & right and then the camera on the tripod with the di622 mounted (flash aimed to ceiling).

oh yeah, i should give raw & lightroom a try too.
phew. there' are too many things to learn for beginners like me. thanks a lot guys.

This post has been edited by mmohdnor: Dec 16 2010, 11:09 PM

Ooh. I didnt know about this either. gonna try this at home later.
*i got a borrowed Di622 from a friend.

i just got to know about this too. check the manual here :
http://nissin.weblogs.jp/en/files/622_EN_MAN.pdf
i think we need to change the mode to slave mode.

This post has been edited by mmohdnor: Dec 20 2010, 04:57 PM

Yes I had just tried it and it worked for D3100 + Di622 (wireless trigger using D3100's pop-up flash).
Just press the Mode button on Di622 for about 3 secs and it'll switch to Slave Flash mode.
Thanks!

This post has been edited by mmohdnor: Dec 20 2010, 08:18 PM