If you really want to venture into this field. D7000.
D7000 gives you more control, better handling,... just try both and you will know the answer.

Interesting feature for D5100 is the swivel screen (if you want it, especially if you want to shoot video).

Go for the G lens.

This post has been edited by Andy214: May 29 2012, 03:37 PM

Doesn't matter you get FX or DX lens, still need to multiply crop factor.

DX lens means is meant to use on DX sensor, if you use on FX sensor body, it will not be able to utilize the full sensor area, hence vignette.

Even if you buy a compact camera, you still need to multiply crop factor.
You buy mirrorless like GF3, also need to multiply crop factor (e.g. 14-42mm kit lens, becomes 28mm-84mm which is the standard zoom).
Even handphone, you need to multiply crop factor to get the focal length in 35mm Format.

In short, to make it simple doesn't matter whether it's FX, DX, CX, etc. When you mount a lens on crop body, you need to multiply by the crop factor to get the focal length in 35mm format.


Since you have knowledge already and you mention you want to venture into this, I'd suggest you to get D7000 straight.
D3100 & D5100 is more for people who want simple and easy to use. If you want to get more serious you'll find the hassle and troublesome to adjust settings as these 2 models caters more for casual users.

Besides, if you get D5100, later you learn more and want to have more control and have better handling, you'll regret and it'll be a waste of money when you cannot stand and want to change.

But if you just want for casual use and can live with the limitations, then you can go for D5100. Personally, my advice is if you want to venture into this field, you will want at least a D7000 or a proper body which gives more control and handling.
Just try them both together and you can tell the difference immediately.

S95 and you mentioned you want to venture deeper into photography. I assume you would want learn more and get more serious about it.

Well, just a personal advice, in case you get the D5100 and in no time, you felt the limitations and handling, you want to upgrade. You'll end up in dilemma and waste more money.

It's best if you go try out both camera and decide yourself. Once you touch, hold, handle and use both, you'll have a more clear answer for yourself; especially when you learn how to control and adjust settings.

So firstly, how much budget?

If got budget, and he is serious and knows what he wants, and will be continue learning, AND the parent is understanding, they would also prefer to get him D7000 instead of later he need to upgrade.
Normally, people get lower end cause they're unsure and later will give up, but sometimes along the way, it's a waste (value drop) and then not worth to upgrade, end up no upgrade.
I believe some people experience this before, and also got people experience getting the lower end then end up sold off and upgrade. Of course, there's also those that given up or hardly use and a low end body is enough for them as what they want is just a DSLR.

So, in the end, still depends on budget; Since he did mention D7000 as option just now; I would assume there is budget for it?

Anyway, just my personal opinion.
Of course, it's parents money and one should save the money, etc. It all depends on how you see it and the family background; Those rich, the kids can even own a D3S and tons of lens. So, it really depends on the family. In this case, only the person who wants to buy will know and can decide.

This post has been edited by Andy214: May 29 2012, 04:56 PM

Before you buy, try it at the shop. It's free. You try only you will know. That's why from the beginning, I ask you to try. Here we just share and give our personal opinion; everyone thinks differently, and we can't tell whether you will continue or will quit. If you're sure you're interested and will venture deep into it, then you will know better which you want to get. If you're unsure, then it's harder, upgrading can be a waste of money; If buy a cheaper/lower end model then upgrade, then my theory is, why don't buy 2nd hand then? Even if you're serious, doesn't mean you must get new too.
Everyone thinks different and have their own opinion.

Hence, it's better for you to decide, go try it. It's not cheap item, and you're free to test until you're satisfied. Even you buy car next time, after read all reviews and comment from people, you can still test and feel it yourself. What's more, you can test other cars as well, EVEN if you've decided which car you want to buy. It's not a cheap item as well, some people even test drive multiple times before decide.

If the subject is small (e.g. not big enough to cover the focus point), the focus will tend to focus on the background or more contrast area. Even if you subject head is about or slightly bigger than the focus point, it may still fail as the actual focus area is not the point you see, it's larger.

For this case, you can try focus on their body or bigger area. Also you can focus somewhere else and then re-focus on the subject, re-confirm focus again before taking the shot. After take the shot, you can check again the focus is spot on from the LiveView (LCD).

Yes, you have to zoom in. When you're used to it (trained-eyes), you can roughly tell it's not in focus even without zoom in or zoom in 1X or 2X. Just like how some people can tell form a small photo, it's not in focus, but some people can't tell. As you take more and have more experience, you will learn to see more details and things, especially if you do post processing often because you'll be checking the details more and notice more things.

You don't have to focus till maximum to check it's in focus or not. You should be able to see it within few clicks of zoom. Maybe it will take some time to get use to, just keep on taking and practice and eventually you'll become familiar or used to it and learn how to see or check.
By that time try review back your past or old photos, you may notice a lot of things and how much you have improved, and at the same time, notice your past mistake and how you can improve them.


This post has been edited by Andy214: May 31 2012, 12:50 PM

Depends, if the head is small, your camera focusing may have tendency to focus on the background and it's hard to see from the viewfinder.
If using LiveView to focus, there is less problem and you can see more easily.

Another way is, you can use Auto-Area or 3D which if usually works; Normally I set this if I need somebody to handle the camera to take group photo.

As for aperture, it depends, usually for travel photos we want the background also clear (means not blur out or bokeh until not clear). So, you may use smaller aperture. It also depends on the lighting available, if it's low light, e.g. Sun Down, you may not want to use small aperture as you need to bump up ISO or slow down the shutter speed too much.
If daytime with enough lighting, you can shoot at the lowest ISO and use smaller aperture to get everything in focus.

It really depends on the preference, sometimes, some shot you may want some bokeh or subject separation from the background (e.g. Group Portrait maybe?). At this point, you may want to use the a wife or widest aperture.

Anyway, depending on your's shooting wide angle or telephoto, it can affect your Depth of Field as well, also the distance of you from the focus point.
Simply put, wide angle at f/2.8, you can get many things in focus, but a telephoto of say 85mm at f/2.8, you will notice many things not in focus.

Finally, just in case: depth of field covers ROWS. Some people may mistake as spot, e.g. only the focus point.
You can google for Front/Back Focus test, and you can see the Focus Chart test short, you will notice the DOF is entire ROW, and as you stop down the aperture, the DOF increase covering more ROWS.

True, not always work, but for group photo and let people who don't know how to use DSLR, it can help as you will see many AF light up and tell where it's focusing; Comparing with single point, the person who're not use to handle DSLR will not know in focus or not, but if multi-point was selected by the camera, they can see the camera focus on which. If wrong area, they can re-focus.
On side note, if you switch to AF-C, the AF point will keep changing and jumping around.

Anyway, it's just some situation it can be useful.

1. Check the lens from switch, make sure it's not set to "M" (means Manual), make sure it's in "A/M"

2. Make sure the lens clicks into place, after click, there's still room for some movement, try to twist a little a see?
If still cannot, unmount and re-mount the lens.
D7000 seems have this problems occasionally.

This post has been edited by Andy214: Jun 1 2012, 09:18 AM

Don't worry, if mounted, you should hear and feel the "click".
I believe your case is not as what Agito mentioned which probably didn't click in.

For D7000, after your click, there's still room for twist, and it may cause the lens to not-in-proper-contact with the body. Not sure if this is common for other bodies, but this can be annoying and really mess up things especially when you're shooting an important scene or event, you change the lens, and the lens isn't focusing. Worst still, with silent focusing and if the focus ring is set to hyperfocal distance or where everything looks in focus in the viewfinder, you may not notice immediately.

As others have advice, face the mount to the ground to prevent dust going in.
One thing seems people missed out is, the dust can sit on the lens mount as well, so get your lens mount cover ready, once you remove the lens from the camera, do cover it; You can turn the lens with the lens mount facing down after un-mounting if you're worried.

In any case, it's more important to becareful, hold it properly and not to rush to avoid accidentally drop what you're holding.
You can get a good blower to do maintenance of your camera and lens once in a while; For the lens, you can chekc out the lens-pen, it comes with brush and carbon tip.

Anyway, seems it's so serious; don't worry so much about it; You can clean it, but just as a prevention steps, we try to prevent.

This post has been edited by Andy214: Jun 1 2012, 05:53 PM

Moving between cold and warm place - condensation issue, which can lead to fungus growth.

"4. Protect Your Camera From Condensation

I’ve seen condensation get on the lens of cameras because people are going in and out of warm and cold places. Your lens is important, and getting moisture in there will mess with the electronics and motors. "

Yes, we have no winder, but we have cold rooms or sometimes during the night, or Genting, or if you stay in high rise building with balcony.

You can still use it the flash to lit up the environment as it can get really dark, but the spotlight if they handle it correctly, it should light up the subject well; I do experience those spotlight didn't follow the couple properly and sometimes only 1 person is in the spotlight.

Cross AF sensor, means the main AF point; Just use the middle AF point, and set to AF-C (continuous focus). For march in, usually they should walk slowly, you should be able to get more usable shoot than those walking pace.

Super GT got GT Queens (also got non-local GT Queens)
AFA got Cosplay Queens


True, for those prefer cosplayers just go for AFA. Super GT is about the cars (well, also got the GT Queens, lol).

---

Added on June 5, 2012, 9:14 amSuper GT is more of a car event, AFA is for cosplay.

"Most" men are into cars, especially such event.


This post has been edited by Andy214: Jun 5 2012, 09:14 AM

Both also will have it's own crowd. Different crowd, AFA and SuperGT is kind of different, there will be different crowd with different interest. One is Car, one is Anime.

G much sharper, better bokeh, more contrast.
D, noticably focus faster on body with AF Motor but it's not silent, the focus ring turns and no manual override, but everything else the G is better (unless you like the output result from D).

This post has been edited by Andy214: Jun 7 2012, 09:23 AM

Yes, you have one unit right?

Actually ceiling high still got difference compared to shooting without flash at all.
Of course, got reflector, etc maybe better, but some people may not have it or may not want to use it. If you seens before indian wedding at large halls, it's darker than normal dining ballroom and there're many colorful spotlights or colorful lights around, the ceiling is very high but those pro wedding photographers still tries to bounce the flash. It still makes a difference to not using flash at all.