ButchA

Here's some samples that I took. This is with the 18-55mm lens with the aperture at f/3.5 and I got right down close to my wife's umbrella plant (or whatever it's called). I learned how to do a close-up and have the background all blurry and the plant leaves all sharply in focus!


Now thinking about the big 70-300mm zoom lens, I went down to the James River here in Richmond, VA and wanted to try out the big lens and what it could do. I walked down (carefully!) to the edge of the river to some rock pilings and snapped these photos:


This is 70mm. Fully auto, the camera did all the work.


This is 300mm. Fully auto, the camera did all the work.

RobertSubnet

You are off to a great start!

Now get yourself a copy of Adobe Lightroom and shoot in RAW, you will love the edits you can make.

ButchA

Thanks... A little more update... My wife and I found a terrific YouTube video of a real pro photographer (whether contracted by Canon, Nikon, Fuji, etc... who knows), but the guy was really good! He basically held your hand, you know what I mean, and walked you through everything. Every setting. Every function. Every button. Incredible!

We recently bought the fixed "prime lens" for the Nikon. The Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G lens complete with a lens hood. The 35mm focal length is great because you can do scenic views, overall general stuff, and get way up close on f/1.8 and take an amazing photo of a subject, and the entire background will be blurry. Heck, bump up the ISO, open the f-stop wide open to f/1.8 and you could technically, take a photo indoors without even having to use a flash!

CalHunter

Which YouTube video? Some of those are extremely informative.

ButchA

If you have a Nikon DSLR (like I do), this guy has a massive, wicked long... 1 HOUR & 45 MIN video tutorial. You have to break it down in segments and watch a little, stop, watch some more, stop, etc... But the guy goes over every single button, dial, setting, and teaches you the whole DSLR camera inside and out from a pro's standpoint!

Here's an Australian guy who goes over the Canon EOS T7 DSLR camera, and is also a pro. Very informative and only 18 minutes long....

Not to get all weird or say anything I shouldn't say (or get in trouble...) but most of the YouTube videos on DSLR cameras have Indian guys on it, and like I said... Sorry... but they just have that very strong Hindu accent and makes it a little hard to understand.

North Texan

I took a bunch of wedding pics with the two 1.8 lenses I mentioned earlier. Even at night under artificial, dim light, I was able to take pictures of a reception that were great with no flash.

you can also do what they call painting with light with those lenses and get great results.

RobertSubnet

That is a great general purpose lens. I have the same one for my D5100 - which my daughter has pretty much made her own.

Yep. I do this so often that it is rare now for me to use a flash.

Phil from Maine

I know I have tried the RAW mode and really liked the photos. But my problem with that mode is when I try to print a photo out you to make it a jpeg photo. It appears to loose some clarity when I do that. This one is without the flash and I like the photos without the flash as well..

WalterVAllen

Great pictures! I wish you good luck in developing your talent.

ButchA

I surprised my wife with a flowering "Trailing Vinca" plant yesterday and hung it outside by our patio on the big Shepherd's Hook hanger. I quickly went inside and grabbed my Nikon D3500 digital SLR camera with the new 35mm f/1.8G lens and took a shot of the flower pot.