2013 Playground - camera findings - tutorials

Today manage to have some micro time, to take a look and fiddle with the D7000, to my surprise there is still tons of functions that i have not yet understood or do I ever use them. No wonder I get unsatisfactory pictures most of the time. Now I know why this camera is rated so highly.

So, quick to the findings. As I browse around the Menu->Autofocus.

AF-S priority selection and AF-S priority selections - this are basically settings to tell the camera not to snap when it is not in focus, or just snap? Choose.

Now then this one below, remember we are still at Autofocus menu. Item *a3 - still wonder what those * for. So This one is really important.

This selection will determined the delays when you move your camera to point/focus at other place. For example, you are shooting at your girl friend and then there is another pretty girl at the back to you wanted to capture her, now there are 1 to 5 delays here and OFF. For OFF the camera will focus immediately when you half press the shutter button. For 5 - it will wait for 5 sec then it sill only focus. I choose OFF of course, as you do not want the pretty girl to get away, ya? Simple.

Still I have do idea why people would choose 5 for this? any tips?

Now, at a8 - LiveView/Movie Mode, you have 2 options here. Autofocus mode (AF-F and AF-S). The usage is simple, when ever you pan your camera while shooting video and wanted to have so called like camcorder, then choose AF-F ( full time servo) if you are shooting manual, then choose AF-S. But for me, I think better choose AF-S and manually focus, cos this is still not up to the camcorder standard. Not sure about Canon on this one, anyone care to share?

Then here also , there is AF-Area mode, where you can set Face priority, Wide Area AF, Normal area AF and subject tracking AF. Well i assure you that face and subject tracking will not work as you expected, as this is still a DSLR not a camcorder, if you need, go get GoPro 2 with 2048 pixel resolution.

So we are done with Autofocus, lets go to Metering/exposure

I'll like to talk about *b3 Easy exposure compensation mode (over written by (shooting/display -> *d3 ISO display and adjustment, Easy ISO). For me I tested and set it to ON. It will auto compensate the exposure whenever you shoot. If you dislike the amount you can goto b5 Fine tune optimal exposure, here you will be prompted, basically telling you that by the pressing of the 2 green button do not reset this area. Choose yes and you will see the menu to choose the amount of compensation for each metering (Matrix, Center and Spot.) So depending on your area, test it and set it, this will make shooting more fun.

Now under d Shooting/display, one thing here that I like to mention. it is the ISO display, this is to basically to let you see the ISO instead of your storage space. For me, I prefer to see the ISO, cos now the SD cards are affordable now.

With this I conclude my learning for now.