How To Set Shutter Speed On Nikon D3300

The successor to the very popular Nikon D3200, the D3300 is a powerful DSLR with a lot of features to better your photos over those taken in Auto mode. But these features can also injure your photos if y'all don't use them correctly. Here are the chief controls for the Nikon D3300 and how yous tin harness them to get better pictures. (Note: The sample photos in this article were shot on a variety of cameras and are meant to illustrate how the process works on whatsoever camera.)

Update: These tips will besides work on the successor to the D3300, the Nikon D3400, also. To see a full review of Nikon'due south latest entry-level DSLR, click here.

What are the most of import controls on the D3300?

First, we'll requite you a quick tour of the key controls, and then we'll explain how to apply them for unlike furnishings.

Mode Dial

Starting at the top of the camera, you lot'll find a dial on the right side for a range of shooting modes. These are the ones you need to know:

Auto – Automobile: The camera makes all the decisions.

P – Plan: This mode is best for general shooting. The camera adjusts the shutter speed and aperture, and gives you the choice to adjust a few other settings (which nosotros'll explain).

S – Shutter Priority: You set the shutter speed using the Control punch on the back of the camera, where your correct thumb rests. The photographic camera will adjust the aperture (size of the lens opening) to insure you lot get a proper exposure.

A – Aperture Priority: You prepare the aperture using the Command dial, and the camera sets the shutter speed.

Thou – Manual: You set both shutter speed and aperture. The photographic camera volition warn yous if the exposure is off, but it won't terminate you. If you lot are a novice, this mode often does more than impairment than good. All the same, as yous get more than comfy with photography, Manual way can help you get difficult shots in which you desire a item event that the photographic camera can't execute on its own.

Some key controls on the D3300 include the Control punch (A), MENU push button (B) and "i" button (C).

Effects

The D3300 offers a number of special Effects shooting modes, such as Super Brilliant and Miniature. The one we found most useful was the Easy Panorama effect, which automatically stitches together multiple images you accept shot into a wide, panoramic photo.

More: How Many Megapixels Do You lot Really Need?

ISO Light sensitivity and Dissonance Reduction

You control the D3300'south sensitivity to light with the ISO setting. Utilise the lowest number you tin that provides adequate exposure. Y'all tin raise the ISO in dim or dark lighting situations, just this produces graininess, called racket, in the images, so continue with caution.

We recommend using the Car ISO setting. (Get to: Carte>Shooting>ISO Sensitivity Settings, and turn the Auto ISO sensitivity control to On.) Merely lower the Maximum Sensitivity to 3200.

If you lot decide to set the ISO manually, endeavour to go no higher than 1600 for everyday shooting, and no higher than 3200 for low light and evening shooting. You lot suit ISO manually by pressing the "i" button, then selecting ISO from the settings menu.

In either state of affairs, you should also plough on Racket Reduction (Menu>Shooting>Noise Reduction).

How can I capture action photos?

Use Shutter Priority and prepare the shutter speed to one/100 second to freeze near action. Some action requires higher settings.

A 1/400 second shutter speed stops virtually all movement in this scene.

MORE: Why Autofocus Is the New Megapixel

How do I take portrait shots?

Portrait shot at f5.6. Note how everything beyond his face is blurred. — Portrait shot at f5.six. Note how everything beyond his face is blurred.

Set the zoom lens to about 35mm, and apply Aperture Priority to control depth of field. An discontinuity of f5.6 or lower produces a shallow depth of field that blurs out the background, keeping focus on your subject. You lot set discontinuity by turning the rear Command dial.

How do I accept landscape photos?

Landscape shot at f11 brings the buildings and some of the park in focus.

Using Aperture Priority again, go for a college setting of f9 or greater to produce a deep depth of field. Having more of the scene in focus is also useful when shooting a grouping of people or any scene with of import subjects at varying distances from your camera.

How do I take photos in low calorie-free?

Night shot at ISO 1000 and 1/60 second shutter speed (Click to Enlarge) — Dark shot at ISO 1000 and ane/lx second shutter speed (Click to Enlarge)

When shooting hand-held, utilize Shutter Priority and turn the rear Command dial to set the shutter speed at 1/30 of a 2d or faster. (Information technology's all-time to use one/threescore of a second or faster.) If you set it slower, the VR (Vibration Reduction system, where part of the lens moves to counteract shaking) won't be able to recoup.

How practice I meter calorie-free for proper exposure?

The D3300 has three light-metering modes, controlled from the settings carte du jour that is accessed by pressing the "i" button. Most of the fourth dimension, you can exit this on Matrix manner, in which the camera judges the light in several parts of the image and picks the settings for an fifty-fifty exposure. If Matrix isn't giving you the results you want, you lot tin endeavour Center Weighted or Spot Metering manner, or adjust the exposure compensation.

Centre Weighted

This selection pays more attention to the center of the image, but also considers the remainder of the picture show.

Spot Metering

Utilize this to have the camera measure out just a minor spot in the eye of the paradigm, ignoring the remainder.

Exposure Compensation

Apples shot on autoexposure appear darker than they really were. (Click to Enlarge)

This control tin lighten or darken the entire photo, regardless of the metering mode you use. To activate information technology, press the "+/-" button nigh the shutter and turn the rear Command dial. The "+" numbers lighten the exposure, and "–" numbers darken information technology. Use this command sparingly. Even i or two clicks in either direction can have a big effect.

The Exposure Compensation push, and an Exposure Compensation prepare to the default of zero.

How do I adapt color?

3 settings — White Rest, Motion picture Command and Retouch — determine how colors announced in your photos.

White Residue judges the overall color of the low-cal in a scene in order to translate colors accurately. The D3300 does this pretty well using its Auto White Balance mode. But in depression calorie-free, photos tin have an orangey bandage that yous can fix using a custom white residuum. Activate this option past pressing the Carte push and going to White Balance>Preset Manual>Measure. Then indicate the camera at a white or gray object, such as a slice of paper, and press the Shutter. (Do this under the aforementioned lighting in which you will be shooting.) The camera volition measure the white balance from the card and use this custom measurement to adjust the look of colors. Just recollect to switch back to Auto White Balance or measure a new white rest when y'all move on to a different setting.

Moving picture Control determines the intensity of colors and also applies special furnishings. Turn the Way Dial to EFFECTS and and so press the MENU button to access the Picture Control settings. Nosotros recommend staying with the default SD (Standard) setting, as this produces the most-accurate and true-to-life colors.

Retouch is a better manner to utilize colour effects, as it applies them to a copy of the photo, leaving the original unaltered. Access it by pressing the "i" button while viewing a photo. Then select Retouch to apply effects like Monochrome and Color Sketch, plus Filter effects that tin can heighten some (or all) colors. If you don't like the result, you can go dorsum to the original and try again.

What are the best lenses for the D3300?

The Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Two AF-S DX NIKKOR Zoom Lens that comes with the Nikon D3300 kit is good for general shooting, but i of the advantages of a DSLR is that you get admission to a huge range of other lenses. Here are two low-cost options.

More than: A Guide to all of Nikon's Lenses

We'd recommend that aspiring shooters consider adding the $199 Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-South DX Lens as a good prime lens (which means it has a stock-still focal length with no zoom) for candids, street shooting and portraits. It'south large aperture lets in plenty of light for shooting in dim weather and for creating very shallow depth of field.

A longer zoom lens like the $250 Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens will assistance you get closer in to distant objects, although the lack of image stabilization means it should be used carefully. A minor amount of manus milk shake can make an image blurry, so you should keep the shutter speed above 1/lx of a 2d if possible (raising the ISO as needed), or use a tripod.

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