Hello everyone.

[PhotoGunner]

My name is Shane, and i am from Virginia. I have always loved photography and never really had up to date equipment. I had a cannon 35mm from the 80's that has lasted forever, had a view point and shoot cameras and never really could get the photos i wanted. So i got myself a Nikon D3100 (not the best but works for me) and hope to get back into this as a hobby. My skills are that of a beginner in my opinion. Hope to interact some more.

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[John B.]

Welcome to the forum, Shane. The camera isn't as important as the composition and exposure. I'm sure there are some guys with $5,000 cameras, wondering why their photos look like something taken with a Brownie camera.

[PhotoGunner]

Thanks John,

Yeah I played with a lot of cameras before I bought mine and the 3100 has all the features I would need, a friend of mine has a "better" camera but the picture quality between the two is minimal for the size photos I would print. Like you said tho, in the end it comes down to fundementals.

[Dazzaone]

Hi Shane and welcome to the forum.
Whilst there are good cameras out there that have all the bells and whistles you still have to have the eye for a "better" image, it's not what's in the camera it's who is pressing the release button.
Looking forward to seeing more of your photography and thank you for allready posting and sharing, that's what the forum is all about

Dazza.

[PhotoGunner]

Thanks for the warm welcome, I am hoping to learn some things and improve my photography skills, I have always enjoyed it and wish I never took a break from it. Better late than never.

[John B.]

Thanks for the warm welcome, I am hoping to learn some things and improve my photography skills, I have always enjoyed it and wish I never took a break from it. Better late than never.

I took a ten-year break from photography. That was prior to the advent of digital photography. I carried a Pentax K1000 (and accessories) with me everywhere I went. The problem was, my truck was parked all day while I was working, which meant the film was getting hot. It would also take me about a month to use a roll of film. By time I got them printed, they mostly came out with a horrible, brown cast, and the exposure was shameful. It grieved me every time I picked up my prints and realized I'd just thrown more money down the drain. I tried to sell the camera but couldn't find a taker so I gave it away.

I did take some nice photos but those were the ones where I used a roll of film quickly. I used to keep several rolls of film in the fridge, but that heat in the truck was the problem. Since I got my first digital camera about ten years ago, my enthusiasm has been revived.

And incidentally, my first digital camera was a Fuji. I think it was about 4 megapixel, and the lens could not be changed. It was telephoto, though. I paid $500 for it, too! We've come a long way since those days.

[TCampbell]

Welcome to Photo Forum Shane.

I think a lot of us have similar stories. My regular camera was a Canon AE-1. I avoided digital for years (actually what really happened is I tried digital cameras almost immediately -- I own an old Canon Powershot 600.) While it was "neat", it certainly didn't compete with the AE-1 in image quality. I dabbled with a few other digital point & shoots and recognized their strongest feature was convenience -- not image quality.

It took a while before I started seeing good enough images from affordable DSLRs that I was willing to take the plunge -- and I'm glad I did. I picked up a T1i (not wanting to spend too much too soon -- I needed to know the cameras would provide similar quality to what I could achieve with a 35mm film SLR.) I don't have the T1i anymore, but I'm glad I bought it.

I think you'll love your D3100 and will find that it gives back the control that you had with your 35mm Canon -- but is probably even more convenient. Buying and processing film will no longer be a barrier to shooting.

As John points out -- it's not the "camera" ... well, not entirely. Framing & composition, creating the mood/energy/emotion, the decisive moment, the lighting... that's all YOU. (Although the "shutter button lag" on a point & shoot can be aggravating when trying to capture the "decisive moment") But there are other areas where the D3100 will make things easy that would be hard or impossible with a point & shoot... creating an image with a tack-sharp subject and yet still have a beautifully blurred background -- a point & shoot doesn't really lend itself to that sort of shot.

[Michael79]

Welcome to the forum, I am a newbie myself. It's a great group of people here. I look forward to seeing more of your work.