Episode Summary 
DTown TV is a weekly show brought to you by Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski with KelbyTraining.com.
Episode Summary
In this week's episode, Scott and Matt discuss:
- Matt and Scott share some beginners tips about flash compensation and exposure modes
- Moose Peterson has a tip about buffer management
- Tips on protecting your gear when out in the field
- Here is the Strobist post on quick-changing lenses
- Keep your highlight warning turned on and use exposure compensation to get the best shot
[If you have a D40 or D60, your highlight warning option can't be turned off. Skip to the last paragraph to find out how to use it.]
To turn on your highlight warnings, go to your Playback menu, then to Display Mode. Here you will be able to check the Highlights box, then hit OK.
When you look at your images on your LCD, hit the up/down arrows to scroll through the different information options until you see the one that says "Highlights" in the corner. If there is any part of your picture that is blinking, that is where there is no information.
Scott blue shirt
Lovely episode.
Thanks for organizing the photowalk, enjoyed my first photowalk last week.
http://shardayyy.zenfolio.com for pictures from the photowalk (Baltimore & DC)
Flash compensation can be accomplished on the D40 in the same manner as the D5000. Hold the Flash Button and the +/- Button while turning the thumb wheel.
I really appreciate it when you mention the lower level cameras b/c I’d bet that a majority of your viewers are not using the top end that Nikon offers. Those users are professionals and typically already know what you’re covering in an episode.
I’m a Canon shooter, but I watched every single episode of DTownTV and I’m enjoying it immensely. You guys do a great job and there’s some great all around tips no matter what you shoot (Nikon, Canon, whatever). So keep it up and keep the episodes coming
Great job.
P.S.: Lovely Ernie Ball t-shirt there Scott
Great to see you wearing all these great t-shirts from all these fine companies that make amazing instruments (Fender, Zildjian etc.)
Szabi
Scott didn’t mention it but on Scottkelbytraining.com is a new lesson on cleaning your lens camera and sensor. It’s great and though I already cleaned mine, it gave me some new tips.
Great job on flash compensation refresher. Turning on the highlights has helped me a lot while taking shots with bright backgrounds. Thank you guys once again for all that you do for all of us trying to master our cameras. Just participated at recent photowalk in Coconut Grove, Florida. Although the weather wasn’t the best, I still captured some nice shots.
Love the show guys. Are you filming in front of a blue screen and adding the back drop later? Something looked different today in the way the edges of the equipment and you glasses blended or did not blend with the background. Finally are you guys going to shoot any episodes with the Video option of a D90 or P5000?
Ok, it is offical….I am addicted. I kept checking and checking for episode 22 to be available and it seemed like it was later in the day this week. I was not able to get my “fix” and I needed it !! Keep ‘em coming guys !! Thank you !!
Some great tips there and I learned a few things about the D60.
Hold down the flash pop-up button and rotate the dial – it will cycle through the flash options (red-eye reduction, rear-sync etc). Didn’t know that till I tried to play with it following your tutorial.
Your show really gives me the confidence to try something new – I always remember what you said in an earlier show: try it, the camera won’t break!
Cheers, Kevin
Love your episodes but for some reason it stops around the the seven minute mark. Based on some of other comments it looks like others are haveing any problems.
Just thought I’d let you know that you can change flash comp. on the D40 the same as the D5000, by rotating the dial while pushing the two buttons. Thanks for the show!:)
Just a suggestion to keep your gear from getting dirty. I buy large ziplock bags and put my camera in these in dusty conditions. They make ziplock bags in serveral sizes. The make huge ones, you could put a D3 with a 600mm lens in a ziplock bag. You can find these at any grocery store.
Did you say you were going to post (on this page) where to turn on the highlight warning on various Nikon cameras? Will you?
Many thanks for D-Town, a Godsend for those who own cameras smarter than they are.
When you adjust the exposure compensation when trying to get rid of highlights, what exactly is it doing? Why not adjust the shutter speed, aperture, or ISO instead?
Thank you for the show. Great tips… tonight I recommended it to a few people in my beginning digital photo class. It really helps to take us all to that net level beyond manual. I plan on watching them all over again. Please keep them coming!
Hi Scott/Matt, You mentioned Strobist.com in episode 22, which reminded me of a request I wanted to put forward during your flash series, how about some hints on stroboscopic (repeating) flash? please, please…
BTW thanks a million for series keep ‘em comin’ Oh! and of course the WWPhoto walk… Regards Ron
Episode 22
Like your other shows I enjoyed this one too. I do wish you could have gone into more detail on how each of the PASM settings affect the picture’s out come. Eample, by incleasing the shutter speed soes it bring out a sharper image or a softer image? Same with appature and also though not included, ISO.
I know you have limited time to do the show but that would have been my dream show there, maybe with some sample pictures showing the differences.
Lao
Anxiously awaiting settings for turning highlights on or off.
Re Protecting Gear / Changing lens.
Read somewhere that an important tip when changing lenses is to : Switch The Camer Off
Think it suggested that when the camera is left on there will be power going to the sensor and so quite possibly a static charge attracting dust. Not sure how true it is but worth doing in case.
Could you cover why you would want to tether your flash as opposed to just removing it from your camera and setting it as a remote flash? Thanks. I just LOVE DtownTV!
Hey Everyone – Sorry for the delay in getting the info up about turning on your highlight warning. It’s now posted under the bullet points in the episode description.
Brad Moore
DTown TV Technical Editor
Dear Matt,
I really enjoyed your Lightroom 2 class in NY. It was really great and I love Dtown too.
The first thing I do each day before I start shooting is to do a reset, (press and hold the two green dots). Sometimes I forget to set my compensation, (flash or whatever), back to zero, or I forget to change my white balance back to auto. The reset doesn’t change the auto iso settings. The only thing it does that I have to change on my D700 is the file size.
Good show as always guys.
Odd question: The skyline visible through the windows of your (virtual) backdrop- what city is that?
Also, I love watching Scott stare off into space while Matt is talking. Whatcha thinkin’ about, Scott?
Every week you top yourself!
Every week I get that “ahaaa” feeling.
Super guys!
Another good show chaps, keep it up.
I teach camera courses, and Exposure Compensation is one of the main things I make sure the students leave any course knowing. However, I also make sure to remind them to set it back to zero when they have finished shooting in whatever situation was over exposing, as subsequent pictures may be under exposed when the camera was able to record a perfectly exposed image. And that can catch anybody out, not only the beginner.
hello. Why dtowntv.com crach my browsers on my mac, and don’t on windows?
Since I started watching your show, I enjoy my photography more. What is more, I have overcome the scariness to experiment with my camera, now I look forward to finding that next cool trick. Please, keep these shows coming, they are incredible.
Hi, just found your website a few days ago and I`ve just finished watching the final episode (22 shows almost back to back is a long haul but really worth it} I am so impressed with this show, I`m also gutted I had`nt found it sooner because I would have taken part in the photowalk in birmingham uk my home city ( never mind maybe next year)keep up the good work guys.
p.s. Only one point I think I should mention about the episode concerning firmware update I think the guys should have stressed the point that you must make sure you have a FULL BATTERY before attempting any firmware update.
once again many thanks for a great show karl
In this episoid you taked about exposure compinsation. What is the deference between Exposure Compinsaton and Shutter Speed. If I’m out shooting and I get a highlight warning I just increase my shutter speed unitl it disappears. Should I be using Exposure Compinsation instead?
On one of the recent episodes you made a comment about pop-up flash. There are times where you don’t have or can’t afford a Speedlight. I always carry a LumiQuest Soft Screen diffuser which fits over the pop-up flash. Cutting down the flash power and using this diffuser provides pretty amazing results for $15.
http://www.lumiquest.com/products/softscreen.htm
Great show! I’ve picked up a lot of tips and techniques, always presented with good humor. I don’t really care what color of shirt you guys wear, it’s the content I come back for.
I would like to see more coverage of software for Nikon cameras, View NX, Capture NX and how to build a workflow around these tools. I think there is a lot of untapped potential within these apps. I realize they may be too limited in some aspects (View NX not able to display PSD, or filter by keyword), but maybe you guys have work-arounds that don’t involve Lightroom/Aperture?
BTW, I have a D300 and it sure is great to see it featured as a example camera for many of your demo’s.
Great teatchers, Scott and Matt you didn’t mention using a light meter for manual exposure?
thank you for your post..i always get something new from your post.
Regard from Bali
WHITE shirt! Nice! All the black ones at the cleaners?
Hey guys, great shows! I am a newbee to thhe DSLR world, but have been taking pictures for years. I came across your show, and I love it. I watched every episode from 1 to 22 in just two nights. I thought they were all very informational.
My question would be this. I own a D80 camera that I only got last December, and I also know that Nikon has discontinued this model. For all of us D80 owners, could you do a show that might show us some of the features common to the cameras you keep mentioning, or tell us the reccomended settings, or pros/cons of the camera?
Keep up the great work. I already have book 1 of the three book series Scott has got out there. Wonderful reading, and information. Took my first fireworks pictures this July using the information from his book, and came home with a whole bunch of wonderful pictures! Settings reccomended in he book were right on, and worked wonderful… thanks.
Release+focus means no release until it achieves tack sharpedness?*
That must explain it. In many of the contradictory, confusing sites and even books, I have been led to believe that release+focus allows the camera to release at least for the first shot in a series while attempting focus—tack sharp or not—on the flowing shots. I have noticed that this doesn’t always work on my D300 causing me to want to toss it into the river when doing waterfowl photography, Nothing more fun than seeing a shot in focus, trying to trip the shutter and it refuses because the D300 assumes that I want to focus on an insect 37 miles away in the background in stead of the bird in flight and overrides my decision.
So since as I understand from the Moose Peterson part that release plus focus insists on achieving focus before allowing release, what is the “focus” choice for? I assume that I must choose “release” if I want to control when to fire the shutter instead of letting my camera make the decision? Is focus the same as tack-sharp?
Absolutely love the series!!! I am new to using the settings on the D300! I’ve had the camera a year and have been overwhelmed by so many features! This is really helping!
I’ve turned on the highlights feature for blown-out areas and understand how to adjust it using +/- feature (shooting in aperture priority mode). To completely adjust details and remove these, my photos become very underexposed. Should I be changing something else with that or fix exposure in photoshop?
Episodes are really fantastic.
I only have one suggestion about new episodes.
I never remember witch episode was the last one.
If you could just write somewhere the date beside episode number, or if you highlight new one with tag or something. So when I visits your website that I can instantly see that the new one is ready for viewing.
That would be really nice.
Thanks.
simply a great series… thanks guys!!
Thanks Guys,
Great show…. love all the tips on camera settings…
Could you tell me where are alll the things that you say are on the web. I keep looking for all these items that you are going to be posted and can’t find them….
Thanks,
Marty
I think you mean Kelbytraining.com
Laurie Excell has some great classes too. They really have some good stuff!
Ken,
Do you have a link to that new lesson on lens and sensor cleaning?
Yeah I saw something weird also with the background evrsus foreground.
The problem is for shooting with the D90/D5000 is that you only have 5 minutes per shot max. Sometimes, they talked more than that before going to a break.
As always, great show guys!
Hey John,
What about moisture/condensation issues? I live in Virginia Beach,
and in the summer the humidity is almost always in the 90 percentile range won’t this cause problems with the camera/lenses?
Thanks
Walt
If working in fully manual mode – then yes that will work.
But if for example you’re in Apperture or Shutter priority mode – then the Camera will always try to go for the 18% grey average.
If you say adjust the apperture – then the camera will just adjust the shutter speed in the opposite direction – maintaining the average exposure and negating your change. Setting the Exposure compensation will let it know that it shuold do things a little different.
Tricky question/answer as it depends on both the apperture and the shutter speed and their relationship together.
To get the most in focus for shutter speed – get a quicker shutter speed – this will reduce blur from camera shake or subject movement.
To get the most in focus for apperture – get the smallest apperture (i.e. large F-No e.g. f8-32) as this means the depth of field (DOF) i.e. sweet spot where something is in focus, is wider so more in focus.
The problem is that these two work in opposite directions, i.e. If you increase the F-no you make the apperture whole smaller (more in focus) less light gets in, to compensate for this to get the correct exposure you (or the camera) need to slow down the shutter speed.
You can adjust ISO to change the range where both of these operate, but then you can get lots of noise at high ISO – tends to be noticeable at 800+ on most cameras.
Some reasons (I use the chord LOTS):
-Not all cameras have the ability to fire a remote flash on their own, some of the consumer end ones will either need an SB-800/900 or SU-800 commander to send the signal. Cable is a cheap option.
-Nikon CLS relies on IR signals, so the camera/commander + remote flash need to be within line of site. The cable doesn’t have this restriction.
-Other signals could also interfere.
-If using popup flash then the command flash could confuse a subject making them think the shot has been taken or blink. This doesn’t happen with the chord.
I only keep the camera in the ziplock bag between shots in dusty conditions. I don’t think that would cause a problem. I don’t store my camera in a ziplock bag long term.
I also have a D40 and was able to adjust the flash compensation in the same manner as was demonstrated with the D5000.
If you are changing your shutter speed, to change exposure you must be in manual mode,is this correct?
Robert, I shoot in Manual mode quite a bit too. If you change your Shutter Speed in Manual Mode in order to compensate for your highlights, you could be changing your image from a creative point of view. Therefore you want to use your Exposure Compensation instead so that your preserve your shutter speed for example to freeze action.
I might not have done a great job of explaining this so I will refer you to Bryan Peterson’s book UNDERSTANDING EXPOSURE. It is an excellent book for new photographers.
Thanks David! The crowd was awesome and I had a great time teaching that day. Take care.
Matt
Great tip on the reset. One of the things I took away from a Nikonians D300 course was to always put my camera away with the same settings. This way if you need to grab the camera for a quick shot, you always know where you are starting. Can’t say I always do it, but I’m better at not making ISO, EV, etc. errors.
Might be an idea to do a show on “things to check when you switch your camera on / take it out” type procedure.
I do it as a matter of course as I photograph in drastically different situations + use custom settings lots.
So stuff like :
-Memory card + battery
-ISO
-Compensation
-Bracketing
-Flash speed (I’ve started changing my default flash speed to 1/250+FP as without the FP it would burn when I tried 2.8 photos)
-Min shutter time for Auto iso
etc
Yeh I shoot in Manual mode most of the time. I’m am new to photograph and I’m more of less trying to get used to the full function of the camera and figured this would be the best way to learn.
Robert, when in P,S or A mode you need to use the exposure comp button to change the exposure value the meter has given your scene, eg just changing your shutter speed in Shutter priority (S),say 1 stop slower (eg 1/500 to 1/250) ,would cause the aperture to automatically change 1 stop smaller ( eg f5.6 to f8 ) to keep the exposure balanced. use the exposure comp button to change the cameras exposure value plus or minus as required to achieve the exposure you require ,if it differs from what the meter thinks, PS don’t forget to reset the exposure comp back to zero. Cheers Craig
Get off the bullshit, this is about learning photography, not about who wears what.
Walt
That’s just what I was thinking, Paul
I don’t get why people have to be so rude especially out of ignorance.
Bob, not sure if this link will work as you need to be a member of Kelbytraining.com to access the new lesson.
http://www.kelbytraining.com/online/all-classes.html&id=excell_sensor_cleaning#excell_sensor_cleaning
Ya i like the show and agree with the previous comment about doing a little about the d80. There has to be a ton of them out there. D80 is a great camera and would be nice to hear a little more…..instead of it being treated like a camera that is missing in action!
mark
You should only be using +/- exposure compesation in some situations i.e. very bright/white ones (e.g. snow) or very dark ones.
Afer you’ve finished doing that you should re-set it so that the camera doesn’t over or under expose other shots.
In some cases (both V bright areas and dark areas in same picture) digital cameras just aren’t capable of coping with the range of contrast (called dynamic range) in 1 shot alone at the moment.
Below Brad comments:
“Hey Everyone – Sorry for the delay in getting the info up about turning on your highlight warning. It’s now posted under the bullet points in the episode description.”
So for the Highlight warning stuff it would be here :
http://www.dtowntv.com/2009/07/episode-22/
The episode it was mentioned in.