Whenever I create a blog post on gear, I get five to ten times the number of people reading those posts.
There are a few things that people are looking for when they click on one of my blogs on gear.
First, if it is new to the market, they are looking for information to help them know if they should buy this lens themselves.
Second, they want tips on how to use their new piece of camera gear. This is very true regarding camera bodies and different shooting situations. So, I can take the same camera body and do separate blog posts on how to shoot things like Sports, Portraits, Strobes, and Landscapes, and people are interested in my experience.
While not everyone will agree with my assessment, they are interested in seeing if there is something I discovered they haven’t yet experienced.
DSLR to Mirrorless Challenges
My transition from DSLR to Mirrorless was the most challenging change of any camera body, including getting started with the Pentax K1000.
To summarize the difficulty is to understand that with an introductory film camera, you had these adjustments:
- ISO – But only once. You set it for the film you were shooting and only changed it when you changed a roll of film.
- Shutter Speed
- Aperture
- Focus – you turned the focus until the image looked sharp.
With the latest Nikon Z9, you have so many options for each of those settings. What makes it even more complex is when you start combining all the options for each of those main settings with others. This is where you get Aperture priority, but do you want to set the ISO or use Auto ISO?
So here is a simple tip to add to your camera bag. Download the manuals and keep them on your phone or get them printed and put in your camera bag—linkhttps://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/products/589/Z_9.html.
Nikon even has special manuals for Sports, Video, and even shooting in RAW video, for example. If they are on your computer or phone, you can search for the setting you are trying to understand and know the right one to pick for your shooting situation.
They also have a troubleshooting guide. Check it out here.
Footnote
Don’t go on social media and complain that the camera will not do something if you haven’t first read the manual. You will only undermine your credibility in those social media forums.