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Nikon D3200: My Very First ‘Grown Up’ Camera

By: Debbie38 Comments

My New Nikon D3200

This Christmas I was a very lucky lady as I received my very first DSLR camera. It is something I’ve wanted for a while, but knowing that they aren’t cheap I happily made do with my nifty little Nikon point and shoot camera; which I might add, I have always been very pleased with.

Until now I hadn’t even held a DSLR camera before, so I was more than a little nervous putting it together (thank goodness for YouTube tutorials!).

Nikon D3200

I’m looking forward to getting the most out of my new DSLR camera #Nikon
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And This Week…

After reading a good chunk of the Dummies Guide To The Nikon D3200 (you know a book is really aimed at dummies when it tells you that whether your Nikon D3200 is black or red the photos will come out the same!), I’ve become a little more confident and have started to fiddle with it.

I’ve taken over 300 photographs, many just the same image taken using different lens settings, just so I can see the difference the different settings make.

Much of what I’m learning, I’m sure, is being forgotten almost instantly as I have a brain like a sieve. But I will continue to read, reread and fiddle until (hopefully) there comes a day when I can choose lens settings and know what they actually mean. Rather than choose them willy nilly, keeping my fingers crossed that an image will come out as I would like.

I Know I Have A Lot To Learn…

When my favorite things about my new camera is its colour, which is a nice shiny red like my point and shoot, and the sound the shutter makes when I take pictures. On continuous mode the sound is exceedingly cathartic and I have to remind myself to take my finger off the button!

How do you approach learning something new? Are you a fiddler like me or do you have another way of learning?

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About Debbie

Hello, I’m Debbie (also known as ChirpyDebs) and thank you for stopping by my little corner of the internet. Now the children are all grown up I’m happiest when I’m out with the dogs or hiking a trail with my camera in hand. My blog is where I like to share photographs showing the wild beauty of Zakynthos that most people don’t get to see, recipes and other seemingly random things that come to mind.

Comments

  1. 35

    Merlinda Little (Glimmer of Hope) says

    Nikon is my dream camera! My D3100 is broken because we bought it as a display from store. So irs cheap but now not working and I miss it like crazy! It just captures light that a normal camera wont and I can only imagine the more advance Nikon model like yours.
    Reply
    • 36

      Debbie says

      Hi Merlinda, my husband got the D3200 for not a bad price as the D3300 was not long released, so I was lucky. I hope you manage to get your fixed and I can only imagine how amazing your photos would be, as they are pretty darn good without it. Thank you for stopping by. xx
      Reply
  5. 40

    Morgan Prince says

    Great post Debbie, thanks for linking to #PoCoLo. I don't have a DSLR, I use my iPhone for all my photos. I'm absolutely terrible when it comes to settings and stuff so having my iPhone do it all is great for me. Good luck with learning what those settings mean! :)
    Reply
  6. 41

    Charlene says

    What a lovely gift, looking forward to seeing some lovely pics! I tried to use one once and everything was very arty (blurry) #PoCoLo
    Reply
  8. 43

    Tamara says

    Congrats on the new camera! I'm a fiddler and a reader and a very slow learner. It took me years to start shooting manually with my camera, and I was a professional by then! I have the dummies books for my camera. I love them! Tamara recently posted..... And What Have You Done?My Profile
    Reply
    • 44

      Debbie says

      Hi Tamara, have you just given the secret of being a professional photographer away? I was talking to the chap who leads the walks we do about his camera (he has the same one as I got), he is always snapping away with his camera and works for one of the holiday companies taking photographs. I was hoping to get some tips from him, but he said he mainly uses the auto mode! I do love the Book For Dummies, it's made me laugh and given me a little confidence to try.... And don't you just love the sound of the shutter clicking? I love it, it's so soothing! Thank you for stopping by and commenting. xx Debbie recently posted...What Home Means To MeMy Profile
      Reply
  9. 45

    Verily Victoria Vocalises says

    I received a DSLR the previous Christmas - and it is most definitely the BEST gift I have ever had. I totally recommend the courses I took. I learned with online with The Shaw Academy and I have to say that I am never off manual mode now. I understand shutter speed, aperture and histograms and I totally recommend it to get more out of your camera. Enjoy it Debs - it is so worth it xx #PoCoLo Verily Victoria Vocalises recently posted...A Song for the Weekend #1 – Better Love Next Time by Rosabella Gregory ft Peter CoxMy Profile
    Reply
    • 46

      Debbie says

      Hi Victoria, I will be checking that out for sure as I have loved the photos you've been sharing. I want to understand what the different settings actually do to the photos and I think I'll need guidance for that. I like quirky and different. So excited to learn, but feel a little guilty that my point and shoot camera may be feeling a little inadequate now , although I've told it I can't carry the bigger camera around with me everywhere! Thank you for the tips and for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...Mount Skopos: Our New Years Day WalkMy Profile
      Reply
  10. 47

    tracey at Mummyshire says

    Oh how exciting to get your new camera - I can imagine how you would constantly want to fiddle and play with it just because it can do so very much! Oh, I have my eye on one of these too so I'll be watching all your great photography posts now which will make me more determined to save up for one lol! For me, I learn but doing what you're doing - just playing with it, finding out for myself what works and what doesn't. But I'm also a bit of a stickler for reading the rules first, too. Just to be on the safe side! Best of luck and enjoy! xx #WoTW tracey at Mummyshire recently posted...TogetherMy Profile
    Reply
    • 48

      Debbie says

      Hi Tracey, I'm not expecting any shots to be proud of for a while (although I do plan to check out the pictures I've already taken, as you never know). The first bit of reading I did was the do's and don'ts, I didn't remove caps or fiddle with any of the buttons until I knew it was okay to do so. Also I watched a YouTube tutorial (more than once) on how to properly put the lens on, charge the battery and insert the SD card. I would hate to damage the camera through my ignorance. The fiddling I am doing now I know won't damage the camera as it's taking pictures. This camera does have a walk through guide on it to help total beginners like me (isn't technology great?). Which is great to see how the numbers and settings change for different photos. Thank you for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...Mount Skopos: Our New Years Day WalkMy Profile
      Reply
    • 50

      Debbie says

      Hi Stephanie, a week later it is now like the three hours I did spend reading The Book For Dummies never happened, so I will have to go back over it again. I think learning to use the camera as I would like is going to be a challenge as time is limited, but I'm going to have fun learning! Thank you for stopping by and commenting. xx Debbie recently posted...What Home Means To MeMy Profile
      Reply
  12. 51

    Sarah Howe (@RunJumpScrap) says

    Lucky begger such a lush camera! I bet you will have lots to learn. My hubby is pretty good with his but his says I have the eye for pictures but just no technical ability! hehe. Hope you have fun with it and here's to some cracking pics xx #wotw Sarah Howe (@RunJumpScrap) recently posted...Bye Bye Dummy!!My Profile
    Reply
    • 52

      Debbie says

      Hi Sarah, I am aren't I? I have wanted a camera like it for a while, but paying money for something I had no idea how to use was scary, but receiving it as a gift (even if it was Birthday and Christmas) took the decision out of my hands. I have no technical ability at all either! But I do like a challenge, especially a technical one! This week it's been chores?.... No, I have a camera to learn how to use! Thank you for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...Mount Skopos: Our New Years Day WalkMy Profile
      Reply
    • 56

      Debbie says

      Hi Kim, it took me a couple of hours to attach the neck strap properly! And didn't return to it for a couple of days as I didn't know where to start. This week I have been braver and have actually ventured outside with it. Out of the 300 photos I've taken I doubt many will be worth looking at! Thank you for popping over and commenting. xx Debbie recently posted...Nikon D3200: My Very First ‘Grown Up’ CameraMy Profile
      Reply
  15. 57

    Jen says

    Ooh it's pretty! I have one very similar and I am still learning things on it. It took me a while to discover how to frame portraits just right. Well, I am still working on it. Not going to even admit to being any kind of a pro yet. Have fun learning! Jen recently posted...Let’s Get OrganizedMy Profile
    Reply
    • 58

      Debbie says

      Hi Jen, at the moment I know where the shutter button is,how to take off and put on the lens cap and how to charge the battery. You are way ahead of me. I am really hoping to get a decent photo of myself to update my profile picture, but I realize it's a camera and not a miracle worker! Maybe the portrait setting will help? Thank you for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...Nikon D3200: My Very First ‘Grown Up’ CameraMy Profile
      Reply
    • 62

      Debbie says

      Hi Jayne, mine was a combined Birthday and Christmas present, which for once I didn't mind. Having a Birthday on Christmas Eve must be a nightmare for combined presents. Getting stuck is the best way, but I do like to read as well, to give me some direction. Thank you for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...Mount Skopos: Our New Years Day WalkMy Profile
      Reply
  18. 63

    The Reading Residence says

    That looks lovely! A great treat and plenty to learn and figure out by the sounds of it. I'm terrible with things like that, as my husband's there reading the guide books and instructions working it all out properly, and I just grab it and have a go, barely understanding a thing! I'm too impatient, but it gets me nowhere! Thanks for sharing with #WotW x The Reading Residence recently posted...Word of the Week 8/1/16My Profile
    Reply
    • 64

      Debbie says

      Hi Jocelyn, I know I was lucky and it was a combined Christmas and birthday present (I can live with that). I like to do both, I'll read up on things and then fiddle until something clicks in my head and then I head back to the book or a YouTube tutorial (can't say enough good things about some of them). My husband is the impatient one, technical things are usually left to me. Thank you for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...Nikon D3200: My Very First ‘Grown Up’ CameraMy Profile
      Reply
  19. 65

    Louise (Little Hearts, Big Love) says

    What a lovely Christmas present and your new camera looks great - I love the colour! I think experimenting is the best way to learn - once you've had a read-up on the basics. Sounds like you've been having lots of fun getting to grips with your new camera and look forward to seeing some of the photos :-) Louise (Little Hearts, Big Love) recently posted...The Friday Focus 08/01/16My Profile
    Reply
    • 66

      Debbie says

      Hi Louise, thank you. I do like the colour too. I am enjoying fiddling with it, I can't help myself. Suddenly I'll pick it up and start taking photo and before I know it half an hour has passed. I am hoping that there is a picture good enough to share on My Sunday Photo, but I have yet to check! Thank you for popping over and leaving a comment. xx Debbie recently posted...Nikon D3200: My Very First ‘Grown Up’ CameraMy Profile
      Reply

Trackbacks

  4. […] This week (hanging my head in shame) I realised I’ve become a camera snob. I honestly never saw it coming, so when I recently decided to leave my big camera at home (for practical reasons) in favour of my Nikon point and shoot (which has always worked well), I was surprised by how much I missed the old fashioned view finder and satisfying click of my big camera. […]
    Reply

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