Nikon Coolpix 995 Camera

[RaySharpton]

Hello. My name is Ray and I am a computer illiterate and digital camera newbie.

I usually use this camera once a year in December, and I can have someone else take indoor photos for me.

But I have never been able to take good photos at Walt Disney World so I give up after the first day or two.

I guess at Walt Disney World, I always wanted to take pictures of Magic Kingdom's Spectromagic Parade, but the auto function comes out too dark.

And I have no idea what I am doing trying to use the manual mode.

I know...I know...experiment...experiment...and I do, but when I have no idea what I am experimenting with, it all ends up frustratingly frustrating. I'd give up and decide to enjoy the parade.

So maybe others with similar cameras can give their advice on how to take pictures at Walt Disney World.

And maybe we can share information.

I don't know much about taking night/firework/night parade/night christmas light pictures, but I have found a place to buy batteries on sale for the camera.

www.SterlingTek.com

More specifically, batteries for $11.99, battery rechargers, etc. at the following specific link: www.sterlingtek.com/noname2.html . I have been very happy with them.

I have also just discovered a free place that is very friendly and easy to use for me to store photos at www.PhotoBucket.com . Since I use a WebTV at home, I don't have a mouse to click on a photo, but I can find a URL of the picture and insert the URL into photobucket.

Photobucket will let you share photos on the DIS, too.

And I have discovered an online guide for this camera at www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/995/

These are the things that I would like to learn about my camera.

1. What should my initial settings on the camera be set at? (There are about two screens worth of settings and here is a web link with a list of them at: http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/nikon/coolpix995-review/)

2. If I were going to use the photo for 4" x 6" printable photos and on the DIS, what should I set the quality for?

Sincerely, Ray

 

[RaySharpton]

Tips for Nikon Coolpix 995 web links:

995 online guide for this camera at www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/995/

995 Review with lists of menus in camera that need to be set: http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/nikon/coolpix995-review/

 

[RaySharpton]

General photo tip web links:

Firework Tips from Brisully: http://www.digicamhelp.com/how-to-photograph-fireworks/how-to-photograph-fireworks.htm

 

[Goofyish]

2. If I were going to use the photo for 4" x 6" printable photos and on the DIS, what should I set the quality for?

Sincerely, Ray

Always shoot at the best quality mode your camera has. You can then adjust the photo size for printing/internet when you upload the photos to your PC.
Also, when you have uploaded the photo to your PC always make a copy to work on

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

Hi Ray and welcome to the Photography board! The Nikon 995 is a great little camera. My wife uses a Nikon 990 and just loves it. I tried to move her to a different camera but there is just no way. The ability to rotate the camera from the lens is awesome and really helpful when at a park like Disney because you can rotate it around and take pictures of yourself on the rides. Now it actually looks like we were on the trip too. I agree with Goofyfish, it is important to shoot at the highest resolution then adjust down. When printing, 240 dots per inch (DPI) is a minimum to get good clarity and definition. Many times people will shoot at 72 DPI because that is the resolution of your monitor but then are disappointed at the quality when they print. You should be able to shoot in auto mode most of the time with the 995 and get good results. Just remember that camera has a delay in the shutter so you need to anticipate motion shots. I took the 990 to the Winter Olympics and spent a couple of hours trying to "catch" a bobsled coming down the track. It was frustrating at the time but a memory I will never forget.


Jeff