sorry whats tv mode??

TV (time value)-Shutter priority. You set the shutter speed, much better for moving subjects. Id use continuous focusing too, assuming your camera has it.

willl read up on that - thanks dawn - as i have no idea how to set that!!!

with owners permission the pics are going on my blog/site - so you can all see what you think

Steve
Quote " Could one of the many Nikon users on here confirm whether or not shutter priority works on Nikons as I have stated. I have had a look on a couple of Nikon forum and a seed of doubt has been planted in my mind" unquote.

Don't really undersand The question as Nikon cameras have shutter/ aperture/ manual/ Program (auto ) priority.

This link has every Nikon DSLR camera and what it can do,click on the camera.

http://www.nikondigitutor.com/index_eng.html

Bazza

Had a look at that Nikon site Bazza - but couldn't navigate through the menus very easily

Did you open menu bar on the left? skip intro of each camera. If not spec savers might have a new customer.

Bazza

Some good advice already Suze regarding which shooting mode to use.

Try not to get bogged down with the dials and the abbreviations - just get your head around what the camera is actually doing.....

A DSLR has 2 main settings that determine how your picture will turn out and they both relate to how much light comes in when you take your shot.

1 - Shutter speed = the longer the shutter is open - the more light will come in.
2 - Aperture = how wide the lens opens - the wider it is the more light comes in.

These two settings combine to give a 'correct' exposure.

A large aperture with a fast shutter speed would = a small aperture with a slow shutter speed.

With that in mind you have a choice.

1 Set the aperture you want (when depth of focus is most important) and let the camera find the appropriate shutter speed to get the correct exposure.

2 Set the shutter speed you want (when movement is most important) and let the camera find the appropriate aperture to get the correct exposure.

If you are photographing moving things then the advise is to go for the latter which on your camera is the 'S' mode.

The above is the bread and butter.

A couple of nitty gritty points..........

I can't remember on my Nikon but if if shooting in 'S' mode the camera can't find an aperture large enough to get that correct exposure you may be able (as has been said) to increase the ISO setting yourself. This just makes your camera more sensitive to light allowing those faster shutter speeds to work.

Using flash might allow a faster shutter speed but enabling the flash can sometimes 'limit' the shutter speed you choose as some cameras have a shutter speed / flash sync speed limit.

Limitation using flash is a max of 1/125 sec with Nikon

I'll get some nice trendy Nikon frames with Canon glass please

Bazza

I was trying to clarify if Nikons operate in Shutter priority in the same way as Canons. With the Canons I use if the one sets a shutter speed of say 1/200 sec the camera will auto set the lens aperture to get a correct exposure.

If however, when the max aperture is reached, and there is insufficient light to get a correct exposure my camera will lengthen the shutter speed to say 1/50 sec to attain the correct exposure.

After reading a few posts in some Nikon forum I got the impression that Nikons do not lower the shutter speed in the same circumstances but lets one take the picture even though it will be under exposed.

Apologies if I was not clear.

Steve