D7100 Live View Issue

Evogelpohl

Advice needed ASAP - (so I can return the D7100 if necessary):

I started w/ a Nikon D3100 & bought a used 18-200VR and a 50-1.8G (~$200). So, I don't have a lot of $$ in glass at this point. Willing to write it off.
I'm hooked. I'm an enthusiast-level shooter. Not a professional, never will be. I just bought the D7100 for advanced features missing from the D3100.

As for the D7100: Great pics, but the fact that you can't change ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed and see the exposure changes reflected in Live View is a concern for me. Another frustrating point: When the WMU & wifi dongle are enabled, you're pretty much locked out of using Live View and changing some settings. Frustrating flipping back and forth. The WMU app for the iPhone is essentially useless. No controls.

I'm not a fan-boy for any specific camera line. I don't know enough to care. Is this point at which I switch to Canon or Sony? Or, Live w/ LiveView and WMU issues for now as Nikon will fix it soon? Thoughts on an SLR that is in the D7100's league but has advanced wifi, iphone and live view features?

-Eric Vogelpohl

JJ_SO

Sometimes it's helpful to check the manual. My D7100 can change aperture, shutter speed, ISO and some other things in LiveView - if it's set to "camera liveview" not to video mode - if you see a movie-camera icon on the right lower side of the screen, you just need to turn the mode switch for LiveView.

The lock with WiFi on sounds familiar to me although I don't have this WMU-device but another one (CamRanger) and when this is enabled and controlling the camera there's a setting for "PC-mode" or "camera-mode". With the latter, I can use some dials / switches. But in PC mode everything is locked.

I think, there's a Canon with nice WiFi, but I'm not familiar with their models. 60D or 600D - ask your photodealer before buying a camera or at least, before buying the next one. And let him demonstrate, if these features work smoothly.

Evogelpohl

Great point. Thanks. I impulse-bought on Amazon. I was chasing megapixels and the newness aspects of this camera and didn't consider how much I valued, or would come to value, having slick wifi/app/iPhone integration and a seamless live view exposure experience - camera or video mode.

Humm, when I'm in M-mode, live-view-camera mode, I can spin the aperture dial and the liveview screen doesn't dim or brighten consistent with the change. I have to dump live view, change aperture, then come back to live view to see the exposure. I may have a setting wrong.

I'll make a relationship with a local photo shop. -Eric.

MikeGunter

Hi Evogelpohl

Liveview in the D7000 depends upon the settings for 'Movie Settings' in the Shooting menu, that is whether it is for manual or automatic.

If it is 'Automatic' you can set f-Stops and shutter in Manual mode in LiveView.

My best,

Mike

STE

Here is a video that shows the issue in detail:

JJ_SO

@Evogelpohl: I can confirm that behavior of D7100 in M-mode. I don't use LiveView in that combination to check exposure, but it's like you said. I think there will be a firmware update within the next few weeks because LiveView movie mode should also be affected by aperture.

Evogelpohl

Yes, that's it! He's demo'ing the same thing I'm experiencing at the end of that video. Thank you. Glad to know I'm not crazy.

As a newbie to SLR photography, I'm not mentally quick enough to pre-judge the effects that the ISO-Aperture-Shutter triangle have on each other. I need the visual aid to help me and I really like the idea of using my iPhone as a 'portable and controllable' interface to those settings, with seeing the output on my screen.

Thanks for the support. I think the best approach for me is to return this while I can and re-evaluate my priorities for this hobby. It really is an awesome camera though.

Eric.

spraynpray

Blimey. I see that as a nuisance rather than a show stopper. Maybe you've got buyers remorse and are looking for an excuse to return it? Live view is useful, but all the DSLR users that I know tend to use the optical viewfinder mainly.

JJ_SO

Evogelpohl, if you're "mentally quick enough" to make an unreflected impulse order and look afterwards to find a hair in the soup you ordered, there's much to think about before thinking about cameras

And I hope you know that Amazon can block customers who cause costs because of exchanging things? Never mind, somebody else will be more than happy to get a rebate because the camera is used now.

PB_PM

This isn't a problem, all Nikon DSLR's with liveview behave that way.

JJ_SO

Not exactly (although I agree with "no problem"). In manual mode with LiveView, D7000 and I think D800 change the brightness of the screen when shutter speed or ISO changes. D5100 doesn't, D7100 doesn't - but D5100 allows to change aperture while taking video... I don't see much benefit, though, it's an awful noise in the soundtrack.

jonpanoff

May have found a solution. In camera mode live view and in manual exposure mode press the "OK" button. This will bring up and exposure meter on the right hand side and when you adjust aperture, iso and shutter speed it is indeed reflected on the screen visually and also via the on screen exposure meter

FoxyPhoto2012

A question I have that I`d appreciate anyone`s help with - For landscape photography I do use live view. The aforementioned challenges do not affect me but as a newly converted Canonite I am still a bit unsure exactly of how to acquire all fondest settings on my new 7100 (I have read the manual/I think fully).
My query - I would prefer to both manually focus in live view and review photo`s taken at a 1:1 ratio (100%) to check for critical focus. As yet I have been unable to find out if this is possible and if so how ?? Extra zoom is cool but the noise speckles at expanded zoom beats me every time.
Please could someone help me??
Many Thanks.
Stuart

clskelton

I have my D7100 in front of me and tried this out. Under Menu -> Custom Setting Menu -> f1 -> change Playback mode and Live view to Zoom Medium Magnification.

When you take a picture (in Live View even), press the review key and then OK to zoom to 1:1. Then press the review button again to return to the Live View screen. Hopefully this is what you were after. This will also allow the OK button in Live View to zoom in 1:1 (albeit with speckles). I did not know that having the OK button go to 1:1 in Live View was an option, so I'm glad I checked it out.

FoxyPhoto2012

Brilliant clselton, I have just returned home from work so haven`t yet tried this but as soon as I can I will try this. Thank you so much, hopefully this is the key I`m looking for.
Kind Regards.
Stuart.

FoxyPhoto2012

Hi clskelton, I tried your advice and yes, the playback works perfectly as you had said, unfortunately in liveview when I press the "ok" button the white box converts to a yellow box which starts darting around the screen (face recognition search maybe). Any ideas on how I can sort this out to get similar results to your own?
Many Thanks again.
Stuart.

Ironheart

In live view, "ok" activates subject tracking as you have surmised. Hit the zoom (qual) button rather than the "ok" and you will zoom live view. You may also want to go into review mode first, buy hitting the "play" (right triangle) button first, then "ok" will behave just as in non-live view mode.

spraynpray

There is a lot of 'programmability' of the buttons on the D7100, I changed the OK button when I got mine. I'm sure you can do what clskelton says if you RTFM more closely.