Part III: Advanced Tools

The next five chapters are devoted to helping you dig deeper into the capabilities of your Nikon D5100, so you can exploit all those cool features that your previous camera lacked. Chapters 8, 9, and 10 list every setting and option found in the Playback, Shooting, Custom Settings, Setup, Retouch, and My Menus. I’ll not only tell you what each menu item does, I’ll explain exactly when and why you should use every option. Then, in Chapter 11, I’ll show you how to select the best lenses for the kinds of photography you want to do, with my recommendations for starter lenses as well as more advanced optics for specialized applications.

Chapter 12 is devoted to the magic of light—your fundamental tool in creating any photograph. There are entire books devoted to working with electronic flash, but I hope to get you started with plenty of coverage of the Nikon D5100’s capabilities. I’ll show you how to master your camera’s built-in flash—and avoid that “built-in flash” look, and offer an introduction to the use of external flash units, including the Nikon SB-900. By the time you finish these essential chapters, you’ll be well on the way to mastering your Nikon D5100.