# New Camera Nikon Coolpix 5400



## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

I'm so happy I finally got a new camera!!! Now I just have to learn how to use it. I bid and won a Nikon Coolpix 5400 with telephoto and wide angle lenses from a guy on E-bay. I'm like the macro ability of it. It can focus down to 0.4 inches(1cm). 
Heres my best one so far:










I really like this pic, but I would like to fix the overexposure. This was taken with flash and the rest of the specs are:









How do I take a pic like this with good focus without the overexposure problems? Is there a way to fix it with a photo editing program? I have the Gimp

Thought I'd share my pic, and any advice is welcomed (and needed!)
Steve T.


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## gnatster (Mar 6, 2004)

Currently the Exposure Compensation is set at 0, I found with a similar Nikon, setting to -3 or even -7 helped quite a bit with overexposed areas.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Neonfish,

From what I read CoolPix 5400 is a very, very good camera with features that seem to exceed the usual for its class.

Using the built-in flash for taking macro pictures usually leads to little success. The built-in flash is not designed for macro shots. External flash or brighter light over the tank are the ways to go.

The first thing to try if you want to reduce the brightness of the images taken with a flash is to reduce the output of the flash itself. Basically you tell the camera to use the flash but with reduced power. And you can tell it exactly how much to reduce the power - much like using one of the light switches that have a dimmer and let you adjust the brightness of the lights in your house. 
Find the "Speedlight Options" on this page. It says that the flash (which Nikon calls "Speedlight") can be adjusted 2 steps up or down. 
That can be done up or down in 6 increments labeled 0.3, 0.7, 1.0, 1.3, 1.7, 2.0. Set the flash to the lowest setting (-2.0), shoot and and see the result. Try the same with the highest setting (+2.0) and you should have an idea on how flash compensation works.

Once again the built-in flash will probably have problems when shooting objects that are very close to the camera. If you still want to use the built-in flash read this for information how to reduce the flash brightness.

Maybe this is a good time to mention that Exposure compensation (EC) is not the same thing as Flash Compensation (FC). EC deals with the shutter speed/apperture and FC deals with the flash itself. When taking pictures with a flash it's best to use the FC, not the EC, probably because the camera logic works differently when the flash is in use. Basically EC may not have any effect on flash pictures, while FC definitely will.

I hope the above is not too technical for you. The CoolPix 5400 has a lot of features but learning to use only a few of them maybe enough to get great results.

--Nikolay


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## Overfloater (Apr 2, 2004)

I have a 5400 and I set the Exposure Comp. to -1.3 when I take most of my tank pictures. Of course the amount it will need to be adjusted will vary depending on your lighting setup. This should solve your overexposure problems, or try a faster shutter speed.


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