Hi- been using D5100 fine so far (I think).

But when zooming (using + button), it zooms and focuses fine, yet after taking the shot, the image taken is as if there was no zoom applied.

Have I changed a setting without realising it? Can anyone help?

Cheers

On my 3200 there is no way to zoom the lens from the camera controls you have to use the zoom to ring on the lens. Pretty sure you 5100 is the same.

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If you're using the + zoom button, you're only zooming the *display*. The ONLY way to zoom the image to be captured is to use the zoom ring on the lens. Note that not all lenses have zoom rings.

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Brian... a bicoastal Nikonian and Team Member

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The common way for Point and Shoot cameras is to zoom with a + or - button or a rocker switch while looking at the rear display or the viewfinder if it has one. That is not the case with digital SLR cameras and zoom lenses. The little P&S cameras just don't have room on the lens for this extra ring. If you are coming from a P&S camera for the first time you should read up on your camera and lens and become familiar with how all the controls work. And as Brian mentioned not all lenses for SLR cameras are zoom lenses.

Enjoy your D5100 camera. It will take beautiful photos for you. But become familiar with how it works at the same time. And use the viewfinder for your zooming and composition. It's the better way to go when hand holding the camera

Len

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Ah, but if your camera is on a tripod and your target is stationary and you are using manual focus, using the zoom on the display will allow you to get extra crispy focus. I shoot birds with a telephoto lens. First I set up a target in the expected flight path and focus on it using manual focus and the display zoomed all the way in. I then remove the target and wait for the action to begin.

Of course, depth of field on a 500mm lens on a 5100 at 10 ft is less than 3 inches so there are a lot of throw away pix. But when the flight path is just right, you can get some nice pix.

I also use the same technique with portraits. In that case, the subject's eye is the target. Same for still life's and macros.

Be sure to zoom back out to check your composition. It's a bit of a shock when expecting to get just the polllen of a flower and getting the whole flower. (Although my "Flying Hybiscus" was a rather pleasant shock)

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Of course zooming the display for precise LiveView focusing is extremely valuable. That's how I focus all my long lenses when the camera is on a tripod, especially my manual focus lenses.

The problem the OP was having was trying to zoom the lens by zooming the display and not the lens itself. Did you miss that part?

Len

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No. Didn't miss that part; it was well covered. However, I thought he might then be wondering how one could use the display zoom.

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