Nikon D3100: how to save setting in scene modes?
I have got a Nikon D3100 and I can't seem to figure how to save and keep settings I make in those default scene modes such as landscape or portrait. The greatest nuisance is I set a certain AF area mode (viewfinder) but after turning the menu knob to different mode it returns to its original setting. Could anyone please advise me on how to save those settings? It wouldnt bother me much if the multiple point area / automatic focus area always didn't come back in the landscape mode. I want to shoot with single point AF when snap mountains for instance.
You need to forget setting hard "settings" on your camera so you do not have to think about what you are doing with the camera each time you take a photograph.
One of the skills that makes a photographer memorable is their ability to replicate their techniques anytime they wish.
It is important to balance the left hemisphere of your brain (logical, analytic, objective and ordered thought) with their right hemisphere (creative, artistic, intuitive and emotional) if you have any hope of producing amazing images each time you press the shutter release.
It seems that you are trying to pre-program camera settings so you never have to think about controlling the exposure and focus of your camera. You really need to engage your brain when using a fully adjustable camera
Different modes automatically use particular settings that are best suited to that mode. Switching to a different mode changes the settings to best suit the new mode. If you want to choose settings that remain intact, you must not use one of the special automatic modes. You should be using either P(Program), or one of the manual modes. I assume you know how to use the MENU on your camera to choose settings, nearly all of which only apply to Program or manual modes.
The scene modes should be automatically setting based on what is in front of the camera and the nature of the choices of the scene setting. There's no saving those. If you want, you could transcribe what it selected from Exif data in a picture that was taken. Those can be manually set. Custom settings are for saving a set of manual settings. It is up to you to know what scene you hope to use them for.
AFAIK, you don't save settings in scene modes.
As to your issue with saving AF, that's not going to happen. You're supposed to check focus each time you shoot. Luckily, there's a work-around. Mountains don't move and they're always in infinity. Set your lens to infinity and turn AF off.