Is this a normal problem? Long Aperture mode shutter delay (freeze) on Nikon D3100

[hypnotics]

Hi guys, I'm confused with this one. Just got my first DSLR, and I'm trying to learn how to use the manual modes.

I steady the camera, go to take the shot- and it does, but then it clicks only once and then freezes before the second click. The camera sometimes 'freezes' and seems like it will never finish taking the shot unless I power it off. When the picture does come through it's typically blurry and useless.

I've tried switching the lens switch from A to M, I've tried messing around with VR on and off... all around I'm just really confused. I don't want to use only Auto, and this seems crucial. I feel like I'm just doing something really dumb here.

I'm using a Nikon D3100 with an 18-55mm, all brand new.

Thanks

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[Bram]

Lol sorry....

Alright looks like you have to read your user manual, read about exposure and aperture, also read on shutter speeds.
What it's doing is a long exposure because your shutter speed and ISO settings are not working well together to get a snapshot persay.
Try upping your Shutter speed and boosting your ISO settings. Then you might get the actual photograph. Don't think your camera "has dun goofed up" because it hasn't, you just don't know your camera.

EDIT: somebody more knowledgable is going to come by and explain everything to you in full detail be prepared to get some bad feedback and be overwhelmed with info. I don't have the time to explain it all to you right now. Too much pun.

[kundalini]

Your symptoms sounds like a long shutter speed. Not necessarily anything to be concerned with if the shutter speed was set 30s or so. How was the exposure? If the image is blurry, then the issue is with camera shake or subject movement with long exposures.

[flyin-lowe]

As said above it is a longer shutter speed. The best thing you can do is get a copy of Understading Exposure by Peterson. It is an easy read and he makes it easy for a newbie to understand.

[hypnotics]

Yeah I realize I have much reading to do no doubt, I'm just hoping to get the basics down to learn easier.

I thought Aperture priority means shutter speed is pre-set? I'll look into changing it later.

And on these modes does it matter if the lens is switched from A to M? Same with from VR on to off- does this affect it?

Much feedback expected, yes... I am a noob at photography

[Bram]

A noob yeah we all knew that already hah. The A and M on the lens if for focusing, the A it focuses Automatically and the M well I hope you know what that means. So go into M turn the wheel on your camera till the number changes, whatever the number is thats your shutter speed. The 5.6 is your aperture, zoom all the way out at it will be 3.5 I believe, zoom in and that number changes to 5.6 (aperture) hope this helped a bit.

[kundalini]

Yeah I realize I have much reading to do no doubt, I'm just hoping to get the basics down to learn easier.

Here's a quick learning tool. (pssst.... you never heard me say this) Use the Progam Shooting Mode and take a shot. What is it telling you? Use that information as a baseline towards understanding the Manual Shooting Mode.

I thought Aperture priority means shutter speed is pre-set?

It is...... based on your aperture and ISO settings.

[Miladymimi]

If you're just starting out, try putting the camera in full automatic mode. Now take a picture and see what settings the camera used. On my camera when you hold the button down half way, allowing the lens to focus, you'll see the settings along the bottom of the viewfinder. Take note of the apeture, the shutter speed and the ISO. Now put the camera in manual and try changing the setting up and down from this starting point. Sometimes it's easier to write it down. What were the conditions, ie. inside, outside, bright, cloudy, etc. and the settings you liked best. Keep a sort of journal, until you start to see a pattern and you begin to see the cause and effect of each setting. If you take a series of pictures of one item and make a slight change with each pictue, you'll get a better idea of what effect your settings have. Hope this helps. I'm in no ways an expert, but this helped me.

[Bram]

^^ Good point ^^
Ofcourse the lower the light situation the lower your aperture will be, shooting with f/1.8 will be better then shooting f/22. Same with your shutter speed, the lower your shutter speed (1/60th) the longer the exposure, the higher your shutter speed (1/640th) the shorter the exposure, compensate shutter speed with your flash and play around with your settings. First day I got my D40x (Oct 2nd/2009) I sat and took a thousand photos just messing around with settings.

[KmH]

Aperture priority (A, on the dial) means you set the aperture, the camera automatically controls the shutter speed, and the camera can control both the shutter speed and the ISO if you set the ISO to AUTO mode.

[adversus]

As other's have suggested, the way I learned was to start in Auto.

I took tons of pictures in auto, and then looked at the meta data for each shot to figure out what the camera automatically set for: aperture, shutter, ISO. Then, switching to manual, I started re-creating those values for the same lighting conditions.

Once you learn how those three things (the exposure triangle, as most call it) interact, it's actually surprising how easy it is.