HELP...I think my camera is broke!!

[JenLavazza]

So, I usually shoot in M or A and I had a newborn coming over this afternoon and had to shoot in Auto becuase my exposure was ALL messed up! In A mode it wouldn't change at all and when I switched to Manual I'd adjust it and it would come out WAY off.

Anyone know what I should do??? I have a Nikon D40. I'm going to check their website too and see if they have any trouble shooting.....ugh!

 

[Derrel]

Do you perhaps have a whole bunch of exposure compensation dialed in??

 

[PhotoXopher]

Really not nearly enough info in this thread to say much of anything other than better luck next time.

Edit:
If Derrel nailed it I'm seriously going to drink heavily.

 

[MikeBookPro]

For the sake of helping people diagnose the problem, or see what's going on, take a shot in auto, and then take the same shot in manual or aperture priority with the same settings as the auto shot, dialed in manually.

 

[joe123]

When I first got my D60 i jacked up the settings. I used the rest function... holding a button down while turning on. sorry I cant remember what button.

 

[JenLavazza]

NOYZE - Go drink heavily! Thanks Derrel......

 

[PhotoXopher]

Oh
My
God

Vodka Redbull here I come!

TPF, prepare yourselves!

Nice work Derrel!

 

[Derrel]

It's very EASY to press the +/- button in the front of the camera, and dial in a bunch of exposure compensation---one of the perils of the so-called "single-wheel cameras" like the D40 and D60,which do not have either a dedicated front control wheel to adjust lens aperture NOR a dedicated button for exposure +/-, but rely on a DUAL-function button---press the +/- button and turning the rear thumb wheel adjusts the aperture in manual mode, BUT in all other modes, the same +/- button and the rear control wheel serve to adjust exposure compensation.

Noyze,you have a D90: the front wheel sets the f/stop, the rear or thumb wheel sets the shutter speed; the low-end cameras do not have a front wheel,at all. BUT, the D40-D60 user has to press the +/- button and use the rear wheel to set the LENS f/syop, but only when in MANUAL exposure mode; in all other modes, when a D40 users presses the +/- button and turns the rear or thumb wheel, that dials in positive or negative exposure compensation. SO, by forgetting what exposure mode one is in, it's very easy to dial in a bunch of + or - comp,and then get the exposure readings messed up.

 

[PhotoXopher]

Yeah, I should have known - the D40 was my first DSLR camera and right after I saw what you posted I remember how easy that was to screw up.

Great line of thinking... kudos!

 

[SpeedTrap]

If this was a shoot for a paying client, you could have just grabbed you backup body and shot with that right?

 

[Goontz]

Oh
My
God

Vodka Redbull here I come!

TPF, prepare yourselves!

Nice work Derrel!

:lmao: