my nikon D50 suddenly taking grainey, crappy shots !?!?!

[lotusflower007]

I use a nikon d50 with a 18-55 mm lens
I have been taking product photography, actions shots for my job for about two years.
I go to the same spot with the same lighting, with a tripod, no flash
800 ISO... manual setting, auto focus (since the manual focus in this thing makes me have to slightly adjust the focus and take 20 shots to get one that is in focus)

to take product shots...

but now the photos are coming out HORRIBLE.. it's soo grainy and not sharp at all. I don't' know what to do!

 

[tnvol]

Is 800 ISO a tad high for that camera? Maybe that's where the noise is coming from.

 

[Bram]

Try maybe a shot at 200 or 400. I have a D40x and 800 is really high.
Manual setting auto focus? Try everything manual or everything auto. I find mixing for me is sometimes a bit tricky.

 

[Derrel]

Is the +/- or Exposure Compensation accidentally dialed to a Minus setting?

 

[SrBiscuit]

ISO CHECK!

 

[erinag99]

Lower your ISO. 800 is too high for a D50.

 

[lotusflower007]

Thanks Everyone but I don't think the ISO is the problem. I've been using 800 for for two years and its' been fine. It's something else. I wonder if there may be something wrong with the camera. I never had trouble with manual focus when I first bought the camera.... it just seems to keep going down hill

 

[KmH]

Thanks Everyone but I don't think the ISO is the problem. I've been using 800 for for two years and its' been fine. It's something else. I wonder if there may be something wrong with the camera. I never had trouble with manual focus when I first bought the camera.... it just seems to keep going down hill

So, did you check the Exposure Compensation setting as Derrel suggested?

 

[Overread]

If I might ask why are you using such a high ISO as ISO 800 when you are taking product shots in what sounds like a studio condition (ie all controlled lighting by yourself).

Also have you perchance adjusted any settings in your camera or your computer? Might be you've accidentally changed some standard editing process you went through or enabled something such as Derral suggests.