Question about scene modes

[thunderkyss]

I took a couple of pictures today of the same "subject" using the different scene modes, to try to understand the difference. Even after reading the manual, neither mode did what I expected.

The Camera is a Nikon D3000


This one was taken with Auto, very dark & kinda useless. My expectations were that this would be the go to mode, that it would take the best picture possible under whatever conditions. The camera would just "know" the manual says "

The settings recorded by the camera were: 1/60 fs5.6 iso 200 92mm wb auto

I then went through all the modes to see if that was the case. However, Landscape mode produced the best image.
The manual says to use this mode with "for vivid landscapes shots in daylight"

The settings recorded by the camera were: 1/5 f5.6 iso400 92mm wb auto


Can anyone help me understand why?

 

[Patrice]

Do you have exposure compensation set to 2 stops or so to the negative side by mistake?

 

[thunderkyss]

No, I have exposure compensation set to 0

 

[480sparky]

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D3000
Image Date: 2012-12-24 09:41:48 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 0.0mm (35mm equivalent: 138mm)
Aperture: f/0.0
Exposure Time: 0.0000 s (1/Infinity)
ISO equiv: 200
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No
Orientation: Normal
Color Space: sRGB
GPS Coordinate: undefined, undefined
Software: GIMP 2.8.2


But I have an issue with "Focal Length: 0.0mm (35mm equivalent: 138mm)
Aperture: f/0.0
Exposure Time: 0.0000 s (1/Infinity)"


However, with the first image, I see "Flash = Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected"

 

[thunderkyss]

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D3000
Image Date: 2012-12-24 09:41:48 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 0.0mm (35mm equivalent: 138mm)
Aperture: f/0.0
Exposure Time: 0.0000 s (1/Infinity)
ISO equiv: 200
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No
Orientation: Normal
Color Space: sRGB
GPS Coordinate: undefined, undefined
Software: GIMP 2.8.2


But I have an issue with "Focal Length: 0.0mm (35mm equivalent: 138mm)
Aperture: f/0.0
Exposure Time: 0.0000 s (1/Infinity)"


However, with the first image, I see "Flash = Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected"

Sweet. How did you get all that info? What does it all mean?

Are you saying the one picture came out better because the flash went off? I'm fine with that, if that's what that means.

 

[KmH]

That is known as EXIF metadata (Exchangeable image file format) and the camera adds it to each image file the camera makes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exif

You need an Exif reader browser extension, app, or program. See opanda.com or photome.de.

 

[thunderkyss]

That is known as EXIF metadata (Exchangeable image file format) and the camera adds it to each image file the camera makes. Exchangeable image file format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You need an Exif reader browser extension, app, or program. See opanda.com or photome.de.

Gotcha, thanks.

 

[480sparky]

.....Are you saying the one picture came out better because the flash went off? I'm fine with that, if that's what that means.

My guess is the camera was fooled by such low light (shooting in Auto) is it fired the flash in an attempt to light the scene up. But the on-camera pop-ups aren't usually up to the task of illuminating the entire neighborhood. This is why the first shot is dark. Since the flash didn't fire on the second one (default for Landscape Scene Mode), it had no effect on exposure.