Nikon D7000 HELP Please Please Please

ccoulson

Senior Member
Hello,
New here. I am having trouble with my D7000, and I cant seem to get consistent shots. Example One shot will be ok, the next shot will be totally black or completely blown out.. while standing in the same spot....... Also, I am finding that I am having to completely open my lens up to 1.8 with high ISOs to get shots in DAYLIGHT. its very frustrating. Im not a Pro, but I was getting more consistent shots from My Cruddy D3000. I am not blaming the camera, I am sure it is my fault, But I really need help in figuring out what is wrong. Some shots will be GREAT then all the sudden, its just awful when I havent changed anything.

PLease please please give me any feedback that you can I need help. And Please be nice, I just want to be able to enjoy this camera.

038.jpg

A Priority. F2.2 1-15sec/ ISO 400/ Focal length 35mm spot metering. no flash


This was taken just before the previous photo (EXACT SAME SETTINGS)

037.jpg

Any help anyone could give would be appreciated
 

Kamper

Senior Member
What lens are you using? Have you tried other settings like "P" or "S" or "Auto" and see if this issue is common in all settings? The top picture is way over exposed and the bottom is a lot warmer and more normal IMO. I have a D7000 and have never had such a problem. Nikon has put out several firmware updates that have fixed the hot pixels in video mode, however this looks to be totally different. Try the other modes and see if you can figure what is not working or if all modes have a problem. If the problem is common to other modes I would either take it back to the seller or give Nikon a call. Maybe you have a bad camera. Don't give up, what you are experiencing is not normal, the D7000 is a wonderful camera. Hope this helps. I will check my mail to see what you come up with. Good Luck, Ken
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
OK, don't panick. Your camera is probably set to the "bracketing" mode. There is a little button marked "bkt" just under the flash button on the left side of the lens mount.
If you press on it, you should see the number of bracketing shots the camera will take in the control panel. While pressing on this button, turn the main dial until it says 0.
Your's probably says 3F with probably 2.0 on the right.
See owner's manual page109.

I'll bet you a coffe that this is what your problem is.
Let us know.
 

ccoulson

Senior Member
Also
I am
Using my 35mm 1.8..... Thank you all for your help I hope it's not my camera. Ita already the second one I have had....
 

ccoulson

Senior Member
Im at work, when I get home I will try that. Do you think that it will make a difference?!?!?!?! I hope so. Its so frustrating. I just want it to work.. Can you think of anything else it could be?
 

bluenoser

Banned
If you check your EXIF data, you'll see the first shot is at 1/15 and the second one at 1/125 (both at aperture f/2.2 and ISO 400). Yes, sounds like Marcel is correct - bracketing issue. However you are also using spot metering so you have to be careful where you are metering off of. If you were metering off of the the shadow area of the covered bridge then you would see something like you got in the first image.

Anyway, why not - just for comparison - try matrix metering or centre weighted (and of course turn bracketing off! :))
 

ccoulson

Senior Member
Which metering mode do you suggest, and how do I change that??? I just want more consistent shots!!!
Thank you all so much for your help!!! This is giving me hope!!!
 

bluenoser

Banned
Which metering mode do you suggest, and how do I change that??? I just want more consistent shots!!!
Thank you all so much for your help!!! This is giving me hope!!!

I usually use matrix metering - it usually does a good job of things. You can change the metering mode in a variety of ways but the easiest is to press the metering mode button located on top of your camera (it's the button below the shutter release that looks like a 4 piece window with a dot in the centre). Hold that button down and use the rear command dial to change through the 3 different modes (matrix metering is the one that looks like the icon pictured on the button).

Based on your concerns, I can say with almost 100% certainty your problem is not the camera. Please don't take this the wrong way but you really need to spend some time either reading the basics in the manual or perhaps buying a D7000 user guide. At a minimum it will go a long way to covering off some of these basic issues and make you feel more in control of your camera. This will ultimately allow you to get more enjoyment out of your hobby! :)

Please do check back in with us and update us on your findings. Good luck! :)
 

ccoulson

Senior Member
I have read the manual.. Guess Im just not very good with it. Thanks again, for your help and encouragement!
I will let you know what i find when I get home!
 

TeddyBear

Senior Member
I'm newbie also and IMHO, don't just read your manual, it's best to play with every setting of your camera by topic so you know exactly how they work.
 

ccoulson

Senior Member
Hey Guysm
Got home to the camera and tried to turn the Bracketing to 0.0 but nothing will change. It still says OF 0.3. I dont know if this was my problem yesterday..... worries me. I havent changed anything on my camera since then... It just seems so extreme. the lows and highs.

Any other suggestions?
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Hey Guysm
Got home to the camera and tried to turn the Bracketing to 0.0 but nothing will change. It still says OF 0.3. I dont know if this was my problem yesterday..... worries me. I havent changed anything on my camera since then... It just seems so extreme. the lows and highs.

Any other suggestions?

I think that that 0F 0.3 is ok it's the 0F that is the important part.
I looked back at the pictures you posted and they lead me to think that your meter settings might be at spot. If you look at the middle of the picture, the lightest pic seems to have been measured for the shade area inside the bridge, where the second one the meter probably picked up the forehead of your subject.

Have a look at your meter settings and give it a go with the matrix metering mode. This might get it right.
James had mentioned this and I think he was right on the money.
So I might owe you a coffee…. :)
 

LensWork

Senior Member
I agree with the others, your issue is most likely related to spot metering. Unless you understand The Zone System, improper use of spot metering can result in severely under/over exposed images . Stick with matrix metering and read Ansel Adams' book The Negative before attempting to use spot metering.

Although the techniques of the Zone System were formulated over 70 years ago, the same principles can be applied with today's digital cameras. Digital imaging sensors are much akin to shooting transparency (slide) film in that they have very little exposure latitude (as compared to print film), and that slight underexposure is better than overexposure (the opposite of print film).
 
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ccoulson

Senior Member
Thanks everyone for your help, I really appreciate it. I had it on matrix metering mode but I think I hit that button on accident trying to do the Exposure compensation...and it was on Spot metering. I hope that this fixes my problem. I have not been able to use the camera to see if this fixes it. I cant learn if i dont know what i am doing wrong! I really appreciate all of the help that you have given. Im amazed at the fast response that I have gotten!!!
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Not sure I can afford to loose another coffee, but I'm 98% sure this will work for you. Whatever, please let us know if this cures the problem.

I might send James a coupon for his coffee. :)
 
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fotojack

Senior Member
Not sure I can afford to loose another coffee, but I'm 98% sure this will work for you. Whatever, please let us know if this cures the problem.

I might send James a coupon for his coffee. :)

Make it a Timmies. Nothing but the best, eh! ;)

Yeah, 0F 0.3 is perfectly fine. You shouldn't have any problems now, ccoulson.
 

viscountdriver

Senior Member
I wonder if it is the bracketing? Would one or two stops make that differencee? the first pic is so over exposed it would take quite a few stops to make that difference.
 
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