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07-23-2020, 05:57 PM #1Junior Member
Using B, T and long speeds for star trails and comet Neowise
When I go to manual mode and select shutter speeds from 5 to 30 seconds or use B ot T, the camaera says not enough light and refuses to fire the shutter.
Back in my 35mm SLR days (Nikon, Pentax, Minolta, and finally Olympus OM-1 ans 2s, I could shot pictures regardless. I would think that when you choose the B ot T shutter setting, the light metering is disengaged. Doesn't matter what ISO setting I do. Am I doing something wrong? Called Nikon customer service and they seemed not to know how to do star trails and such, suggested I use the night mode.
Last night I was forced to leave a light on when I depressed the shutter and as soon as the shutter fired I turned off the light.
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- 07-23-2020, 05:57 PM
07-23-2020, 06:15 PM #2Senior MemberRe: Using B, T and long speeds for star trails and comet Neowise
@Rocket Rick
When I am shooting AF-C, I have it set up to fire when I say so. When I have it on AF-S, it only fires once focus has been established. Head into your pencil menu and check to see these values are set.Camera- D800, D7500, D40x
Zoom Lenses-
DX- Tokina 11-16 f2.8, Sigma A 18-35 f1.8, Nikon 18-140 f3.5-5.6
FX- Tamron 15-30 f2.8, Nikon 35-70 f2.8, Nikon 80-200 f2.8, Nikon 24-120 f4, Nikon AF-P 70-300 f4.5-5.6 Sigma C 150-600 f5-6.3
Prime Lenses- Nikon 50 f1.8g, Tamron 85 f1.8, Tokina 100 f2.8, Rokinon HD 8 f3.5
07-23-2020, 07:39 PM #3Re: Using B, T and long speeds for star trails and comet Neowise
Set Menu option A1 and A2 to Release
07-23-2020, 08:58 PM #4Re: Using B, T and long speeds for star trails and comet Neowise
Are you focusing manually or using Auto Focus?
nickt Thanks/liked this post
Flickr and My 2020 Thread
Where the Spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art -- Leonardo da Vinci
07-24-2020, 01:57 AM #5Junior MemberRe: Using B, T and long speeds for star trails and comet Neowise
07-24-2020, 02:21 AM #6Senior MemberRe: Using B, T and long speeds for star trails and comet Neowise
I think Cindy has it. The camera wants to focus before it will take the picture and there is not enough light. You have to use manual focus. I don't think the d3400 has the release priority mode settings the others mentioned.
Its not your other settings. In M, it doesn't care if the exposure works out. It does still care about focus, so put it in manual focus and it should fire.
07-24-2020, 06:14 AM #7Re: Using B, T and long speeds for star trails and comet Neowise
What Hark and NickT said.
hark Thanks/liked this post
Lenses: Nikon DX 18-55mm, 55-200mm, 55-300mm, Tamron SP 70-300mm F4-5.6 Di VC USD & 200-500mm
Prime: Nikon 35mm, 50mm, & 85mm f/1.8G, 300mm f/4
Wide Angle: Tokina AT-X116 Pro DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8, Rokinon f/2.8 14mm (chipped)
Macro: Nikon 40mm, Tamron 90mm
Flash: Nissin MARK II Di622
Stuff: Expodisc Neutral & Portrait
Editing: CS6, CC, Nik Tools, Portrait Pro 12, Topaz
Spyder4Pro
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/
07-24-2020, 07:01 AM #8Junior MemberRe: Using B, T and long speeds for star trails and comet Neowise
Thanks everyone, switching to manual focus was it. I can't believe I was talking with a Nikon Customer Service person for nearly 1/2 hour and never mentioned manual focus. Had me try lots of other things that didn't work.
The manual simply says under 'Night Vision' that "autofocus is available in live view only; manual focus can be used if the camera is unable to focus." Says nothing about needing to set to manual focus if shooting B or T. I guess I'm new to DSLR.
07-24-2020, 01:46 PM #9Re: Using B, T and long speeds for star trails and comet Neowise
Cindy - D750, D500, D7200
Flickr and My 2020 Thread
Where the Spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art -- Leonardo da Vinci
07-24-2020, 02:43 PM #10Senior MemberRe: Using B, T and long speeds for star trails and comet Neowise
Nikon is roundabout in documenting how some things work. There are 2 sets of books for the d3400, the reference manual and the user manual. I just searched the reference pdf and found a small mention under autofocus tips that the shutter might be disabled under some conditions. But the message in the viewfinder did not give you enough info to know it was an autofocus problem.
Anyway, you are better off in manual focus for very dark shooting. In most cases focus will be on infinity. Something to try is live view. You should be able to zoom in on a distant point of light in LV and then manually focus till its sharp. It doesn't have to be a star, it could be a very distant street light just to find infinity. When I say zoom in, I don't mean with the lens. I mean with the screen controls so you can see your focus better on the screen. Use magnifier and arrow buttons. It does not zoom your shot like a digital zoom, its just a method to examine focus. You can take the picture from LV, or switch back to viewfinder. As long as you stay in manual focus it won't change going back to viewfinder. This method is good for macro too. Other than special focus situations, I'm not a fan of live view. Its a battery suck and lots of extra motions to snap the picture.I must have a really good camera.
07-24-2020, 02:43 PM
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