ISO settings won't change?

This happened just the other day while I was taking hobby photos of my dog. The photos were turning out great, the lighting started to change so I go to change my ISO around to get that nice "sweet light", as I call it. And the photos just turned BLACK.
I know a bit about cameras. Hell I've been taking photos of animals since I was 12 (16 now). I've never had a problem like this.
I've reset it multiple times and changed my settings drastically and no difference. It takes photos fine in Auto mode but if I change to Shutter Priority or Manual like I normally shoot in, it's just the same thing. Black. Sometimes I'll get something like an outline or some slight specks of light but nothing else really. I mean I can't exactly use flash all the time in broad daylight.
Also before this even happened whenever I went to change a setting it wouldn't activate until I shut my camera off and turned it back on? I've had the camera for a year this coming spring.

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Post a photo of one of the "Black" pictures including the EXIF data. Instructions below for posting. BE SURE to limit the photo to the 1000ps on the long side

​Guidelines to adding a photo to your post.

1. Resize photo to 1000px on the long side.
2. Resolution set to 72ppi (Pixels Per Inch)

These guidelines will be good for viewing on a computer but will not be good for printing. This will help safeguard your copyright.

Try Aperture Priority At F5.6...

I've had a similar problem but can't recall what settings. I just know I was in Manual mode.

How does trying aperture priority at f 5.6 help? I thought the whole idea of manual is to override the camera when you wanted to.

Lawrence said:

I've had a similar problem but can't recall what settings. I just know I was in Manual mode.

How does trying aperture priority at f 5.6 help? I thought the whole idea of manual is to override the camera when you wanted to.

Click to expand...

This will allow the camera to automatically set the other settings, I am thinking that the poster is under exposing ALOT.

OK, I get the "Expose Your" Triangle. I don't get the Perry'd Eyes. Is that a play on words...like paradise? Please explain.

fotojack said:

I don't get the Perry'd Eyes. Is that a play on words...like paradise? Please explain.

Click to expand...

Possibly Related???????

Like you, I be stumped.

I don't get the triangle. I understand the trade between aperture vs shutter speed vs ISO (why doesn't the D5100 have these as dedicated buttons - I reassigned ISO to the timer button myself and use it all of the time).

The triangle seems to have the Aperture reversed. It would make sense to say that a wide aperture is traded with short exposure. The lower right corner seems to be right (fast shutter / short exposure vs high ISO).

Maybe the issue with the figure is that the three factors are not a triangle, but really a 3 dimensional space, in which case a 'cube' might make more sense.

Perry is my first name...converting the noun to a verb "Perry'd". Paired with "Eyes" to denote what I've seen, And yes, everything looks like Paradise to me.

phillymike said:

I don't get the triangle. I understand the trade between aperture vs shutter speed vs ISO (why doesn't the D5100 have these as dedicated buttons - I reassigned ISO to the timer button myself and use it all of the time).

The triangle seems to have the Aperture reversed. It would make sense to say that a wide aperture is traded with short exposure. The lower right corner seems to be right (fast shutter / short exposure vs high ISO).

Maybe the issue with the figure is that the three factors are not a triangle, but really a 3 dimensional space, in which case a 'cube' might make more sense.

Click to expand...

I'll agree that the aperture scale needs to be flip-flopped in that example. When you're shooting in shutter priority or manual, what does the meter in the viewfinder tell you about the exposure? My guess is that's its pegged on the underexposed side. If you select a high enough shutter speed in shutter priority, you can still overexpose since the camera can only adjust the aperture to the lens' max. Still, the meter should let you know that this is the case. If you use auto ISO (I don't, but there are plenty of folks who do) it gives the camera one more thing to adjust to give you a proper exposure.

ISO = the sensor's sensitivity to light...bright light = low ISO (ie. 100) / dim light = high ISO (ie 1600)

Aperture = amount of light the lens lets in and the range of focus...dim light = smaller aperture more range of focus (ie. f16) / bright light = larger aperture less range of focus (ie. f3.5)

​Shutter = amount of time sensor is exposed to light...bright light = faster shutter less range of focus (ie 1/300sec) / dim light = slower shutter more range of focus (ie. 30sec)

The triangle is not an exposure calculator, LIGHT is the most important variable. The triangle shows the relationship of reciprocity when creating a properly or artistically exposed image.

Wolfe Photog said:

Aperture = amount of light the lens lets in and the range of focus...dim light = smaller aperture more range of focus (ie. f16) / bright light = larger aperture less range of focus (ie. f3.5)

Click to expand...

We were just pointing out that your copy is showing an incorrect relationship on the aperture side. If you flip the aperture scale, it makes sense. If the quote above isn't a typo, I think it's the source of the misunderstanding. In dim light you use a larger aperture (e.g. f/1.8) and vice versa.