How to set the 5600 to manually? Help!!

Frankm

Senior Member
I have been struggling with the 5600 since I got it. I have worked with manual cameras very successfully for almost 40 years, but the 5600 seems to fight me.
I have tried to set the camera to a set F-stop, shutter speed and ISO setting and the camera wants to fight me.
It seems you have to do multiple different things just to get f-stop to where I want it, and the shutter speed to get them to stick.
But the ISO setting is a ******. I can't get that to hold to a specific setting.
I tried to take a picture of a full moon last night and needed to adjust accordingly, but the ISO setting bounces around no matter what I try to set.
So the images look like the sun...
On top of which the INFO screen likes to time out while I'm trying to figure it out.
The camera almost became part of the wall last night.
I can't take a decent picture with this camera. I have a Pentax K1000 that I have been able to publish pictures with.

What am I missing?
Thanks in advance...
 
Last edited:

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Sounds like you have auto-ISO enabled. You need to turn it off. Since I don't have that body, I'm not sure where the setting is located. Auto ISO will adjust to bring the exposure to what the camera thinks is correct. But as you've found out, sometimes that always isn't the best.
 

Frankm

Senior Member
Top dial is "M". The fn key is mapped to the iso but when I press it I can change the ISO setting, when I let off it goes auto again.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Top dial is "M". The fn key is mapped to the iso but when I press it I can change the ISO setting, when I let off it goes auto again.

You might need to go into the menu and turn off Auto ISO from there. Hopefully someone familiar with that body can give you specific directions.
 

Frankm

Senior Member
You might need to go into the menu and turn off Auto ISO from there. Hopefully someone familiar with that body can give you specific directions.



Thanks. That's probably the way I will have to go. It's not a clean switch between auto and manual. But it makes more sense to me.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
There really isn’t a simple dial combo that quickly switches between Auto-ISO and Fixed ISO for that body.

There is a MyMenu feature on that camera that lets you create your own custom menu functions. Folks that are used to the quick ISO switching on the higher end bodies have found the MyMenu on the D5600 to be the quickest solution.

You can google how to create one… There are many tutorials on the process…
 

Frankm

Senior Member
There really isn’t a simple dial combo that quickly switches between Auto-ISO and Fixed ISO for that body.

There is a MyMenu feature on that camera that lets you create your own custom menu functions. Folks that are used to the quick ISO switching on the higher end bodies have found the MyMenu on the D5600 to be the quickest solution.

You can google how to create one… There are many tutorials on the process…

Thanks - I'll look into the custom menu.

Based on pointers from this thread, I think I have a basic handle a manual mode operation. Odd combinations in different spots on the camera.
A lot of this isn't obvious from the manual...
I turned off auto ISO. Now at least have a chance!!!!! It now works like a manual.

Thanks all...
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Thanks - I'll look into the custom menu.

Based on pointers from this thread, I think I have a basic handle a manual mode operation. Odd combinations in different spots on the camera.
A lot of this isn't obvious from the manual...
I turned off auto ISO. Now at least have a chance!!!!! It now works like a manual.

Thanks all...

I'm glad you were able to turn it off. I have the D7100 and D7200. It's very easy to turn Auto ISO on and off, but that is one of the key differences between the D3x00/D5x00 series compared with the D7x00. The D7x00 series uses a combination of a button and either the command or sub-command dial as shortcuts making changes very easy and quick.

Now go and have some fun! :)
 

Frankm

Senior Member
I'm glad you were able to turn it off. I have the D7100 and D7200. It's very easy to turn Auto ISO on and off, but that is one of the key differences between the D3x00/D5x00 series compared with the D7x00. The D7x00 series uses a combination of a button and either the command or sub-command dial as shortcuts making changes very easy and quick.

Now go and have some fun! :)

Thank you and thanks to all. Once I knew to turn off Auto ISO I was on a roll... (no pun intended).
Now I can get the hang of the camera. Did some progressive test shots last night and it was very encouraging.
I'm still puzzled by a camera when in manual mode has an automatic function (ISO) enabled by default. But that will most likely remain an unanswered mystery.;)
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
Well…there’s a major reason you might want auto-ISO in Manual Mode. When you’re outside walking around, the light is continually changing from open light to shadows… Within the ISO Menu, you can define parameters for a range that ISO will automatically adjust itself, as you experience that changing light.

Soooo… You meter the general conditions and set your speed and aperture to fixed values and then as you’re walking around shooting into different lighting conditions, the auto-ISO self adjusts to maintain perfect exposure for each shot within the parameters you’ve defined in the Menu setting.

Those exposure settings will also change within each of the different metering modes of the camera.

Then you’ll need to deal with all the different auto-focusing modes of the camera…

So you see… a Nikon camera in “manual” mode can mean anything within a couple hundred combinations… there really is no “default” for manual mode with a digital camera…:)
 

Frankm

Senior Member
Interesting - being a film camera a guy - my ASA/ISO is set to the film and stays static, aperture and shutter were the variables - mostly. I hadn't considered the opposite.
I'm going to have to play with that.


Thanks!!!!!
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Well…there’s a major reason you might want auto-ISO in Manual Mode. When you’re outside walking around, the light is continually changing from open light to shadows… Within the ISO Menu, you can define parameters for a range that ISO will automatically adjust itself, as you experience that changing light.

Soooo… You meter the general conditions and set your speed and aperture to fixed values and then as you’re walking around shooting into different lighting conditions, the auto-ISO self adjusts to maintain perfect exposure for each shot within the parameters you’ve defined in the Menu setting.

Those exposure settings will also change within each of the different metering modes of the camera.

Then you’ll need to deal with all the different auto-focusing modes of the camera…

So you see… a Nikon camera in “manual” mode can mean anything within a couple hundred combinations… there really is no “default” for manual mode with a digital camera…:)

I agree with Fred. When I shoot birds in flight, I count on auto-ISO to help keep my exposure correct. When I aim towards the sky, of course the camera will read the brightness and underexpose. For those times, I use the +/- button on my D7x00 (and FX bodies) to raise my exposure 2/3 to 1 stop. Or if I am shooting towards trees, I might underexpose using the +/- button while still keeping auto-ISO enabled.

If I am shooting inside - such as during Worship - then I turn off auto-ISO and instead meter the old-fashioned way. :)
 
Top