Images always stuck on ISO 3200

funfortehfun

Senior Member
No matter what mode I use, when I use auto-ISO, my images are always stuck at ISO 3200. I have auto-ISO set so that the maximum sensitivity is ISO 3200 and the minimum shutter speed is 1/500. Is there something I'm doing wrong, or is it my lighting?

When I turn auto-ISO off sometimes I take pictures with a 1/10s shutter speed. My hands are extremely shaky.
 

WhiteLight

Senior Member
Turn the dial to AUTO, go out, point at the sun (or any bright source of light for that matter) & click.
If the pic is captured at ISO 3200, probably there's a problem with your setting.
i don't think there can be anything wrong with the camera.

You can always reset your settings to default if you are not sure what's going wrong where
 

Dave_W

The Dude
You are setting the minimum at 3200 not the maximum. Change that number to 200 (or whatever the native ISO is) and you'll get what you're looking for.
 
go in menu to ISO sensitivity settings

Then top line ISO sensitivity ...100
Maximum sensitivity ......3200
Min shutter speed ..( well I would use 1/30)

thats it
 
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funfortehfun

Senior Member
You are setting the minimum at 3200 not the maximum. Change that number to 200 (or whatever the native ISO is) and you'll get what you're looking for.
I tried this suggestion, but the lowest ISO I can select there is 400. Also, when I even set it to 400, the shutter speed goes up the roof (1/20, 1/25, or lower, etc.). My hand is shaky.
 

Dave_W

The Dude
I tried this suggestion, but the lowest ISO I can select there is 400. Also, when I even set it to 400, the shutter speed goes up the roof (Lo, 1/1.3, etc.).

You should be able to achieve an ISO of 200, assuming that's the native ISO for your camera. But more importantly, shutter speed is a function of light. If your camera is telling you it needs a second or more of time then you're trying to shoot in too dark an environment. Take your camera outside in strong sunlight and see what your shutter speed is. My guess it'll be 1/600 or higher.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Can I ask what you are trying to photograph? Where are you trying to take pictures? I suspect there is just not enough light. Also, which aperture are you using? What mode is your camera set to?

If you could post a picture with your answers, maybe we could help more.

I had a look at some pictures in your gallery and they seem OK. Has anything changed since then?
 

WhiteLight

Senior Member
Just take a leap of faith & reset your settings to default & see if it changes anything.

Or turn OFF auto ISO, set ISO manually to any value other than 3200 & see what you get
 

srinaldi

New member
I had the same issue with my D700. What I found was that if I was using flash, before it would increase flash output, it would raise the ISO to the max first. Not exactly what I wanted. I'm not sure, but it may have been doing the same thing with aperture priority, raising ISO before adjusting shutter speed. I eventually decreased the max ISO to 800. It would be better if the user could indicate which variable was automatically adjusted.
 
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fireball

New member
You have your minimum shutter speed set to 1/500. That is very fast, and unless you are in very good light, the ISO is automatically going to shoot up.

If the shutter speed needs to go below the minimum you've set, the ISO automatically increases.

Set your minimum shutter speed lower, and see how it goes.

Thats my undersyanding of how it works anyway.
 

funfortehfun

Senior Member
Thanks guys, sorry for the late reply. I guess I was trying to shoot in a very dark place, because one I got outside it was perfectly fine. :D
 

dearchloe

New member
No matter what mode I use, when I use auto-ISO, my images are always stuck at ISO 3200. I have auto-ISO set so that the maximum sensitivity is ISO 3200 and the minimum shutter speed is 1/500. Is there something I'm doing wrong, or is it my lighting?

When I turn auto-ISO off sometimes I take pictures with a 1/10s shutter speed. My hands are extremely shaky.

Hi there, i'm not sure if you have resolved your problem as yet but I noticed the exact same thing happening on my D5000. I fixed it by doing the following:

Menu > Shooting Menu > ISO Sensitivity Settings > Auto Control > OFF

Now when I select ISO from the "Home" screen it doesn't sit on 3200 anymore. I realised that the ISO was sitting on whatever I selected as my "Maximum Sensitivity". Remove this has given me back the control of selecting it myself.

Rather silly but at least it works now...
 

Mike D90

Senior Member
@funfortehfun I am not sure why you would be using such a high shutter speed indoors?

You might need to do some tutorial reading and get a better understanding of shutter speed and aperture versus ISO settings.

Usually, most people can photograph anything that is static, without flash, handheld at 1/100th second and get no blur. Some can shoot at 1/30th successfully if they are very stable. Shutter speed is what freezes any movement and is also what controls how much the ambient light affects your exposure.

Aperture controls your depth of field and controls flash exposure when using flash for lighting.

ISO simply controls how sensitive the sensor is to light but it will cause some grain noise at higher ISO numbers and with bad exposures in low light.

Unless you are shooting something that is moving, be it human or animal or other relatively slow moving object you should not need more than 1/250th second shutter speed to freeze motion. With birds and other fast moving things you would need anywhere from 1/500th to over 1/2000th depending on what it is and how fast it moves.

Your aperture and ISO have nothing to do with motion stopping except that they can be changed to allow for faster shutter speeds.

So indoors, shooting pics of people or animals you should never need more than 1/250th shutter speed at max. I usually use 1/125th when shooting people and pets. Anything that is not moving you should be able to use 1/100th even with shaky hands.

I would suggest setting Auto ISO to allow a maximum ISO of 1600 and a minimum shutter speed of 1/100th when shooting indoors. Then choose your aperture setting according to how much of the image you want to be in focus (DOF) and just let the shutter speed and ISO choose itself. If you get too much grain/noise in your pictures then set auto ISO to a maximum of 800.
 
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