Got my new d5600, question

[J.huff23]

I got the camera and have been playing around with it. I cant figure out why despite having my flash on and some other lighting, my pictures are coming out so dark. I'm sure it's something simple. Any help?

Plus I always see a shadow from the lens when I try to get close up shots. How do I avoid this?

They either come out super dark or super bright.

 

[MetalMan2004]

With no flash you can play around with the f-stop. The lower the number, the more light you’ll get. Play around with the direction the light is coming from to add and get rid of shadows. If the lens is so large that its casting a shadow with the built-in flash then an external flash and/ or other ambient lighting is the ticket.

I’m sure there’s more but thats all I got.

 

[J.huff23]

Thanks! I'll play around with the f stop once my battery is charged. The kit also came with an attachable flash so I'll figure out how to use it and give it a try too.

 

[MetalMan2004]

There are all kinds of settings you can mess around with on the D5600. I learned when film was still cool and there were way less settings. I’m sure someone will chime in with an easier way to do it.

 

[J.huff23]

Is this the external flash? Because it wont work when I attach the flash to the camera

 

[MetalMan2004]

Yes it is. It will have its own set of batteries.

 

[J.huff23]

I'll have to play around with it more tomorrow. It isn't working for some reason. Batteries are in and it is mounted to the camera but it doesn't go off. When I hit the test button it works but not when I try to take a picture.

 

[The Snark]

The commonest problem is software comparability. Aftermarket flash may not be sending the camera the correct signals. The camera's computer runs this show and IT. IS. FUSSY.

 

[J.huff23]

Does the camera need to have a certain feature activated in the menu to allow for the external digital slave flash to be used? Any videos I try to watch on this are not helpful what so ever

 

[The Snark]

If that camera has the auto exposure-lighting settings you have some reading up to do. In essence, the computer, the lens, and the type of attached flash all need to be addressed unless you are in total manual mode and ALL auto functions are OFF. Most Nikon cameras today have the auto exposure thing.
Start here: https://photographylife.com/recommended-nikon-d5600-settings

Then search on line for info on the Creative Lighting System (CLS)
Here are some places to check: https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/d7500/en/19_optional_flash_units_07.html
https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.co...lash_units_07.html#cls-compatible_flash_units
http://dpanswers.com/content/nikon_flash_use01.php
http://dpanswers.com/content/nikon_flash.php#dedicated

PS BEWARE THE MODE DIAL!! The various settings on it control what settings are available in the MENU.

Some mode dial settings I have encountered:
Auto: Where the camera decides everything.
Auto with crooked arrow: Where the camera decides everything but the auto flash doesn't work.
M: Manual mode. Nothing works, but works anyway.
P: Programmed mode: Abandon all hope ye who enter here - if you don't know exactly what you are doing.
Scene modes, little cartoon images: Where the camera decides the wrong settings for you
Guide mode: The camera leads you down the garden path, usually into a patch of poison oak/ivy.

PPS IMPORTANT maybe: Turn the camera on. Get to the main info screen where you see 403.5 arcane settings. Spin the MODE dial. Toward the left on the info screen a little below half way down you will see a glop of 3 squares, 5 squares and 3 squares. ThIs is the indicator the Creative Lighting System (CLS) is active. It will change depending on Mode, Settings, Lens, and what Flash is attached.

 

[J.huff23]

Thanks!

 

[The Snark]

@J.huff23 Having any luck with the camera? If you get a handle on it and can see your way clear, I could use some pointers on how to operate it.

Coincidentally I met a guy yesterday with a D600. He had an antique Nikon lens that didn't talk to the computer. But what a lens. 80-200 zoom f2.5 and weighed 1 kilo! Used, he only paid $150 for it. Was unreal how smooth and precise it adjusted and it was able to use the camera body power source.

What was awesome for me was his knowledge in operating the camera. We were at a temple with a pretty large crowd of people, the monks doing the chants, and he was doing a photo essay of the entire event. He only used that telephoto lens. At first, positioned out of the crowd and up on a balcony he got the overall scene shots then zoomed in on faces and details, working out the right exposure settings.
The end result was around 200 shots of National Geographic quality, focus and lighting, the only thing missing of course being wide angle shots.The 'weighs a half ton' lens acting as ballast helping to steady things. No tripod.
Wish I could figure out how to operate a camera that well.

 

[J.huff23]

@J.huff23 Having any luck with the camera? If you get a handle on it and can see your way clear, I could use some pointers on how to operate it.

Coincidentally I met a guy yesterday with a D600. He had an antique Nikon lens that didn't talk to the computer. But what a lens. 80-200 zoom f2.5 and weighed 1 kilo! Used, he only paid $150 for it. Was unreal how smooth and precise it adjusted and it was able to use the camera body power source.

No luck yet. I'm thinking the external flash just isnt compatible but still need to read my Nikon D5600 for Dummies book and fiddle some more. I will let you know!

 

[J.huff23]

So my book was no help, I played around in the settings and that didnt work. I cant seem to find any manual or information on this particular flash unit online. It works maybe 1 out of every 50 shots but makes the whole picture white. It's a Digital Concepts 319af. I'm assuming it's a comparability issue at this point which is strange because it came with the kit from a third party seller

 

[The Snark]

@J.huff23 That sucks! Damn. There is so much about those Nikons that simply isn't documented. I'm going to assume it's a compatibility issue since the flash-exposure runs and rules the electronics. I did run across several people who complained about the white issue.
It's like you have to be a pro photographer for years or have worked for Nikon to ferret out all the little tweaks and tricks.

Did you try setting everything you could find to manual mode?

Photography is ultra aggravating for me. My brother and mom were really good, we have several family friends who are top flight pros and my brain refuses to progress beyond Kodak Instamatic.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

@J.huff23 That sucks! Damn. There is so much about those Nikons that simply isn't documented. I'm going to assume it's a compatibility issue since the flash-exposure runs and rules the electronics. I did run across several people who complained about the white issue.
It's like you have to be a pro photographer for years or have worked for Nikon to ferret out all the little tweaks and tricks.

Did you try setting everything you could find to manual mode?

Photography is ultra aggravating for me. My brother and mom were really good, we have several family friends who are top flight pros and my brain refuses to progress beyond Kodak Instamatic.

It's not the camera that's the problem, it's the flash. External flash guns, like this one, which are sold as "slaves" usually work by firing when another flash goes off. They are not user friendly at all and only work when it "sees" another flash go off. Given that this slave flash included an off camera bracket with no other cables, I'm sure that this is the case. I've messed around with different slave settings on my flashes and couldn't get them to work properly.

@J.huff23 My advice to you is to toss that flash in a drawer and get a more compatible speedlite and include a diffuser such as a softbox to attach to the flash. Your pictures come out too bright or too dark because the light from the flash is too harsh causing overexposure in part of the image and underexposure in other parts . A diffuser for your speedlite will solve that issue. Welcome to the photography hobby. It is a complicated, money pit of a hobby.

 

[The Snark]

@AphonopelmaTX If you want to start a thread of Modern Digital Camera Basics for the Kompleet Idjut you won't be hearing any gripes from me. The manual that came with our D3400 tells me all the features the camera has but not how to use them. Let alone the tweaks and tricks. I was thinking I was alone at being camera impaired then my wife spent two weeks, a couple of hours each day, trying to learn manual focus techniques. She gave up a few minutes before contemplating throwing the camera out the window.

(On the bright side, this complexity issue is saving us a fortune. If we had a clue how to operate the camera correctly we'd be out buying lenses.)

 

[Pyroxian]

Many community colleges offer photography classes as continuing ed/adult ed courses, generally at reasonable cost, it might be worth the time and investment to take such a course.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

@AphonopelmaTX If you want to start a thread of Modern Digital Camera Basics for the Kompleet Idjut you won't be hearing any gripes from me. The manual that came with our D3400 tells me all the features the camera has but not how to use them. Let alone the tweaks and tricks. I was thinking I was alone at being camera impaired then my wife spent two weeks, a couple of hours each day, trying to learn manual focus techniques. She gave up a few minutes before contemplating throwing the camera out the window.

(On the bright side, this complexity issue is saving us a fortune. If we had a clue how to operate the camera correctly we'd be out buying lenses.)

I'm far from qualified to write a digital camera basics post. The only reason I have an idea of what the problem in this post could be is because I went through a very similar problem when I bought my own DSLR. I also noticed when I shopped for my DSLR that retailers like to throw in free stuff with the camera and after receiving all of those free accessories, found that those freebies were junk. It is like retailers get rid of the crap they can't sell by giving it away to those who don't know any better.

You are right in that the manuals that come with cameras only tell you what the features are. It is up to the end user to learn how to use them effectively. For me, I found I didn't have the patience for all of that and just use the automatic setting on my DSLR with natural daylight as a light source. The use of speedlites is an art and science all on its own. I just wanted to take some pictures of my tarantulas that look like product photography. Easy to do by opening a window or using desk lamps and nice and boring to look at.

 

[The Snark]

Many community colleges offer photography classes as continuing ed/adult ed courses, generally at reasonable cost, it might be worth the time and investment to take such a course.

It would be wasted $$ on me. If I haven't got it through my head by now, it just isn't happening. It's like a friend who took 11 years to get a certain perfect picture. Me, I'd be clawing my way up a wall in 11 minutes.