Shutter problems with Nikon D300?
So my parents used to be very into photography so they invested into a few Nikons. They recently gave me a nikon d300 and I'm learning to use it but this has been happening for a while like it will work one day and the next it won't. Like I'll click the shutter button and it will auto focus but won't actually take the picture. I know its not that I'm not pushing the button it must be a setting that I'm not familiar with and accidentally set. Does anyone know how to fix this, what its called, or where in the manual I can read about it? Also another side problem is that sometimes the actual shutter takes a LONG time for a camera (sometimes about 10 seconds) and the picture always comes out blurry because I can't keep it perfectly still for that long. So I'm wondering how to fix it so the shutter only takes a fraction of a second.
Since your parents "used to be very into photography", perhaps you could ask them to explain the basics of using a DSLR including the correlation of ISO/aperture/shutter speed.
The best thing to do is sit down with the camera AND the manual. Then read the manual cover to cover.
The part about "actual shutter takes a LONG time for a camera (sometimes about 10 seconds) and the picture always comes out blurry " is a shutter speed issue. Read the manual on how to put the camera into manual mode and then set the shutter speed to something like 1/100 and then try to take another shot. The shutter should fire a lot faster.
Remember… Exposure is a combination of the ISO (sensor sensitivity to light), aperture (opening size that regulates amount of light entering the camera and the Depth Of Field), and the shutter speed (how fast/slow the shutter opens and closes).
You're not having shutter problems, you're having operator problems. The camera is working fine.
Go learn the basics about exposure, ISO, shutter speeds, and apertures. Then you'll be able to use the camera.
Your first issue-clicking the shutter button doesn't actually trigger a shot-could possibly be a hardware problem. Usually, the camera will not shoot until it has acquired autofocus. If something is interrupting this process (such as a faulty lens or problems with the body's AF sensors), the camera will hesitate. These are best diagnosed and fixed by a camera technician.
The second problem is that you have likely set a very long shutter speed (display shows something like 10″) or a very small aperture (display shows f/32 or other "large" numbers).
As others have noted, it simply sounds like you're not familiar with the camera. Reading the *whole* manual, front to back, is the best thing you can do at this point. The first problem you asked about could also be caused by trying to focus on a flat, plain surface with no detail to focus on, or trying to focus on something too close to the camera (inside of a meter).
Even the best cameras have limits on their performance. It is best to practice shooting outdoors on a bright day. Humans and cameras have very different ideas of what "good light" is-a CFL desk lamp may provide adequate light for us, but the camera will definitely not have enough light to make a good exposure. If the camera has trouble working when trying to shoot a sunlit subject, you know for sure that the camera needs service.
Personally, I would suggest setting the camera to Program (P) mode and seeing what settings the camera chooses in different situations. You can switch to Manual (M) mode to have complete control over exposure settings. Get acquainted with how ISO affects exposure and noise. Also get acquainted with the Exposure Compensation (+/-) function, which is helpful when shooting in P, A, or S modes.
Should you get in trouble with exposure settings (e.g.you're getting completely black or white photos), hold down the QUAL and Exposure Compensation buttons to quickly reset settings-your images won't be deleted. These two buttons are marked with green dots for quick reference.