Nikon D1500 semi automatic settings not adjusting properly?
The dial modes A, and S (shutter speed) are semi automatic, so when you set the aperture the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed or / and exposure to give you the best image possible, even if this doesn't always work out. When i fist got my camera it did this perfectly. However now these settings no longer self adjust. I believe i can adjust everything manually but being a beginner and in photography class i really need to use these settings and i can't figure out why they are not self adjusting, it's as if they don't exits. Not only that but however high or low i set either of these settings the picture always comes out dark, whereas on a slow shutter speed i would have thought the image would over expose if the auto settings were broken. All of the other automatic modes work, it's just the semi automatic modes. Is there a setting i have switched the camera to to result in this? Or a reset button? Or even just a clue as to why this is happening. I have checked the manual it says nothing about this. I have used these mods in plain daylight too. My photography teacher didn't seem to understand my question… Thanks!
You are in a photo class.
Why is it you have not asked your instructor this question?
There are limits to what a camera can do in either of those priority modes, aperture and shutter priority.
If you have the shutter speed set to a number that is too fast for your lens to compensate under the existing light (you have reached the maximum aperture of the lens), then of course the image will be underexposed to some extent.
Usually if you are using the aperture priority mode and you are in low light, the shutter speed necessary to create a well exposed image will be so slow that the camera will move during the exposure and instead of getting an underexposed image, you will get one that shows how much the camera moved during the exposure due to the blurring of the image
What is curious is that you say this happens in full sun. That can indicate that for some reason the EV adjustment on the camera has been changed so that every shot you take is being underexposed. Look on page 70 where it talks about exposure compensation.
That said, talk to your instructor and show him what you mean by handing him the camera and having him take some shots with it.
EDIT: I think you meant to say you have a Nikon D5100
If you haven't set a suitable ISO number for the subject, location and lighting conditions the semi-auto exposure system will struggle to cope. Your ISO should be in a range from 100-400, anything less will require a tripod and flash and any more may begin to create noise. Check to see what filters you've put in front of the lens, they can drop your exposure to 1 stop or more, too. You may also have set a programme in the menu that is overriding the exposure, so you should check to see if anything has been selected that you've forgotten about. Also recharge the battery, always remember it because everything relies on a good charge.
Yes I mean D5100. My photography teacher seemed to dismiss this and inexperience and wouldn't handle the camera. Having had it for some time I'm sure something is not right with it so perhaps a camera shop might take a look.
It is a shame that your teacher is so dismissive. Teachers should be encouraging, not dismissive, with whatever equipment the student has.