# Nikon D60 flash?



## cnh25 (Jun 4, 2008)

Hello everyone :mrgreen: I'm new here.

I've always had an interest in photography but it's always just been a side hobby and I've always had fairly cheap cameras. Well recently I finally had a reason to take pictures (I'm responsible for taking pictures of the foster animals in my Humane Society's system and getting them on our webpage).

So, give me a reason to buy a "real" camera and I jumped at it. I got a Nikon D60 and I love it. I did watch the DVD but for some reason my manual was in Spanish so I don't have a clue what it says lol.

So I'm quite the newbie at the camera and it's settings - if anyone has any suggestions here please walk me through them step by step :blushing:

The problem is, every time I go to take a picture of a kitten they blink because the picture snaps after the flash goes off. So just about every picture turns out with them with their eyes closed :er:

Is there anything I can do besides just use more natural light and turn the flash off? I am using the default, pop-up flash that comes with the camera.  I have played around with the camera settings but I don't see anything pertaining to this. 

Thanks so much for any help you can give


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## Socrates (Jun 4, 2008)

cnh25 said:


> ...but for some reason my manual was in Spanish so I don't have a clue what it says lol.



http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bi...y5zZWFyY2hfbmwmcF9wYWdlPTE*&p_li=&p_topview=1


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## dEARlEADER (Jun 4, 2008)

Experiment by shooting in P mode and increasing your ISO.  P mode will keep your in camera flash from popping up and activating.

if this doesn't work try using toothpicks to keep the eyes of your subjects open....


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## cnh25 (Jun 4, 2008)

Socrates said:


> http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bi...y5zZWFyY2hfbmwmcF9wYWdlPTE*&p_li=&p_topview=1


Thank you... so I have to buy a nikon speedlight flash? :er: I saw nothing else in there that helped me... I twidled with the dial and modes in P,S,A,M modes but results are always the same - blinking kittens


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## dEARlEADER (Jun 4, 2008)

cnh25 said:


> Thank you... so I have to buy a nikon speedlight flash? :er: I saw nothing else in there that helped me... I twidled with the dial and modes in P,S,A,M modes but results are always the same - blinking kittens



no... try higher iso's first... if you can't get the desirable result then buy an SB400 and bounce the flash off the ceiling...


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## cnh25 (Jun 4, 2008)

dEARlEADER said:


> Experiment by shooting in P mode and increasing your ISO.  P mode will keep your in camera flash from popping up and activating.
> 
> if this doesn't work try using toothpicks to keep the eyes of your subjects open....


Thanks.. while this did kind of work the pictures don't look near as good as the ones with the flash & when the kittens move it gets blurry


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## dEARlEADER (Jun 4, 2008)

cnh25 said:


> Thanks.. while this did kind of work the pictures don't look near as good as the ones with the flash & when the kittens move it gets blurry



oh well.... SB400 then...

you can also try pumping your ISO to 800 and shoot rapid fire.... often you can get a good shot every 3rd or 4th frame with moving subjects like pets...


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## tirediron (Jun 4, 2008)

Try increasing the amount of ambient light in the area.  A couple of heavy-duty work lights with home-made diffusers (any translucent plastic bottle) should help.


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## dylj (Jun 4, 2008)

or a fast prime lens.

50 f/1.8 can get you blown out white cats in low light.


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## dEARlEADER (Jun 4, 2008)

dylj said:


> or a fast prime lens.
> 
> 50 f/1.8 can get you blown out white cats in low light.



this will be no easier for her..... @ 1.8 manual focusing a nifty fifty on moving kitties is pretty much as fun a sticking a fork in your eyeball...


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## dylj (Jun 4, 2008)

dEARlEADER said:


> this will be no easier for her..... @ 1.8 manual focusing a nifty fifty on moving kitties is pretty much as fun a sticking a fork in your eyeball...


 
The answer: sedatives. 

Other than that, the Sigma 30mm 1.8 HSM works.


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## TamiyaGuy (Jun 5, 2008)

It's always the case that the flash fires just before the shutter opens. The only real way is to keep shooting, and hope for the best. Rear Curtain Sync might help too, but I kinda doubt it (hold the "Flash" button and use the scroll wheel to select it). Good luck!

And Dylj: Do you mean the Sigma 1.*4* HSM?


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## cnh25 (Jun 5, 2008)

TamiyaGuy said:


> It's always the case that the flash fires just before the shutter opens. The only real way is to keep shooting, and hope for the best. Rear Curtain Sync might help too, but I kinda doubt it (hold the "Flash" button and use the scroll wheel to select it). Good luck!
> 
> And Dylj: Do you mean the Sigma 1.*4* HSM?


Thank you for the help. Right now I'm thinking that I can't believe I wasted $800 on a camera. Yes I love it for close up shots of a lot of things but the main thing I take pictures of is kittens for our website. I guess I'll have to drag out my old $80 piece of crap digital camera... they didn't look near as good but at least they didn't f**king blink.

I'm so frustrated :\


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## reg (Jun 5, 2008)

Why are you so upset? Turn off the flash if it's such an issue!

Clearly you don't know how to use a camera but you blame the camera for your ignorance.


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## TamiyaGuy (Jun 6, 2008)

Just try rattling off a few shots. It's the only real way, and it happens to me all the time. You'll just have to hope that one of them turns out well.

Regarding to my previous post, the flash doesn't actually fire before the shutter opens, but it has the same effect (the kittens blink before the exposure has ended)


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## Chewbecca (Jun 6, 2008)

dEARlEADER said:


> this will be no easier for her..... @ 1.8 manual focusing a nifty fifty on moving kitties is pretty much as fun a sticking a fork in your eyeball...




For real, and she/he MIGHT get an eyeball in focus...or a pupil.

Cnh, 
I don't know that I'm qualified to help you, really, since I'm pretty new myself.
But I know with my camera, I messed with (and STILL mess with) all the settings and modes, until I get something I'm happy with.  Once I get something I'm happy, or semi-happy with, I try to work on how I can improve it.
The thing is, you CAN take pics of your cats without their eyes shutting, but that's going to require lessons in getting your camera settings just right, and that is going to require that you learn about aperture, shutter speed, and when and when NOT to mess with the ISO.  And all that stuff can be overwhelming.  But you'll be amazed at the shots you can get with your D60, once you've learned how to set the settings.  You're going to want to mess with the settings and snap away.  Just remember what you've set your camera at, so that when you get it right in certain lighting, then you'll remember what you had it set at for future reference.

I have a D60, too.  I snapped this shot of my dog the other day with my 50mm lens, manual mode, f2.2 (I believe), 1/100 (photobucket is a LIAR), ISO 800.
She moves just as well and is unpredictable.  ESPECIALLY when I've got a toy, bribing her to sit still.  Sure, her nose is out of focus (because of my aperture), as well as her ears, but her eyes are damn sharp.








Your cats are white?  Well, as you can see, my dog is black.  I KNOW how hard it is to get a good picture of an animal.  I most likely have the opposite problem you'll run into.  Your cats will look washed out due to being white, while my dog looks underexposed ALL THE TIME.

Mess with your camera settings, find good lighting in your house, and just keep snapping.  Oh, and be patient.  I am.


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## cnh25 (Jun 6, 2008)

Chewbecca said:


> For real, and she/he MIGHT get an eyeball in focus...or a pupil.
> 
> Cnh,
> I don't know that I'm qualified to help you, really, since I'm pretty new myself.
> ...


She is beautiful .

My adult cats I can take fine. Check out Frankenkitty.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



The problem is the damn kittens. I sat down and took 100 shots last night and not a single one was decent. I called the Nikon support line and he said putting the flash on red-eye mode would fix everything but it didn't help at all.


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## cnh25 (Jun 6, 2008)

reg said:


> Why are you so upset? Turn off the flash if it's such an issue!
> 
> Clearly you don't know how to use a camera but you blame the camera for your ignorance.


I'm upset because $900 is a lot of money to me. If I turn off the flash the picture quality is horrible and if they move it looks blurry and it looks just like my $80 piece of crap digital camera I used to use so why not just sell this one and use my old one? 

Obviously I don't know how to how to use the camera well - hence why I posted here - duh? And your reply didn't help whatsoever. Thanks.


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## reg (Jun 6, 2008)

Good thing I didn't post to help you. I posted to remind you that just because you can't use it doesn't make it a piece of crap.


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## cnh25 (Jun 6, 2008)

reg said:


> Good thing I didn't post to help you. I posted to remind you that just because you can't use it doesn't make it a piece of crap.


Yeah, good thing. I'd hate for you to have to not be a jerk to someone. I'm sure that's totally out of your character. I'm sure you couldn't help anyway. 

Yeah, the camera isn't a piece of crap, obviously I was frustrated and venting, I bet no one else ever does that on online message boards, huh? Why don't you go troll on another thread and leave your useless replies to yourself on this one? Anyway you will be ignored from now on, I didn't come here to start a fight with anyone, I just came seeking help from someone nice enough to offer it.

Note - I do want to thank everyone else in this thread who did try to help and didn't come be a jerk for no reason. 

I wonder why the guy at Nikon told me that red-eye reduction flash mode would fix everything. It didn't help at all.


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## Socrates (Jun 6, 2008)

cnh25 said:


> Obviously I don't know how to how to use the camera well - hence why I posted here - duh? And your reply didn't help whatsoever. Thanks.



You posted here without even reading the user manual.  You said it was in Spanish but you made no effort to get an English version.  Several individuals have tried to help but it appears that you have done essentially nothing on your own.  I agree with some of the suggestions and disagree with others but they are all well-intended.  The bottom line is that this forum is decidedly not the place to go if all you want is a "silver bullet" to solve your problems.


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## dylj (Jun 6, 2008)

I'll try my best to offer help:

Go to manual mode.
Change your ISO to 1600.
Zoom out to 18mm, the widest angle.
Change your aperture to the smallest f/stop. This might be 3.5 on your kit lens.
Change your shutter speed to 1/20 second. The number will read "20".

Your pictures may still be dark. If they are still dark, try changing ISO to HI1.

Or your pictures may still be blurry. Change your shutter speed to 1/30 second or 1/40 second.

edit: BTW, are you shooting with your house lights off?? The picture you posted makes it seem like that's what you're doing. If so, TURN THEM ON!


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## dEARlEADER (Jun 7, 2008)

I'd like to see how your point and shoot is outperforming your D60 ....  can you post a sample of good kitties with your point shoot and your best sample of a failed kittie shoot with the D60??


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## reg (Jun 7, 2008)

Me too.


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## Joves (Jun 7, 2008)

You can go to Home Depot and get a halogen work lamp to brighten it up. Then you wouldnt need a flash. Just bounce the light off of the ceiling or the walls. I think the lamps are like $20. Or you can bounce the light off of a big piece of poster board too.


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## Chewbecca (Jun 8, 2008)

Joves said:


> You can go to Home Depot and get a halogen work lamp to brighten it up. Then you wouldnt need a flash. Just bounce the light off of the ceiling or the walls. I think the lamps are like $20. Or you can bounce the light off of a big piece of poster board too.



YES!  The poor man's studio!  I do this ALL THE TIME when I take product photos.


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