# D7000 - photos are all too dark



## pipylnic888 (Apr 2, 2016)

Hi, I'm new to photography so please bear with me. I just got a Nikon D7000 and have shot with it twice now. The first time, my photos came out normal, but today they all came out very dark, almost black. When I uploaded them to my computer I was able to adjust the brightness and could make out the photos, but they were still very dark. Both times I shot outside in daylight on a sunny day in auto mode with no flash.

An older post on this forum said that I could have inadvertently changed the exposure compensation, but I checked and it is at 0 and the photos are still coming out dark. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this keeps happening?

Here's a picture to show what's going on - I took this in the afternoon when it was bright and sunny.


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## budget cruncher (Apr 2, 2016)

I don't have an EXIF reader, so would you please post the EXIF?  Just make a screen shot and post that.


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## robbins.photo (Apr 2, 2016)

There are several resets in the menus, one for the shooting menu and one in camera settings.  I'd reset both and put the camera back to factory defaults.

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk


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## pipylnic888 (Apr 2, 2016)

I just tried resetting the shooting and camera settings and the photos are still dark.

Is this the exif?

File Size
1053 kB
File Type
JPEG
MIME Type
image/jpeg
Image Width
4928
Image Height
3264
Encoding Process
Baseline DCT, Huffman coding
Bits Per Sample
8
Color Components
3
X Resolution
1
Y Resolution
1
YCbCr Sub Sampling
YCbCr4:2:2 (2 1)


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## budget cruncher (Apr 2, 2016)

pipylnic888 said:


> Is this the exif?


That's a small portion of the usual EXIF.  Unfortunately, I have not equipped this computer with an EXIF reader, so I needed to ask you for the particulars.  

What some of the more experienced photographers will be interested in seeing are things like lens, aperture, shutter, ISO, exposure mode, flash mode, etc. etc.  If you upload your photo directly from your computer, someone with an EXIF reader can just read it from your photo.


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## pipylnic888 (Apr 2, 2016)

Here's the photo directly from my computer.


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## 480sparky (Apr 2, 2016)

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D7000
Image Date: 2016-04-01 16:19:05 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 55.0mm (35mm equivalent: 82mm)
*Aperture: ƒ/4.0
Exposure Time: 0.0003 s (1/3200)
ISO equiv: 100*
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: shutter priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No (enforced)
Orientation: Normal
Color Space: sRGB



Very strange.  If you're shooting in sunlight, this should be dead on.


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## robbins.photo (Apr 2, 2016)

Exposure time 1/3200 at 100 iso?  Check your iso settings, see if auto iso is on and if so if it's set to a max of 100.  

Set your auto iso on and set the max to say 1600, then decrease your shutter to say 1/200 and see what that does

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk


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## pixmedic (Apr 2, 2016)

something else must be going on. 
in good sunlight, a SS of 3200 at ISO 100 should produce a recognizable picture. even at f/4


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## robbins.photo (Apr 2, 2016)

pixmedic said:


> something else must be going on.
> in good sunlight, a SS of 3200 at ISO 100 should produce a recognizable picture. even at f/4


Been a while since I looked at exif data, does it express a shutter speed of 1/320 as 3200 or would that be a shutter speed of 1/3200?

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk


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## pixmedic (Apr 2, 2016)

robbins.photo said:


> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> > something else must be going on.
> ...



the shutter speed was 1/3200
should not have been that big of an issue though. 
i took a bunch of my dog park pictures at 1/4000 ISO 100 f/4 and got good exposure.


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## pipylnic888 (Apr 2, 2016)

ISO was set at 100. Should I change it?


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## pixmedic (Apr 2, 2016)

I just noticed the OP said it was in auto mode....
so....thats what the camera decided the settings needed to be for correct exposure based on its meter. 

ISO 100 _*should*_ have been fine in outdoor sunlight. 
_*all *_of the settings look fine for daylight shooting. 
im currently at a loss as to what the problem might be.


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## pixmedic (Apr 2, 2016)

pipylnic888 said:


> ISO was set at 100. Should I change it?



you can try, but outside in bright sunlight....you shouldnt need to. 
maybe try ISO 800 and see what difference it makes. you would need to shoot under similar conditions as the other pictures though. OR, take a shot inside with the lights on at iso 100, then try 800 and 1600 ISO and compare


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## Watchful (Apr 2, 2016)

Pull the battery and turn the camera on for 15 sec.s with no battery. Put the battery in again and retry it.


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## 480sparky (Apr 2, 2016)

*Aperture: ƒ/4.0
Exposure Time: 0.0003 s (1/3200)
ISO equiv: 100*

Convert to Sunny 16:

F/4 to f/16 is -4 stops.
1/3200 to 1/100 is +5 stops.  So if the subject is in daylight, it should only be 1 stop overexposed.  If it's in a shadow, maybe 1 stop underexposed.  This is far more than one stop under.


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## robbins.photo (Apr 2, 2016)

Hmm.. Well if the camera is in auto mode I have to wonder why it's pushing the shutter speed that high.  Granted you should be able to get good pics outdoors in good light but that seems really odd for auto mode

Well granted it's been a very long time since I shot auto.  

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk


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## KmH (Apr 3, 2016)

480sparky said:


> Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
> Camera Model: NIKON D7000
> Image Date: 2016-04-01 16:19:05 (no TZ)
> Focal Length: 55.0mm (35mm equivalent: 82mm)
> ...


Was EC set to a minus value?


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## 480sparky (Apr 3, 2016)

KmH said:


> Was EC set to a minus value?



Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D7000
Image Date: 2016-04-01 16:19:05 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 55.0mm (35mm equivalent: 82mm)
Aperture: ƒ/4.0
Exposure Time: 0.0003 s (1/3200)
ISO equiv: 100
*Exposure Bias: none*
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: shutter priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No (enforced)
Orientation: Normal
Color Space: sRGB


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## pixmedic (Apr 3, 2016)




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## snowbear (Apr 3, 2016)

Maybe time for a full reset (pressing QUAL and Exposure Comp +/- buttons at the same time)


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## Braineack (Apr 3, 2016)

that picture appears to have been taken indoors.  looks like a plant silhouetted against a window.

the background is under by 5 stops when i push it back in LR.


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## snowbear (Apr 3, 2016)

Braineack said:


> that picture appears to have been taken indoors.  looks like a plant silhouetted against a window.
> 
> the background is under by 5 stops when i push it back in LR.



I think we have a winner.


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## fmw (Apr 3, 2016)

pipylnic888 said:


> ISO was set at 100. Should I change it?



If you reset the camera then the reset failed or you fussed with it after the reset.  The reset should have produced auto ISO.  Reset the camera again.  Set the mode dial to auto and go shoot something outdoors.  Once you get a normal exposure you can fuss with settings again with a better understanding of what you are doing. 

Option 2.  If you have a sunny day, set the camera ISO to 100 as you had it.  Set the mode dial to manual, the aperture to f11 or f8 and the shutter speed to 1/250.  You should end up with an exposure that is close to normal.  

An exposure time of 1/3200 is beyond ridiculous.   If the camera determined that in auto mode, then something is wrong. If you set that using shutter priority then we can identify the culprit.


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## Alexr25 (Apr 3, 2016)

Braineack said:


> that picture appears to have been taken indoors.  looks like a plant silhouetted against a window.
> 
> the background is under by 5 stops when i push it back in LR.


Give that man a cigar!
The EXIF data says that the photo was taken in shutter priority mode, shutter speed 1/3200 and exposure difference (the difference between metered correct exposure and actual exposure) of -5.3 stops.


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## 480sparky (Apr 3, 2016)

Alexr25 said:


> Braineack said:
> 
> 
> > that picture appears to have been taken indoors.  looks like a plant silhouetted against a window.
> ...



There's no question it's underexposed.

The issue is _why_.


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## cherylynne1 (Apr 3, 2016)

If it was in shutter priority was set to 1/3200 and the max ISO was somehow set to 100, then the aperture would open as wide as it could go (in this case, f4) and then it would just underexpose, right? Could that have happened? Or would that show on the exposure bias? 

Could the OP have set the AEL while metering a brighter part of the room?


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## snowbear (Apr 3, 2016)

cherylynne1 said:


> If it was in shutter priority was set to 1/3200 and the max ISO was somehow set to 100, then the aperture would open as wide as it could go (in this case, f4) and then it would just underexpose, right? Could that have happened? Or would that show on the exposure bias?
> 
> Could the OP have set the AEL while metering a brighter part of the room?


Green Box Auto.  I was thinking the same thing about metering that bright window.


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## cherylynne1 (Apr 3, 2016)

I thought the EXIF said it was in shutter priority?


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## snowbear (Apr 3, 2016)

cherylynne1 said:


> I thought the EXIF said it was in shutter priority?


I stand corrected.  I misread that one.


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## cherylynne1 (Apr 3, 2016)

snowbear said:


> cherylynne1 said:
> 
> 
> > I thought the EXIF said it was in shutter priority?
> ...



OP said it was in auto, that's probably where the misunderstanding happened.


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## snowbear (Apr 3, 2016)

No, I saved the file and looked at the EXIF about the same time Sparky did, so I just misread Opanda.

If I matrix meter the inside plant and shoot, it would still expose for that bright window, correct?  The inside plant would be in silhouette, but wouldn't the outside look OK?


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## cherylynne1 (Apr 3, 2016)

You'd think that _something _would be correctly exposed. Or, more likely, that the window would be overexposed and the plant underexposed. But for all of it to be five stops under on a semi-auto mode? That's really strange. 

I think we need to see more photos in order to figure it out.


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## snowbear (Apr 3, 2016)

A rear quick test.

I can only go down to ISO 200 but this is matrix meter, shutter priority @ 1/3200. The aperture opened up to f/1.8 and it's not as dark as the OP's.


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## cherylynne1 (Apr 3, 2016)

So if you'd been using a kit lens, like the OP, it would have only opened up to f4, so it would have been darker...so yeah, it looks like you recreated it. 

Okay, OP, either put it in auto or set the shutter speed to something lower.


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## robbins.photo (Apr 3, 2016)

cherylynne1 said:


> So if you'd been using a kit lens, like the OP, it would have only opened up to f4, so it would have been darker...so yeah, it looks like you recreated it.
> 
> Okay, OP, either put it in auto or set the shutter speed to something lower.


Well, unless the plants are attached to a rocket of some sort..  lol

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk


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## snowbear (Apr 3, 2016)

cherylynne1 said:


> So if you'd been using a kit lens, like the OP, it would have only opened up to f4, so it would have been darker...so yeah, it looks like you recreated it.
> 
> Okay, OP, either put it in auto or set the shutter speed to something lower.




Give me a minute!


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## snowbear (Apr 3, 2016)

Better?
I shot at 1/2500 to make up for being at ISO 200; f/4, matrix meter.  Single focus point is the top of the centered flower pot.


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## cherylynne1 (Apr 3, 2016)

Haha, I didn't mean you had to redo it, snowbear! But now that you have, I think it looks pretty spot on. There's no way to completely recreate the lighting, but this is so close that I think we solved it.


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## snowbear (Apr 3, 2016)

Lol - I knew you didn't ask me to, but . . .

I am (somewhat) scientific (but also artistic) so I will experiment.


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## Alexr25 (Apr 3, 2016)

480sparky said:


> There's no question it's underexposed.
> 
> The issue is _why_.


The usual reason I guess, not enough light for the given exposure settings.
The ISO was fixed at 100, the shutter speed was fixed at 1/3200 and the camera was in shutter priority mode. Once the camera opened the aperture to the maximum of f/4 and there was still not enough light then all it could do was under expose. The EXIF data shows that the camera knew it was under exposing but given the settings there is nothing it could do about it. 
That is the danger of using shutter priority, you have to keep an eye on the exposure meter in the viewfinder to make sure that the camera does not run out of aperture adjustment. In aperture priority mode there is much more room for the camera to adjust the shutter speed, you might end up with a blurred photo due to camera shake but at least it will be a well exposed blurred photo.


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## wfooshee (Apr 3, 2016)

Yeah, now that we know it was shutter-priority, not full auto, and the ISO was set to the camera's minimum and not auto-ISO, it's clear that the situation was simply beyond the camera's ability to correct.

Shutter speed was locked because the camera was in shutter-priority mode. For the OP, that's *S* on the mode dial. That means the camera _will_ use the shutter speed you've set, and adjust whatever else it's allowed to adjust to get the correct exposure.

So it adjusted aperture. It made the aperture the largest available (smallest number) to get the most light possible. Once it reached the lens's maximum, it had no more adjustment to make. _f_:4.0 was all it could do.

So then it looked at ISO, But ISO was set at 100, not auto-ISO, so there was no adjustment for the camera to make.

It did what it could, and took the picture anyway. You told it 1/3200, and at maximum aperture and the specified ISO, there wasn't enough light to get the picture.

Now the question is, why such a fast shutter speed?? 1/250 would have been my absolute fastest in that situation. You should have seen LO in the viewfinder to tell you the camera couldn't expose properly. Even if you'd set auto-ISO and let the camera salvage the image, it would have needed ISO 3200 or thereabouts, and I can tell you from having a D7000, you wouldn't have wanted that image.

The camera tried to tell you that you couldn't get the picture. use the information in the viewfinder. If you thought the camera was full auto rather than shutter-priority, then that was just a mistake, and one that is easy to make. It's easy to turn that dial accidentally when you pull the camera out of the bag or put it in, so check it every time you start shooting.


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## dannylightning (Apr 4, 2016)

is there some sort of screw on filter on your lens..    that could possibly do it..


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## 480sparky (Apr 4, 2016)

dannylightning said:


> is there some sort of screw on filter on your lens..    that could possibly do it..



The meter should account for that.


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## Braineack (Apr 4, 2016)

wfooshee said:


> It did what it could, and took the picture anyway. You told it 1/3200, and at maximum aperture and the specified ISO, there wasn't enough light to get the picture.



this.

You only have 3 things to change in order to capture an image but you effectively locked out all three of them.  (you manually forced (2) and had no more give on the last)

I'm sure if you looked in the viewfinder, the meter would show that the image was going to be severely underexposed.


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