It’s official. I’m an idiot

[ssheipel]

It happens! I usually remember I've not reset exposure comp to zero when I see the data listed at the bottom of photos I post here and realize I've shot an entire morning that way LOL Enjoy the new camera. If you haven't done so I highly recommend Steve's book on the Z9/Z8.

 

[Don L Turner]

It happens! I usually remember I've not reset exposure comp to zero when I see the data listed at the bottom of photos I post here and realize I've shot an entire morning that way LOL Enjoy the new camera. If you haven't done so I highly recommend Steve's book on the Z9/Z8.

Thank you, Steve. And I have Steve's Book; already started going through it.

 

[jeffnles1]

I have received my new Nikon Z8 camera and have been setting it up and testing it. This morning, although it was an overcast day with rain expected, I spent an hour or so out in a local park.

The camera has a feature that lights up the viewfinder, making it much easier to see the scene in low light, like I was experiencing this morning. But something wasn’t working right. I would look into the view finder, take a few shots, and then the viewfinder would go dark.

My first assumption was that there was some sort of issue that would need repair. I took a lot of photographs, around 400. This kept happening. It’s possible to change the level of brightness in the viewfinder, so I tried the auto setting and then several different manuel brightness levels.

Nothing fix the problem.

I begin to wonder if it might be affecting my photos, so I looked back through a number of them. Some were OK and some were quite dark, unusable.

It was a pattern of light, dark, light photos. That seemed familiar. Cameras have a feature that permits what is called bracketing: a series of photographs with different exposures, to help with scenes that have a wide dynamic range, beyond the cameras capabilities.

I rarely use that feature but was aware of it.

I checked.

Somehow, in all the fiddling I have done with the camera, I set my brand new Nikon Z8 camera to bracketing mode. That means 2/3 of the photos I took this morning have improper exposures.

How I managed to do that will have to remain a mystery.

Why it took me that long to figure out what was going on … well, I explained that in the title.

If you are an idiot, I can assure you're surrounded by kindred spirits here. I think there are 3 kinds of photographers using modern cameras. 1) those who have messed up a setting without knowing it, 2) those who will mess up a setting without knowing it, and 3) those who have messed up settings without knowing it and are now lying saying they have never done it.
Jeff

 

[Don L Turner]

If you are an idiot, I can assure you're surrounded by kindred spirits here. I think there are 3 kinds of photographers using modern cameras. 1) those who have messed up a setting without knowing it, 2) those who will mess up a setting without knowing it, and 3) those who have messed up settings without knowing it and are now lying saying they have never done it.
Jeff

Thanks, Jeff. So much to learn, such a tiny brain to fit it in.

 

[jeffnles1]

Thanks, Jeff. So much to learn, such a tiny brain to fit it in.

I can relate!

 

[splatbass]

I wouldn't beat yourself up too badly, there's so many options in modern cameras and it's not all that hard to accidentally bump one or more settings and end up in a state you never expected. I've sure done it many times with various things. Glad you worked it out relatively quickly.

The back screen stopped working on my Z7. I thought something was wrong with it. Then it started working again - for a while. Then back to not working. Apparently the little button on top that lets you set it between EVF only, back screen only, or automatic switching is in a spot that I grab or hit regularly without knowing it. And I did it the other day on my Z50 too, even though the button is in a different spot on it.

 

[Don L Turner]

The back screen stopped working on my Z7. I thought something was wrong with it. Then it started working again - for a while. Then back to not working. Apparently the little button on top that lets you set it between EVF only, back screen only, or automatic switching is in a spot that I grab or hit regularly without knowing it. And I did it the other day on my Z50 too, even though the button is in a different spot on it.

I had the same problem when I rented a Z9 for a week last year. Fortunately, another photographer with a brand new Z9 was standing on the same observation deck I was on and showed me what the problem was.

 

[Anjin San]

Unintentional idiocy happens to all of us…can’t help that, but I do try to not have deliberate idiocy.

 

[Don L Turner]

Unintentional idiocy happens to all of us…can’t help that, but I do try to not have deliberate idiocy.

An excellent policy.

 

[Don L Turner]

After reading all the comments and looking back through my set up process I have found how I turned on bracketing. I did it during the set up process, not realizing how it would affect my camera. I'm used to having to push buttons to get bracketing to work, if I remember correctly, it's been a long time. But with this camera I can do it with a button push and a dial turn or I can do it in setup in the photo shooting menu. I did not understand that. I thought I would still have to push the button and turn the dial to actually turn it on.

 

[SteveReid]

After reading all the comments and looking back through my set up process I have found how I turned on bracketing. I did it during the set up process, not realizing how it would affect my camera. I'm used to having to push buttons to get bracketing to work, if I remember correctly, it's been a long time. But with this camera I can do it with a button push and a dial turn or I can do it in setup in the photo shooting menu. I did not understand that. I thought I would still have to push the button and turn the dial to actually turn it on.

Now we can call your post a learning mode. Thanks for the lesson.

 

[John Navitsky]

all of is are idiots

 

[Don L Turner]

Now we can call your post a learning mode. Thanks for the lesson.

Just call me Professor Don. Considering the many future blunders I anticipate, I am sure by the time I learn all I want to know about the Z8 ... I will be able to teach it at the college level

 

[jer]

... I checked.

Somehow, in all the fiddling I have done with the camera, I set my brand new Nikon Z8 camera to bracketing mode. That means 2/3 of the photos I took this morning have improper exposures.

How I managed to do that will have to remain a mystery.

Why it took me that long to figure out what was going on … well, I explained that in the title.

Don, thank you for making me feel better photographically. There are so many settings on my new Hybrid camera that I forget, after sleeping for the night, what options I have set and, worse, what they even mean. So I need to always have as a backup a Point & Shoot camera in my other pocket to guarantee not screwing up a shot.

 

[SteveReid]

Don, thank you for making me feel better photographically. There are so many settings on my new Hybrid camera that I forget, after sleeping for the night, what options I have set and, worse, what they even mean. So I need to always have as a backup a Point & Shoot camera in my other pocket to guarantee not screwing up a shot.

Yea, I think I'll go through the complete video tutorial again because it's the best teaching method I've found.