Yesterday my D70 started acting a little strange. It seems to want to use a longer shutter speed than it has in the past. For instance, in Aperature Priority with wide open aperature (F/1.8 on my 50 mm or F/3.5 on my kit lens), the corresponding shutter speed the camera selects is on the order of 1/100 or 1/200ths of a second. Usually in this situation I should be getting 1/1000, 1/1250, 1/2000, 1/2500, or 1/3200 type shutter speeds. If I manually adjust the shutter speed up to the 1/800 to 1/2000 range my pictures turn out grossly underexposed.

Any ideas what might be causing this? Is there a setting I've messed up somewhere?

Otherwise, I'm off to the camera store tonight to see what they have to say about this.

Thanks in advance,
Dave

 

Check your ISO setting. Sounds like it used to be fairly high and now its lower. At a setting of ~200 your shutter speeds will all be a great deal slower than if it is at ~1600.

 

Yeah, I checked that.

I have had it on ISO 200 for quite some time and auto ISO has been turned off. The camera is still set on ISO 200.

 

Maybe check your EV... the small button next to the shutter release. It's the one on the right with the +/- symbols on it, set it to 0. I don't think shutter speed changes at all from this but I can't think of anything else that might do it.



You sure you're just not in a darker environment than when you previously metered faster shutter speeds?

 

I checked the exposure compensation and that's not it either.

If I meter the broad daylight at F/3.5 I get a shutterspeed less than 1/200. That makes no sense to me and my old shooting data confirms that.

The camera store I went to thought it might be dirty contacts between the camera and the lens. Cleaning those didn't help either.

 

Yeah, in daylight at f/3.5 you should definately be in the 1/1000 range.

I've got no idea what the problem may be... but try www.nikonians.org, the people on there are really helpful and there are A LOT of D70 owners.

 

Finally, someone who agrees with me. The camera store I went to (not where I purchased the camera from, but a store with a "pro" department) said the shutter speeds I was seeing were to be expected and looked normal.

I'll check out the link. Thanks.

 

In daylight, using the crusty old "sunny 16 rule" - you should be shooting at 1/250th at F 16. At F 3.5, that puts you around 2000th of a second or higher. What metering mode? Spot or Matrix?

 

I've used both Dan.


I just shot a picture with my 50mm F/1.8. The shot was @ F/1.8 and was looking straight at a 60 W light bulb (turned on). The fastest shutterspeed I could get was 1/800 (matrix), and this is with the lit bulb taking up a good chunk of the viewfinder.

Shooting data (just imagine a picture of a lightbulb).

Nikon D70
Lens: 50mm F/1.8D
Aperture Priority

1/800 sec - F/1.8 matrix metering (spot metering the lit bulb gets me 1/1250. spot metering the white hot filament and the shutter speed goes to 1/2000)

ISO = 200
Exposure Comp = 0
AF Mode: Manual
Flash sync Mode: not attached


I had to shoot manual because in addition to the shutter speed problem I have with the kit lens, my 50mm lens doesn't want to play nice and focus lock. Both of these problems crept up at the same time.

I'm taking my camera in tomorrow for servicing. Hopefully they can figure something out, either that or get me a new camera (I paid RITZ for the replacement protection plan).

 

Are you having this problem with all lenses? Or just the 50?

FWIW, I've already sent 1 D1X out for service adjustments / repair and have another one ready to go. Not cool when these cameras act up. We have been actively discussing a move to Canon if this keeps up.

 

"hunting" for focus was happening on both my 18-70 and my 50 mm yesterday. Today the 18-70 will focus lock, but the 50 mm still hunts.

The "slower than expected shutter" problem shows up on both lenses.

I was also having some slow shutter issues with the 80-200 F/2.8 AF-S lens that I rented.

I paid for the RITZ replacement program and I'm actively considering a "switch" to a Canon 20D as an acceptable solution if this doesn't get fixed quickly.

 

Battery power full? I get focus searching too at times...not sure if it's a digital SLR issue or the lens.

Whatever the case, I hope the problem gets rectified.

 

Yes, the battery power is full.

Coming from the coolpix 4300, I'm very impressed with the battery life of the EN-EL3 battery in the D70.

Dan & Kyle: Thanks for your time in trying to help me sort this. :smile: