D80 Flash exposure problem

<p>

<p>Hello everyone,<br>

I am a Canon shooter trying to help out a friend of my wife’s with her Nikon D80. She uses the camera in Auto only and has recently started to experience major overexposure when using the built in flash.</p>

<p>From what I can see there is no method to compensate exposure at all while in Auto. Now, we are not talking about 1/2 a stop over or even just 1 stop over. We are talking that the subject within 3 or 4 feet is completely 100% blown out. No features or details at all.</p>

<p>Exposure with the flash turn off in Manual or Aperture Priority are fine. With this I can only assume the meter in fine.</p>

<p>Also, if I place the camera in manual and set the ISO to 100, the shutter to 1/60 and aperture to f5.6 and then try to take a close up photo, it is blown out. I then turn the flash exposure comp down 3 stops, the result is the same. I then turn it up 1 stop, again, the same result. I can not see a difference with 4 stops of bracketing (1 stop over, 3 stops under).</p>

<p>She says this is a new problem. I looked through photos on the card (nearly 900 of them) and almost all are nearly 1 stop <strong>underexposed</strong>. Then for the last couple dozen photos, there is the flash exposure problem. I thought at first it was an issue of the subject just being to close and the flash not being able to compensate. But when I look through the 900 or so other images, I found plenty of similar photos with out this problem, so I know that is not the issue.</p>

<p>If I stop down to f11, I am able to see the difference in flash brightness. So it would seem the flash is simply stuck at a certain power level. She also has an SB-600, however the exposure with it is just fine. In fact, I can install the speedlight, take a photo and it will be fine, take off the speedlight and immediately take a second shot with the built in flash it will be about 3 stops or more over exposed.</p>

<p>I tried a reset of the camera but that did not help. So then I figured I would try a reflash of the firmware. The current version in the camera is 1.01 and latest is 1.11. I downloaded and tried to install the firmware, however the battery is to low and I do not have her charger. The camera will not allow a reflash of the firmware if the battery is to low.</p>

<p>So other than continuing with the reflash, what else should I be looking for. Keep in mind, this is in full auto mode so most exposure setting are locked out from what I can tell.</p>

<p>Thanks to all<br>

Jason</p>

</p>

<p>BTW, if it would matter, she has the Nikkor 18-135mm lens and the Nikkor 70-300. I have not tried the 70-300, but she claims the issue is the same with both lens. I have been testing with the 18-135 only.</p>

<p>Jason</p>

<p>go to the custom settings menu and make sure the camera is in TTL. Make sure to press OK to save.<br>

I don't shoot in Auto, but does pressing the flash button to the left of the flash let you change the flash comp?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>In auto mode you cannot input flash compensation by pushing the flash comp with your left thumb. In other program modes, even with the flash set in commander or other non ttl settings, when you set it back to auto mode, ttl is automatically selected for this exposure mode and cannot be changed.<br />My D80 is still at firmware version 1.01 with over 45k shutter activations and I have experienced improper flash exposure on two occasions. Both times it required me to power off the camera and unmount the cpu lense a couple of times. I too should upgrade the firmware but this flash anomaly has not occured lately.</p>

<p>First step on stuff like this is reset the camera, Two buttons have green dots next to them, the exposure compensation and the AF button. Hold those down for a few sec, and it should reset. Shoot a few photos and that'll tell you if it's a software problem.</p>

<p>it would probably be useful to post an example, with EXIF data, along with your narrative. it might make sorting through the problem a little easier.</p>

<p>Thanks to all so far.</p>

<p>George, when in Auto mode the TTL is chosen automaticly and can not be changed.<br>

William, I had already tried to remove the battery. I can not find a second watch size battery like my 40D or 5D have. So I assume it does not have one. Anyway, that did not help either. Two lens have been tried and I have removed the 18-135 a couple of times. One time I even tried to clean the contacts. I wondered if distance info was not being recieved from the lens properly, however it works fine with the speedlight, so that is not the issue either.</p>

<p>It also seems that this problem has lastest for several days at this point and as of now, it has a 100% rate of failure.</p>

<p>ian, a reset is the first thing I have tried. In fact, talked her through that over the phone to see if it would help before she made the effort to bring it to me. As I understand that only reset common setting and is not a reboot of the entire firmware. I even tried a reset on the custom funtion menu. Again no help.</p>

<p>At this point I am waiting for her to bring me the charger so I can charge up the battery and try the reflash.</p>

<p>As for photos.</p>

<p>This is Typical of the 900 other shots on the camera.<br>

<img src="http://www.jphotoarts.com/photos/726768259_t7uKW-S.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Here is the problem<br>

<img src="http://www.jphotoarts.com/photos/726768634_UoUap-S.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>A most extreme example.<br>

<img src="http://www.jphotoarts.com/photos/726769157_8jCcb-S.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Nothing in the Exif was a smoking gun to me. I did notice at first several of the early problem shots showed ISO1600, but them I found several with ISO200. She also runs the camera in auto ISO. So much function gone to wast...and that SB-600 as well. Oh well.</p>

<p>Jason</p>

<p>Sorry, it would seem the Exif data did not follow the images. I used Smugmug to host them, that may be the issue.</p>

<p>Jason</p>

<p>Try doing a reset on the camera. I had a similar problem in Program mode with my D80 recently and the reset fixed it.</p>

<p>Yep, I tried a reset...several times as stated above. Did not help.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>Jason</p>

<p>I use a D80 with two SB600s and shoot RAW and all manual.<br>

I found early on that I had to go through a few menus to undo some of the stuff that Auto does.<br>

Doe s the camera work ok in Manual or aperture or shutter priority?<br>

george</p>

 

<p>I use a D80 with two SB600s and shoot RAW and all manual.<br>

I found early on that I had to go through a few menus to undo some of the stuff that Auto does.<br>

Doe s the camera work ok in Manual or aperture or shutter priority?<br>

george</p>

 

<p>George, The result is the same no matter the mode used when useing the pop up flash.</p>

<p>Beside every thing else, I have gotten the charger and got the battery charged up. I reflashed both files A&B.</p>

<p>It did not fix the problem. So now I guess I will have to tell her it appears to be a hardware failure in the flash controls. To bad I guess. Good thing she had the SB-600.</p>

<p>Still would like to hear if anyone had an idea.</p>

<p>Jason</p>

<p>I have exactly the same problem, my camera is at the moment at Nikon for check & clean, I'm waiting for an offer what it will cost to fix it.<br>

I also have an SB-600, where the problem does not exist, BUT to use that flash off camera does not work with TTL, only manual..<br>

Is this the case also for you?</p>

<p>BR<br>

/Johan</p>