5 replies to this topic

[JT's D3500]

Just came back from almost two weeks of vacation and used my new D3500 quite a bit. Got some decent pictures, but ran into problems several times. We were away from Internet a lot and I did not have the manual, so that confounded my issue, which was . . .

 

Several times I was in the middle of taking multiple pictures and it would stop allowing me to take any more. Looking back, the issue MAY have repeated when using 'Live View' to take a picture, as I remember seeing the green 'focus box' turning red (don't get that in the viewfinder), and it not shooting. I could not remember at the time how to tell how many pictures were left on the card (have since figured that out, duh!). I immediately assumed the card was full, shut the camera down and dropped in a new card. It was NOT full. One time I changed both the card and the battery as the last battery symbol was flashing.

 

In retrospect, the cards had plenty of room left on them and I think shutting the camera off and turning it back on solved the issue. Question is, what IS the issue? I've googled this for the D3500 and not found anything yet. There is no firmware update. It's very inconvenient.

 

Thanks for help or suggestions for this new DSLR photographer.

 

John

 

P.S. Just found this about 'DBS' (Dead Battery Syndrome) . . . did have 'Low' battery one time, the others, changed the card.

My camera won't operate. All I see is a blinking low battery indicator. | DSLRBodies | Thom Hogan

[Jerry_]

John,

For giving an advice fully adapted to your problem, you should provide a couple more details, like 1/ were the multiple pictures shot in a continous series, 2/ what was the available light (and what is the max aperture (for your focal length, if it is a zoom) of the attached lens), 3/ specs of the SD card, 4/settings in the camera, 5/ ...

So the following gives you some pists, based on two assumptions:

1/ multiple pictures were taken as a series (continous)
The D3500 internal buffer allows for 5fps. This is however dependent on whether you shoot RAW (larger files) or JPG. On the other end the JPG files are processed in the camera, therefore settings like « noise reduction » (which require extra processing) may impact on the interval between multiple pictures.

2/ the camera couldn’t autofocus rapidly.
In Liveview the focussing is based on picture contrast and thereby different from focussing when using the Viewfinder (and the focus sensor). However both are dependent on available light and the max aperture of your lens (the max aperture may vary with the focal length, if it is a zoom) (with Liveview not being as performant in low light situations). With AF-S and AF-C (AF-A can automatically choose either or) the priority is by default on focus (i.e. the picture will not be taken until it is in focus). You can override that priority for AF-C by editing the setting a1 in the menu and set the priority to shutter release (at the risk of having some pictures taken out of focus)

[JT's D3500]

Good Morning Nikonian,

 

Thanks for the ideas. With your prompting, I think I can provide SOME of the additional data during the problems I experienced . . .

 

1) Now that you mention it, camera may have been in continuous mode, live view

2) I think most were outdoors, cloudy bright. There could have been an event with early morning or late evening. Lenses I was shooting

     a\ the most was Nikon DX VR AF-P Nikkor 70-300 1:4.5-6.3 G ED

     b\ Also could have been with my Nikon DX VR AF-S Nikkor 18-140 1:3.5-5.6 G ED. So, not 'fast' lenses.

3) Memory cards in use

     a\ SD Lexar Platinum II 16 GB Class 10

     b\ micro SD SanDisk Ultra Plus 64 GB Class 10 in a SanDisk microSD Adapter (had not planned on using the micro in my camera. Through a MAJOR SNAFU, left my newly purchased SD Cards at home. Had this micro in my phone and the reader in my computer kit, formatted it and tossed it into service)

     c\ bought while traveling Delkin Devices Advantage 32 GB UHS-I

4) Settings . . . I'm sure you have some specifics in mind, I'll guess at a few:

     a\ as mentioned, probably occurred 'Continuous' Mode

     b\ Started out shooting RAW + JPEG fine. Ended up shooting JPEG fine when I falsely thought I was running out of storage space

     c\ Image Size - Large

     d\ Focus Mode: Viewfinder AF-S; Live AF-F

     e\ for the 70-140mm lens: Focus 'A' and VR 'On'

 

Thanks again for the help. LOTS to learn in these cameras! Back in 35mm SLR days I understood the basics and this is leapfrogging those with the power of even a 'basic' camera like the D3500.

 

John

[Jerry_]

John,

Thanks for the details.

Answers 1/, 4/a-c (esp 4b) suggests that the issue is stemming possibly from an overflow of the internal buffer, which may have prevented your camera for temporarily taking extra pictures.
Typically (so not sure for the D3500) you have a led at the rearside of your camera, which is lighted while pictures are transfered from the buffer to the card. Take a picture and see if you can find it - so next time you have the issue, you can check whether the transfer is ongoing (and so the buffer hasn’t been cleared))

Answer 3/: SD cards with Class 10 are fine to cope with the internal databus of the camera, so this should not cause the problem.

Answer 2/ supposing an average focal length of 100, you had a max aperture of +-5. (The max available aperture is important, independent of what the chosen aperture of your picture will be, as focussing is done at max aperture to have a max of light in). With AF-F working similar to AF-C, low light at max aperture and likely a priority set to have the picture in focus (rather then having shutter priority) can have the camera keep waiting you to get a valid focus.

So, if you was in continous mode, I think most of the issue was due to a possible buffer overflow. Combined to possibly not ideal light conditions which may have kept you waiting for finding the good focus. In general nothing to change the SD-card, just being a bit patient with the camera

[JT's D3500]

So, if you was in continous mode, I think most of the issue was due to a possible buffer overflow. Combined to possibly not ideal light conditions which may have kept you waiting for finding the good focus. In general nothing to change the SD-card, just being a bit patient with the camera

 

 

 

But, I want it NOW!!!    Thanks for the help Nikonian. Just part of the learning process and I will have to learn it. Even though this was an 'entry level' camera, I don't think I'll talk my wife into another camera for a LONG while. 

 

John

[TBonz]

I agree it was probably the buffer getting filled up.  In addition, if you are in continuous.mode you probably want to have focusing set to AF-C so that the camera can continue to focus if you or the subject moves.  It doesn't take much movement to throw focus out...