avengine

I have a nikon d5100 with 18-55mm lens, when I shoot using the auto, the photos are usually darker, I have to use picasa to adjust the brightness +20-30 all the time.
what is the best way to adjust the camera itself to get more normal expose.
thanks.

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

Have you ever heard of RTFM?

avengine

no, what is this?

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

LOL

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

I'm sorry. I'm a little intolerant today. But it won't stop me saying what i am going to say.

Some of the letters mean Read The Manual.

I see so many posters here that are lazy.
They buy a camera with a gazillion functions and don't understand anything about photography except how to press a button in auto mode.
Then when they can't work it out, the first thing they do is come online and ask how to do stuff.
They don't RTFM and they don't try to educate themselves about how light works and how a camera interacts with it.

http://digital-photography-school.com/learning-exposure-in-digital-photography

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

Hi avengine! I have the same camera/lens and do not seem to have any similar problem. There are some situations that can "fool" your camera, rendering an underexposed (dark) picture. Maybe you're running into some of these situations. Luckily, I've learned to recognize these situations and can adjust for them in the camera ahead of time.
It might be helpful for you to post a couple examples of your dark photos so we can see if you're running into these circumstances, or having a real camera problem!

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

I am sorry but I have to agree with LIGHTHOUSE

Forums ARE a place to meet, talk and ask questions but I have not simply started posting a ling when people ask most questions, a link to a reply normally found with a second looking on google.

I tend never to ask a question untill I read the manual, and if I can't find the answer I spend an hour or so testing the camera myself, and then ask.

I am NOT having a go but before forums and the web we had to find out ourselves or ask later at a club, people NOT YOU but people in general have become lazy and simply ask others.

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

I don't have a D5100 but I downloaded the manual and found the section you need in less than two minutes.

Page 70 onwards, exposure and exposure compensation

Late Bloomer Loc: Aquilla, Texas

Having a bad day are we?? What a rude answer, hope your day gets better.

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

Which answer

Late Bloomer Loc: Aquilla, Texas

not yours JR1, you were very nice.

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

Actually I too was rude and should not have been

This may also assist

http://www.weatherscapes.com/techniques.php?cat=general&page=metering

and this

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/camera-metering.htm

50teeslady Loc: Ormond Beach Florida

I believe it was for Lighthouse!

I agree with Late Bloomer....answers like that only discourage people from posting! Sometimes its hard to understand the manual.....

Radioman Loc: Ontario Canada

*********
This is a "photography Forum" where people can ask questions, and get help. With this question - some members appear to have forgotten this, and have, to use a British expression, "Got their knickers in a twist". It would be far more helpful if these people spent their time "untwisting their knickers" instead of giving critical replies.

What is simple to one person, can be confusing to another. All too often, Camera instruction manuals assume that a person is already familiar with the camera. Digital SLR cameras can be very confusing to a person who is migrating from Film SLR. When a DSLR is not doing what they expect, finding out how to correct it can be frustrating.

Let me give an example: I am familiar with Film SLR. ( I am 76 - there were no DSLR's when I started in photography).
Now that I am retired, I decided to get back into some serious photography - and bought a Nikon D5100. ( before the knickers start twisting, this was because the more professional cameras are too heavy for me). I had a problem that I could not find an answer for in the manual. People I spoke to had no idea either. The problem was that on taking a picture, when I pushed the expose button the mirror stayed up until I released the button. This blacked out the view - until I released the button.

Looking at some of the answers given to 'avengine' - What kind of answer could I get from this forum?

The solution to my problem may be a good solution for 'avengine'. I did a full camera reset. Press the menu and 'I' Button for several seconds. Everything came back to normal and has remained normal. All I had to do was reset basic settings such as image quality (raw).

What caused this problem? A possible clue is that it started after I had problems with a bad memory card and this may have put change into the camera settings.

If someone asks a question that you feel 'below you' - please don't answer, especially if all you want to write are demeaning and critical comments - try and keep this a "photography Forum" where people can ask questions, and get help."

kiterwv Loc: Hagerstown, MD

I have a 5100 and am having the same issue. I want to thank those who were really helpful. I had posted two other questions in the past and got such cynical and unhelpful answers that I decided not to post any more questions. Quite frankly, when I read the manual, and even though I have lots of years of photography under my belt, I had forgotten about adjusting the exposure values in the camera. Please remember, when a question is posted, we probably really want some help.