Help with Nikon D90

[Lisa Pate]

A few weeks ago my husband surprised me with a Nikon D90. The first day I used it at Disneyland we were outside standing in line and I went to take a photo and nothing would happen. I kept pressing the shutter button...but nothing. I looked at my info and I had a flashing "F" so I turned it to manual, but it still was flashing the "F" I turned it off and on, changed settings, but nothing made it go away. I was upset and didn't know what to do. My husband had it and did the same things....then magically it went away. This has happened to me each time I have tried to use my new camera. I keep missing shots which is driving me nuts. I was using the kit 18 x 135 lens. Any ideas...anyone? Do I need to take my camera back? What do I do...Help please!

[DesignerDigitals]

I had that problem on my D80 WITH THAT LENS. Try cleaning the metal prongs at the top of the lens and that might help.

Upgrade the lens to a top quality lens like the DX 18-55mm VR and you should be great.

[anxela]

I had the same problem with my Canon 40D when I bought my 70-200 f/2.8 lens. The problem is the metal prongs being too new and kind of oily, like Randy says. I took it to the store, and the service man actually cleaned them with an eraser. I would take it to the store to have them do it. Just in case, you don't want to mess things up yourself... But that should do the trick.

[audrey77]

Any time you get an error, take the lens off and put it back on, and take the memory card in and out. I think I have had an error once with my camera, and it had to do with the card...

[Lisa Pate]

You guys are great! Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I will try them out today.

[tk3]

Hello.

I am too experiencing f-- problems. It started to happen recently after I borrowed a lens and changed for the first time. I am thinking to do what Randy suggested and try a different lens.

Can you please suggest a lens you LOVE and can't live without? Seems like the 50 mm f/1.4 is a popular choice? I don't know if I would like be limited with my focal length? Also I think I would like to use it for portrait sessions. I did really like the 85 mm I borrowed but it was frustrating to not adjust the focal length for me. I appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks in advance Teresa

[katie pertiet]

Randy used a 50mm when we were out yesterday and was very frustrated with the fixed focal length so if you go that route be sure you are used to and comfortable with a fixed focal length. I use a 17-55mm f/2.8 and absolutely love it! HTH!

[katrinak]

Originally Posted by tk3

I did really like the 85 mm I borrowed but it was frustrating to not adjust the focal length for me.

The 85mm can be a bit tight to use indoors on a cropped factor camera (like the d90).

Think about how you like to take photos. If you want something like your eye sees, the 50mm can be a great way to go. Many people choose the 1.8 because of cost to speed ratio. It's cheap for so much light

When you move into zoom lenses the price of wider apertures goes up substantially.

[Aino]

It is correct that the metal prongs should be cleaned. This happens now and then with my Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 too - annoying when it happens RIGHT when I need to take THAT shot.

You also can get an error with f.ex the 50mm prime lens if the aperture ring on the lens says anything else but optimal (e.g. 22). You should lock the aperture ring on the lens to avoid this.

[anxela]

Answer to 50 mm lens question: I had only a 50 mm for over a year, and yes, there were times when I felt limited, but also times when I know I couldn't have shot without the light. (Sigma 50mm f/1.4 - amazing lens) As the guy in the camera store said when I bought it: When you can't zoom, you have to compensate for that with your legs and creative angles. And while you can't get all shots with that lens, it sure pushes you to try different things. For a beginner like me, it was a great lens to start with.

Also, if you begin with a fixed (as Katrina said, the 50 mm 1.8 is great value for money), you soon begin to realize in which end you want to extend. It's better to wait with buying until you know, and not buy just for the sake of buying. I went with a 70-200 f/2.8, and love it. Pricey, but it takes the shots I want when shooting outdoors, I can be at a distance and still get the expressions and so on. Still, the 50 mm is glued to my camera body on most days.

As Katie said, the 17-55 2.8 is also a great lens. I'm looking into it, but I might go for a Sigma 30 mm f/1.4 too. I don't really know yet.