I just picked up a refurbished Nikon D3000 from Adoroma and yesterday was my first time using it. I've never used a DSLR before so I wanted to shoot in auto mode, previously I used a Canon PS.

I haven't had a chance to go through the manual either but I have a question about auto mode with regards to the flash. It seemed to me that the flash would flash in about 80-90% of my shots even though I was out in the sun. So I just wanted to make sure if my camera is working properly.

I vaguely remember seeing a menu option about flashing always being on so I'm not sure if that's related or needs to be changed to off in auto mode.

As I slowly learn more about photography I hope to take advantage of the manual mode.

The first picture you can see the flash, the 2nd and 3rd picture is a comparsion where I shot one in auto mode and changed to the no flash mode.


Auto Mode



Auto Mode


Same picture in No Flash Mode

 

I have a canon and I got the same problem. When I was shooting my car at freakin 11am in auto mode, my flash popped up. I just think when you point the camera at a dark object (ie the car's paint) it thinks it's in the dark or something and the flash will pop up. It gets pretty annoying at times because I don't want that damn thing popping up and it still does. When that happens I usually switch to Av mode, or No Flash mode is fine.

 

In auto mood, it's going to do what it thinks is needed. You are telling the to select, shutter speed, aperture and ISO (film speed), if it doesn't have enough light with all of this, it's going to shoot off the flash to give you the light the shutter needs to stop it.

With the flash going off, it gave you the "fill" light you needed, as shown in the grill of both cars.

 

i think thats pretty common with auto-mode..

i seem to remember my D5000 doing this even in bright daylight...

but shooting of manual of course, fixed this issue.

 

Thanks guys for the responses, just wanted to make sure it was doing that b/c there was something wrong with the camera. I was just used to my point and shoot camera and it didnt do that in broad daylight.