25
When Lighting Is Poor: Using the Flash
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Sensitivity ( ISO Equivalency)
"Sensitivity" is a measure of how quickly the camera responds to light.
Your Nikon digital camera normally has a sensitivity roughly equivalent to
film with an ISO 50 rating. When lighting is poor and the flash is off (
$
),
the camera will automatically increase sensitivity, permitting faster expo-
sures and minimizing blur caused by inadvertent camera movement (cam-
era shake). An
ISO
icon will appear in the monitor to warn that the picture
may be slightly mottled.
The
2
(Camera Shake) Icon
When lighting is poor and the flash is off (
$
), shutter speeds will slow
and pictures may be blurred. If the shutter speed required for exposure is
very slow, a
2
(camera shake) warning will appear in the monitor. Use of
a tripod or support is recommended.
Flash Range
Flash range varies with zoom position. The range at minimum zoom is 0.4 - 3.4 m (1’4” - 11’2”)
and 0.4 - 2.0 m (1’3” - 6’6”) at maximum zoom.
Close-Ups
The flash may not be able to light the entire subject at distances of less than 40 cm (1´4”). When
taking close-ups, play each picture back after shooting to check the results.
Flash Mode Selection
In
P
(auto) mode, the camera "remembers" the current flash mode setting even when the cam-
era is turned off. The most recent setting will automatically be restored whenever the mode dial is
set to
P
unless the
Reset all
option in the SET-UP menu is used to restore the default setting
(
Q
94). Depending on the mode selected, the flash mode may change automatically when you
choose a new shooting mode (
Q
28-39).
The AF-Assist Illuminator
The E5100 is equipped with an AF-assist illuminator. If lighting is poor, the built-in AF-assist illumi-
nator will light when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway, allowing the camera to focus
even when the subject is poorly lit. When the camera is zoomed all the way out, the AF-assist illu-
minator has a range of 0.4 – 2.0m (1’4” – 6’7”). The range at maximum zoom is 0.4 – 1.4m (1’4”
– 4’6”). In scene mode (
Q
28-39), the AF-assist illuminator is only available in
i
(Portrait) and
m
(Night Portrait) modes without the framing assist option (
Q
29-33), and in
B
(Party/Indoor),
C
(Beach/Snow),
D
(Sunset),
I
(Copy),
J
(Back light) and
K
(Panorama assist) modes.
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