Stupid mistakes

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I know there was recently a thread on leaving memory cards at home when going shooting and forgetting batteries, quick release plates etc.

New one to add to the list, ISO. I normally reset ISO to 200 after shooting at any other but grabbed the camera today to drive to a nearby bluebell field at sunset after deciding 'it does look like a good sunset'. I was mainly summing up whether it would be worth coming back over the weekend.

Anyway, I shot about 10 test shots all at ISO 1000. Smooth. Embarrassing thing is it took me a while to notice when I got them on the computer and I was wondering why the quality wasn't great. :bang:

Anyone else forgotten to change it back?
 
I wouldnt have thought 1000 iso on a D300s would be that bad :shrug:
 
Ah well, we cant all be perfect, like what I am:D:D
 
I was going to use auto-ISO in and outside a village hall this afternoon. In the end I decided I get enough hassle if I use a camera on my own patch, and sticky fingers are best kept off my gear, so I went and stuffed myself...

Some criticise an implementation that doesn't allow a really high minimum shutter speed to be set, but I'm more likely to want to use auto-ISO when taking a mix of ambient and flash-lit shots or moving frequently from bright to darker conditions, so avoiding too slow a shutter speed or too high or low an ISO is what matters.

I usually put the camera away set to Auto, 400 or 800 ISO and a moderate aperture.
 
Yea did same thing a while back, took some test shots one evening on ISO 1600 and remember thinking "I should set that back down or I'll forget" and must have got sidetracked as I spent half the next day shooting a BBQ in broad daylight before realising. Was using D90 so it wasn't too bad, careful PP got some usable shots back :bonk:
 
WP-UK said:
I know there was recently a thread on leaving memory cards at home when going shooting...
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I'm sure people have done worse, but I once drove 15 miles, then walked about another 7 (bearing in mind I had to walk back too..) only to realise the memory card was still sat in the card reader at home.

I got some good exercise I suppose..
 
mattyb said:
"I should set that back down or I'll forget"
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The infamous words :lol:

Urban Grimshaw said:
I'm sure people have done worse, but I once drove 15 miles, then walked about another 7 (bearing in mind I had to walk back too..) only to realise the memory card was still sat in the card reader at home.
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I bet that was a killer moment! I carry spare cards but have been lucky enough to not be reminded to the hard way.
 
Remember one of the beginner books I had included a handy acronym to remind you check all the settings were returned to normal. Must dig it out as I've completely forgotten what it was :lol:

Been trying my hand at film and it's one problem that doesn't come up so much, the camera can read the DX code and set the ISO for you. Can still get it wrong on the older manual ones if you change film speed and forget to change the ISO dial, not that I'd ever do that of course :whistling:
 
chiffs said:
Tried talking a pic with the lens cap on a few times and was left wondering why I can't see anything lol
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Lol, I have put the camera up and then thought 'lens cap' in the past.

Sorry mods putting it in the wrong category.
 
Forgetting to switch back to AF. Done this a few times after a shoot in gloomy conditions where AF wouldn't lock, then a shoot at a focal length similar enough not to notice through the viewfinder but which showed up horrible on a big screen:bonk:

Mind you, the best I've come across was when we got a call in a newsroom to get to an accident. Chief Photographer took it, raced out of the room, drove around ten miles to the incident at top speed, didn't even pause to pick up his camera...
 
Skyline On Fire said:
Tripod plate, all the time. It's my most common error.
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Just remembered, back in November time I got up at about 6:30am to head off to a local nature park to film the sunrise. Forgot my damn tripod plate then. That cause some swearing.

Also tried my hand at doing a time lapse of the sunset once, in manual. Whilst chatting to my mate who was with me and snapping away I forgot to adjust the exposure :bang: needless to say I haven't attempted time lapse since.

jon ryan said:
Mind you, the best I've come across was when we got a call in a newsroom to get to an accident. Chief Photographer took it, raced out of the room, drove around ten miles to the incident at top speed, didn't even pause to pick up his camera...
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Bet that went down well!
 
drove 30 miles to the coast to do a long exposure sunset shot of the beach and forgot my tripod :( also drove to a friends house to take some family photos and actually forgot to take my camera lol had all my lenses tripod everything except the camera, which was sitting on the computer desk after taking the SD card out+
 
Turning on autobracketing on my D80 and then forgetting to turn it off and wondering why my exposures are all over the place :bang:
 
Suvv said:
Leave it on the camera?

That way you only lose it if you lose the camera :D
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I take mine off to use with my Macro lens on the lens mount rather than the camera. It often gets left on by accident. I guess others will have more than one body and the same will happen. I really should buy another plate. They're only a few quid.
 
mattyb said:
Remember one of the beginner books I had included a handy acronym to remind you check all the settings were returned to normal. Must dig it out as I've completely forgotten what it was :lol:
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Ooh yes please! I was asking after one of these last week
 
Forgetting to switch off mirror lockup and wondering why there's a delay when I press the shutter release.
 
Yep, iso is prob one that has the biggest effect. Then theres CH drive mode, AF-C, focus point lock etc. At least they're pretty apparent when shooting tho. I tend to leave my tripod mount on and never remove my CF card. Prob bad practice mind you...
 
Worst I've done is left it on manual focus and not noticed through the view finder as it was only a bit out.

Also pressed the shutter and wondering why it hasn't taken the photo only to notice it was on self timer.
 
I have a few I have to admit to...

On the Leicasonic 4/3 14-50mm lens for 4/3 there was a aperture ring on the lens which allowed you to set aperture similar to a mechanical aperture ring. When I bought the lens it seemed to get stuck in 'A' mode and I couldn't get it to select an aperture no matter how much force I put on it. Later when I came back to the lens I found a small dimple which when pressed allowed the ring to turn...oops.

When playing around with the D700 and a new flash I was having trouble adjusting the effect of the flash, no matter what settings I chose the result seemed the same. When I was looking at the pictures later there seemed to be a lot of noise for iso 400/800, checked the exif and it was showing iso 6400. Turned out I'd left auto-iso on which was compensation for each change I made so the effect appeared the same.

My best one which I still can't believe I did though is with an Olympus E-3. I hadn't used the camera in a while (due to using the GH1 mainly) so when I was needing the E-3, I took it out the night before and checked it over to make sure all was ok. Bizarrely only the buttons on the top were working, I could take a picture, change iso, quality, WB etc. but none of the buttons on the back were functioning which meant I couldn't switch to liveview, open the menu, play back images etc. I couldn't see how the camera could be suffering such an exact fault so was sure I was doing something wrong, so much so that I didn't want to post online for someone to point out my obvious error. Finally I spotted my error - the rear screen was facing inwards so of course I couldn't use any of the buttons on the back as they all needed the screen. I'd obviously just become so used to the GH1's EVF and having its screen also turned inwards that through habit I started trying to use the E-3 the same way. I still shake my head at the stupidity of this one.

John
 
JohnMcL7 said:
My best one which I still can't believe I did though is with an Olympus E-3. I hadn't used the camera in a while (due to using the GH1 mainly) so when I was needing the E-3, I took it out the night before and checked it over to make sure all was ok. Bizarrely only the buttons on the top were working, I could take a picture, change iso, quality, WB etc. but none of the buttons on the back were functioning which meant I couldn't switch to liveview, open the menu, play back images etc. I couldn't see how the camera could be suffering such an exact fault so was sure I was doing something wrong, so much so that I didn't want to post online for someone to point out my obvious error. Finally I spotted my error - the rear screen was facing inwards so of course I couldn't use any of the buttons on the back as they all needed the screen. I'd obviously just become so used to the GH1's EVF and having its screen also turned inwards that through habit I started trying to use the E-3 the same way. I still shake my head at the stupidity of this one.
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John :1st:

I think you win :lol: I'm only kidding, I have had trouble with the D5000 swivel screen in the past, to the stage where I left it ready to use. In regards to your first issue of needing to press a button to turn a dial, I know of many instances where this applies to things. Even on my D300s I tried turning to CH without pressing the little button the first time I picked it up.
 
I think you win I'm only kidding, I have had trouble with the D5000 swivel screen in the past, to the stage where I left it ready to use.
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Quite a good exercise actually, tape over or cover your screen, or in this instance turn it round, and go out and take 36 photos. You must return with 20 interesting and well exposed photos.

You'll learn to use the meter, and not chimp, pretty quickly :D
 
itsdavedotnet said:
Quite a good exercise actually, tape over or cover your screen, or in this instance turn it round, and go out and take 36 photos. You must return with 20 interesting and well exposed photos.

You'll learn to use the meter, and not chimp, pretty quickly :D
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Brilliant idea! :thumbs: Next time I have some free time I'm going to do that :D
 
itsdavedotnet said:
Quite a good exercise actually, tape over or cover your screen, or in this instance turn it round, and go out and take 36 photos. You must return with 20 interesting and well exposed photos.

You'll learn to use the meter, and not chimp, pretty quickly :D
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I'm using my new toy, a Mamiya 645AFD, on that principle.

It still doesn't stop me looking blankly at the black plastic rear of the film back after I take a shot :D
 
Turning off the picture review is the easiest way. Then resist checking them before you leave...

I went to take some pictures of an old tower. Messed around with metering modes. Got one wider shot with a perfect blue sky and the right exposure on the tower but like a total arse I didn't lock that exposure setting and do a portrait shot and do some brackets just in case. Sometimes a little chimping is for the best :)
 
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