Problems and Solutions
Solutions to some common issues are listed below.
Battery/Display
The camera is on but does not respond: Wait for recording to end. If the problem persists, turn the camera off. If the camera does not turn off, remove and reinsert the battery or, if you are using an AC adapter, disconnect and reconnect the AC adapter. Note that although any data currently being recorded will be lost, data that have already been recorded will not be affected by removing or disconnecting the power source.
The camera takes time to turn off: The camera is performing an image sensor check. Do not remove the battery or disconnect the AC adapter until the camera has turned off.
Viewfinder is out of focus: Adjust viewfinder focus (0 Focus the Viewfinder). If this does not correct the problem, select single-servo autofocus (AF-S; 0 Focus Mode), single-point AF (c; 0 AF-Area Mode), and the center focus point, and then frame a high-contrast subject in the center focus point and press the shutter-release button halfway to focus the camera. With the camera in focus, use the diopter adjustment control to bring the subject into clear focus in the viewfinder. If necessary, viewfinder focus can be further adjusted using optional corrective lenses (0 Viewfinder eyepiece accessories).
Displays turn off without warning: Choose longer delays for Auto off timers (0 Auto off Timers).
Information display does not appear in monitor: Shutter-release button is pressed halfway. If information display does not appear when you remove your finger from shutter-release button, confirm that On is selected for Auto info display (0 Auto Info Display) and that battery is charged.
Viewfinder display is unresponsive and dim: The response times and brightness of this display vary with temperature.
The viewfinder display turns red when focus points are highlighted: This is normal for this type of viewfinder and does not indicate a malfunction.
Shooting (All Modes)
Camera takes time to turn on: Delete files or folders.
Shutter-release disabled:
- Memory card is locked, full, or not inserted.
- Release locked is selected for Slot empty release lock in the setup menu (0 Slot Empty Release Lock) and no memory card is inserted (0 Insert the Battery and a Memory Card).
- Built-in flash is charging (0 The Built-in Flash).
- Camera is not in focus (0 “Point-and-Shoot” Modes (i and j)).
- The attached lens is not type E or G and the camera is not in mode M (0 Identifying CPU and Type G, E, and D Lenses).
Only one shot taken each time shutter-release button is pressed in continuous shooting mode: Continuous shooting is not available if built-in flash fires (0 The Built-in Flash, Using the Built-in Flash).
Final photo is larger than area shown in viewfinder: Viewfinder horizontal and vertical frame coverage is approximately 95%.
Photos are out of focus:
- The attached lens cannot be used with autofocus: focus manually or switch to a lens that can be used with autofocus (0 Manual Focus, Compatible CPU Lenses).
- Camera unable to focus using autofocus: use manual focus or focus lock (0 Getting Good Results with Autofocus, Focus Lock, Manual Focus).
- Camera is in manual focus mode: focus manually (0 Manual Focus).
Focus does not lock when shutter-release button is pressed halfway: Use A (L) button to lock focus when live view is off and AF-C is selected for focus mode or when photographing moving subjects in AF-A mode (0 Focus Lock).
Cannot select focus point:
- e (Auto-area AF) selected, or face-priority AF selected in live view; choose another mode (0 AF-Area Mode).
- Camera is in playback mode (0 More on Playback) or menus are in use (0 Camera Menus).
- Press shutter-release button halfway to start standby timer (0 The Standby Timer (Viewfinder Photography)).
Cannot select AF-area mode: Manual focus selected (0 Focus Mode, Manual Focus).
AF-assist illuminator does not light:
- AF-assist illuminator does not light if AF-C is selected for autofocus mode (0 Focus Mode) or if continuous-servo autofocus is selected when the camera is in AF-A mode. Choose AF-S. If an option other than e (Auto-area AF) is selected for AF-area mode, select center focus point (0 AF-Area Mode, Manual Focus-Point Selection).
- The camera is currently in live view.
- Off is selected for Built-in AF-assist illuminator (0 Built-in AF-assist Illuminator).
- Illuminator has turned off automatically. Illuminator may become hot with continued use; wait for it to cool down.
Image size cannot be changed: Image quality set to NEF (RAW) (0 NEF (RAW) Images).
Camera is slow to record photos:
- Depending on shooting conditions and memory card performance, memory card access lamp may light for up to about a minute after shooting ends in continuous release mode.
- Turn noise reduction off (0 Noise Reduction).
Noise (bright spots, randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, or lines) appears in photos:
- Bright spots, randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, and lines can be reduced by lowering ISO sensitivity.
- Use the Noise reduction option in the shooting menu to limit the occurrence of bright spots or fog in photos taken at shutter speeds slower than 1 s (0 Noise Reduction).
- Fog and bright spots may indicate that the camera’s internal temperature has become elevated due to high ambient temperatures, long exposures, or similar causes: turn the camera off and wait for it to cool before resuming shooting.
- At high ISO sensitivities, lines may appear in photos taken with some optional flash units; if this occurs, choose a lower value.
- At high ISO sensitivities, including high values selected with auto ISO sensitivity control, randomly-spaced bright pixels can be reduced by turning Noise reduction on (0 Noise Reduction).
- At high ISO sensitivities, bright spots, randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, or lines may be more noticeable in long exposures, and photos taken at high ambient temperatures or with Active D-Lighting enabled, Flat selected for Set Picture Control (0 Picture Controls) or extreme values selected for Picture Control parameters (0 Picture Control Settings).
- In % mode, randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, or lines may be more noticeable in pictures shot under low light.
Beep does not sound:
- Off is selected for Beep (0 Beep).
- Camera is in quiet shutter-release mode (0 Quiet Shutter Release), or movie is being recorded (0 Recording Movies).
- MF or AF-C is selected as the focus mode or subject moves when AF-A is selected (0 Focus Mode).
Smudges appear in photographs: Clean front and rear lens elements. If problem persists, clean the image sensor manually (0 Image Sensor Cleaning) or contact a Nikon-authorized service representative.
Date is not imprinted on photos: An NEF (RAW) option is selected for image quality (0 NEF (RAW) Images, Date Stamp).
Sound is not recorded with movies: Microphone off is selected for Movie settings > Microphone (0 Microphone).
Live view ends unexpectedly or does not start: Live view may end automatically to prevent damage to the camera’s internal circuits if:
- The ambient temperature is high
- The camera has been used for extended periods in live view or to record movies
- The camera has been used in continuous release modes for extended periods
If live view does not start when you attempt to start live view, wait for the internal circuits to cool and then try again. Note that the camera may feel warm to the touch, but this does not indicate a malfunction.
Image artifacts appear during live view: “Noise” (randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, or lines) and unexpected colors may appear if you zoom in on the view through the lens (0 Live View Zoom Preview) during live view; in movies, the amount and distribution of randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, and bright spots are affected by frame size and rate (0 Movie Settings). Randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, or bright spots may also arise as a result of increases in the temperature of the camera’s internal circuits during live view; exit live view when the camera is not in use.
Flicker or banding appears during live view or movie recording: Choose an option for Flicker reduction that matches the frequency of the local AC power supply (0 Flicker Reduction).
Bright bands appear during live view or movie recording: A flashing sign, flash, or other light source with brief duration was used during live view or movie recording.
Menu item cannot be selected: Some options are not available in all modes.
Shooting (P, S, A, M)
Shutter-release disabled:
- The attached lens is not type E or G: rotate camera mode dial to M (0 Mode M (Manual), Identifying CPU and Type G, E, and D Lenses).
- Mode dial rotated to S after shutter speed of “Bulb” or “Time” selected in mode M: choose new shutter speed (0 Mode S (Shutter-Priority Auto)).
Full range of shutter speeds not available:
- Flash in use (0 Shutter Speeds Available with the Built-in Flash).
- When On is selected for Movie settings > Manual movie settings in the shooting menu, the range of available shutter speeds varies with the frame rate (0 Movie Settings).
Cannot select desired aperture: Range of available apertures varies with lens used.
Colors are unnatural:
- Adjust white balance to match light source (0 White Balance).
- Adjust Set Picture Control settings (0 Picture Controls).
Cannot measure white balance: Subject is too dark or too bright (0 Measuring a Value for Preset White Balance).
Image cannot be selected as source for preset white balance: Image was not created with D3500 (0 Copying White Balance from a Photograph).
Effects of Picture Control differ from image to image: A (auto) is selected for sharpening, clarity, contrast, or saturation. For consistent results over a series of photos, choose another setting (0 Picture Control Settings).
Metering cannot be changed: Autoexposure lock is in effect (0 Autoexposure Lock).
Exposure compensation cannot be used: Camera is in mode M. Choose another mode (0 P, S, A, and M Modes, Exposure Compensation).
Noise (reddish areas or other artifacts) appears in long time-exposures: Turn noise reduction on (0 Noise Reduction).
Playback
NEF (RAW) image is not played back: Photo was taken at image quality of NEF (RAW)+JPEG (0 NEF (RAW) + JPEG).
Cannot view pictures recorded with other cameras: Pictures recorded with other makes of camera may not be displayed correctly.
Some pictures are not displayed during playback: Select All for Playback folder (0 Playback Folder).
“Tall” (portrait) orientation photos are displayed in “wide” (landscape) orientation:
- Select On for Rotate tall (0 Rotate Tall).
- Photo was taken with Off selected for Auto image rotation (0 Auto Image Rotation).
- Photo is displayed in image review (0 Image Review, Rotate Tall).
- Camera was pointed up or down when photo was taken (0 Auto Image Rotation).
Cannot delete picture:
- Picture is protected: remove protection (0 Protecting Photographs from Deletion).
- Memory card is locked.
Cannot retouch picture: Photo cannot be further edited with this camera (0 Creating Retouched Copies).
Cannot select photo for printing: Photo is in NEF (RAW) format. Transfer photos to computer and print using Capture NX-D (0 Capture NX-D). NEF (RAW) photos can be saved in JPEG format using NEF (RAW) processing (0 NEF (RAW) Processing).
Picture is not displayed on TV: HDMI (0 Viewing Pictures on TV) cable is not correctly connected.
Camera does not respond to remote control for HDMI-CEC television:
- Select On for HDMI > Device control in the setup menu (0 Controlling the Camera with the TV Remote).
- Adjust HDMI-CEC settings for the television as described in documentation provided with the device.
Cannot transfer photos to computer: OS not compatible with camera or transfer software. Use card reader to copy photos to computer (0 Installing ViewNX-i).
Computer displays NEF (RAW) images differently from camera: Third-party software does not display effects of Picture Controls, Active D-Lighting, or vignette control. Use Capture NX-D (0 Capture NX-D).
Bluetooth
The memory card access lamp lights when the camera is off: The camera is transmitting data to a smart device. This is not a malfunction.
Cannot connect to wireless printers and other wireless devices: This camera can connect only to devices to which the SnapBridge app has been installed.
Miscellaneous
Date of recording is not correct: Set camera clock (0 Camera Setup, Time Zone and Date).
Menu item cannot be selected: Some options are not available at certain combinations of settings or when no memory card is inserted (0 Insert the Battery and a Memory Card, Retouch Menu Options, Available Settings).