I made a bunch of Christmas Eve pics of my grandson using:

Shutter priority set to 1/200 sec (fastest available with flash)
Flash set to -0.7 EV
Auto ISO with minimum set to 400 and minimum shutter speed set to 1/125
Aperture ranging from f/4.0 to 5.6

I was using the 70-200mm lens so I could stay at a distance and still get nice framing of him.

When I looked at the data, in every single one of these pics, the ISO was cranked up to 3200.

This introduced some "grain" that I would have preferred not to have, although they will be ok for smaller prints.

I was also very surprised that the camera turned the ISO up this high with the flash being used. Is this normal for flash use? I had the flash set for red-eye reduction.

I looked at the data on some pics I made a few weeks ago with flash, in full auto mode, and they are all at ISO 3200.

Is there any way to keep the ISO from going this high? Is it the default setting with flash?

working on it in Middle TN
Nikon D3100
18-55 mm Nikkor VR
55-200 mm Nikkor VR
55-300 mm Nikkor VR
150-500 mm Sigma OS

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You can't use Auto ISO with flash. It will jump all the way up to the highest setting. Turn off auto ISO and set it manually to something more reasonable between 200 and 400.

Len

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Well that explains it. Don't think that's mentioned anywhere in the reference guide or the other book I got. Thanks!

working on it in Middle TN
Nikon D3100
18-55 mm Nikkor VR
55-200 mm Nikkor VR
55-300 mm Nikkor VR
150-500 mm Sigma OS

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

You're welcome. I believe the same thing happens in the newest D5100 and D7000 bodies as well. I think it's a firmware oversight or at least a manual oversight.

Len

Visit my Nikonians gallery.