Nikon D3100 stuck on Auto Flash

Question

Whenever I turn my camera on it goes on Auto Flash unless it's in the no flash mode. The flash pops up automatically and when I close it and put it in a different mode it pops up again. I need to hit the supressor down a few times when it's closed to get it to go back to normal, but it doesn't work for long and goes back after a while. If I hold it down super tight it goes back to normal though. Is this a hardware error or is something loose? I just want to know any possible solutions and any explanations as to what might've brought about this mishap. And also I want to know the possible issues in the camera (like which parts may be broken; whether or not it's repairable). Thanks!

Answer 1

Is you camera on warranty? Have you bought your camera less than 2 years ago? If so, go to the shop where you bought it and explain the problem and ask for a repair.

When your camera is on auto mode (green icon) the flash will turn on automatically according to the light available. Close the flash and switch to A or S mode (rotating the mode dial). Does the flash pop-up too? Turn off the flash by pressing the flash button on the left side of your camera, next to the lens. Does the flash pop-up too?

If your flash pops up randomdly I would guess there's something wrong with your camera. Maybe your light meter is defective or the software that controls the flash maybe be bugged.

Answer 2

The camera has a built in light sensor. It will control the aperture, shutter speed and iso to produce the best quality pictures, it sometimes will select to use the flash depending on the light in the area you are taking the picture. I'll try to give you a easy explanation on controlling the manual mode.

In manual mode you gain the ability to control the iso (image sensor) aperture, and shutter speed. Iso is the area that actually turns the light collected into information to be stored on the card. (your picture) If you are in low light for instance, the sensor will need to be more sensitive to gather more light with a slower shutter speed. In brighter settings you want to make the sensor less sensitive and shutter speed faster. ISO lower numbers mean less sensitive vs higher being more sensitive. I personally use manual only when absolutely necessary. The camera is pretty smart! However in certain situations you need to control the system. Low light photography where you want a lot of shadowing like in artistic photography, sensual or romantic portrait photography, and long exposure are some examples. In brighter settings where the area is flooded with bright lights you need faster shutter and lower iso.

I hope this helps!