Nikon D5200 help

[Rshep]

Hello, I just bought my very first DSLR  yesterday, it is used but in great condition. I got a Nikon D5200, it didn't come with the kit lens but it came with the Sigma 18-250mm lens. I have been trying to take photos indoors in sort of poor lighting and I have no idea what settings I am supposed to use, I have been playing around with the aperture and the iso but the camera refuses to take pictures, the square stays red all the time no matter what. And when it does take a photo it is super blurry. What can I do? I really want to learn how to use this camera and learn what settings to use in different situations. Thank you

[michael8554]

Sounds like a question for a Photography forum to me....

Have you read the handbook?

I would guess if you turn the circular dial on top of the camera to the green setting, check the switch on the lens is set to AF (autofocus) not Man (Manual), set the lens to wide angle, point at a light, and press the shutter half-way, the lens should autofocus, then press the shutter button fully to take an image.

Michael

[Davey-T]

Check the lens isn't set to manual focus.

Dave

[swamp thing]

38 minutes ago, Rshep said:

 the square stays red all the time no matter what. 

Sounds like you are trying to shoot in live view, forget this and use the viewfinder.

By default the camera will not shoot if it is not focused. As explained above half depressing the shutter release button will focus the lens. Remember if you or your subject mores you will need to refocus.

The blurring is probably down to too slow a shutter speed, so even when you are focused your own movement blurs the shot. To combat this, open the aperture up and push the ISO up.

HTH 

[Red Dwarfer]

Shoot in good light . Try to stay level with your subject . As a beginner , use one of the Auto ( automatic ) settings on the dial so " the camera does everything for you " to get off to a good start ... 

Good luck and good camera by the way with 24mp .

[ronin]

Sounds like the DSLR is (hopefully) simply set wrong at one option, the question being which one.

Read the manual and set the ISO to 200, nice mid level option.

Check the top of the DSLR and set the "Mode" dial to "A", that is Auto and basically the camera should do everything. I slightly dislike A but it makes life easy.

Somewhere and probably around where the lens attaches to the DSLR there is likely to be a switch marked "AF" and "MF". Set it to the "AF" position - Autofocus. Switch may be on the DSLR or on the Lens, depends how Nikon implimented it. Lens manufacturers have to follow their convention.

Just in case check for any filters on the front of the lens. if there looks like an "ND" type filter there remove it. Someone may just have added a polarising filter, sounds good but wrong as it could/can/will upseet the autofocus if it is a normal type, to work it needs to be  circular polariser. I say ND as it will appear a bit like a neutral density filter.

What does the lens say on it? Basically is it a Sigma for Nikon type lens? It is possible to get others brands and a converter, the converter then adds to the mechanical length and may throw the focus out completely.

Add a location as then it could be easier to suggest a camera shop for a lens, thinking places like LCE.