Really dark images

blooming34

I downloaded the cheat cards and tried the family/group setting. It was a cloudy day so I set ISO to 400, and the images have come out really dark. I have checked the settings and they are as stated. Any idea what is wrong?
I have only had the camera a few months and this is the first time I've not used the auto setting.
Thanks.

bruto

I'm guessing that your shutter speed was not slow enough. When in manual mode, the display should show the meter recommendation, and you can adjust shutter speed as needed to get a good exposure.

If the background is a good deal brighter than the subject, the camera's meter can underexpose and give you dark faces. If your camera is set to Auto ISO, the meter will override your attempt to correct it, so you will need to go into the menu and turn off Auto ISO. When you are in manual ISO, manual control will now be complete. Take a test picture, and if the subject is dark, decrease shutter speed to lighten it up. If your shutter speed goes too low for comfortable hand holding, increase ISO by one step and try again.

Moose

Hey @blooming34 - On the Family/Group cheat card, just under the "Initial Settings" you'll find the "Setup" instructions. Step #3 walks you through the process of adjusting the shutter speed, identical to what @bruto advised. This is a critical step in determining the final exposure. Give it a try and let me know if you have any other questions. All the best!