Nikon Camera Not Taking Pictures? 3 Ways to Fix it

Unlike smartphones, a camera is made for only one purpose and that is taking pictures. Sometimes, your Nikon camera may stop doing that one job it is made for. Several users reported that their Nikon camera is not taking pictures.

The problem arises due to several reasons, some related to the camera while others are external factors. Keep reading to find out the underlying cause and the solutions that actually work when your Nikon camera won’t take pictures!

Why is my Nikon camera not taking pictures?

Here are a few reasons your camera is not taking clear pictures or not capturing at all:

• Misconfigured settings: Camera settings are vital for taking crisp and clear pictures, and any issues here won’t just affect the quality but may altogether disable the functionality.
• Improper focus: When the Nikon camera can’t focus, it affects the ability to capture pictures.
• Running low on storage: If the connected SD card doesn’t have enough free storage, you won’t be able to capture more pictures.

What can I do if the Nikon camera is not taking pictures?

Before we move to the slightly complex solutions, here are a few quick things to try:

• Perform a power cycle. To do that, turn off the camera, remove the lens and the batter, then move the AF switch on the left from A to AM, repeat this a few times, and finally set the AF switch back to A. Reinsert the battery and the lens.
• Make sure the SD card has enough free space to store photos when the Nikon camera is not taking pictures.

If none work, head to the fixes listed next.

1. Reset camera options

1. Make sure your camera is turned on.
2. Go into Menu and select Settings (gear icon).
3. Select Reset setup options.
   
4. Select Yes to confirm the action.
5. Now try to focus and click a picture. Check for any improvements.

If you don’t mind adjusting some settings and options from scratch, the best fix is to reset the settings when your Nikon camera won’t take pictures.

2. Check focus and light conditions

Most of the issues related to the Nikon camera not taking pictures has to do with the camera being not able to focus. To achieve optimal focus, make sure there is sufficient light in the direction of the object. This is also true for contrast in the direction of the object.

If necessary, turn on the flashlight and try clicking the picture. Check your lens’ minimum focus distance before shooting any object. If the object is closer than the minimum focus distance of the lens, then you need a new lens to take micro shots.

Check the camera’s drive mode for the self-timer option. If self-time is on, turn it off and then try clicking a picture.

3.  Check AE/AF Lock

1. On your camera, press the Menu button.
2. Go to the Setup menu.
3. Select the AE-LAF-L option.
4. If the option moves to AE/AF Lock which is the last option, then move it to the first option AE/AF Lock, and press OK.
5. Try to click a picture and check for any improvements.

This issue can occur if you have changed the AutoFocus lock setting in the camera accidentally.

By now, you should have fixed things when the Nikon camera is not taking pictures, and it should be up and running just fine! If the issue persists, you may need to take assistance from Nikon support.

Before you leave, find out how to create blurred background photos with Nikon.

For any queries or to share what worked for you, drop a comment below.