Camera's settings gone doolally! Help!?

stellarbeam

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Name
Jessica
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The few times using my camera I've had huge problems in getting the settings right. My usual thing is to use either AV or TV then set to Manual to make any minor adjustments. Unfortunately these setting seem to be playing up and I'm getting hideously over exposed images when I use those settings. Also I've noticed when I'm taking photos in dark conditions that photos are even darker than usual, like the camera is really struggling to grab any available light.

Camera is Canon 400D and lenses are 24-70mm f2.8L and the 18-55mm kit lens. Unfortunately I deleted all the terrible photos so I have no images to show you but maybe someone can help me work out what has happened. To my knowledge I've not adjusted any custom settings or anything like that.

It's stressing me out :bang:
 
Methinks you have the Exposure Compensation dialled in a little bit. Do you recognise this screen?

400duy1.gif


See that little scale to the right of where is says 'Av'? The one with the marker set one step to the right of the '0'? Where is yours located?
 
:$

Whoops! That would explain for the over exposure. I forgot I was fiddling with that when everything was coming out dark.

Is there any way of altering that on fully manual? It just dithers about a lot. I wish I could set it. Still can't work out why the images in low light are so dark.
 
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Is there any way of altering that on fully manual?.
400drearvi9.jpg


You see the button at the top right? The one with the little 'Av' written next to it? Press that and then turn the scroll-wheel on the top of the body to adjust the Exposure Compensation.

If you've got your 400D's manual handy it's covered on page 74.
 
I tried that but when I press the av button it only alters the aperture not the exposure compensation. I'll dig out the manual in a it.

Thank you :)
 
Ah, it may be that you've altered which buttons do what to suit your needs. All I know is that the combination I describe is the default, or at least it should be according to memory.
 
Speaking of sources, you can grab a PDF copy of the 400D manual from here.

Admittedly it's the American XTi version, but it should all be the same information.

EDIT: A normal left-click on that link could kill your browser, so safer to left-click and download.
 
I tried that but when I press the av button it only alters the aperture not the exposure compensation. I'll dig out the manual in a it.

Thank you :)

There's no such thing as exposure compensation when the camera is in 'M' mode. In this mode the wheel in front of the shutter button adjusts the shutters speed when no other buttons are pressed and the aperture when the Av button is held down.
 
id have thought it will only be showing you whether it thinks your settings are over or under exposed:shrug:
 
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