Exposure Issues

Dee94

Dee94

Suspended / Banned
Messages
2
Name
Deanna
Edit My Images
Yes
I'm having some issues with the exposure on my photos. For an example, today it was a very gloomy day (a lot of cloud cover) and so I already knew I'd have to either up my ISO or stop the F Stop down to a lower number/setting to allow more light in. I ended up taking a photo at ISO 1600 with a very wide aperture (the lowest my current lens can actually go!) F3.5 and the exposure time was 1/80. I would have preferred a faster shutter speed but could not as I was having to try and compensate for the extremely under exposed photo. My point is at these settings when there is still SOME light outside is it normal for my camera to have still produced a very under exposed photo? The highest ISO my camera can go to is 3200 but I wanted to avoid that as much as possible. Can anybody shed some light on maybe if this is 'normal' or if I have changed a setting on my camera somehow that is leading to the under exposure? :thinking:
 
OK first thing first, what exposure mode are you using for these photos? Auto? Program? Shutter priority? Aperture priority? Manual?

If its not manual mode (ie one of the priority modes) then you need to check you don't have any negative exposure bias (EV comp) dialled in by accident. If you're on Canon you can see the bars on the LCD to the left of centre. Nikon no idea but guess its similar.

If its manual exposure how did you arrive at those figures? Ultimately if your aperture is wide open, it's still under exposed and you're unable or unwilling to up the ISO you are going to have to reduce the shutter speed. On canon at least even in manual mode you'll see the bars move along to indicate if it thinks the exposure is correct or not.

The type of scene and the selected exposure mode (centre, spot, eval) can also affect and/or fool a cameras metering.

Ideally post some of the photos with the EXIF data intact so we can see what it was doing and where to give some advice.
 
Thanks for the reply. I was taking the photos in manual mode. I will upload the photos here as soon as I can to see what you think. I was trying to photograph this abandoned little house which had a basket of bright yellow flowers hanging outside of the door. The flowers were very bright but the house was in a shadowy area/covered in a ton of climbing vines and there were trees overhead. I am new to photography so only really know how to work with the basics at the moment (ISO/Aperture/Shutter Speed)
 
You could have put it in auto and seen what setting the camera chose. If the light was low it would have selected f3.5, and used a high ISO to get a shutter speed that was as fast as it could be. You would then know what shutter speed/ISO combination you need to get the right exposure. The camera may have used 3200 or it may have used 1/40 to get the shot.
 
Try setting your camera to aperture, then look at the shutter speed it chose. Just be aware of what metering your using swell when using aperture as you could focus on a dark part of the building and if you're using spot metering it may over expose your shot, so you'll be better off ensuring you're on matrix metering wham trying to judge the exposure triangle.
 
gnirtS said:
If its manual exposure how did you arrive at those figures? .
Click to expand...

first of all , as Richard asks ,

also ,when you stop down you let less light in ,,
 
It sounds like you were doing all the right things, as I read it. It must have been more than a little gloomy.

When the light is low, all you can do is push up the ISO, lower the f/number, and drop the shutter speed - as you did. With a static subject, use a tripod and you can drop the shutter speed as long as you like. When hand-holding, image stabilisation helps a lot with this and your lens maybe has this, probably allowing you to drop the shutter speed lower than 1/80sec.

If none of that is possible, then you need to add some light, eg flash. Our eyes are extremely accommodating and we can see perfectly well in dim light where the camera struggles.
 
Last edited:
Dee94 said:
Thanks for the reply. I was taking the photos in manual mode. I will upload the photos here as soon as I can to see what you think. I was trying to photograph this abandoned little house which had a basket of bright yellow flowers hanging outside of the door. The flowers were very bright but the house was in a shadowy area/covered in a ton of climbing vines and there were trees overhead. I am new to photography so only really know how to work with the basics at the moment (ISO/Aperture/Shutter Speed)
Click to expand...
photographing under the shades in a gloomy day? what time of day was it?

gloomy days should still be fine at f4 1/100 ISO 200.
 
wuyanxu said:
how would change of camera change exposure value in the same lighting condition?
Click to expand...

Just what I was thinking.

However, if the shot is underexposed using manual then the user is underexposing not the camera (the camera is just doing what you tell it)
It may be preferred to use a min shutter speed of 1/80 but if it is not light enough and aperture and ISO have been exhausted then you simply can't
 
wuyanxu said:
how would change of camera change exposure value in the same lighting condition?
Click to expand...

Are all camera metering systems the same, with the same EV range?
Take the Pentax K5 vs K5 II - I'd have presumed the II would produce different results from using the same parameters due to offering a working range from −3EV to 18EV.

Surely it stands to reason not all sensors are the same, and certainly not all algorithms for ISO noise reduction - hence the OP saying 3200 was not an option.
 
Last edited:
wuyanxu said:
photographing under the shades in a gloomy day? what time of day was it?

gloomy days should still be fine at f4 1/100 ISO 200.
Click to expand...

How can you possibly say that? Is there some standard definition of "gloomy"?
 
Johnd2000 said:
Is there some standard definition of "gloomy"?
Click to expand...

Not whilst you're talking about the UK and whereabouts the individual is on the landmass.
You'll probably find there's at least 20 shades of gloomy to choose from. :lol:
 
PJ S said:
Not whilst you're talking about the UK and whereabouts the individual is on the landmass.
You'll probably find there's at least 20 shades of gloomy to choose from. :lol:
Click to expand...

My new book is entitled 'fifty shades of gloom'
 
So it's a science fiction novel then?
I'd have went with the factual 20 shades version, but I suppose that's just not sexy enough for publishers these days?
 
PJ S said:
So it's a science fiction novel then?
I'd have went with the factual 20 shades version, but I suppose that's just not sexy enough for publishers these days?
Click to expand...

No, my book is factual, it is based on your posts.
 
tiler65 said:
No, my book is factual, it is based on your posts.
Click to expand...

:clap:


ponder.gif

You saying my posts are gloomy?

:bat:
 
PJ S said:
Are all camera metering systems the same, with the same EV range?
Take the Pentax K5 vs K5 II - I'd have presumed the II would produce different results from using the same parameters due to offering a working range from −3EV to 18EV.

Surely it stands to reason not all sensors are the same, and certainly not all algorithms for ISO noise reduction - hence the OP saying 3200 was not an option.
Click to expand...

metering has nothing to do with what we are discussing here.

no, not all sensors are the same, but they are all calibrated to within reason of the ISO standard. same as lenses and shutter speed. Even Sony A99, the 1/3 less light translucent mirror camera, will have very similar exposure as a normal DSLR if set to the same 3 basic exposure setting.

I think my post has been taken out of context, it was an estimate using the Sunny 16 rule. Hence all at full stop values rather than 1/3 stop values.

Remember the old days where exposure are estimated? All adjustments are full stop adjustments?
 
PJ S said:
Are all camera metering systems the same, with the same EV range?
Take the Pentax K5 vs K5 II - I'd have presumed the II would produce different results from using the same parameters due to offering a working range from −3EV to 18EV.

Surely it stands to reason not all sensors are the same, and certainly not all algorithms for ISO noise reduction - hence the OP saying 3200 was not an option.
Click to expand...

All cameras use the same standard for exposure, the standard that is dictated by the International Standardisation Organisation. Or ASA in old trans-atlantic money

This standardisation ensures that exposure settings are equivalent across all equipment.

Granted some camera's sensors vary a small amount and lens/shutter stops aren't always exactly half/double but not by enough to make much difference
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top