Metering/Exposure help

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Stolen_Souls

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Hi, I could do with a bit of help.

I'm very new to the field of DSLR photography and I've just started experimenting with apature and shutter priority modes. However, whenever I try this the images are coming out really underexposed. I can't understand why, the 'needle' is sitting in the middle, and if I take the same photo in auto mode it comes out fine.

I'm using a Nikon D70 with a 50mm Sigma 2.8 macro lens (or the kit lens, it doesn't seem to make much difference), and I've noticed the problem shooting portraits and outdoor shots.
 
Hi there,

That does sound a little strange because in aperture or shutter priority that camera should be doing the same thing with exposure as it does in fully auto. Your just setting one half of the exposure equation and letting the camera do the other half.

The only thing I can think on is perhaps you have some exposure compensation set, which is ignored by the camera when it's on fully auto. I'm not a nikon user but I think canons have two fully auto modes. One which lets you use exp. compensation and one that doesn't.

The other possibilty is that the shots you took off if fully auto just happend to confuse the metering (very bright background would do this) and the ones on fully auto were more evenly lit. :shrug:

I'm sure a nikon expert will turn up with some more concrete knowledge soon enough.
 
It's not in spot metering by mistake is it? Oh, but then the meter would SHOW that it will be underexposed.

Hmm difficult one. :shrug:
 
Try taking a photo in Auto, then the same in Aperture / Shutter Priority, as you've been doing. Then download those photos onto your computer and look at the exif data. That will show up what the difference is between the shots. My guess is that in Auto the camera is upping the ISO
 
On Default settings in auto mode Nikons will turn the ISO up. As Grendel said, take 2 photos of the same thing, sone in Auto mode and one in Aperture / Shutter priority and then check the exif's.
Ive dissabled Auto ISO on both of my body's as i had issues with it trying to shoot stuff at ISO 1600 when 400 would do with a slightly slower shutter speed.
 
Thanks for the information/posts.

Dazza - I'm not sure about exposure compensation settings, I'll have to RTFM :) . The shots are all identical though (say an indoor portrait with no light change).

Janice - I've no idea, (this is all still new to me), but I'll RTFM and check what it's set to.

Grendle/Diabolos - great idea! I'll give that a shot - as you say it may hightlight the problem.

So this isn't a common fault then? Heh, look at me, trying to blame the camera just because I don't know how to use it!:lol:
 
The D70, for whatever reason, has a tendency to underexpose which is something I and others have noticed in the past. Try setting your EV to +.3 or +.7to see if that makes a difference, it did with mine.

You also want to check which metering mode you are in, have you any examples you can post up?
 
Or you could buy a Canon instead and do away with this problem for good!! :D :lol: :nono: :rules:
 
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