Reading mode: Light Dark

A little bit disappointed with my my first 30D pictures... :'(

Go to last post
V

Vermaut Xavier

Member
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Location
US
Hello everyone,

I have just bought a 30D with a 17-85 lens and a 580EX speedlite and am a little bit disappointed about the pictures I took with it.

The pictures I took in 'full auto', are actually much more darker than what I saw on the LCD screen, and this with the 580EX in use...

Here's what I mean



This picture has been resized for this post but can be accessed, if needed, in its original size at the following location :

http://users.skynet.be/fb211090/IMG_3470_Original.jpg

Can anyone explain what went wrong or some tips to avoid this type of problems?

Many many thanks for helping a newbie :-)

Doukik
 
Canon flash tends to err on the side of undersexposure. That's why many recommend setting Flash Exposure Compensation to +2/3 and leaving it there. Read the manual if you don't know how to set FEC (Flash Exposure Compensation).

As for the LCD, you should NOT use the LCD thumbnail image to judge exposure. It's not accurate. It may look darker in some light, and lighter in other light. Don't rely on it to assess the exposure of your images. You should instead look at the histogram. Read this article if you are not familiar with histograms:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml
Vermaut Xavier said:
Hello everyone,

I have just bought a 30D with a 17-85 lens and a 580EX speedlite
and am a little bit disappointed about the pictures I took with it.

The pictures I took in 'full auto', are actually much more darker
than what I saw on the LCD screen, and this with the 580EX in use...

Here's what I mean



This picture has been resized for this post but can be accessed, if
needed, in its original size at the following location :

http://users.skynet.be/fb211090/IMG_3470_Original.jpg

Can anyone explain what went wrong or some tips to avoid this type
of problems?

Many many thanks for helping a newbie :-)

Doukik
Click to expand...
 
Seems the 30D has inherited the flash traits of the 20D. The 20D tends to underexpose flash, seemingly in an attempt to avoid blowing the highlights. If you dial in +2/3 flash exposure compensation (either in-camera, or on the flash unit itself) you should get a much better exposure in most situations. I've left my 20D set to +2/3 FEC and it now gets the flash right most of the time.

Cheers
Martin
http://photos.runic.com
 
It doesn't look bad to me. If you had exposed much more you would have lost a lot of detail in the baby's face. The exposure could be improved in a photo editor but I don't think it needs much.

Dslr's do tend to underexpose slightly so you need to watch out for that. Also, don't go by the review screen on the camera - get into the habit of checking the histogram for exposure. You are aiming for a central peak - or some would say even slightly to the right.
 
with my metz 54 MZ3 :( Just found about it last day after a 40 pic photo session they looks well balanced on the LCD but totally underexposed (1 stop or so) on my pc. Fortunately, since I shoot raw, converted to B&W i had some keepers
 
Thank you for your tips...

I changed the Flash Exposure Compensation as you advised to and the pictures look better now!!!

Now, I will have to work in manual mode to be able to have this setting used... :'(

Cheers,

Doukik
 
Vermaut Xavier said:
Now, I will have to work in manual mode to be able to have this
setting used... :'(
Click to expand...
No, you can use other modes such as P and still boost the flash exposure compensation. You're not limited to Manual.

However .....

Many people tend to prefer manual mode for indoor flash. Personally I find for 20D + 550EX flash I use Manual mode set to 1/125, f/8, ISO 200 and +2/3 FEC. This works well for most situations.

Cheers
Martin
http://photos.runic.com
 
Vermaut Xavier said:
Now, I will have to work in manual mode to be able to have this
setting used... :'(
Click to expand...
If your indoors your better off in manual anyway but its like auto anyway because the flash is doing all the lighitng and auto exposing the image for you, you don't need to change any manual settings.

Oudoors for fill you can use P or Av but this time possibly wind down the EC so it doesn't dominate the image and the camera will set the rest automaticaly for you.

Regds
Elv
--
http://www.pbase.com/epdesigns
 
The "look" of the photo on the LCD display is not a good way to judge exposure since it's brightness is adjustable and arbitrary.

But the histogram tells you a lot more about what's going on with the exposure. I almost never take a shot without checking the histogram.

Also, as has been said by many, it seems that +2/3 of a stop of FEC (Flash Exposure Compensation) is required on these ETTL-II cameras. That setting is my "zero" or "starting point" and it works for the vast majority of shots.

Good luck.

--
Jim H.
 
Vermaut Xavier said:
Thank you for your tips...

I changed the Flash Exposure Compensation as you advised to and the
pictures look better now!!!

Now, I will have to work in manual mode to be able to have this
setting used... :'(
Click to expand...
Manual is generally the best setting for indoor flash anyways. Set the aperture you want, set the shutter you want, then leave the exposure up to the flash system.
 
Now, if this is a well-known probelm with the 20D/30D, why doesn't Canon adapt the 'zero' value in consequence and artificially set it to +2/3?

Regarding the 'P' mode now, does it automatically choose the ISO mode, the aperture and the speed for me or is it to me to set those settings?

Best regards,

Doukik
 
Vermaut Xavier said:
Regarding the 'P' mode now, does it automatically choose the ISO
mode, the aperture and the speed for me or is it to me to set those
settings?
Click to expand...
P gives you control of ISO, file format (RAW or JPEG), flash exposure compensation (which adjusts the flash's light output), and ambient exposure compensation (which adjusts the aperture setting). Full auto doesn't allow you to control anything.
 
Vermaut Xavier said:
Now, if this is a well-known probelm with the 20D/30D, why doesn't
Canon adapt the 'zero' value in consequence and artificially set it
to +2/3?
Click to expand...
Indeed. Good question :)

It's not just the 20D/30D, I've seen 5D and 1DsMKII users reporting the same thing. It seems to be a 'feature' of E-TT II to be very conservative with exposure. No doubt this is to eliminate any risk of blown highlights, but personally I feel it's too conservative.
Vermaut Xavier said:
Regarding the 'P' mode now, does it automatically choose the ISO
mode, the aperture and the speed for me or is it to me to set those
settings?
Click to expand...
P mode automatically chooses aperture and shutter speed for you, but not ISO. P mode is a much better than Autoc mode, as it looks after the essentials but leaves you to decide on ISO and allows you to shoot RAW, both of which are good things to be in control of.

Cheers
Martin
http://photos.runic.com
 
With my new 30D i generally opt for 2 different settings

1. Manual Mode with f/8 1/60 - 1/100 ISO 400 - 800 (good for night time portraits and group photos)

2. Program Mode with +1/3 FEC ISO 800 - 1600 (when i want to shoot at high speeds)

All with a 420EX with a sto-fen omni bounce diffuser.

I find I generally get much better results with manual mode when you can set the aperture and shutter speed and leave the flash exposure to the camera.

Good luck with your 30D!

--

See my website for canon 3OD photos in the real world (disclaimer: I am still grasping with the 3OD moving up from a 3OOD)

http://www.pbase.com/akyrl - still a work in progress
 
The goal of the exposure system is to assume that the subject is 18% gray and expose that to the center of the histogram. Caucasian skin actually looks properly exposed at 2/3 to 1 stop higher than that.

The system is working properly, because it gives you exacting control over the results. Because the camera doesn't know what your subject is, you actually need to intervene. Try shooting some flash pictures of white, gray and black objects and see if you still think that there is a problem. You'll notice that an all-white or all-black object each gets rendered as middle tone gray (as represented by a spike in the middle of the histogram). You can compensate for this by adding up to + -2 stops of FEC to get the result you are looking for.
 
1. Change the ISO to 200 or 400. AND 2. Change the flash, by hitting one button, so the icon that appears is the flash symbol and the letter H. -Lisa
 
it doesn't require any FEC as does the 20D and 30D. Also the 10D and previous models had no problem either.

Rich
 
I do not completely agree. You would be right if the camera was working at spot or partial metering. or is it the case in example of the original photo of this thread? does the camera, in full auto with flash, opt to go to "partial" metering in determining how much flash to provide? if the answer is yes, then you are right, in that the camera did expose the subject correctly based on the parameters given, but the photographer did not provide compensation to put the caucasian skin in the proper "zone"

--
Beauty is in the eye of the photographer

 
I suggest braketing your exposures, until you get familiar with the Flash Unit/Camera combo.

You then would have at least three exposures you could sandwich for the ideal shot!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top