Lumix G1 dark pictures in manual setting problem - plz help...

Hi,

Firstly, let me just say that I am new to this and eager to learn so apologies if my question is really silly. I have just bought this camera and have already taken some cracking shots. However, I can't seem to take a decent picture in Manual mode or Shutter priority mode due to the pictures being almost black with every shot (this is all the time in manual mode, but almost all the time in S mode). I have fiddled with settings to no avail. What could be causing this problem? I am seriously worried my camera is faulty or something now. All other settings on the camera appear to be working just fine.

I would love some advice folks.

Much appreciated in advance

OK, I have had another look at my camera after taking onboard some further advice. By default the exposure setting is at -3 (why, I don't know). When I manually change the aperture and the shutter speeds, I can see the exposure bar move up the graph and stabilise, allowing me to take a clear picture. However, I can't set the shutter speed fast whatsoever, no matter what ISO level I am on. Something just doesn't seem right here. I have been following tips from books and magazines to set aperture to this, and shutter to that for a certain effect and each time I get a dark picture.

For example, this months edition of Practical Photography comes with some handy bite-size tips, including a quick tips for taking good shots of your active pet. It tells me to set shutter speed to somewhere in between 1/500-1/2000sec, aperture to between f/4-f/5.6, ISO 100 if good light (I've set mine on 400) and continuous focusing. On my camera, after applying these settings, when I half-press the shutter button, the exposure is at -3 again, leading to a pitch black shot (even when I crank ISO up to 3200 the exposure if -3). This surely can't be right or 'am I just being foolish? I would really appreciate some more help and advice here folks as I am seriously concerned that my camera is not well

Oh, and I have checked page 86 of manual but it clears nothing up.

Oh, I have also just checked the playback details of a shot I have taken under these settings and it has + - 0 (even though it was on -3 when I took the shot)

Just returned from first serious shoot with G1. Took over 1000 pix in 9 days. So I know how confusing a new and rather complex camera can be. I will try to unravel your problem by rehashing the basics of the G1. I'll use terminology from the manual to avoid any confusion. And I'll have the G1 in my hands to double check what I am telling you.

The key feature in any of the modes is the Front Dial (or as I call it, the push-clicky dial). In Aperture Priority (A) mode, the Front Dial has 2 functions: it changes the f-stop (with the shutter speed automatically set to give the desired exposure) or it can be used to bias the exposure towards over or under exposure. The function that it is active is highlighted in the EVF or LCD.

The operation in Shutter Priority (S) mode is similar except that the Front Dial sets shutter speed, and the f-stop is automatically set to give the desired exposure.

Now, notice that in both A and S modes I said "desired" exposure. The desired exposure is the one set by the Front Dial on the -3 to +3 scale (the Exposure Compensation scale). A normal exposure would be with the no bar showing, i.e. with the bar superimposed on 0. If you want to make the photo lighter than normal, turn the Front Dial clockwise to the + side. The viewfinder will show the picture getting brighter. The reverse will happen if the compensate in the negative direction by turn the dial counterclock wise.

Some people will use compensation all the time because they like a certain look it gives to their photos. When I used to shoot Kodachrome 64, I set my camera meter at ASA 100 to give my photos the deeper colors that resulte with 1/2 stop of underexposure. This dial is exactly the same, except you can actually see the result on the screen! I believe that the maximum compensation you can dial in is + - 3 f-stops.

In Manual (M) mode, the Front Dial works slightly differently. Pressing it toggles its function between shutter speed adjustment and adjustment of the F-stop. In addition, the Exposure Compensation scale becomes simply an Exposure scale; by half pressing the shutter release, it shows what type of exposure you have set with the indicated shutter speed and f-stop. It is important to note that you can have the exposure set much more than 3 f-stops off; the scale itself can not indicate more than + - 3 stops, however.

Suppose you want to set a fast shutter speed to stop action. You would then half press the shutter release, and adjust the f-stop until the indicator bar on the scale is centered (or to the + or - side if you want to shoot with that compensation from nominal). The important thing here is that you always remember to half press the shutter release. If you don't, you can adjust the shutter speed or f-stop, but won't get any indication of where your exposure is. In the future I hope a firmware update will fix this problem i.e. have the Exposure scale active without pressing the shutter release.

Hope this helps.

Chromeman

Hi,

Firstly, thanks very much for taking the time to reply to my thread. However, I don't seem to have fixed the issue. When in Manual mode I simply cant get the exposure right.

Can you tell me a setting you know for definite works on your model and I will try and replicate? Would that work? It just seems that no matter how much I go in one direction with either Aperture or SS, the pic will be dark.

The lowest setting I can get a picture taken with a stabilised exposure on the exposure graph is Aperture f/3.5, SS 1/15. If I go to SS 1/20 on Aperture 3.5, the exposure goes 1 space into the negative. Surely this cant be right? Aperture f/10 on SS 1/20sec is all the way back at -3 on the exposure graph (although only when I half press the shutter release button).

also, to add to that, I have just went into Aperture Priority mode there and tested at its highest and lowest scale: the pictures came out just fine. It is just in M and S modes that I am experiencing problems

Please let us know the ISO you are using. That will put things in perspective. It does make sense that going from 1/15 to 1/20 @ f3.5 causes a 1 space (1/3 stop) change. And the indications of going to f10 also makes sense.

Shenryo, I don't know the depth of your technical knowledge of photographly, so accept my comments in the best possible light. What I think the camera meter is saying is "I need a higher ISO to get the shutter speed up". Even in what appears to be a reasonably well lit room, you can be surprised at how low a shutter speed is needed even with the lens wide open. (That is one of the reasons why you see so much interest in this forum on using an adapter to couple 35mm lenses to the g1-these lenses can be several stops faster.)

One thing to try: I seem to remember that on a bright sunny day, a good film exposure would be f16 at a shutter speed equal to the recipricol of the ASA.

I.e. for 400ASA, f16 @ 1/400. So try exposures of f16 @ 1/100 @ ISO100 or f16 @ 400 @ ISO400, etc.

By the way, in S or A mode, I believe several items in the viewfinder blink red if the settings will not allow correct exposure, but may still allow a picture to be taken. In M mode, this doesn't happen.

I'm sure we can both figure this out!

Hi,

I have tried a whole host of different ISO settings. What worries me is that I was getting dark pictures even on a sunny day in Manual mode on my first test run. If I can't take fast shutter speed shots, then how do people snap fast moving cars, insects and other animals, humans playing sport etc with this camera; I have seen loads of examples.

Thank you for having patience with me and I really appreciate you endeavour.

cHEERS

Maybe if you'd post up some pictures straight from the camera that would help.

Just a quick one-have to leave for work. There's something called ISO Limit in one of the menus. Don't know what it does, but turn it off. Also, check the EXIF info on the bad photos. Is the ISO set where you thought it should be>
--
Chromeman

shenryo said:

Hi,

I have tried a whole host of different ISO settings. What worries me is that I was getting dark pictures even on a sunny day in Manual mode on my first test run. If I can't take fast shutter speed shots, then how do people snap fast moving cars, insects and other animals, humans playing sport etc with this camera; I have seen loads of examples.

Thank you for having patience with me and I really appreciate you endeavour.

Click to expand...

May I suggest that you forget M nd even A modes for the moment? Stick to P mode. Learn to use the click adjustment wheel to set the combination of shutter/aperture and or exposure compensation. When you've got the hang of that, you'll appreciate the A and M modes better.

Good shooting, you've a great camera!!

Mike
--
Mike Davis
Photographing the public for over 50 years
http://www.flickr.com/photos/watchman
G1 FZ50

ok, how do I upload a picture here then?

shenryo said:

ok, how do I upload a picture here then?

Click to expand...

Create a flickr account first then come back here and i'll talk you through the posting process.

Mark.
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30657645@N03/

Is there a particular reason why you are shooting in M? I understand that you might choose S in order to have control over the shutter speed for moving subjects--or that you might choose M to have control over both, but unless you have a fast lens, you will likely have problems in low light--or on tripod where you can shoot with a quite slow shutter speed, up your ISO to an acceptable level.

Try shooting in A with EC--and watch your histogram. If you aren't conversant with how to use a histogram see here http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/histograms1.htm and read part 2 also--the histogram on the G1 is a luminosity histo, the histo shown in the review is an RGB. Using that information while shooting in A (or P)should help you get a correct exposure.

Using M there is something that is helpful--not completely correct, but helpful. After acomposing, making your settings, click on the preview/delete button and them immediately the display button. It will give you a good preview of what your image will look like. You can adjust your settings while in this mode and see the exposure change.

Something else to consider is that if you are in M then the camera defaults to ISO100. You may need to increase your ISO.

My advice--until you are conversant with the camera and using manual settings, you will have much better luck with P or A.

Diane
--
Diane B
http://www.pbase.com/picnic
G1 gallery http://www.pbase.com/picnic/temp_g1

As Diane mentioned I use the Preview Option when I shoot using legacy lenses in M mode. This is very helpful as it allows me to get the best possible shutter speed for a particular situation with the lowest ISO. Other than that I use P mode where I can adjust the A and S settings, if I'm not happy with the result given by the camera. I'm sure that you will soon get the hang of it. It really is a great little camera.
Richard

Hi Mark,

I have a Flickr account already.

shenryo said:

Hi Mark,

I have a Flickr account already.

Click to expand...

Ok, then from your gallery page click the image you want to share, look for a tab above the image ( all sizes ) click it, you then get the next page where you can choose the size of image you want ( small/medium/large ) pic medium for this test, now look down the page for a single line of text, the URL, right click it and copy.

Now come back to this thread and paste the file into your thread, thats it done.

Mark.
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30657645@N03/

I think you need to review the basics of exposure--please indulge me for a few sentences.

You have 4 basic controls over the exposure--aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and EV compensation.

Your first choice to make is what ISO you want (or you can let the camera choose for you in auto). Once I've made the ISO decision, I'll check it every once in a while to see if I can still get the shutter speeds I need (given an open aperture and reasonable EV). If I can't, then I might bump it up a bit.

That leaves you with three controls over exposure. Generally, the differences among the shooting modes is the division of automated versus photographer control over these exposure controls.

In Aperture priority (A), you choose the aperture and EV level, and the camera chooses the shutter speed to expose to the level you chose.

In Shutter priority (S), you choose the shutter speed and the EV level, and the camera chooses the aperture to expose to the level you chose.

In Manual mode (M), you choose the aperture and shutter speed, and that dictates the exposure level.

In Program mode (P), you choose the EV level, and the camera gives you combination of aperture and shutter speeds to expose to the level you chose.

When you are shooting in M or S, you are probably choosing shutter speeds that are too fast to get a good exposure given the aperture and ISO. There's not enough light getting through, which is making your images dark/black.

I would echo the advice of Diane B and others that you shoot in P and learn what shutters/apertures/ISOs are reasonable in different lighting scenarios.

ok, here are a couple of examples:

Can you provide a link to the main page of your flickr gallery please.

Mark.
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30657645@N03/

If you select the same settings the camera picks in auto mode does the image come out the same?