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Z6 and exposure control

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vasja

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I usually take photos at a handball match for a local club.

The problem I feel is that the exposure becomes very strange in some pictures.

The arena I usually shoot has neon light and the settings in the camera are F2.8 and 1 / 1000S, AUTO ISO and matrix metering.

Most often I experience the images with very harsh light, images become unnatural ...

Watch:

Loading…

www.flickr.com

Equipment:
Z6 + FTZ
AF-S 70-200 / 2.8 VRII
AF-S 80-400 / 4.5-5.6 VRII

Any suggestions?
 
vasja said:
I usually take photos at a handball match for a local club.

The problem I feel is that the exposure becomes very strange in some pictures.

The arena I usually shoot has neon light and the settings in the camera are F2.8 and 1 / 1000S, AUTO ISO and matrix metering.

Most often I experience the images with very harsh light, images become unnatural ...

Watch:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140344016@N03/albums/72157712906383916

Equipment:
Z6 + FTZ
AF-S 70-200 / 2.8 VRII
AF-S 80-400 / 4.5-5.6 VRII

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Not sure which pictures you think are problematic. Could you post two images - one that you find acceptable and one which you think is unnatural?

Are you shooting jpeg or raw?
 
vasja said:
I usually take photos at a handball match for a local club.

The problem I feel is that the exposure becomes very strange in some pictures.

The arena I usually shoot has neon light and the settings in the camera are F2.8 and 1 / 1000S, AUTO ISO and matrix metering.

Most often I experience the images with very harsh light, images become unnatural ...

Watch:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140344016@N03/albums/72157712906383916

Equipment:
Z6 + FTZ
AF-S 70-200 / 2.8 VRII
AF-S 80-400 / 4.5-5.6 VRII

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Hi,

Nice photo's, but regarding colours I don't see anything very problematic in your pictures.

If you shot raw, you can for the pictures you don't like alter white balance to obtain a result that you like !
 
Virtual Photon said:
vasja said:
I usually take photos at a handball match for a local club.

The problem I feel is that the exposure becomes very strange in some pictures.

The arena I usually shoot has neon light and the settings in the camera are F2.8 and 1 / 1000S, AUTO ISO and matrix metering.

Most often I experience the images with very harsh light, images become unnatural ...

Watch:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140344016@N03/albums/72157712906383916

Equipment:
Z6 + FTZ
AF-S 70-200 / 2.8 VRII
AF-S 80-400 / 4.5-5.6 VRII

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Not sure which pictures you think are problematic. Could you post two images - one that you find acceptable and one which you think is unnatural?

Are you shooting jpeg or raw?
Click to expand...
Both...

Unnatural, almost all in this album but this one is good exempel:

https://flic.kr/p/2in8xhk

Acceptable:

https://flic.kr/p/2in9H1n
 
Joakim Edsjö said:
Well, I can think of two things:

1. the one you find problematic has more exposure (higher ISO). Maybe shooting manual and setting ISO manually as well is better?

2. Have you tried the flicker reduction setting in the photo menu?
Click to expand...
+1
 
vasja said:
Virtual Photon said:
vasja said:
I usually take photos at a handball match for a local club.

The problem I feel is that the exposure becomes very strange in some pictures.

The arena I usually shoot has neon light and the settings in the camera are F2.8 and 1 / 1000S, AUTO ISO and matrix metering.

Most often I experience the images with very harsh light, images become unnatural ...

Watch:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140344016@N03/albums/72157712906383916

Equipment:
Z6 + FTZ
AF-S 70-200 / 2.8 VRII
AF-S 80-400 / 4.5-5.6 VRII

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Not sure which pictures you think are problematic. Could you post two images - one that you find acceptable and one which you think is unnatural?

Are you shooting jpeg or raw?
Click to expand...
Both...

Unnatural, almost all in this album but this one is good exempel:

https://flic.kr/p/2in8xhk

Acceptable:

https://flic.kr/p/2in9H1n
Click to expand...
Couple of thoughts. One is that it may be just the different lighting in the two photographs. The other is that the first pic has a dark-kitted player dominating the centre, which may affect the exposure.

Have you thought of manual exposure? Take a few trial shots to get the exposure right, including ISO, then leave it at that.

You could also try different picture controls, but don't think there's much wrong with what you're using.
 
I would categorize this question in the category of:

Why doesn't upping the ISO fill in the shadows?

That is a subcategory of:

Why doesn't the camera show what I think I see?
 
Agree with others. The example pic you don't like was shot at higher iso and has more blown highlight areas. I would try manual iso and, if in doubt, err on the side of slight under-exposure. You can always brighten an image later. But if you lose highlights, skin tones especially become problematic.

To my taste, I might try a bit less contrast as well. And the suggestion to turn on flicker reduction, if you haven't already, is a good idea.
 
vasja said:
Virtual Photon said:
vasja said:
I usually take photos at a handball match for a local club.

The problem I feel is that the exposure becomes very strange in some pictures.

The arena I usually shoot has neon light and the settings in the camera are F2.8 and 1 / 1000S, AUTO ISO and matrix metering.

Most often I experience the images with very harsh light, images become unnatural ...

Watch:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140344016@N03/albums/72157712906383916

Equipment:
Z6 + FTZ
AF-S 70-200 / 2.8 VRII
AF-S 80-400 / 4.5-5.6 VRII

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Not sure which pictures you think are problematic. Could you post two images - one that you find acceptable and one which you think is unnatural?

Are you shooting jpeg or raw?
Click to expand...
Both...

Unnatural, almost all in this album but this one is good exempel:

https://flic.kr/p/2in8xhk
Click to expand...
Hi,

Do you have a calibrated monitor? I don't find the results so unnatural taking into account the neon lighting !

I see you used Auto1 white balance and Auto picture control.

You also used matrix metering , M-mode and auto iso.

The subject you focused on ( AF-C, wide-field small ) has a lot of black in it , so the matrix metering can overexpose a bit IMO.

I would take the raw file and give some negative exposure compensation and also experiment a bit with other white balance settings and picture controls to find results you like better.
vasja said:
Acceptable:

https://flic.kr/p/2in9H1n
Click to expand...
--
Greetings,
Marc
 
Last edited:
Joakim Edsjö said:
Well, I can think of two things:

1. the one you find problematic has more exposure (higher ISO). Maybe shooting manual and setting ISO manually as well is better?

2. Have you tried the flicker reduction setting in the photo menu?
Click to expand...
1. already shooting manual except ISO, it's no time to set all 3 parameters manualy..

2. Flicker reduction, didn't try...the next game is on monday I try with it...
 
vasja said:
Joakim Edsjö said:
Well, I can think of two things:

1. the one you find problematic has more exposure (higher ISO). Maybe shooting manual and setting ISO manually as well is better?

2. Have you tried the flicker reduction setting in the photo menu?
Click to expand...
1. already shooting manual except ISO, it's no time to set all 3 parameters manualy..

2. Flicker reduction, didn't try...the next game is on monday I try with it...
Click to expand...
Shooting manual I'd say set ISO to manual as well.
 
Brian Homer said:
vasja said:
Joakim Edsjö said:
Well, I can think of two things:

1. the one you find problematic has more exposure (higher ISO). Maybe shooting manual and setting ISO manually as well is better?

2. Have you tried the flicker reduction setting in the photo menu?
Click to expand...
1. already shooting manual except ISO, it's no time to set all 3 parameters manualy..

2. Flicker reduction, didn't try...the next game is on monday I try with it...
Click to expand...
Shooting manual I'd say set ISO to manual as well.
Click to expand...
 
bobn2 said:
Brian Homer said:
vasja said:
Joakim Edsjö said:
Well, I can think of two things:

1. the one you find problematic has more exposure (higher ISO). Maybe shooting manual and setting ISO manually as well is better?

2. Have you tried the flicker reduction setting in the photo menu?
Click to expand...
1. already shooting manual except ISO, it's no time to set all 3 parameters manualy..

2. Flicker reduction, didn't try...the next game is on monday I try with it...
Click to expand...
Shooting manual I'd say set ISO to manual as well.
Click to expand...
Manual exposure and auto ISO is a very sensible combination. It is,exposure which mostly determines the result, letting the camera find,a matching ISO saves time, unless you're trying to do the last n'th of optimisation.
Click to expand...
I’m not sure why auto iso is needed in manual. I understand iso is not part directly of exposure so I don’t see any advantage in letting the camera choose the iso. It doesn’t slow me down as I decide what iso to use and then set exposure manually. If I think I can use a lower iso it’s a simple switch.
 
Brian Homer said:
bobn2 said:
Brian Homer said:
vasja said:
Joakim Edsjö said:
Well, I can think of two things:

1. the one you find problematic has more exposure (higher ISO). Maybe shooting manual and setting ISO manually as well is better?

2. Have you tried the flicker reduction setting in the photo menu?
Click to expand...
1. already shooting manual except ISO, it's no time to set all 3 parameters manualy..

2. Flicker reduction, didn't try...the next game is on monday I try with it...
Click to expand...
Shooting manual I'd say set ISO to manual as well.
Click to expand...
Manual exposure and auto ISO is a very sensible combination. It is,exposure which mostly determines the result, letting the camera find,a matching ISO saves time, unless you're trying to do the last n'th of optimisation.
Click to expand...
I’m not sure why auto iso is needed in manual. I understand iso is not part directly of exposure so I don’t see any advantage in letting the camera choose the iso. It doesn’t slow me down as I decide what iso to use and then set exposure manually. If I think I can use a lower iso it’s a simple switch.
Click to expand...
When you set the ISO first, you're deciding on the exposure the camera will tell you is 'correct' (i.e., when the meter is centred) So the question then is, what is the advantage of using manual? If the camera is going to set exposure according to the meter, why not let it do it? If you just want to tweak a bit from the meter recommendation, why not use EC? It's not a big difference, but there is no virtue using manual unless you actually choose both exposure parameters yourself. The way I do it is to always aim for the biggest exposure dependent on my requirements for DOF and motion blur. That means setting the aperture and shutter myself. Then the exposure is fixed, and the camera can take care of the ISO, if I'm not seeking that last little tweak of ISO optimisation. Actually, with some auto ISOs you can set it up for the camera to do a pretty good job of that last tweak too.

So, the outcome is, that i work completely back to front compared to you, which is why for me auto ISO with M is worth having.
 
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