Issue with 40mm EF lens on 350D

Dear all,

I recently purchased a 40mm EF lens f/2.8 stm.

To my surprise when I mount it on my canon 350D, the light metering seams to be all off. In automatic setting It takes pictures that are very over exposed. It also insists on using the flash when it's not necessary.

I can make a good picture when I adjust shutter speed myself (Tv), but I would like to use the automatic settings (the green rectangle). This is now impossible because it over exposes everything

Is this a known issue?

Is there something I can do to rectify it?

DePurpereWolf wrote:

Dear all,

I recently purchased a 40mm EF lens f/2.8 stm.

To my surprise when I mount it on my canon 350D, the light metering seams to be all off. In automatic setting It takes pictures that are very over exposed. It also insists on using the flash when it's not necessary.

I can make a good picture when I adjust shutter speed myself (Tv), but I would like to use the automatic settings (the green rectangle). This is now impossible because it over exposes everything

Is this a known issue?

Is there something I can do to rectify it?

Hoi!

Have you checked if the aperture is being set correctly? Greenbox mode and flash isn't great, especially on older camera's. To take full control, I recommend the use of M mode instead. This way you're able to balance ambient and flash.

I don't know what is wrong, but try using P (Program) mode instead A (Automatic) and see if that works. P mode is mostly automatic but lets you also set some things.

seri_art wrote:

I don't know what is wrong, but try using P (Program) mode instead A (Automatic) and see if that works. P mode is mostly automatic but lets you also set some things.

I agree completely.  P gives you all the advantages of the green box, but allows you to make adjustments and only uses flash when you manually open it.

M is great if the light is perfectly consistent, or you just want to go through the entire adjustment process for each shot.  Personally I don't use it that often and have shot my 60D for almost 4 years and had two EOS film cameras in the 80's and 90's.  P will get it right the vast majority of the time, and with the screen, you can see when it gets it wrong and can make any kind of adjustment.  If you are involved in what's going on in any way other than to photograph the scene, conversation, detailed observation, etc. M requires way too much concentration for just a little benefit, IMO.

I can't think of any reason that should happen. The lens only affects the metering in that it's expected to be wide-open (f/2.8 for that lens) during metering. Everything else is done by the camera body, and about the only thing metering cares about from the lens is the wide-open f-number (2.8 for that lens).

Have you tried removing and remounting the lens, to be sure you got good contact?

Is the viewfinder dim with that lens mounted? If so, it may be failing to "open wide" for metering.