F717 too dark shots

[404kf2]

I don't know how to upload a sample photo here, but today I was taking some daytime outdoor photos in Auto mode (green icon on dial) and all of them were massively underexposed.

In some of the photos, there was moderate backlighting by an overcast sky, but the brightest light was always on the front of the subjects. I even took a few shots where there was absolutely no sky at all in the photo and they also were way too dark - I am bummed.

Short of systematically editing each photo's brightness in PS, are there any suggestions? The typical info on the photos was DEV (whatever that means), F4.0, 400. If anyone wants to see a sample, I could email a small version of one image to someone.

I think there may be something wrong with the camera, but I'm not sure. I would have thought that with all that sophisticated circuitry it'd be better in auto mode. Help!
--
Mike T.
BC, Canada

 

[DannyV]

Go here http://www.pbase.com/register it is free for a trial period, although if you upload a lot of images expect to pay for it.

Create an account and upload your pics, then post the URL back here. It will be very difficult for anyone to help you without a photo. Also, it may be possible that something is wrong with your camera, but I have only seen 1 or 2 posts of DOA cameras, so I would suspect some type of operator error

I don't know how to upload a sample photo here, but today I was
taking some daytime outdoor photos in Auto mode (green icon on
dial) and all of them were massively underexposed.

In some of the photos, there was moderate backlighting by an
overcast sky, but the brightest light was always on the front of
the subjects. I even took a few shots where there was absolutely
no sky at all in the photo and they also were way too dark - I am
bummed.

Short of systematically editing each photo's brightness in PS, are
there any suggestions? The typical info on the photos was DEV
(whatever that means), F4.0, 400. If anyone wants to see a sample,
I could email a small version of one image to someone.

I think there may be something wrong with the camera, but I'm not
sure. I would have thought that with all that sophisticated
circuitry it'd be better in auto mode. Help!
--
Mike T.
BC, Canada

--
Daniel
Sony 717, Oly 2100, Nikon 6006, Pentax ME Super Program
http://www.pbase.com/dvogel11

 

[euronews2]

Get familiar with the histogram (its a great tool to get perfect exposure), the EV setting (this is correction of the cameras decision) and choose center weightered measurement the first months. (This changes exposure time a lot in most cases. With this setting you are nearly always close to the optimum)

It takes some time to learn photography, but it´s worth it.

You will love your cam, I am sure it is okay. We all began and the steps forward are fun like the pictures thereselves. After some months we all think we know everything, and some years later we realize we still can improve the skills for taking pictures. But it is not work learning, it is fun.

I don't know how to upload a sample photo here, but today I was
taking some daytime outdoor photos in Auto mode (green icon on
dial) and all of them were massively underexposed.

In some of the photos, there was moderate backlighting by an
overcast sky, but the brightest light was always on the front of
the subjects. I even took a few shots where there was absolutely
no sky at all in the photo and they also were way too dark - I am
bummed.

Short of systematically editing each photo's brightness in PS, are
there any suggestions? The typical info on the photos was DEV
(whatever that means), F4.0, 400. If anyone wants to see a sample,
I could email a small version of one image to someone.

I think there may be something wrong with the camera, but I'm not
sure. I would have thought that with all that sophisticated
circuitry it'd be better in auto mode. Help!
--
Mike T.
BC, Canada

 

[Steven W. Bennett]

Hi Mike,

You might try spot metering to overcome challenging lighting
situations. Focus the crosshair on a face, or whatever else
you want to look good, then, keeping the crosshair in position,
press ae lock. You'll probably see an overall brightening (sometimes
darkening) of the display, depending on the situation. Alternately,
leave the flash on auto or forced, if necessary, especially in when there

is backlighting. Autoexposure only works when the is a fairly even distribution of lights darks and grays. You can also use exposure
compensation. If there is lot of white in the frame, turn exposure
comensation to the plus side. If a lot of dark, you may need to turn
it to the minus side. This outthinks the auto-exposure mechanism
which wants to force the exposre to an average middle grey.

You could also use exposure brackting and shoot three pics with varying exposures, however that will not work with the flash. I hope this gives
you some ideas to play with.

Steve

I don't know how to upload a sample photo here, but today I was
taking some daytime outdoor photos in Auto mode (green icon on
dial) and all of them were massively underexposed.

In some of the photos, there was moderate backlighting by an
overcast sky, but the brightest light was always on the front of
the subjects. I even took a few shots where there was absolutely
no sky at all in the photo and they also were way too dark - I am
bummed.

Short of systematically editing each photo's brightness in PS, are
there any suggestions? The typical info on the photos was DEV
(whatever that means), F4.0, 400. If anyone wants to see a sample,
I could email a small version of one image to someone.

I think there may be something wrong with the camera, but I'm not
sure. I would have thought that with all that sophisticated
circuitry it'd be better in auto mode. Help!
--
Mike T.
BC, Canada

 

[Steven W. Bennett]

I forget too mention the histogram. Indispensable when used in
conjunction with the exposure compensation wheel. This is not
available in full-auto mode, but it is in Program mode and the other
A, S and M modes. Don't know about movie mode.
Good luck.

Steve

I don't know how to upload a sample photo here, but today I was
taking some daytime outdoor photos in Auto mode (green icon on
dial) and all of them were massively underexposed.

In some of the photos, there was moderate backlighting by an
overcast sky, but the brightest light was always on the front of
the subjects. I even took a few shots where there was absolutely
no sky at all in the photo and they also were way too dark - I am
bummed.

Short of systematically editing each photo's brightness in PS, are
there any suggestions? The typical info on the photos was DEV
(whatever that means), F4.0, 400. If anyone wants to see a sample,
I could email a small version of one image to someone.

I think there may be something wrong with the camera, but I'm not
sure. I would have thought that with all that sophisticated
circuitry it'd be better in auto mode. Help!
--
Mike T.
BC, Canada

 

[404kf2]

http://upload.pbase.com/404kf2/

It's the only image in my (404kf2) gallery. This is a smaller version of the original which I made for uploading purposes. As I wrote before, the shots taken yesterday all suffered from this problem. Admittedly this particular one was a difficult photo due the backlighting but others with no backlighting (but taken under similar diffuse light conditions) also sucked!

The parameters posted in my original thread apply to this particular photo (400/F4/DEV).

Any suggestions?

Thanks for helping!

 

[Yehuda Katz]

Any suggestions?
Thanks for helping!

Are you screen caliberated? On my screen the photo looks normal. What your histogram has to say?

Yehuda

 

[arra]

Shot is very good exposed (auto works correctly) - check histogram. Your real problem is: when You shoot at very bright sky (or other large bright objects) and want to expose a direct subject correctly You have to go different mode (ex. P-AUTO) and adjust EV settings or change metering mode to correct exposure.

Regards.

--- Arra ---
Poland
Sony DSC-F717 (HAF fixed 11-28-02)
http://www.pbase.com/717

 

[Shutter.]

404kf2,

Hi, this example is a case of simple underexposure. In auto mode, the camera is going to take a light reading and make it's decision. In this case, it read so much of the bright sky and exposed for the sky and no the subject. Sometimes it helps to know when you adjust the EV settings or perhaps go into manual mode and change the exposure yourself. That will come with with experience.

But, an underexposed image can be easily brightened with a little levels adjustment in an image editor, like below....



I frequently will underexpose a stop intentionally just because I like what I can do in editing with a slightly underexposed photo.

Also, I cropped it just a bit (hope you don't mind) to show a little engaging composition by using the "rule of thirds". Generally, you don't want to place the subject of your photo right in themiddle. Hope you don't mind my tweaking!

Jim

http://upload.pbase.com/404kf2/

It's the only image in my (404kf2) gallery. This is a smaller
version of the original which I made for uploading purposes. As I
wrote before, the shots taken yesterday all suffered from this
problem. Admittedly this particular one was a difficult photo due
the backlighting but others with no backlighting (but taken under
similar diffuse light conditions) also sucked!

The parameters posted in my original thread apply to this
particular photo (400/F4/DEV).

Any suggestions?

Thanks for helping!

--
Jim Fuglestad

Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase. -Percy W. Harris
Our existence is determined by the truths we tell.
Why simply live and let live? Live and help live.
http://www.pbase.com/jfuglestad/galleries

 

[DannyV]

I took the liberty of doing a slight curves adjustment in paint shop pro, I hope you don't mind. I lightened the middle and darker parts of the image. Let me know when you have looked at the image, and I will remove it from my PBase account. Here is the link.
http://www.pbase.com/image/14895159/large

The points made by others are right on, given the bright sky, the camera attempted to preserve detail and lowered the exposure. Center weighted metering would have helped the exposure of the girl, but probably overexposed (a lot) the sky. Monitor calibration and position is very important as well. On my monitor, the original image looks pretty good, the grass might be a little dark. Both photoshop and paint shop pro have basic monitor calibration tools. Also, try to avoid positioning the monitor near strong ambient light, it will cause the image to appear darker than normal. The great thing about digital cameras is that you are not usually stuck with the picture you started with as you are with film. You will find it is worth the effort to get a good photo editing program and learn how to use it, then you will have a "digital darkroom" at your disposal.

http://upload.pbase.com/404kf2/

It's the only image in my (404kf2) gallery. This is a smaller
version of the original which I made for uploading purposes. As I
wrote before, the shots taken yesterday all suffered from this
problem. Admittedly this particular one was a difficult photo due
the backlighting but others with no backlighting (but taken under
similar diffuse light conditions) also sucked!

The parameters posted in my original thread apply to this
particular photo (400/F4/DEV).

Any suggestions?

Thanks for helping!

--
Daniel
Sony 717, Oly 2100, Nikon 6006, Pentax ME Super Program
http://www.pbase.com/dvogel11

 

[404kf2]

Thanks everyone for the help....I may have a monitor problem and I'll see if I can calibrate it wth PS as suggested. I have emailed the unaltered original photo to my office and I'll take a look at it there toorrow to see if it appears lighter. We do have a crappy old 14" HP CRT at home and maybe it's past it.

The selective brightening tool looks good and I'll see if photoshop has a similar effect. I am not what you would call a skilled user (or photographer ;-))

Thanks again for all the assistance!

Mike T.
Canada

 

[Steven W. Bennett]

Mike,

This will help you: http://www.shortcourses.com/using/exposure/chapter3.htm

It's one page of a very good digital photography short-course.
Look at the whole thing if you have the time. You'll learn
a lot.

Steve

 

[404kf2]

So I emailed the unaltered photo to myself at work and to a co-worker's computer at work to see if my home computer's screen was at fault. It is. The shot appeared to be pretty good on my LCD screen at work and also on the co-worker's CRT screen.

The camera is fine, the computer screen has to go (or be recalibrated).

Thanks again for the help!
--
Mike T.
BC, Canada

 

[404kf2]

Just to confirm, the camera is fine - the exposure that you looked at looks pretty much OK on my work computer display and that of a co-worker (CRT and LCD).

Thanks for the help!!! You people are great!
--
Mike T.
BC, Canada