D80 over exposure / metering problem (again - sorry!)

[amck]

Hi,

This problem has come up a number of times on this forum, but after reading numerous posts, I still havent found the answer / solution?

I just got back from holidays in Corsica with over 600 photos (D80 + nikkor 18-200 VR). To my horror I've realised that many photos - particularly landscapes - are over exposed / bleached (now this is truly visible on the computer screen).

It must be pointed that it was very sunny and bright and I did shoot many photos during the day, in full sun.

I understand that other people also have this problem - how do you deal with it (apart from underexposing or fixing it in the photoshop)?

What settings should I change / make sure are on / etc?

Thanks for all comments & advice!

 

[Youssef Abdelaal]

I have a D80. I've had your same problem when I first bought my D80, and it's a result of the D80's crappy Matrix Metering.

I've tried to compensate for it a lot by using exposure compensation, but it just never seemed to give me consistent results that I could comfortably expect. The skies were always white and overblown, instead of blue, etc...

You'll just have to not use Matrix Metering when shooting landscapes; use center-weighted metering.
--
Youssef
http://www.youssefabdelaal.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/youssefabdelaal/sets

 

[Youssef Abdelaal]

You can probably still use Matrix Metering if you're shooting in overcast light, as the contrast in the image won't be as high (that's mainly the problem with the D80's Matrix Metering).

It just tends to expose for the darkest parts of the image while completely disregarding the bright areas. So it ends up overblowing the bright areas in favor of properly exposing the darker ones. It's much easier to recover underexposed areas than overexposed ones in post-processing, why is why I shoot in CWM when it's sunny out, or when I'm shooting relatively dark buildings against a bright sky, etc...
--
Youssef
http://www.youssefabdelaal.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/youssefabdelaal/sets

 

[amck]

And has it got anything to do with the AE - L settings?

And if yes how?

 

[Youssef Abdelaal]

Auto Exposure Lock (AE-L) will just lock the exposure based on whatever the camera is pointed at the time when you press the button. You have to hold it down until you take the photo (and the AE-L/AF-L button has to actually be set to lock exposure, and not just focus, in the menu).

But no, that still won't fix your problem. I know you WANT to use Matrix Metering, I've been in that situation. Matrix Metering is generally more advanced and also helps a lot when you're shooting with flash. I've tried it on a D300 and it works great for landscapes, but unfortunately Matrix Metering is just broken on our D80 cameras.

Just take your camera out and do a couple of test shots with Matrix and Center-weighted Metering, of the same subject, and look at the difference. You'll realize that CWM just makes things a lot easier, and you'll start to like it eventually; I use it all the time. Now I only use Matrix indoors with flash.
--
Youssef
http://www.youssefabdelaal.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/youssefabdelaal/sets

 

[flyingmonkey]

A well known issue. Now I use the centerweighted meter on my D80 over 90% of the time, and no longer have overexposure problems. The rest of the time I use the matrix meter for flash pictures (ironically, often with +0.5 EV dialed in) and the spotmeter in tricky lighting.

 

[markdavis]

first if you don't post samples no one can help you, other than the trolls

it works just fine
it depends on focus area and focus depth

when you shoot landscapes focus where you like and meter on the horizon
if you want more sky meter above it, more lit shadows meter lower

it's that simple.

post the picture and if you do as i say and it won't work i'll give you the money to move to canon

 

[markdavis]

one more thing
i hope you were smart enough to shoot raw
hope you're not expecting camera jpeg to look like raw

 

[Youssef Abdelaal]

1. amck doesn't have to post samples regarding this particular issue in the D80, since it's a well-known issue, and I'm quite sure that flyingmonkey and myself are not "trolls" for helping amck without him having posted samples.

2. Fact is, the D80's Matrix Metering doesn't work "just fine". It's a known issue. Furthermore, metering "on the horizon" won't really work as you are implying. You are especially wrong when it comes to applying what you said to shooting buildings against a brighter sky, as metering on the edge of the building won't yield the desired results.

3. I hope you have a D80 and that you are speaking from experience, and not just... well, trolling. Maybe if you were speaking from experience with a D80, you wouldn't be giving false advice as you did above.
--
Youssef
http://www.youssefabdelaal.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/youssefabdelaal/sets

 

[Gliebert]

I've tried to shoot my kid's soccer games on a sunny day
and they have white jerseys. I've gone down to -1.0 exp comp
and still some whites blink on the highlight display.
You have to do a lot of test shots til you figure things out.
On very bright days sometimes I lower the contrast.
Sometimes the dynamic range of a scene is too broad
for the camera to get it all right.
they say once you blow a highlight you can't get it back,
so it's better to lower the exposure and bring up the darker stuff later.
anybody can correct me if I'm wrong.
I'm no expert!
(I want a D90-maybe it's easier to get a well exposed photo)

 

[markdavis]

i do have a d80, and other cameras as well
i tell you for sure d300 and d3 meter similar ways

d90 having active d-lighting fixes what p&s say it's bad metering
but active d. isn't good if you really do photography

instead of so much talking about so-called "sure things" post a sample
we don't like trolls

samples or go

 

[Youssef Abdelaal]

"Post a sample or go"? Are you serious?! I don't recall that being a rule or a requirement that will keep you from being classified as a troll.

You can post a sample if you want, and maybe attempt to help the original poster instead of talking sh*t to people who have actually attempted to help.

Regardless, I don't have to post a sample, as I have given the original poster my honest opinion (based on experience), which was then seconded by flyingmonkey. I have to apologize to amck for having had to have this meaningless conversation with someone like you on their thread.

This is when I will stop giving you any attention, as it is certainly not worth my time and effort to argue. Come to think of it, YOU're the real troll here, not me, and not flyingmonkey.

i do have a d80, and other cameras as well
i tell you for sure d300 and d3 meter similar ways

d90 having active d-lighting fixes what p&s say it's bad metering
but active d. isn't good if you really do photography

instead of so much talking about so-called "sure things" post a sample
we don't like trolls

samples or go

--
Youssef
http://www.youssefabdelaal.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/youssefabdelaal/sets

 

[markdavis]

This is when I will stop giving you any attention, as it is certainly
not worth my time and effort to argue.

you will listen to all i say with great care
you need me to understand why you can't take any pictures

so i say to all kids here with too much spare time:

POST IMAGES, STOP TALKING

 

[markdavis]

I've tried to shoot my kid's soccer games on a sunny day
and they have white jerseys. I've gone down to -1.0 exp comp
and still some whites blink on the highlight display.
You have to do a lot of test shots til you figure things out.

post a sample

 

[illy]

I have a D80. I've had your same problem when I first bought my D80,
and it's a result of the D80's crappy Matrix Metering.

I've tried to compensate for it a lot by using exposure compensation,
but it just never seemed to give me consistent results that I could
comfortably expect. The skies were always white and overblown,
instead of blue, etc...

You'll just have to not use Matrix Metering when shooting landscapes;
use center-weighted metering.
--
Youssef
http://www.youssefabdelaal.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/youssefabdelaal/sets

or shoot in manual mode, only yourself to blame then
--
http://illy.smugmug.com

 

[Klopek]

I have had my D80 (my first DSLR) for about 6 months now and use Matrix the vast majority of the time and recently mostly in Manual mode. I found that the more I used it the more I got the hang of how general exposure works and what to expose for in a certain situation depending on what results you wants. As many others have recommended - Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure is a good read. The following were all taken in Matrix and I am pretty happy with the results:











I find that you can sometimes get blown highlights but usually it is because I haven't exposed correctly. I'm no expert - this is just my 2 pennies' worth.

 

[markdavis]

if you know so much how come you take horrible pictures?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/youssefabdelaal/sets/72157607210571408/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/youssefabdelaal/2037765223/in/set-72157603292412675/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/youssefabdelaal/2483987014/in/set-72157605003516049/

 

[markdavis]

good job

the last one has the sand burned a bit. it was far away from the focus area right? more than 80% is properly exposed so that must be it. far and/or out of focus

was it a raw? it should be fixable if it was.

if not try to meter on something lighter next time.
it'll preserve more highlights.

you could meter on the sand, matrix would balance the picture more to the lights
increase light in the dark shadows after, in raw

 

[BoyOhBoy]

A well known issue. Now I use the centerweighted meter on my D80
over 90% of the time, and no longer have overexposure problems.

I have a D40 that suffers from a similar problem, though Thom Hogan says it uses a different metering scheme. Center weighted weighted metering does NOT solve the problem, but merely reduces it from absolutely obnoxious to merely irritating. The only solution I have found is to ensure that the image review is set to highlights, look at EVERY image immediately after it is shot, and get real comfortable with the procedure for manual EV adjustment. Over time I have learned to anticipate the problem a bit, to the point where it is not quite as irritating.

--
My display of mediocrity
http://groovygeek.deviantart.com/gallery/

 

[BoyOhBoy]

I have had my D80 (my first DSLR) for about 6 months now and use
Matrix the vast majority of the time and recently mostly in Manual
mode. I found that the more I used it the more I got the hang of how
general exposure works and what to expose for in a certain situation
depending on what results you wants. As many others have recommended

• Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure is a good read. The

following were all taken in Matrix and I am pretty happy with the
results:

Yes, the exposure of these is technically correct, but it is a pretty easy situation for the meter --- bright day, good lighting, not particularly sharp contrast. Try the same at sunrise and sunset, and see the outcome. In situations like that I just switch to manual, take a few test shots to figure out the exposure, and then leave it there.

--
My display of mediocrity
http://groovygeek.deviantart.com/gallery/