Dark electronic viewfinder image: I have a Sony Alpha Nex-6 mirrorless camera. I have begun under exposing my shots by 2/3's of a stop. This adjustment is reflected in the EVF and the...

bertloomis Loc: Fort Worth, Texas

I have a Sony Alpha Nex-6 mirrorless camera. I have begun under exposing my shots by 2/3's of a stop. This adjustment is reflected in the EVF and the LCD. They both get darker. The EVF is too dark and so is the LCD but I don't use it to compose shots. I have gone to the menu for the EVF and set it to AUTOMATIC which means it adapts the EVF image to be suitable for the photographer based on the lighting situation. But it is still too dark.

Then I went to the same area and set it manually to the brightest setting which is +1. That did not help.

So, I have two questions:
1. Is there a way to brighten the EVF that I have not yet found and if so, what is it?
2. Is it universally true, for all mirrorless cameras, that the EVF reflects any adjustments you have made prior to actually taking the shot?

Thanks so much!

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

Try turning off Live View.

bertloomis Loc: Fort Worth, Texas

rwilson1942 wrote:

Try turning off Live View.

When I put my eye to the EVF live view automatically turns off.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Why are you under exposing by amount?
--Bob

bertloomis wrote:

I have a Sony Alpha Nex-6 mirrorless camera. I ha... (show quote)

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

bertloomis wrote:

I have a Sony Alpha Nex-6 mirrorless camera. I ha... (show quote)

At least with my former E-M5, as the scene got darker it at some point kept the viewfinders brighter than the actual scene. I would go off the exposure and composition in the viewfinder since if I would take my eye away from the viewfinder I could not see the scene in front of me. Believe it or not, it took me a while to stop trying to see the scene without the viewfinder. The viewfinder showed the scene while my own eyes could not.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

bertloomis wrote:

I have a Sony Alpha Nex-6 mirrorless camera. I ha... (show quote)

I thought the EVF is supposed to show the scene exactly as it will be recorded.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

bertloomis wrote:

I have a Sony Alpha Nex-6 mirrorless camera. I ha... (show quote)

Some people see that viewfinder adjustment as an advantage, but it can also be a disadvantage.

CO

At some studio photo shoots, I have noticed that photographers who had Sony mirrorless cameras complained that their viewfinders were very dark. We put the cameras in manual mode, take light meter readings from the studio strobe light, and then enter the light meter readings into the cameras. Those settings produce the correct exposure when the strobe fires. The mirrorless photographers were wondering if there is a setting to override the EVF brightness.

BebuLamar

CO wrote:

At some studio photo shoots, I have noticed that photographers who had Sony mirrorless cameras complained that their viewfinders were very dark. We put the cameras in manual mode, take light meter readings from the studio strobe light, and then enter the light meter readings into the cameras. Those settings produce the correct exposure when the strobe fires. The mirrorless photographers were wondering if there is a setting to override the EVF brightness.

I don't have one of those cameras but I believe there should be a setting that makes the EVF brightness normal regardless of resulting image is too light or too dark. If not then those cameras have a serious problem as you pointed out in the case of using studio flash.

BebuLamar

Downloaded the manual. It seems that the OP should set the liveview display to "Setting Effect" to OFF.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

bertloomis wrote:

I have a Sony Alpha Nex-6 mirrorless camera. I ha... (show quote)

Don't know about Sony, but With Fuji you can brighten or darken ad lib. With Fujis, you can make it "reflect all adjustments" or not as you wish.

Toment Loc: FL, IL

bertloomis wrote:

I have a Sony Alpha Nex-6 mirrorless camera. I ha... (show quote)

What do your shots look like?
Are they dark like the EVF?

Dennis833 Loc: Australia

Sony mirrorless have two live view display settings "Setting Effect" ON or OFF. If you want to use flash or don't want to see the effect of your exposure through the EVF set... "Setting Effect" OFF. Your camera will now only show your exposures during the replay the same as an SLR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPKjkbk09us

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

Dennis833 wrote:

Sony mirrorless have two live view display settings "Setting Effect" ON or OFF. If you want to use flash or don't want to see the effect of your exposure through the EVF set... "Setting Effect" OFF. Your camera will now only show your exposures during the replay the same as an SLR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPKjkbk09us

Fuji does the same but lets you see the WB while turning off the exposure preview. This option lets you see the preview nicely lit even when you use manual flash. Pretty neat, huh?

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

bertloomis wrote:

I have a Sony Alpha Nex-6 mirrorless camera. I ha... (show quote)

My Fuji shows what the image will look like prior to pressing the shutter release. I’m not familiar with your Sony.