Hyperhad Loc: Thunder Bay, Canada

I went on a shoot yesterday to a local conservation area, the first time using my Sigma 150-600 in a "real" situation. Most of my images were 3-4 stops underexposed. I was shooting manual, and thought that somehow, I had set the exposure incorrectly for most of them. Not likely at all, but, I could not think of another explanation. I was able to pull up the RAW image, but am concerned.

The two images were just shot. Nikon 14-24, Manual, ISO 200, EV "0", 24mm, 1/640, F10. Exposure meter right on.

Last image Sigma 150-600, Shutter Priority, ISO 200, 1/1000, F6, EV-0.33. Shot yesterday at conservation area. Canada Goose.

Any thoughts/opinions on this?

Thanks.

Car in carport. Focus and meter on front headlight

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10MPlayer Loc: California

No idea. I'll be interested to see what others come up with.

Hyperhad Loc: Thunder Bay, Canada

I did have "Highlight-Weighted" metering on, but that does not explain the under exposure of evenly-lit scenes. It does, however, explain the shot of the car, working as it should. I re-shot a couple of images similar to yesterday, with and without highlight-weighted, and no difference. Still confused as to why so many were underexposed. I'll look into the setting in more detail after we walk to dog. I'll post more info if/when I find it. I was not aware of it except in a peripheral way up until now.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

How you metered the scene is irrelevant since you managed to get the right aperture and shutter speed for broad daylight and you were in manual mode.

They look significantly underexposed but the net EV (adjusted for the ISO) of 15 for the first two is correct for broad daylight and the third one at 14.33 is just below the Sunny 16 value.

There is definitely something amiss with either your shutter or the lens's aperture. See if it works better with a different lens.

BebuLamar

The first two are not in broad daylight. In the second one the part that illuminated with full sun exposed correctly. Under the car port the light level can't be as bright as broad daylight of sunny 16. I think it's his metering system is wrong and not the shutter speed, aperture or ISO aren't at set.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

The parts of the scene that are in broad daylight and they are quite underexposed. Another stop or two and the highlights would have been blown if the shutter or the lens had not failed.

The third image is likewise severely underexposed despite having the correct EV setting for broad daylight.

I suspect the problem could be the shutter or contacts since the same problem happened in two different lenses.

Nevertheless, the third shot is back-lit and the other two cover an unusually wide DR. The shadows can be recovered somewhat in raw processing.

N4646W

Could the auto white balance be the problem? I don't use auto, so not sure, but as soon as I got to know my way around the camera, and set it, it sure made a difference.

Ron

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

No, WB has no effect on exposure. The colors look OK.

The second exposure looks just about right for the part that is in sunlight. It was taken in the early afternoon. The deep shadows should actually look dark as they do.

The third image was taken early in the morning and it's back-lit. It may not be too underexposed either, maybe only a stop.

It's entirely possible that there is really no problem after all, just unfamiliar subject matter.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Just working by eye to that eye
1st is -3.25~
2nd is -1.~
3rd is -2~
Of course my eye isn't very scientific but there does seem to be a problem with the shutter. Were it the aperture I would expect the error to be the opposite

Hyperhad Loc: Thunder Bay, Canada

Exp. #2 was taken earlier today, but the majority of the bush was in the shadows, and the camera should have metered properly for that light level. The closest area to properly exposed is the brick wall, and even that is slightly underexposed.

Exp. #3 was side-lit, coming from the right of the frame. The odd thing is that none of the image is properly exposed. You would think that as the scene was quite evenly lit (in shadow), except for a couple of places on the bird, that the camera would have exposed for the trees. The image should have properly-exposed trees, with blown highlights on the white areas of the Geese. It looks like the camera is not reading the light level that the meter shows. I shot about 20 images similar to this one, and all of them were significantly underexposed. I shot with the Sigma and the 14-24, with the same results.

I have not seen this problem before yesterday. I'm going to my local photo store to speak with the owner. He sees lots of equipment in need of repair, and may have a better idea of what is going on, and whether the camera should go in to Nikon. He's a Nikon guy too, so he knows the cameras.

I'll report back what, if anything, I discover.

Thanks all for your replies.

btbg

There are two easy things that you can do to help identify what is causing the problem.

First shoot a photo in manual mode the same way you have and then switch the camera to fully auto and shoot the same subject and compare the exposure and whether or not the exif data matches. If the auto exposure is correct and the exif data is different for the two images that would indicate that you just set your exposure wrong when taking your photos. If the two photos are exposed differently but have the same exif data or if the two exposures are exactly the same that would indicate a camera problem.

The second thing that you could do is continue to shoot in manual but bracket your shot. Shoot one metered like you already have, then shoot one shot a full stop brighter, then anther two stops brighter, and so on until you get a correctly exposed image.

If the shots are all underexposed the same then it may be the lens is not opening up properly. If the shots change as you change the setting that will give you more information. The more information you have before taking the camera to the shop the better off you will be.

Looking at the settings on the photos that you showed it looks to me like they are underexposed based on the sunny 16 rule by one or more stop depending on the photo, since you said that they were not shot in direct sunlight and your settings are at least close to what would be considered correct for direct sunlight.

Hyperhad Loc: Thunder Bay, Canada

I did shoot some of them with shutter priority, but sound advice. I'll give that a try. I agree that the more info you have, the better a determination can be made as to the cause. I'll report back once done.

Hyperhad Loc: Thunder Bay, Canada

So, I went out to do some quick shots. I used a bush in front of the house. I shot in manual mode, meter dead center. Overexposed by at least one. Went to A and P. Same, overexposed. Back to manual. I had not moved the shutter or aperture from the manual settings. The camera had not left my eye during this procedure. About three seconds after switching back to Manual, the meter started reading overexposed, creeping up by increments to five marks over in about five seconds (I watched it move as if I was using a dimmer in a studio to increase the output of a light). Eye still to camera, no change in light. I brought the exposure "back" to center and took a shot. Once the camera fired, the meter jumped to underexposed by three marks. Most shots came out over-exposed. A couple looked correct. I'm pretty sure there is something going on with the metering system.
Methinks it be time to get Nikon involved.

Thanks all for your help and suggestions. They are appreciated.

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

You have to read between the lines.. For example in the last shot taken in Shutter priority of 1/1000th with a fixed ISO of 200 your camera choose F/6.. Your Lens at 400mm Can Not Open more than F/6, So your image will be under exposed, under this specific lighting condition. User related. Now if you can tell me why your lens will only allow F/6 at 400mm you will have learned something.

BebuLamar

Yup and as I suspect it's the meter and not bad shutter or aperture or ISO. One thing you can try. Switch to live view and test the meter may work perfectly.