Photos are dark: Camera is Nikon D300 with Nikon 60m 2.8 Lens These photos were taken just after noon on a bright and sunny day. Focus is 51 points, ISO was 200, WB set to Auto...

authorizeduser Loc: Monroe, Michigan

Camera is Nikon D300 with Nikon 60m 2.8 Lens

These photos were taken just after noon on a bright and sunny day. Focus is 51 points, ISO was 200, WB set to Auto, NEF/JPG and in Aperture Priority mode. Only some of my 40 shots came out dark like this. The RAW is even darker. What am I doing wrong. The rest look good.

Attached is a dark photo and a good photo

Thanks for any assistance

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

authorizeduser wrote:

Camera is Nikon D300 with Nikon 60m 2.8 Lens

This photo was taken just after noon on a bright and sunny day. Focus is 51 points, ISO was 200, WB set to Auto, NEF/JPG and in Aperture Priority mode. Only some of my 40 shots came out this way. What am I doing wrong.

replied too soon. It would help if you clicked store original and uploaded without previewing the message.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

My guess is your meter read the glare on the windshield. If I'm shooting in situations where I suspect exposure may be a problem, I'll usually switch to manual & ask somebody to let me meter off the palm of their hand. You might want to check out Bryan Peterson's book "Understanding Exposure". Even with almost 50 years of photo experience, it brought back a lot of what I was taught in Photographer's Mate "A" school in 1967.

authorizeduser Loc: Monroe, Michigan

Thanks ..... Sounds like a reasonable explanation of why I have a dark photo. Will check out the book. Since I have the RAW I will attempt to correct it.

Thank goodness I shot RAW. Saved the image.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Unless I'm shooting for somebody else, I usually stick with RAW. I have a couple of projects I shoot every month for a couple of clubs in JPEG and deliver a DVD of the unedited photos. RAW is a better editing format.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

nicksr1125 wrote:

My guess is your meter read the glare on the windshield. If I'm shooting in situations where I suspect exposure may be a problem, I'll usually switch to manual & ask somebody to let me meter off the palm of their hand. .

Exactly. :thumbup:

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

authorizeduser wrote:

Thanks ..... Sounds like a reasonable explanation of why I have a dark photo. Will check out the book. Since I have the RAW i will attempt to correct it.
Thank goodness i shot RAW. Saved the image.

User, check the metering mode. Go with one that averages more areas.
For ex., spot will completely meter on one little spot, regardless of what the rest of the scene is like.
The focus points won't have anything to do with it, unless they are tied to your metering system. and be careful using so many focus points in a static shot, as you could lock focus on areas that are NOT your intended subject. Good luck. ;-)
SS

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

joer wrote:

Exactly. :thumbup:

Perfect time for a CPL

GordonB. Loc: St. Petersburg, Fl.

authorizeduser wrote:

Thanks ..... Sounds like a reasonable explanation of why I have a dark photo. Will check out the book. Since I have the RAW I will attempt to correct it.
Thank goodness I shot RAW. Saved the image.

Actually, I corrected the image in PSPX5 and it came out just fine being done in jpg. Raw will be even better. You
have no worries.

Gordon

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

You could have metered off the gray road or the blue denham jeans. At the B&H website or their youtube chanel look up Tim Cooper. He has a lecture on exposure and you can buy his DVDs on his website.http://www.timcooperphotography.com/store.html
Bryan Peterson's book is also very good. I use both sources.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

nicksr1125 wrote:

My guess is your meter read the glare on the windshield. If I'm shooting in situations where I suspect exposure may be a problem, I'll usually switch to manual & ask somebody to let me meter off the palm of their hand. You might want to check out Bryan Peterson's book "Understanding Exposure". Even with almost 50 years of photo experience, it brought back a lot of what I was taught in Photographer's Mate "A" school in 1967.

Without seeing the metadata I agree. I probably would have read the car or a neutral grey area for exposure... Bracketing would also have given at least 1/3 stop each way depending on bracket setting.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

nicksr1125 wrote:

My guess is your meter read the glare on the windshield.

That was my first thought. Camera meters are excellent. When they see bright light, they compensate. Unfortunately, they're not excellent enough.

I wonder if a CPL would have helped with that glare.

dynaquest1 Loc: Austin, Texas

authorizeduser wrote:

Camera is Nikon D300 with Nikon 60m 2.8 Lens

These photos were taken just after noon on a bright and sunny day. Focus is 51 points, ISO was 200, WB set to Auto, NEF/JPG and in Aperture Priority mode. Only some of my 40 shots came out dark like this. The RAW is even darker. What am I doing wrong. The rest look good.

Attached is a dark photo and a good photo

Thanks for any assistance

Check to see if you have exposure auto-bracketing activated. If you do, depending on how many frames and EV +/- are selected, each succeeding exposure will be different. For example, if you have auto-bracketing set for 5 exposures at EV: -2, -1, Normal, +1, +2, then four of these five exposures will be exposed incorrectly - either too dark (underexposed) or too light (over exposed). Good Luck.

Meives Loc: FORT LAUDERDALE

[quote=authorizeduser]Any time you ask for help like this it is best to post and click on "store original". Better download and the camera data is available to give specific results. Thanks David

RJNaylor Loc: Delmar, New York

nicksr1125 wrote:

My guess is your meter read the glare on the windshield. If I'm shooting in situations where I suspect exposure may be a problem, I'll usually switch to manual & ask somebody to let me meter off the palm of their hand. You might want to check out Bryan Peterson's book "Understanding Exposure". Even with almost 50 years of photo experience, it brought back a lot of what I was taught in Photographer's Mate "A" school in 1967.

:thumbup: