jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

I think something is wrong too. She must have some settings wrong in camera.

Neilhunt

There's a setting on Sony mirrorless cameras to render the viewfinder image "with effects" (in this case manual exposure setting that is too dark for the unlit scene) or "without effects" (which would make the image normally bright).

Usually, "with effects" is the right answer, to preview exactly what you are going to shoot.
The reason for this setting allowing "without effects" is exactly this case.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

Some mirrorless camera have the ability to have the EVF or LCD produce an image reflecting the aperture, shutterspeed, and iso settings. This is usually under control of a menu setting somewhere. HTH OOps didn't see the posting right above. Sorry for the duplication of info.

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

Turn off 'Live View' when working with flash.

JPL

On my Sony A7r I can control this in settings - Live view display - off. Then I will always have a bright picture in the viewfinder, no matter the iso, shutter speed or lens aperture. But with settings - Live view display - on, I get the picture the camera will record according to the settings and without added light from flash or studio strobes.

So I am pretty sure she has to change this setting to set her camera properly for studio work.

CO

Thanks to everyone for the information. Lots of knowledgeable folks here. I'm going to pass on the information to the gal who has the mirrorless camera. As sophisticated as cameras are today, I thought there must be different options.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

No, you should not see the "working" aperture, since you're not looking through the lens on a mirrorless camera!

RowYourVold

Agree with most posters that the issue was probably that she was seeing the scene as exposed without the flash, which I assume was very dark.

**However, not all mirrorless cameras actually stop down the aperture--even if the EVF appears to get darker as you stop down. I can't speak for Sony, but I have an Olympus EM-10 ii and there's a "Depth of Field Preview" feature that actually does stop down the lens if you want to preview depth of field. Otherwise, the physical aperture of the lens remains wide open until the moment of shooting, even if you've stopped the aperture way down electronically. I'm not an engineer, but I can only assume the EVF is doing this mathematically, not by physically closing the aperture.

I was very curious about this myself because when I use my 25mm 1.4 lens at 1.4, I often don't get enough depth of field so I stop it down to something like f2.8. The image in the EVF (or LCD) still shows depth of field similar to 1.4 as I'm composing, but when I actually click the shutter, the resulting image shows the much-greater depth of field that equates to the aperture I actually selected.

I'd love to know if a Sony user could perform a similar test with a fast prime--take a shot wide open, take a shot at F8, full manual exposure, WYSIWYG set on the EVF, and compare what you see in the viewfinder/LCD as you're composing and focusing in each case.

John Howard Loc: SW Florida and Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.

Correct. What you see is what you get. If I am shooting in low light I push the exposure comp to lighten the image to focus manually, and after focusing, dial back to expose correctly. This works in aperture priority because the EV adjustment is changing the time and not the shutter.

BebuLamar

Then you look thru what?

John Howard Loc: SW Florida and Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.

Whether looking thru the eyepiece, an electronic view finder, or the screen on the back of the camera, you are seeing what the sensor is seeing. If a low light image and too dark to focus manually, brighten the image with exposure comp, and the after focusing change back to proper exposure. Not rocket science.

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

Wrong, but how do you figure that. At least with the Sony a7 series, the aperture is always the working aperture and not sure how looking through the lens would change that, no DSLR views at working aperture unless you stop down the lens, Sony mirrorless (as far as I know) operate at working aperture and there is no stop down button, what I've learn in this post, that I didn't know is that I can set my Sony to not stop down until I hit the shutter. But that is not the default setting, you see the exact shot, depth of field, color saturation, brightness, etc. exactly like the final picture will look like when you look through the view finder.

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

She does not know how to use manual focus. There are several advanced aids for manual focus on the Sony. It can be set to provide contrast peaking color fringing (Not on the sensor, just on the evf as well as magnification assist. And that's just the start. It can be set to darken if you like, but if she is syncing with strobes, that would not apply.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

She must have had something set wrong!? Mine works just fine and focuses wide open and stops down for the shot. Maybe a ol' manual aperture lens?

bwa

repleo Loc: Boston

Of course you are looking through the lens. You are seeing what the sensor sees without a mirror in the way.