Exposure meter off? at DVinfo.net

Ryan Mueller · June 6th, 2009, 04:58 PM

I am wondering if anyone else has noticed that the exposure meter is quite a bit off? I gain proper exposure to my eye, and the meter tells me that I am over exposed. I drop the exposure to where the camera reads it as level, in the middle, and it would be WAY under exposed. What gives?

Olof Ekbergh · June 6th, 2009, 05:41 PM

If you have access to scopes you can learn how to set the correct exposure pretty quickly.

If not an old fashioned light meter, I use a Luma Pro, is usually right on. I use it all the time, it gets me right in the ball park and you get a good idea of the number of stops difference in the shadows ws highlights. Don't forget to compensate for the ND filters or Polarizers. This is how you work with film, and it is still a real good way to go.

If I am in a hurry, I usually set my shot up (with new FW) in M still mode from eye pc. This really is like using a spot meter (if set to spot). And the settings stay when you go to live view. I also do my focus cues in viewfinder then switch to live view.

OK so I don't do run and gun this way, the way I do that is with an EX3 or a DSR500.

With the new FW I am falling in love with this cam all over again. I had gotten a little jaded.

Daniel Browning · June 6th, 2009, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan Mueller

I am wondering if anyone else has noticed that the exposure meter is quite a bit off? I gain proper exposure to my eye, and the meter tells me that I am over exposed. I drop the exposure to where the camera reads it as level, in the middle, and it would be WAY under exposed. What gives?

Digital cameras often have very different tone curves. Camera A could be designed to have four stops of highlight headroom, whereas Camera B could be designed to have just two. Camera A will meter two stops "underexposed" compared to the meter on Camera B, but middle gray will look the same in the resulting videos. The choice of exposure (and tone curve) is a balance between highlight headroom and noise.

Chris Barcellos · June 7th, 2009, 12:16 AM

I think what Ryan is saying is that the "floating meter" that comes up on the bottom of the screen appears to be way off at times. The first time I saw that meter, was after the new update. Initially I thought that was an added extra. But on some of my shots, when I center the needle, I get washed out or clipped image. I think that may be due to the fact that the meter on the camera is spot metering. Thus if the center spot is dark and other parts of imager are much brighter, then you are going to have that happen. Sounds like an 18% gray card is the answer to this issue.

Nigel Barker · June 7th, 2009, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

II think that may be due to the fact that the meter on the camera is spot metering. Thus if the center spot is dark and other parts of imager are much brighter, then you are going to have that happen.

The default for metering is 'Evaluative' which means an average of the whole screen. It only uses spot metering if you set it as such. "Setting Exposure Compensation" Page 95 in my manual.

Ryan Mueller · June 7th, 2009, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

The default for metering is 'Evaluative' which means an average of the whole screen. It only uses spot metering if you set it as such. "Setting Exposure Compensation" Page 95 in my manual.

I'll have to check my metering settings. I let my brother-in-law borrow the cam for a shoot and it's possible that he tweaked some settings that I didn't catch. Come to think of it, I didn't notice the problem until I got the cam back from him.

Steve Rotter · June 10th, 2009, 10:48 AM

i noticed the same thing. did you see any difference after making changes? i have had the rebel, 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D, 5D, and none of them work like the mkii....underexposed most of the time! the light meter at the bottom of the screen says proper lighting is achieved via pointer in center, and yet, underexposed shots! i never had this issue on the other models.

June 6th, 2009, 04:58 PM	#1
Ryan Mueller Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Highlands Ranch, CO Posts: 336	Exposure meter off? I am wondering if anyone else has noticed that the exposure meter is quite a bit off? I gain proper exposure to my eye, and the meter tells me that I am over exposed. I drop the exposure to where the camera reads it as level, in the middle, and it would be WAY under exposed. What gives?

June 7th, 2009, 12:16 AM	#4
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	I think what Ryan is saying is that the "floating meter" that comes up on the bottom of the screen appears to be way off at times. The first time I saw that meter, was after the new update. Initially I thought that was an added extra. But on some of my shots, when I center the needle, I get washed out or clipped image. I think that may be due to the fact that the meter on the camera is spot metering. Thus if the center spot is dark and other parts of imager are much brighter, then you are going to have that happen. Sounds like an 18% gray card is the answer to this issue. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

June 6th, 2009, 05:41 PM	#2
Olof Ekbergh Sponsor: Westside AV Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mount Washington Valley, NH, USA Posts: 1,365	If you have access to scopes you can learn how to set the correct exposure pretty quickly. If not an old fashioned light meter, I use a Luma Pro, is usually right on. I use it all the time, it gets me right in the ball park and you get a good idea of the number of stops difference in the shadows ws highlights. Don't forget to compensate for the ND filters or Polarizers. This is how you work with film, and it is still a real good way to go. If I am in a hurry, I usually set my shot up (with new FW) in M still mode from eye pc. This really is like using a spot meter (if set to spot). And the settings stay when you go to live view. I also do my focus cues in viewfinder then switch to live view. OK so I don't do run and gun this way, the way I do that is with an EX3 or a DSR500. With the new FW I am falling in love with this cam all over again. I had gotten a little jaded.

June 10th, 2009, 10:48 AM	#7
Steve Rotter Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 94	i noticed the same thing. did you see any difference after making changes? i have had the rebel, 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D, 5D, and none of them work like the mkii....underexposed most of the time! the light meter at the bottom of the screen says proper lighting is achieved via pointer in center, and yet, underexposed shots! i never had this issue on the other models.