Why does auto mode always result in overexposure outside?

[David J. Payne]

Hi all,

I have been battling with this problem for years. When I use my FX1's outside particularly in bright sunshine, auto mode produces overexposed images. By the same token I find that often inside its a little underexposed, but the outside issue is the biggest problem for me.

is there some sort of way of editing these presets like I can with my DSLR to say "film at -whatever below what you would normally use please Mr FX1" as I'm fine in manual but when more inexperienced people use my cameras to help out I would love to just say 'stick it in auto, all will be fine...'

Cheers,

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

David,
In the Profile menu, there is the opportunity to plus or minus the auto exposure point to you own preference.
I agree that the FX1 if left to itself will indeed tend to expose too high.
I much prefer an underexposure so as not to blow the whites...

[Alec Moreno]

If you have an FX1, then yes, you'll need to use the AE SHIFT in a picture profile.

If you have a Z1 though...
1. Set one of your assign buttons to AE OVERRIDE.
2. Put the gain and shutter speed on manual.
3. Put the iris in auto.
4. Turn on the AE OVERRIDE by pressing the assign button.
5. Use the iris dial to increase or decrease the exposure as desired.
6. If shooting a subject with a very bright or dark background, you may also assign another button to either SPOTLIGHT or BACKLIGHT and turn it on as well.
7. If you're shooting a scene that will have drastic changes in lighting, you can also put the gain in auto and the camera will have a much greater exposure range. If you do this though, be sure to set the maximum gain (AGC LIMIT) to 12db in one of the picture profiles and turn that profile on. Just watch your other settings within that profile to make sure you're not using some setting that you didn't intend to...such as CINEFRAME, which most people avoid. (By the way, if you do not use a picture profile, the camera will not have an upper gain limit, so it may easily gain up above 12db.)

Alec Moreno
Wedding Art Films - Southern California - Los Angeles - Orange County - Video

[David J. Payne]

i feel like a fool for not knowing about this...! I have been using these cameras for a number of years and never knew they had an AE Shift!

Thank you both so much

[David J. Payne]

edit: I've also just noticed AT Iris LMT.

At the moment I open my iris as open as possible and adjust the shutter for exposure, therefore keeping the narrowest depth of field as possible. If I leave AT Iris LMT set to f4.0 am I right in saying this will enable me to shoot in auto mode but still technically giving me what a DSLR would call aperture priority? (Never going to a higher number than f4?)

Also if I were to set this up, would the auto mode also incorporate ND filters? I generally don't use them and just set the shutter to a very high level (1250 or a notch higher) in order to get a jagged slightly more film like effect from fast movement. The one thing I'm not sure about is whether the camera will be told to not go lower than f4 but therefore instead of keeping no ND filter and setting a shutter at 1250 in bright light... rather set ND2 and then a shutter of just 300?

[Alec Moreno]

ND filters will not kick in automatically.

Alec Moreno
Wedding Art Films - Southern California - Los Angeles - Orange County - Video

[David J. Payne]

excellent this is just what i needed, thanks