Exposure Level question

[Jonas]

Hello,

I have problem with my DRebel. With exposure level in the midle i get picures too dark, I have to increase exposure till 1.5 - 2 to get normaly exposed pictures, does anyone else had this type issue/problem?

Thank you,
Jonas

[defordphoto]

Are you shooting RAW and not understanding the conversion process?

[drisley]

You know what, I sort of notice the same thing.
I will get an exposure that is dead center, or even to the right of center, and most of the time when I bring those images into C1 PRo, I have to increase the exposure compensation level by +1 to +2.

I usually shoot manual mode, which uses center-weighted evalutaion, which may have something to do with it. Dunno.
Out of 100 shots, I might have 1 that doesn't need an increase in EC.

[Jonas]

Hi Jim and Drisley,

I am new to Digital Rebel, before I was shooting with film EOS300. I am shooting .jpg. When I transfer pics to PC and look at them with something like ACDSee, the prictures look very dark, the only way to get them right is to set the Exposure Compensation to +1.5-2 on the camer before shooting, is that normal? Or that is some camera problems?

Jonas

[drisley]

That sounds similar to my result, except that I can set my compensation after shooting since I use RAW

[McShred]

are you sure your monitor is giving you the correct results? Have you had any printed?

You may just need to adjust your monitor.

[Malaxos1]

are you sure your monitor is giving you the correct results? Have you had any printed?

You may just need to adjust your monitor.

I am shooting with a D Rebel as well and I am NOT having the same problem at all. I use a Sekonic L358 light meter and found that the Rebel is very accurate when comparing the light meter with the camera metering from a gray card. What mode are you guys shooting in? I have found that if shooting people (caucasian) you always need to go up +1, Tha's how it is with the zone system. Shooting black requires -1 or even -2. When you shoot snow you should get a gray image if the camera is working right. It's up to you to compensate +1 1/2 to +2 to make the snow white. I reccomend getting "Confuesd photographer's guide to exposure and the simplified zone system" by Farzad. This book is easy to read and your photos will look ten fold better...Dean

[perfectpixel]

what does the histogram look like? All piled up on the left? even distribution? It could very well be your monitor.

[dpanicc1]

Good point about the monitor gamma; that bit me once before. Make sure your monitor's gamma is turned up appropriately else your pictures will appear dark. How do they look when you print them? I usually adjust my monitor so the prints look similiar not only in terms of color but also "lightness/darkness."

http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html#Monitorsetup

You have to watch the exposure system on the these cameras (10D and Rebel). First, if you're in auto or letting the camera select the focus point the camera weights exposure to THAT focus point--what the camera "sees as the subject" it adjusts esposure accordingly. Now, if the subject happens to be bright, the camera will "see" a much higher reflectivity than 18% and adjusts exposure such that the picture turns out too dark.

Best thing to do is take the camera out of full auto and shoot manual, Av or TV so you can think about what the camera "sees" and you'll get much better results. Sometimes you HAVE TO intervine.

Regards...

[drisley]

My monitor is calibrated.
Usually the histogram is over to the left and I need to add +1 or +2 in C1 Pro to get a balanced histogram.

I shoot mainly in manual mode, and this happens with an exposure that is showing center or slightly right.

Here is an example where I took the picture in manual mode, and the exposure was slightly to the right in the viewfinder.

http://www.sharpnsmart.com/temporary/sample.jpg