what do you think?

[monkeyman]

I have had a Canon 10d since March now, I`m using a Canon 28-135 IS lens.
When I take pics on manual I use the cameras metering and set the exposure to just underexpose the image, this gives me a photo which i`m happy with. But this takes time and sometimes I donot have the time to do this so I rely on the camera to make all or most of the decisions. The photo I get from this seems allways to be slightly overexposed with sometimes blown out whites and lost detail.

Please can you look at these photos;
IMG_1186.jpg, ferrari.jpg, IMG_1171.jpg
they are located at;
http://www.geocities.com/threebarrels/


They were taken using full auto setting because I didn`t think they would let me stay in the Ferrari showroom for long so I took loads. The showroom is in Lyndhurst, New Forest. They also have Bmw, Maserati and a Lamborghini.

So tell me what do you think I am doing wrong, could it be light getting into the top of the camera because I don`t press my eye tightly to the eyepiece? Or am I not setting something correctly.

Thanks for any comments good or bad, and any advice you may give.
Steve.

[PacAce]

The site of your link is "temporarily unavailable".

However, I'd like to offer a suggestion you could try if you're not doing it already. In manual, you say that you underexpose the image and that usually works fine for you. So, if you are using auto (in creative modes P, Av or Tv), then why not use the exposure compensation and set the camera to underexpose for you by the same amount you underexpose in manual?

In both cases, you are really letting the camera initially "think" for you and then overriding the camera setting by adjusting the setting for a little underexposure. So there really isn't any difference between shooting manual and auto, as far as exposure is concerned, except that in one case you are letting the camera set the setting (in auto modes) and in another, you yourself are setting the settings manually). However, there is a difference in how quickly you can set the exposures, with Manual being a lot slower than in auto modes (as you've already mentioned).

[Andy_T]

I only managed to get s short glimpse at the Ferrari image before I had the same problem as PacAce.

I think that it is a very difficult picture to take because of the large difference in tonality ... one part of the car is in the shadow of the showroom, but the wheel rim (most likely glistening chrome) is in the sun. That's bound to be blown out. Even the 1DII couldn't work magic in that case.

If you shoot RAW, you *might* be able to recover more detail, but I'm not sure.

Best regards,
Andy

[monkeyman]

Thanksfor the advice, sorry about my link being unavailable.

I will start to shoot some pics in RAW I have not done this yet apart from a few simply play shots. If this solves the problem I`m not sure what I`ll do for storage I know my memory will only hold about 130 photos at RAW, maybe I`ll have to invest in a storage device or carry my laptop around on hols.

I don`t really like the idea of setting the camera to underexpose all the time but thanks for sugestion, because I can see me forgetting I have it set to that. My thinking is it should take a decent image without any help from me.

Anymore ideas wellcome
Thanks again
Steve.