Need help, XTi vs D40 difference...

[MLphoto]

Okay i always get this problem... I use a Canon XTi, P mode and shoot at 100ISO and my shutter speed is usally around 1/150. My friend uses a Nikon D40, uses auto mode... I use a CPL filter, he uses a CPL filter.... i use a 17-85IS lens, he uses his kit 18-55...

here is the probelm, i always get shots that come out dark, or sometime really bright, there is something that im doing wrong and i need your help. Is it that im just shooting in the wrong mode, wrong ISO, or what? i have a CPL filter on my camera to crank up saturation and a lens hood...

here are pictures that i took of this car...
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/3372/may25th08006smallbo2.jpg
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6493/may25th08008smallez3.jpg

and here are pictures that my friend took of this car...
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/3034/2522655056df7253d3e3ck6.jpg


his lighting is right on, my is way to dark, its not just this time, it happens about 70percent of the time, im getting sick of it, i have a huge huge show coming up june 17th and a few events taking place june 15th and june 16th... so i need to get my act together before then.!!

[w00tgasm]

Can we get the EXIF data on the Nikon picture?

[MLphoto]

Can we get the EXIF data on the Nikon picture?

yes

D40 - http://flickr.com/photos/rob-wisniewski/2522655056/meta/
Xti - http://flickr.com/photos/marcel-lech-photography/2522153657/meta/

[MLphoto]

if you want, if you go on my flickr and go threw a few pages you can see that so many of my automotive photos have dark lighting. I just want it right one! maybe TV mode is something i can look into...

[infinite012]

Metering mode comes to mind. Also looks like your friend is post processing his photos a lot more than you care to.

[MLphoto]

post processing? still pretty new to photography so not sure what that is...

I have RAW mode ony my camera i want to use it but no point since i have no idea what its all about, i just use JPEG, and if i tuch the photo's up in photoshop they end up to be 6mb... i really don't know what to do im lost.

[asylumxl]

Check your metering mode, check you havent got exposure compensation enabled, turn your dial to M, get the right exposure by checking the histogram, and use that, assuming the light is constant.

[PhotosGuy]

Forget the metering mode. This will solve your problems. How the subject affects the exposure & why manual keeps me worry free: Post #47 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=5191658&postcount=47)

First set the f-stop & shutter speed you need. Then adjust the ISO. Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)

Seen this?
A few Car Lighting Tips - Updated (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=70290)

[MLphoto]

tnx, I would use M but i don't want to keep adjusting the ligthing , if i can get good results using P mode i will be happy :)

[beezwax]

tnx, I would use M but i don't want to keep adjusting the ligthing , if i can get good results using P mode i will be happy :)

according to EXIF on your pics... you were NOT shooting in "P Mode".... you shot in Normal or Green Box!!! you'll never really get a tight grasp on exposure if you shot in Auto. it's a nice way to learn how/why your camera selects differnet settings. Shooting in Manual has been the best thing for my learning process I have ever made. you really should try it out.

[mongoosed]

not to be brutal or anything.... but why would you go to the trouble and expense or buying a SLR camera and just use the auto setting?... when a P&S would be all you'd ever need?

and his are have some PP... not that hard to make yours similar...

[MLphoto]

I WAS USING AUTO? i thought i had my P mode on and adjusted to 100iso... my bad, totally thought i has my P mode on.

anyways thanks for the tips.

[MLphoto]

Another Example... I was taking pictures of this Yellow Ferrari 360 Spider sitting infront of a hotel and it came out really dark.

I am sure i was using P mode and set at 1600iso...

[SnowManZ]

you've metered for the street, not the Ferrari. Try not to shoot from the shadows with your camera pointing straight at the open sun light.

[MLphoto]

ah i see, so just gotta pick another angel...

but its obvious there is some big editing going on, for example...
http://flickr.com/photos/rob-wisniewski/2525308151/

i have seen the original pictures before of that car in 2006, thats a old picture, now its like that... is this just photoshop or what? i want to get my photos looking so nice with alot of saturation, and texture.

[mongoosed]

do you shoot with this other guy?... you could ask him personally....

start shooting in M... once you get a hold of that.. making photos how you want them will be a lot easier.

[SnowManZ]

You don't even have to shoot in M mode. I don't. The only time I shoot in M is when I am using my strobes. 70% of the time I shoot in Av mode, 20% I shoot in Tv mode and the other 10% in M.

I think you just need to practice shooting more. Just try things out and see what happens. Go shot and shoot and shoot and shoot. Take as many photos as you can and see what comes up. Experiment, see what happens when you tweak a setting, always take a control shot at your normal settings.

I know not all your photos can be as bad as the ones you have shown, so do your best to replicate those results.

What more can I say, you learn from experiences.

[PhotosGuy]

You don't even have to shoot in M mode. I don't. Good advice to someone who understands EC & metering modes. But manual is much better for people who don't. From my link:
Some people like to use exposure compensation (EC) to correct for that. They might also calculate a factor for the metering mode that they have set.

So, they're compensating for the meters guestimation of what it's pointing at by guestimating an EC factor & maybe further guestimating another factor for the metering mode? Does this seem easy to you?
For me, it's easier to get the exposure correct at the beginning, & shoot on "M".