Advice please!

[Rhodri.Lew10]

Hope this is in the right section; "sharing knowhow" seemed the logical option.

Anyway, whenever cars are running with their lights on it creates havoc with my exposures; i.e. they always turn out underexposed:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/RhodLew15/IMG_9724.jpg

I usually shoot in TV mode with Auto WB, so i'm guessing it'll be something to do with that.

Any advice welcome!

Thanks,

Rhod.

[RoryOD]

Hi, i have had the same thing and even went to auto(P) and still the same. id guess metering at the ground and then focus and shoot, but never got to try it.

Id say someone here has a beter answer than me.

[GSH]

Go manual. :) AWB is fine, but using shutter priority with headlights is a no-no as the lights play havoc with in-camera metering.

I'd suggest a bit of flash too(if it's dark), again set the flash to Manual and play with the power settings until you get something you're happy with.

[Mike Hoyer]

Yes, very simple, the lights are fooling your cameras light meter. Because the meter works on the principle that the correct exposure is 18% grey, if you chuck a load of really bright light at it it will underexpose. In TV mode, if you just point at the car and don't preset the exposure, this is what happens.

I generally shoot manually, so I can set the same exposure for everything, and the camera isn't fooled by lights, really bright cars or really dark cars.

[Cadwell]

Two solutions. 1. Shoot in "M"anual or 2. Shoot in another mode and tap your exposure lock button before the headlamps come into frame.

[Rhodri.Lew10]

Thanks very much gents, great advice as usual. No excuses now....

[ryant35]

Shooting manual & high iso at night, I noticed that the headlights or really bright tail lights help brighten my picture and reduce noise.

[smcclelland]

Two solutions. 1. Shoot in "M"anual or 2. Shoot in another mode and tap your exposure lock button before the headlamps come into frame.

Yep, I use #2 where I'll stay in Tv mode and use * for my AF, as the car crests the corner I'll grab the exposure and lock it then grab the frame. The only time this has burnt me is the car traveling out of a shaded area and into a lit area and then blinding me with the headlights.