Slight underexposure

**miltona580** · 08-17-2012, 10:00 AM

I recently got a K-5, and I love it. Unlike my time with my K-x, I never have to correct the colors anymore. The out of the box auto White Balance seems to work most of the time. However, it seems like it consistently underexposes when in TAv mode by somewhere between a quarter and a half stop. Its easy enough to fix this in Lightroom, but is there something wrong with my camera that warrants warranty work? Or is there some way to fix this? I haven't put any new firmware on it.

JinDesu · 08-17-2012, 10:18 AM

Is it only in Tav mode?

WightWalker · 08-17-2012, 10:57 AM

Could be to do the choice of metering - personally, underexposing by such a small amount is better than overexposing & blowing the highlights.

Lightroom is the way to go especially if using PEF/DNG.

**Ash** · 08-17-2012, 01:13 PM

1/4 to 1/2 stop is not a huge underexposure, particularly with the K-5's dynamic range. Check your metering mode and how you meter your scenes and then we can give a more specific answer to your concern.

robgo2 · 08-17-2012, 01:33 PM

Are you capturing in raw or jpeg? In either case, slight underexposure is far preferable to slight overexposure, especially given the K-5's tremendous capacity for clean, detailed shadows. The old paradigm of "expose to the right" (ETTR) no longer seems pertinent. I keep my K-5 exposure compensation dial set at -0.7 and adjust as needed.

Rob

Anvh · 08-17-2012, 02:20 PM

underexpose compared to what?
More often then not the exposure is lower then people think they need to have, on the histogram the peak should be slightly to the left of the middle.

Quicksand · 08-17-2012, 02:53 PM

This is sort of a Pentax DSLR tradition, as far as I can tell.

My K20D tended to underexpose a bit (compared to other cameras), and the K5 perhaps a bit less so -- but it definitely tends to expose to preserve highlights.

I like that.

audiobomber · 08-17-2012, 06:14 PM

Originally posted by Quicksand

My K20D tended to underexpose a bit (compared to other cameras), and the K5 perhaps a bit less so -- but it definitely tends to expose to preserve highlights.

I like that.

I like it too. I agree that the K20D preserves highlights, but that is correct exposure AFAIC, most cameras get it wrong.

I believe this thread is a question of expectations. I love the way the K20D exposes. I dislike the metering on the K-x because it tends to slightly clip the highlights.

**miltona580** · 08-17-2012, 06:51 PM

Originally posted by Quicksand

This is sort of a Pentax DSLR tradition, as far as I can tell.

My K20D tended to underexpose a bit (compared to other cameras), and the K5 perhaps a bit less so -- but it definitely tends to expose to preserve highlights.

I like that.

I do to. Just it often looks better when I correct it in Light room. As far as I can tell, all of the indoor shots I have taken, usually TAv or Av, have been very slightly under posed. I always shoot RAW (DNG specifically). Its not a big deal - its easy to fix. I was just hoping to avoid one post processing step. It is certainly easier to fix than the annoying white balance problems I had with the K-x.

audiobomber · 08-17-2012, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by miltona580

I do to. Just it often looks better when I correct it in Light room. As far as I can tell, all of the indoor shots I have taken, usually TAv or Av, have been very slightly under posed. I always shoot RAW (DNG specifically). Its not a big deal - its easy to fix. I was just hoping to avoid one post processing step. It is certainly easier to fix than the annoying white balance problems I had with the K-x.

Interesting. I shot over a thousand photos in Paris, about half K20D, half K-x. I had to pull almost every K-x exposure back. I hardly touched the K20D exposures. I have to wonder whether different bodies expose differently. (I'm assuming we are both looking to keep the exposure between the lines on the histogram.)

Sekul · 08-17-2012, 08:59 PM

I dont know if its the same issue, but my k-r slightly underexpose in tv mode versus av mode, using the same settings (iso, aperture, time)
I posted an example long time ago

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-r/126809-different-exposure-tv-av-mode.html

Anvh · 08-18-2012, 01:05 AM

Originally posted by miltona580

I do to. Just it often looks better when I correct it in Light room. As far as I can tell, all of the indoor shots I have taken, usually TAv or Av, have been very slightly under posed. I always shoot RAW (DNG specifically). Its not a big deal - its easy to fix. I was just hoping to avoid one post processing step. It is certainly easier to fix than the annoying white balance problems I had with the K-x.

Do you have your monitor calibrated for the brightness?

**miltona580** · 08-18-2012, 06:45 PM

I have calibrated it for my favorite photo processor. Is that the same thing?

robgo2 · 08-18-2012, 10:45 PM

Originally posted by miltona580

I have calibrated it for my favorite photo processor. Is that the same thing?

No, it is not the same thing. Monitor calibration means having the monitor conform to a set of standards for color and brightness. Color calibration is based on international conventions, but brightness is based on user preferences, which I won't discuss here.

Be that as it may, exposure has nothing to do with the brightness of the monitor and everything to do with the range of tonal values that is recorded by the sensor. Generally, this is reflected in the histogram, but what really matters is whether detail is present in the brightest highlights and the darkest shadows. With raw capture, there is considerable latitude for correcting exposure in post-processing, but if detail is absent, it cannot be recovered.

Rob

Anvh · 08-19-2012, 01:03 AM

But an image might look over exposed when the brightness of a monitor is set over the top.
Most LCD you need to turn town to about 30% so if you have it blasting at 80% then off course your image will look lighter then it is.

08-17-2012, 10:00 AM	#1
miltona580 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 309	Slight underexposure I recently got a K-5, and I love it. Unlike my time with my K-x, I never have to correct the colors anymore. The out of the box auto White Balance seems to work most of the time. However, it seems like it consistently underexposes when in TAv mode by somewhere between a quarter and a half stop. Its easy enough to fix this in Lightroom, but is there something wrong with my camera that warrants warranty work? Or is there some way to fix this? I haven't put any new firmware on it.

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08-17-2012, 10:18 AM	#2
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Is it only in Tav mode?

08-17-2012, 10:57 AM	#3
WightWalker Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: IW Posts: 113	Could be to do the choice of metering - personally, underexposing by such a small amount is better than overexposing & blowing the highlights. Lightroom is the way to go especially if using PEF/DNG.

08-17-2012, 01:13 PM	#4
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	1/4 to 1/2 stop is not a huge underexposure, particularly with the K-5's dynamic range. Check your metering mode and how you meter your scenes and then we can give a more specific answer to your concern.

08-17-2012, 01:33 PM	#5
robgo2 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New Mexico Photos: Albums Posts: 1,125	Are you capturing in raw or jpeg? In either case, slight underexposure is far preferable to slight overexposure, especially given the K-5's tremendous capacity for clean, detailed shadows. The old paradigm of "expose to the right" (ETTR) no longer seems pertinent. I keep my K-5 exposure compensation dial set at -0.7 and adjust as needed. Rob

08-17-2012, 02:20 PM	#6
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	underexpose compared to what? More often then not the exposure is lower then people think they need to have, on the histogram the peak should be slightly to the left of the middle.

08-17-2012, 02:53 PM	#7
Quicksand Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Ohio (formerly SF Bay Area) Posts: 1,519	This is sort of a Pentax DSLR tradition, as far as I can tell. My K20D tended to underexpose a bit (compared to other cameras), and the K5 perhaps a bit less so -- but it definitely tends to expose to preserve highlights. I like that.

08-17-2012, 06:14 PM	#8
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	Originally posted by Quicksand My K20D tended to underexpose a bit (compared to other cameras), and the K5 perhaps a bit less so -- but it definitely tends to expose to preserve highlights. I like that. I like it too. I agree that the K20D preserves highlights, but that is correct exposure AFAIC, most cameras get it wrong. I believe this thread is a question of expectations. I love the way the K20D exposes. I dislike the metering on the K-x because it tends to slightly clip the highlights.

08-17-2012, 06:51 PM	#9
miltona580 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 309 Original Poster	Originally posted by Quicksand This is sort of a Pentax DSLR tradition, as far as I can tell. My K20D tended to underexpose a bit (compared to other cameras), and the K5 perhaps a bit less so -- but it definitely tends to expose to preserve highlights. I like that. I do to. Just it often looks better when I correct it in Light room. As far as I can tell, all of the indoor shots I have taken, usually TAv or Av, have been very slightly under posed. I always shoot RAW (DNG specifically). Its not a big deal - its easy to fix. I was just hoping to avoid one post processing step. It is certainly easier to fix than the annoying white balance problems I had with the K-x.

08-17-2012, 08:09 PM	#10
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	Originally posted by miltona580 I do to. Just it often looks better when I correct it in Light room. As far as I can tell, all of the indoor shots I have taken, usually TAv or Av, have been very slightly under posed. I always shoot RAW (DNG specifically). Its not a big deal - its easy to fix. I was just hoping to avoid one post processing step. It is certainly easier to fix than the annoying white balance problems I had with the K-x. Interesting. I shot over a thousand photos in Paris, about half K20D, half K-x. I had to pull almost every K-x exposure back. I hardly touched the K20D exposures. I have to wonder whether different bodies expose differently. (I'm assuming we are both looking to keep the exposure between the lines on the histogram.)

08-17-2012, 08:59 PM	#11
Sekul Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 102	I dont know if its the same issue, but my k-r slightly underexpose in tv mode versus av mode, using the same settings (iso, aperture, time) I posted an example long time ago https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-r/126809-different-exposure-tv-av-mode.html

08-18-2012, 01:05 AM	#12
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	Originally posted by miltona580 I do to. Just it often looks better when I correct it in Light room. As far as I can tell, all of the indoor shots I have taken, usually TAv or Av, have been very slightly under posed. I always shoot RAW (DNG specifically). Its not a big deal - its easy to fix. I was just hoping to avoid one post processing step. It is certainly easier to fix than the annoying white balance problems I had with the K-x. Do you have your monitor calibrated for the brightness?

08-18-2012, 06:45 PM	#13
miltona580 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 309 Original Poster	I have calibrated it for my favorite photo processor. Is that the same thing?

08-18-2012, 10:45 PM	#14
robgo2 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New Mexico Photos: Albums Posts: 1,125	Originally posted by miltona580 I have calibrated it for my favorite photo processor. Is that the same thing? No, it is not the same thing. Monitor calibration means having the monitor conform to a set of standards for color and brightness. Color calibration is based on international conventions, but brightness is based on user preferences, which I won't discuss here. Be that as it may, exposure has nothing to do with the brightness of the monitor and everything to do with the range of tonal values that is recorded by the sensor. Generally, this is reflected in the histogram, but what really matters is whether detail is present in the brightest highlights and the darkest shadows. With raw capture, there is considerable latitude for correcting exposure in post-processing, but if detail is absent, it cannot be recovered. Rob

08-19-2012, 01:03 AM	#15
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	But an image might look over exposed when the brightness of a monitor is set over the top. Most LCD you need to turn town to about 30% so if you have it blasting at 80% then off course your image will look lighter then it is.