K-01 Concert Overexposure Advice please

jake14mw · 07-21-2015, 07:54 AM

Hi everyone,

More than once, my wife has brought my K-01 with 40xs lens to a concert only to be disapointed with the result. The result was pictures in which the performer was completely overexposed. Her friends iphone did a much better job. I will try to post examples later. Any advice? I have tried her using Auto mode and AV mode. ISO was 3200 I believe. I believe the exposure mode was center weighted. I suppose she could try spot metering, but I would think there would too many times where the performer might not be right in the center. Is there is a scene mode that she could try? Any advice would be appreciated.

08amczb · 07-21-2015, 08:16 AM

I would suggest matrix metering and -1 to -2 ev compensation in P mode. Turn on highlight correction also. RAW images has more dynamic range.

enoeske · 07-21-2015, 08:54 AM

Originally posted by jake14mw

Hi everyone,

More than once, my wife has brought my K-01 with 40xs lens to a concert only to be disapointed with the result. The result was pictures in which the performer was completely overexposed. Her friends iphone did a much better job. I will try to post examples later. Any advice? I have tried her using Auto mode and AV mode. ISO was 3200 I believe. I believe the exposure mode was center weighted. I suppose she could try spot metering, but I would think there would too many times where the performer might not be right in the center. Is there is a scene mode that she could try? Any advice would be appreciated.

"...the performer was completely overexposed" -- so expose for the performer instead.

Venom3300 · 07-21-2015, 09:00 AM

Cameras don't overexpose... You do...

You will either need to say exposure sompensation down to compensate or shoot in M mode and under expose by a stop or two.

What is happening is most of the scene is dark and your camera is trying to lighten up those dark areas to 18% grey. This means the well lot portion (the performer) is over exposed.

RMabo · 07-21-2015, 09:16 AM

If the performer was more or less inte center I am a bit surprised, since centerweighted means more weight to the center... but do try multisegment metering and set the exposure to link to the selected AF point and then use AF. This way the multisegment metering will bias the metering to the point of focus - so if this is the performer then it would exposure after the readout of the performer and not be tricked by the darker surrounding.

ZombieArmy · 07-21-2015, 10:23 AM

The trick to concerts is setting everything up and leaving it. The exposure of the performer will seldomly ever change on stage.

civiletti · 07-21-2015, 11:32 AM

With film, you need to develop to see the images. With digital, you can view an image within a few seconds. Take advantage.

jk333 · 07-21-2015, 12:14 PM

Concert? ISO1600 F/4 shutter 1/100

Or post a photo and we can tell you definitively what setting would have worked.

fuent104 · 07-21-2015, 01:24 PM

Shoot RAW. look at the histogram, make sure nothing is clipping. Use the fastest shutter speed with a reasonable ISO. manual mode is great for this type of situation.

jake14mw · 07-21-2015, 01:44 PM

Thanks for everyone's replies, I appreciate it, yes, it would be best if I posted examples, I will when I get home. Also, my wife doesn't know anything about photography, so I have to try and foolproof it for her before she goes. That's the issue.

07-21-2015, 07:54 AM	#1
jake14mw Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Connecticut, USA Posts: 977	K-01 Concert Overexposure Advice please Hi everyone, More than once, my wife has brought my K-01 with 40xs lens to a concert only to be disapointed with the result. The result was pictures in which the performer was completely overexposed. Her friends iphone did a much better job. I will try to post examples later. Any advice? I have tried her using Auto mode and AV mode. ISO was 3200 I believe. I believe the exposure mode was center weighted. I suppose she could try spot metering, but I would think there would too many times where the performer might not be right in the center. Is there is a scene mode that she could try? Any advice would be appreciated.

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07-21-2015, 08:16 AM	#2
08amczb Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 796	I would suggest matrix metering and -1 to -2 ev compensation in P mode. Turn on highlight correction also. RAW images has more dynamic range.

07-21-2015, 08:54 AM	#3
enoeske Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Surprise, Az Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,136	Originally posted by jake14mw Hi everyone, More than once, my wife has brought my K-01 with 40xs lens to a concert only to be disapointed with the result. The result was pictures in which the performer was completely overexposed. Her friends iphone did a much better job. I will try to post examples later. Any advice? I have tried her using Auto mode and AV mode. ISO was 3200 I believe. I believe the exposure mode was center weighted. I suppose she could try spot metering, but I would think there would too many times where the performer might not be right in the center. Is there is a scene mode that she could try? Any advice would be appreciated. "...the performer was completely overexposed" -- so expose for the performer instead.

07-21-2015, 09:00 AM	#4
Venom3300 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 714	Cameras don't overexpose... You do... You will either need to say exposure sompensation down to compensate or shoot in M mode and under expose by a stop or two. What is happening is most of the scene is dark and your camera is trying to lighten up those dark areas to 18% grey. This means the well lot portion (the performer) is over exposed.

07-21-2015, 09:16 AM	#5
RMabo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 845	If the performer was more or less inte center I am a bit surprised, since centerweighted means more weight to the center... but do try multisegment metering and set the exposure to link to the selected AF point and then use AF. This way the multisegment metering will bias the metering to the point of focus - so if this is the performer then it would exposure after the readout of the performer and not be tricked by the darker surrounding.

07-21-2015, 10:23 AM	#6
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,210	The trick to concerts is setting everything up and leaving it. The exposure of the performer will seldomly ever change on stage.

07-21-2015, 11:32 AM	#7
civiletti Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Oregon Photos: Albums Posts: 1,435	With film, you need to develop to see the images. With digital, you can view an image within a few seconds. Take advantage.

07-21-2015, 12:14 PM	#8
jk333 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: bev Posts: 181	Concert? ISO1600 F/4 shutter 1/100 Or post a photo and we can tell you definitively what setting would have worked.

07-21-2015, 01:24 PM	#9
fuent104 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,356	Shoot RAW. look at the histogram, make sure nothing is clipping. Use the fastest shutter speed with a reasonable ISO. manual mode is great for this type of situation.

07-21-2015, 01:44 PM	#10
jake14mw Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Connecticut, USA Posts: 977 Original Poster	Thanks for everyone's replies, I appreciate it, yes, it would be best if I posted examples, I will when I get home. Also, my wife doesn't know anything about photography, so I have to try and foolproof it for her before she goes. That's the issue.

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