[Oldbayrunner]

Apparently with Nikon DSLR bodies there is an EPV option. The EPV feature typically disables auto-gain and simulates the expected exposure result with the current settings.
See ► Capture (live view)

Obviously with tethered shooting you simply must see the 'expected exposure result' on screen.
This needs to be fixed with Pentax DSLRs...!

Hmmm, it says under;

Live View Pro ( I gather from reading the instructions under the " Shoot using a Live Preview" section this is utilizing a feature within the software and not having anything to do with in cameras live view or Lcd)

Live View interface: Part 2
"DOF/EPV: Use this to stop down the lens to the taking aperture on supported Canon EOS cameras only. With certain Nikon DSLR bodies, use the EPV option instead (Capture One automatically switches between the two). The EPV feature typically disables auto-gain and simulates the expected exposure result with the current settings."

From what I read it is referring to Depth of Field Previewing with supported Canon cameras while tethered using the software's Live View pro feature's separate live view screen. But for the life of me I can't find out anything on any NIkon dslr's having or mentioning an EPV option, not even in the Nikon glossary Photography Terms & Terminology | does anything close to EPV appear. Could someone please enlighten us to what this Nikon option is and where in writing it is found outside of this article? or could it be an possibly option feature in Capture One for use with certain Nikon Dslrs and not an option of any Nikon camera at present? I don't use this software and looking the term up for Nikon, even on capture one web site, nothing is providing me with anything clear as to what EPV is, so if someone could point me to anything written outside of this software statement it would be appreciated. At this point I am personally doubting it being any Nikon dslr camera option.

Not sure which camera you are using, but *all my Pentax camera's histograms in Live view show the scene levels and not the camera exposure settings.
Also, locking exposure when in live view does not affect the LV auto gain. IOW: Nothing you can set will prevent the auto gain from showing you a brighter view rather than actually simulating the exposure settings.

I do believe my signature shows I currently use a Pentax K5 lls and then previously I used a K50. So where on earth did you read in my post that I state the histogram's showing exposure settings, I do believe I correctly state accurately measuring the exposure via the histogram. Do you not read your histogram to measure your exposure? Also I am sure you are aware you could select the option to view just about all of your cameras settings within your live view screen and therefore be able to correctly adjust your exposure while using live view. So IMO Pentax provides the tools but if one chooses not to use them then who is to blame.

Nope you are correct, locking the exposure currently doesn't affect the lcd auto gain, maybe on some camera's that I am not aware of it does but at present I am not aware of any, regardless though your exposure does lock.

Re IOW; Correct .This isn't just inherent with Pentax's current live view... Realizing this why not use what is available to view and adjust by in live view to accomplish your achieving your correct exposure.

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Last edited by Oldbayrunner; 10-09-2014 at 09:50 AM.

[richandfleur]

I don't think Steve has an issue determing the exposure for his shots.

His issue is with the live view screen 'auto gaining' the display, independent of his exposure settings. Thereby preventing the use of digital zoom and focus peaking for manual focus, as the whole moon becomes a bright white blob.

[Steve.Ledger]

I do believe my signature shows I currently use a Pentax K5 lls and then previously I used a K50. S.

Sorry, I forget that I have sigs and avatars disabled in my forum prefs

---------- Post added 10-10-14 at 05:41 AM ----------

I don't think Steve has an issue determing the exposure for his shots.

His issue is with the live view screen 'auto gaining' the display, independent of his exposure settings. Thereby preventing the use of digital zoom and focus peaking for manual focus, as the whole moon becomes a bright white blob.

Correct..

---------- Post added 10-10-14 at 05:47 AM ----------

So where on earth did you read in my post that I state the histogram's showing exposure settings

.....

Given that, the only way to accurately measure your live view exposure or any camera exposure is to use the histogram and/or EV meter scale no matter what AE metering you use then lock the exposure if you want to change the composition.

[Oldbayrunner]

Doesn't the histogram not show how the camera's sensor is accurately measuring via showing the vertical access amount of the 0 to 255 range of black, grey and white tones for the current exposure within your scene.

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Last edited by Blue; 10-09-2014 at 05:48 PM.

[richandfleur]

Doesn't the histogram not show how the camera's sensor is accurately measuring via showing the vertical access amount of the 0 to 255 range of black, grey and white tones for the current exposure within your scene.

Yes, but that's completely separate to how the image is displayed on the back lcd screen.


Once again, Steve can expose his photo, please see my post above...

His issue is with the live view screen 'auto gaining' the display, independent of his exposure settings. Thereby preventing the use of digital zoom and focus peaking for manual focus, as the whole moon becomes a bright white blob.

[richandfleur]

Just confirmed this finally with a break in the clouds.

Steve, as others have mentioned, switch your metering method to spot.

Despite being in manual mode for shooting, the metering mode controls the image presented on the live view screen. When digitally zoomed in during spot metering you will see the missing details on the moon surface again.

Usual spot metering proviso applies, in that you have to have to centre the image as this is where the meter reading is taken from.

Tested and confirmed in the field.

[Michi Joel]

K50 + M* 300

Manual focus man ^^

[southlander]

K50 + M* 300

Manual focus man ^^

That's a reassuring image as I want to use a m*300 for moon shots but have failed to date due the OP's live view gain problem meaning I've struggled with focus.

[Steve.Ledger]

Steve, as others have mentioned, switch your metering method to spot.
.

I think I have mentioned several times that I DID use spot metering.
This doesn't affect the LV autogain which is the prob;em, not the metering or any camera exposure setting..
Thanks anyway.

[Steve.Ledger]

K50 + M* 300

Manual focus man ^^

Nice, a little too sharp for my taste but still pretty good.
The exif says 450mm?
Also lists that you used centre weighted metering.

[altopiet]

The exif says 450mm?

Probably the 35mm equivalent, my software gives both...

[Sagitta]

FWIW, I just checked this with my K-30.

Spot metering + live view gave me an accurate representation of the metering, the caveats being I had to have the moon centered, and I had to have the camera set on spot metering in order for it to darken enough not to be a blob.

Lens used was an old manual Sears 300mm (ie, a Tokina rebrand), so it was about as basic a setup as one would get.

Manual focus works pretty good. Focus confirmation is handy. K5IIs with Sigma 100-300/4 + Kenko 1.5 TC, wireless remote + 2 sec MLU.

[richandfleur]

FWIW, I just checked this with my K-30.

Spot metering + live view gave me an accurate representation of the metering, the caveats being I had to have the moon centered, and I had to have the camera set on spot metering in order for it to darken enough not to be a blob.

Lens used was an old manual Sears 300mm (ie, a Tokina rebrand), so it was about as basic a setup as one would get.

My setup, testing and results were exactly the same.


I tested with a Tamron 70 - 300 lens at 300mm and an old 2X adapter. Manually set the aperture and selected ISO and shutter speed via the camera in M mode.


My experience previously has seen the moon be a completely white washed out blob and I had resorted to focussing by minimising the Tamrons vicious purple fringing.
(Go too far one way and it's purple, too far back the other way and it's green. At all times the moon is solid white).
I had never gone near the metering mode as I was in Manual mode for shooting and assumed it didn't do anything as I wasn't asking the camera to meter anything in full Manual mode.


Anyhow, dived into the settings, opted for spot metering mode and bingo, suddenly the moon had details on it and I could use focus peaking on the craters etc.
As above, the moon has to be centre of the frame as that's where the metering is taken from.


So all in all I'm very pleased with this development and would like to thank Steve for raising the point and others for contributing the solution to my problem. Cheers!


This was on a K-30, latest firmware.
Photos attached were taken with an iPhone which was doing it's own metering thing at the time so may not be totally indicative.
All photos are of the rear LCD screen.

[richandfleur]

Here was my sequence by the way, taken quickly between cloud breaks. Conditions were definitely better last time around for me.