K 50 Underexposure

**LOU16** · 09-14-2015, 09:46 PM

My K 50 with 18-135 ,my primary lens, seems to underexpose by 1/3 stop. I have been relying on bracketing (1/3ev) and use the exposure button and rear wheel to start bracketing at 0. I'v been doing this for the last 2000+ shots and normally save the one taken at +1/3. I have the K 50 setup with all the recommended settings from this site. I habitually use Program mode, center weight metering and auto ISO.

Is there any Menu setting that I am overlooking that will set the normal exposure at +1/3?

**UncleVanya** · 09-14-2015, 09:53 PM

Exposure compensation. Set it as you want and make sure the camera is set to remember the setting and not reset it to zero each time you power off.

mcgregni · 09-14-2015, 10:17 PM

Yes, that's the 'memory' item in the menu. There's a checkbox for EC. It's not the ideal solution as I think you are trying to get your meter recalibrated so that it exposes as you want when showing 0 ....

1/3rd is not too bad though. If you shot RAW that amount of underexposure wouldn't be a concern. If you're shooting jpegs there might be a custom image tone setting that is pulling some brightness down somewhere ... Check the sliders within the custom settings. There's a main brightness one plus highlight contrast and both could affect the overall EV. These are always remembered I think and are stored with the main preset at the top.

If you always shoot jpegs with the same custom image preset then you could make your brightness correction with one of those sliders and keep your EC at 0 ..... These custom settings are processing functions but it you use jpeg they won't affect output quality.

**LOU16** · 09-15-2015, 02:22 PM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

Exposure compensation. Set it as you want and make sure the camera is set to remember the setting and not reset it to zero each time you power off.

Thanks for your suggestion ,but i have not figured how to make the camera remember the settins.

Last edited by LOU16; 09-15-2015 at 02:30 PM.

**UncleVanya** · 09-15-2015, 02:37 PM

Originally posted by LOU16

Thanks for your suggestion ,but i have not figured how to make the camera remember the setting.

Look here. I think the setting you want is in the record menus. K50 and K30 have similar menus.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/151-pentax-k-30-k-50/275817-forgets-expos...pensation.html

**LOU16** · 09-15-2015, 03:23 PM

Thanks all. I finally found the solution as suggested under Menu/Camera/4/Memory

09-14-2015, 09:46 PM	#1
LOU16 Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 45	K 50 Underexposure My K 50 with 18-135 ,my primary lens, seems to underexpose by 1/3 stop. I have been relying on bracketing (1/3ev) and use the exposure button and rear wheel to start bracketing at 0. I'v been doing this for the last 2000+ shots and normally save the one taken at +1/3. I have the K 50 setup with all the recommended settings from this site. I habitually use Program mode, center weight metering and auto ISO. Is there any Menu setting that I am overlooking that will set the normal exposure at +1/3?

09-15-2015, 03:23 PM	#6
LOU16 Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 45 Original Poster	K 50 Underexposure Thanks all. I finally found the solution as suggested under Menu/Camera/4/Memory

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09-14-2015, 09:53 PM	#2
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 14,238	Exposure compensation. Set it as you want and make sure the camera is set to remember the setting and not reset it to zero each time you power off.

09-14-2015, 10:17 PM	#3
mcgregni Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Surrey, England Posts: 2,441	Yes, that's the 'memory' item in the menu. There's a checkbox for EC. It's not the ideal solution as I think you are trying to get your meter recalibrated so that it exposes as you want when showing 0 .... 1/3rd is not too bad though. If you shot RAW that amount of underexposure wouldn't be a concern. If you're shooting jpegs there might be a custom image tone setting that is pulling some brightness down somewhere ... Check the sliders within the custom settings. There's a main brightness one plus highlight contrast and both could affect the overall EV. These are always remembered I think and are stored with the main preset at the top. If you always shoot jpegs with the same custom image preset then you could make your brightness correction with one of those sliders and keep your EC at 0 ..... These custom settings are processing functions but it you use jpeg they won't affect output quality.

09-15-2015, 02:22 PM	#4
LOU16 Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 45 Original Poster	Originally posted by UncleVanya Exposure compensation. Set it as you want and make sure the camera is set to remember the setting and not reset it to zero each time you power off. Thanks for your suggestion ,but i have not figured how to make the camera remember the settins. Last edited by LOU16; 09-15-2015 at 02:30 PM.

09-15-2015, 02:37 PM	#5
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 14,238	Originally posted by LOU16 Thanks for your suggestion ,but i have not figured how to make the camera remember the setting. Look here. I think the setting you want is in the record menus. K50 and K30 have similar menus. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/151-pentax-k-30-k-50/275817-forgets-expos...pensation.html