K-50 Live View vs Viewfinder (Viewfinder photos Under exposed)

jackloganbill · 03-23-2016, 08:53 AM

I continue to test my K-50 in preparation for our euro trip and thought all was well good using AV and M modes, but then...

Using the kit 18-55mm lens my test photos have been coming out slightly but noticeably underexposed using the viewfinder.

I switched to my Tamron 18-200mm, same settings and the photos are exposed correctly.

So I switched back to the 18-55mm lens, same settings, and took the pictures using the live view and they are exposed correctly.

I tested using Auto, AV, and M modes.

Why would using live view vs viewfinder make such a difference? (I do not like using live view)...

Last edited by photolady95; 03-23-2016 at 10:37 AM.

luma · 04-06-2016, 11:22 AM

Originally posted by jackloganbill

I continue to test my K-50 in preparation for our euro trip and thought all was well good using AV and M modes, but then...

Using the kit 18-55mm lens my test photos have been coming out slightly but noticeably underexposed using the viewfinder.

I switched to my Tamron 18-200mm, same settings and the photos are exposed correctly.

So I switched back to the 18-55mm lens, same settings, and took the pictures using the live view and they are exposed correctly.

I tested using Auto, AV, and M modes.

Why would using live view vs viewfinder make such a difference? (I do not like using live view)...

You are maybe using different focusing mode (spot, 5 point, 11 point) with viewfinder. Try using spot mode in both and focus on a large enough object.

nabwong · 04-13-2016, 11:25 PM

Sorry if i'm hijacking this thread but I have a related question. Does AF work during live view on the k50 or is live view just MF?

**clackers** · 04-14-2016, 12:28 AM

Originally posted by nabwong

Sorry if i'm hijacking this thread but I have a related question. Does AF work during live view on the k50 or is live view just MF?

Yep, but the method (CDAF) while more accurate is slower than the one through the view finder (PDAF).

nabwong · 04-15-2016, 03:30 PM

Originally posted by clackers

Yep, but the method (CDAF) while more accurate is slower than the one through the view finder (PDAF).

Maybe something is wrong with my live view focusing. My focus success is low especially when zooming in and also in low light situations compared to viewfinder mode.

**clackers** · 04-15-2016, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by nabwong

Maybe something is wrong with my live view focusing. My focus success is low especially when zooming in and also in low light situations compared to viewfinder mode.

Low light is very very bad for Live View.

The "CD" in "CDAF" is 'Contrast Detection' and it can hunt and hunt if everything is uniformly in shadow, for instance. If you must use Live View in such conditions, manual focus.

Hit OK to get a 6x magnified view, because focus peaking is also a dud on any camera in low light.

nabwong · 04-15-2016, 11:26 PM

Originally posted by clackers

Low light is very very bad for Live View.

The "CD" in "CDAF" is 'Contrast Detection' and it can hunt and hunt if everything is uniformly in shadow, for instance. If you must use Live View in such conditions, manual focus.

Hit OK to get a 6x magnified view, because focus peaking is also a dud on any camera in low light.

Holy cow. Awesome. Thanks for the tip

RedSky · 05-11-2016, 12:52 PM

My new k50 showed very dark pictures when taken thru the viewfinder, and then a second later repeat the exact same picture, not even moving the camera,nor more making any adjustment, and view it thru live view and the picture is fine. Auto, scene, or manual, does not matter, dark thru viewfinder, good thru live view. Let camera rest and no change, let it rest some more, and all is fine. Tested again today and fine at first, then back to dark viewfinder pictures. Sent to repairs today, as I had passed my return window. Sucks.

fotograffiti · 06-05-2016, 09:36 AM

Originally posted by RedSky

My new k50 showed very dark pictures when taken thru the viewfinder, and then a second later repeat the exact same picture, not even moving the camera,nor more making any adjustment, and view it thru live view and the picture is fine. Auto, scene, or manual, does not matter, dark thru viewfinder, good thru live view. Let camera rest and no change, let it rest some more, and all is fine. Tested again today and fine at first, then back to dark viewfinder pictures. Sent to repairs today, as I had passed my return window. Sucks.

I'd be interested to hear what you find out from repair. Hope all turns out well.

**niceshot** · 06-06-2016, 02:55 AM

Sounds like the dreaded aperture block failure, It strikes this camera a lot. Really Ricoh ought to make this motor replaceable from the bottom of the camera kinda like plug n play. because this is really the weak point of the k-30 k-50

RedSky · 06-09-2016, 02:27 PM

Just saw this, sorry for the delay. Repairs replaced a Diaphramg control block, their spelling, and it is no better. Amazon overnighted me a new K-50 and it is doing the same thing. Pentax did not have an answer, but a person responded to my posts and said this:
the parameters change when switching to live view that suggests that it's not the diaphragm block at fault but just a discrepancy between metering through the viewfinder and in live view. This seems to be normal behaviour as certainly my K-r produces brighter images in live view -- I believe it's due to the camera metering off the sensor rather than the prism. The posted pictures don't look typical for aperture block failure either. When my wife's K-x had the aperture problem it would produce vitually completely black frames outdoors unless the sensitivity was cranked way up.

I THINK THE pentax cameras just do this, that it is not an error. If this is desirable or not, well I do know yet know. Seems not.

See my post under troubleshooting with two pictures attached. please reply to this and let me know you saw it. good luck

fotograffiti · 06-10-2016, 08:01 AM

Originally posted by RedSky

My new k50 showed very dark pictures when taken thru the viewfinder, and then a second later repeat the exact same picture, not even moving the camera,nor more making any adjustment, and view it thru live view and the picture is fine. Auto, scene, or manual, does not matter, dark thru viewfinder, good thru live view. Let camera rest and no change, let it rest some more, and all is fine. Tested again today and fine at first, then back to dark viewfinder pictures. Sent to repairs today, as I had passed my return window. Sucks.

Last night, in taking a candle-lit picture, I experienced extreme variation between the meter readings when using the LCD and then through the viewfinder—more than 3 stops.

I have noticed also that different lenses seem to have a big effect on the meter: some lenses usually underexpose, others are usually closer to the mark. I shoot manually most of the time (or in "P" mode) with auto lenses, and use "AV" with older glass. I usually take a test shot first and adjust from that.

My Pentax cameras are my workhorses, and sometimes they take a moment (or longer) to set up. My go-to camera for a quick shot that I don't want to miss is the Panasonic FZ1000—it reliably yields the same exposure with viewfinder or LCD and virtually never misses a shot, because it has what is probably the world's fastest autofocus.

I just got the K-S2, so I'll be comparing it closely to the K-50 and posting my results here, to see if it has the same extreme variations in LCD/VF.

03-23-2016, 08:53 AM	#1
jackloganbill Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 39	K-50 Live View vs Viewfinder (Viewfinder photos Under exposed) I continue to test my K-50 in preparation for our euro trip and thought all was well good using AV and M modes, but then... Using the kit 18-55mm lens my test photos have been coming out slightly but noticeably underexposed using the viewfinder. I switched to my Tamron 18-200mm, same settings and the photos are exposed correctly. So I switched back to the 18-55mm lens, same settings, and took the pictures using the live view and they are exposed correctly. I tested using Auto, AV, and M modes. Why would using live view vs viewfinder make such a difference? (I do not like using live view)... Last edited by photolady95; 03-23-2016 at 10:37 AM.

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04-06-2016, 11:22 AM	#2
luma Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Salisnury, Canada Posts: 68	Originally posted by jackloganbill I continue to test my K-50 in preparation for our euro trip and thought all was well good using AV and M modes, but then... Using the kit 18-55mm lens my test photos have been coming out slightly but noticeably underexposed using the viewfinder. I switched to my Tamron 18-200mm, same settings and the photos are exposed correctly. So I switched back to the 18-55mm lens, same settings, and took the pictures using the live view and they are exposed correctly. I tested using Auto, AV, and M modes. Why would using live view vs viewfinder make such a difference? (I do not like using live view)... You are maybe using different focusing mode (spot, 5 point, 11 point) with viewfinder. Try using spot mode in both and focus on a large enough object.

04-13-2016, 11:25 PM	#3
nabwong Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Philly Posts: 118	Sorry if i'm hijacking this thread but I have a related question. Does AF work during live view on the k50 or is live view just MF?

04-14-2016, 12:28 AM	#4
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by nabwong Sorry if i'm hijacking this thread but I have a related question. Does AF work during live view on the k50 or is live view just MF? Yep, but the method (CDAF) while more accurate is slower than the one through the view finder (PDAF).

04-15-2016, 03:30 PM	#5
nabwong Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Philly Posts: 118	Originally posted by clackers Yep, but the method (CDAF) while more accurate is slower than the one through the view finder (PDAF). Maybe something is wrong with my live view focusing. My focus success is low especially when zooming in and also in low light situations compared to viewfinder mode.

04-15-2016, 07:59 PM	#6
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by nabwong Maybe something is wrong with my live view focusing. My focus success is low especially when zooming in and also in low light situations compared to viewfinder mode. Low light is very very bad for Live View. The "CD" in "CDAF" is 'Contrast Detection' and it can hunt and hunt if everything is uniformly in shadow, for instance. If you must use Live View in such conditions, manual focus. Hit OK to get a 6x magnified view, because focus peaking is also a dud on any camera in low light.

04-15-2016, 11:26 PM	#7
nabwong Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Philly Posts: 118	Originally posted by clackers Low light is very very bad for Live View. The "CD" in "CDAF" is 'Contrast Detection' and it can hunt and hunt if everything is uniformly in shadow, for instance. If you must use Live View in such conditions, manual focus. Hit OK to get a 6x magnified view, because focus peaking is also a dud on any camera in low light. Holy cow. Awesome. Thanks for the tip

05-11-2016, 12:52 PM	#8
RedSky New Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Tennessee Posts: 21	My new k50 showed very dark pictures when taken thru the viewfinder, and then a second later repeat the exact same picture, not even moving the camera,nor more making any adjustment, and view it thru live view and the picture is fine. Auto, scene, or manual, does not matter, dark thru viewfinder, good thru live view. Let camera rest and no change, let it rest some more, and all is fine. Tested again today and fine at first, then back to dark viewfinder pictures. Sent to repairs today, as I had passed my return window. Sucks.

06-05-2016, 09:36 AM	#9
fotograffiti Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Golden, Colorado Photos: Albums Posts: 189	Originally posted by RedSky My new k50 showed very dark pictures when taken thru the viewfinder, and then a second later repeat the exact same picture, not even moving the camera,nor more making any adjustment, and view it thru live view and the picture is fine. Auto, scene, or manual, does not matter, dark thru viewfinder, good thru live view. Let camera rest and no change, let it rest some more, and all is fine. Tested again today and fine at first, then back to dark viewfinder pictures. Sent to repairs today, as I had passed my return window. Sucks. I'd be interested to hear what you find out from repair. Hope all turns out well.

06-06-2016, 02:55 AM	#10
niceshot Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,564	Sounds like the dreaded aperture block failure, It strikes this camera a lot. Really Ricoh ought to make this motor replaceable from the bottom of the camera kinda like plug n play. because this is really the weak point of the k-30 k-50

06-09-2016, 02:27 PM	#11
RedSky New Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Tennessee Posts: 21	Just saw this, sorry for the delay. Repairs replaced a Diaphramg control block, their spelling, and it is no better. Amazon overnighted me a new K-50 and it is doing the same thing. Pentax did not have an answer, but a person responded to my posts and said this: the parameters change when switching to live view that suggests that it's not the diaphragm block at fault but just a discrepancy between metering through the viewfinder and in live view. This seems to be normal behaviour as certainly my K-r produces brighter images in live view -- I believe it's due to the camera metering off the sensor rather than the prism. The posted pictures don't look typical for aperture block failure either. When my wife's K-x had the aperture problem it would produce vitually completely black frames outdoors unless the sensitivity was cranked way up. I THINK THE pentax cameras just do this, that it is not an error. If this is desirable or not, well I do know yet know. Seems not. See my post under troubleshooting with two pictures attached. please reply to this and let me know you saw it. good luck

06-10-2016, 08:01 AM	#12
fotograffiti Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Golden, Colorado Photos: Albums Posts: 189	Originally posted by RedSky My new k50 showed very dark pictures when taken thru the viewfinder, and then a second later repeat the exact same picture, not even moving the camera,nor more making any adjustment, and view it thru live view and the picture is fine. Auto, scene, or manual, does not matter, dark thru viewfinder, good thru live view. Let camera rest and no change, let it rest some more, and all is fine. Tested again today and fine at first, then back to dark viewfinder pictures. Sent to repairs today, as I had passed my return window. Sucks. Last night, in taking a candle-lit picture, I experienced extreme variation between the meter readings when using the LCD and then through the viewfinder—more than 3 stops. I have noticed also that different lenses seem to have a big effect on the meter: some lenses usually underexpose, others are usually closer to the mark. I shoot manually most of the time (or in "P" mode) with auto lenses, and use "AV" with older glass. I usually take a test shot first and adjust from that. My Pentax cameras are my workhorses, and sometimes they take a moment (or longer) to set up. My go-to camera for a quick shot that I don't want to miss is the Panasonic FZ1000—it reliably yields the same exposure with viewfinder or LCD and virtually never misses a shot, because it has what is probably the world's fastest autofocus. I just got the K-S2, so I'll be comparing it closely to the K-50 and posting my results here, to see if it has the same extreme variations in LCD/VF.