Weird Behavior of K3 with DA *16-50 in live view

**Rondec** · 01-26-2015, 02:56 PM

I don't know if anyone has any ideas. When I am shooting landscapes with the K3 and my 16-50, I sometimes shoot multiple exposures. I find that if I am in live view, the camera over exposes a lot. The darkest exposure will be something +1 EV and the brightest exposure will have almost no detail. If I switch the live view and shoot the same burst, I will get a normal series with my middle exposure at 0 EV.

The thing is that my 16-50 seems to do fine on my K5 II in both live view and with the viewfinder and none of my other lenses, including my DA 15 limited, have any issues with over exposure on the K3.

Weird behavior as I say and I guess I can live with it, but not sure if anyone has any ideas about what could be going on.

(token K3 and 16-50 shot)

**crewl1** · 01-26-2015, 03:14 PM

You mean exposure bracketing?
My K-3 with another SDM lens the 50-135 gives the exact same settings when using Live View or not.
Is your firmware up to date?

**Rondec** · 01-26-2015, 03:15 PM

Originally posted by crewl1

You mean exposure bracketing?
My K-3 with another SDM lens the 50-135 gives the exact same settings when using Live View or not.
Is your firmware up to date?

Yes, exposure bracketing and yes, it is up to date.

Adam · 01-26-2015, 03:20 PM

Are you in matrix metering mode?

Adam
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derekkite · 01-26-2015, 03:22 PM

Originally posted by Adam

Are you in matrix metering mode?

That was my question. Is the metering mode switching from live view to viewfinder mode? Especially if one of them is on single point exposure.

**Rondec** · 01-26-2015, 04:24 PM

I'm in center weighted metering mode. It is just weird to me that it is just this lens and this camera, but that it's fine on my K5 II.

**jbinpg** · 01-26-2015, 04:56 PM

Hi, Vincent. Are you using AF? If you are, what is your "Limk AE to AF point" setting? Perhaps this is enabled on your K-3 but not on the K5II?

Jack

rawr · 01-26-2015, 05:03 PM

Originally posted by Rondec

I find that if I am in live view, the camera over exposes a lot.[...] If I switch the live view and shoot the same burst, I will get a normal series ...

So when shooting using the optical viewfinder to focus, just to be clear, there is no problem? Only LiveView?

It would be interesting to mount another DA* 16-50 on your K-3 and see if the problem recurs.

Failing that as an option, if it's just the lens being weird, there must be something you can experiment with to see what is producing the anomalous behavior when using LiveView? Turning on/off autofocus? Turning on/off RAW/JPEG? Resetting all the LiveView options to defaults?

It makes me wonder if there is some setting in the system (eg for HDR or bracketing, or even lens corrections) that is tied to both a specific LensID and some LiveView option.

**Rondec** · 01-26-2015, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by jbinpg

Hi, Vincent. Are you using AF? If you are, what is your "Limk AE to AF point" setting? Perhaps this is enabled on your K-3 but not on the K5II?

Jack

I could try switching that. Usually when I am in live view, I will use auto focus, but I tend to use it when using the viewfinder too.

IchabodCrane · 01-27-2015, 06:49 AM

Are you shooting in Av mode? If yes, is the camera consistently lengthening the exposure time in LV or is it the ISO it raises (or both)? Does this happen when doing a single shot or just exposure bracketing?

Prakticant · 02-14-2015, 01:29 PM

How did you set "One Touch Bracketing" menu setting in both of your cameras?

**Rondec** · 02-14-2015, 03:21 PM

Originally posted by Prakticant

How did you set "One Touch Bracketing" menu setting in both of your cameras?

Number 9 in the menu is for one push bracketing, or something like that. If you set it to on, then it will take a series of photos -- 3 or 5 -- with a single shutter push when you are in exposure bracketing mode.

Just to post an example photo, this was taken a week or two ago.

This is the middle image of the series, taken using the optical viewfinder.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

And this is the very darkest image produced a few seconds later when I pushed live view on and took another series. The brightest image in this series has almost no detail at all.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

It is really odd, because it only happens with my 16-50. All the rest of my lenses have exactly the same exposure values with live view and using the viewfinder and the 16-50 gives the same exposures if I take a single shot in both modes. It is just for some reason if I am shooting a five shot bracket in live view that everything goes hay wire. It doesn't bother me enough to send it in to Precision to try to repair it and I don't even know if they could fix it, from what folks are saying about their performance.

(for completeness sake, an edited version of the above photo)

IchabodCrane · 02-15-2015, 01:07 PM

Rondec, have you covered the eyepiece when using the OVF, either by having your eye there or using the eyepiece cover?

**Rondec** · 02-15-2015, 02:55 PM

Originally posted by IchabodCrane

Rondec, have you covered the eyepiece when using the OVF, either by having your eye there or using the eyepiece cover?

I do have my eye to the eyepiece when using the OVF, but the problem really seems to be specific to the 16-50 and live view with the K3. Weird that it behaves one way with the viewfinder and another way with live view, when all the rest of my lenses behave the same way in both modes.

derekkite · 02-15-2015, 02:58 PM

Did you do the SDM fix on that lens?

01-26-2015, 02:56 PM	#1
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	*Weird Behavior of K3 with DA 16-50 in live view** I don't know if anyone has any ideas. When I am shooting landscapes with the K3 and my 16-50, I sometimes shoot multiple exposures. I find that if I am in live view, the camera over exposes a lot. The darkest exposure will be something +1 EV and the brightest exposure will have almost no detail. If I switch the live view and shoot the same burst, I will get a normal series with my middle exposure at 0 EV. The thing is that my 16-50 seems to do fine on my K5 II in both live view and with the viewfinder and none of my other lenses, including my DA 15 limited, have any issues with over exposure on the K3. Weird behavior as I say and I guess I can live with it, but not sure if anyone has any ideas about what could be going on. (token K3 and 16-50 shot)

02-14-2015, 03:21 PM	#12
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653 Original Poster	Originally posted by Prakticant How did you set "One Touch Bracketing" menu setting in both of your cameras? Number 9 in the menu is for one push bracketing, or something like that. If you set it to on, then it will take a series of photos -- 3 or 5 -- with a single shutter push when you are in exposure bracketing mode. Just to post an example photo, this was taken a week or two ago. This is the middle image of the series, taken using the optical viewfinder. [IMG][/IMG] And this is the very darkest image produced a few seconds later when I pushed live view on and took another series. The brightest image in this series has almost no detail at all. [IMG][/IMG] It is really odd, because it only happens with my 16-50. All the rest of my lenses have exactly the same exposure values with live view and using the viewfinder and the 16-50 gives the same exposures if I take a single shot in both modes. It is just for some reason if I am shooting a five shot bracket in live view that everything goes hay wire. It doesn't bother me enough to send it in to Precision to try to repair it and I don't even know if they could fix it, from what folks are saying about their performance. (for completeness sake, an edited version of the above photo)

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01-26-2015, 03:14 PM	#2
crewl1 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,807	You mean exposure bracketing? My K-3 with another SDM lens the 50-135 gives the exact same settings when using Live View or not. Is your firmware up to date?

01-26-2015, 03:15 PM	#3
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653 Original Poster	Originally posted by crewl1 You mean exposure bracketing? My K-3 with another SDM lens the 50-135 gives the exact same settings when using Live View or not. Is your firmware up to date? Yes, exposure bracketing and yes, it is up to date.

01-26-2015, 03:20 PM	#4
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595	Are you in matrix metering mode? Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

01-26-2015, 03:22 PM	#5
derekkite Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Nelson B.C. Posts: 3,782	Originally posted by Adam Are you in matrix metering mode? That was my question. Is the metering mode switching from live view to viewfinder mode? Especially if one of them is on single point exposure.

01-26-2015, 04:24 PM	#6
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653 Original Poster	I'm in center weighted metering mode. It is just weird to me that it is just this lens and this camera, but that it's fine on my K5 II.

01-26-2015, 04:56 PM	#7
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	Hi, Vincent. Are you using AF? If you are, what is your "Limk AE to AF point" setting? Perhaps this is enabled on your K-3 but not on the K5II? Jack

01-26-2015, 05:03 PM	#8
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Rondec I find that if I am in live view, the camera over exposes a lot.[...] If I switch the live view and shoot the same burst, I will get a normal series ... So when shooting using the optical viewfinder to focus, just to be clear, there is no problem? Only LiveView? It would be interesting to mount another DA* 16-50 on your K-3 and see if the problem recurs. Failing that as an option, if it's just the lens being weird, there must be something you can experiment with to see what is producing the anomalous behavior when using LiveView? Turning on/off autofocus? Turning on/off RAW/JPEG? Resetting all the LiveView options to defaults? It makes me wonder if there is some setting in the system (eg for HDR or bracketing, or even lens corrections) that is tied to both a specific LensID and some LiveView option.

01-26-2015, 07:15 PM	#9
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653 Original Poster	Originally posted by jbinpg Hi, Vincent. Are you using AF? If you are, what is your "Limk AE to AF point" setting? Perhaps this is enabled on your K-3 but not on the K5II? Jack I could try switching that. Usually when I am in live view, I will use auto focus, but I tend to use it when using the viewfinder too.

01-27-2015, 06:49 AM	#10
IchabodCrane Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,728	Are you shooting in Av mode? If yes, is the camera consistently lengthening the exposure time in LV or is it the ISO it raises (or both)? Does this happen when doing a single shot or just exposure bracketing?

02-14-2015, 01:29 PM	#11
Prakticant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 274	How did you set "One Touch Bracketing" menu setting in both of your cameras?

02-15-2015, 01:07 PM	#13
IchabodCrane Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,728	Rondec, have you covered the eyepiece when using the OVF, either by having your eye there or using the eyepiece cover?

02-15-2015, 02:55 PM	#14
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653 Original Poster	Originally posted by IchabodCrane Rondec, have you covered the eyepiece when using the OVF, either by having your eye there or using the eyepiece cover? I do have my eye to the eyepiece when using the OVF, but the problem really seems to be specific to the 16-50 and live view with the K3. Weird that it behaves one way with the viewfinder and another way with live view, when all the rest of my lenses behave the same way in both modes.

02-15-2015, 02:58 PM	#15
derekkite Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Nelson B.C. Posts: 3,782	Did you do the SDM fix on that lens?