Strange Exposure Bands

Kozlok · 05-10-2013, 08:03 PM

I was out and about shooting today, and had a number of my pictures have a dark band along the top of the image (see below for an example). These shots were typically quite underexposed at capture too (the example has been lightened +1.6 in LR). It happened on maybe 10-15% of my shots, and it happened with several different lenses, both with and without a polarizer attached. Some of the affected shots were sequential, some were not.

Any ideas what can cause this?

Sagitta · 05-10-2013, 08:33 PM

You're shooting at 1/6000 of a second. The camera is catching the shutter because its not quite synced up properly. My K-30 does the same thing. I'm kind of happy to see someone else with the same issue, honestly, it means its camera error and not me.

I've discovered if you avoid aperture-priority mode on really bright days the issue largely goes away. My personal theory is that the camera is trying to shoot at an even faster speed than the 1/6000 sec and thats what causes the shadow.

My best advice is to just avoid situations where you need to shoot that blazingly fast. I'll bet if you look at the rest of the muffed shots they're all at 1/6000 as well.

Kozlok · 05-10-2013, 08:44 PM

Ahhhhh....Thanks! That must be it.

**JimJohnson** · 05-11-2013, 04:57 AM

Somebody clarify something for me? Do the shutter curtains move vertically or horizontally in current Pentax bodies?

Na Horuk · 05-11-2013, 05:00 AM

ISO 200, f2.8.. what Sagitta said makes sense. Very interesting, though. So get an ND filter or use ISO100 with f8

Kozlok · 05-11-2013, 06:05 PM

I usually have highlight correction on, which limits my kx to iso200. I think I need a 1stop ND.

Sagitta · 05-11-2013, 09:41 PM

Why not just stop down below f/2.8? If you're shooting buildings and the like, you don't need the narrow depth of field you'd get at that size. You could go down around f/8 to f/11 and the camera should slow itself down to compensate.

Na Horuk · 05-14-2013, 07:47 AM

For photos like that I would probably switch to the Landscape mode, which keeps ISO low (no noise), shutter just fast enough (no motion blur, no curtain showing), but maximizes DoF (keeps aperture between f8 and f14, from my experience).

**Lowell Goudge** · 05-14-2013, 10:18 PM

I would verify if this is a shutter problem by shooting against a uniformly lit block wall at all shutter speeds

If it is the shutter, I would contact pentax for repair. It should not do this.

SpecialK · 05-14-2013, 10:46 PM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

I would verify if this is a shutter problem by shooting against a uniformly lit block wall at all shutter speeds

If it is the shutter, I would contact pentax for repair. It should not do this.

+1. Makes no sense for the shutter to gum up as an acceptable design feature.

Sagitta · 05-14-2013, 10:47 PM

Other possible cause: crappy batteries. I just remembered when I was having this problem myself, I was blaming the lens, then the camera, and then finally realized that I had crap, low powered batteries in the camera when it was doing that as well.

I even posted a thread about it.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/217274-vintage...ds-normal.html

**Lowell Goudge** · 05-15-2013, 02:05 PM

Originally posted by Sagitta

Other possible cause: crappy batteries. I just remembered when I was having this problem myself, I was blaming the lens, then the camera, and then finally realized that I had crap, low powered batteries in the camera when it was doing that as well.

I even posted a thread about it.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/217274-vintage...ds-normal.html

If this is the case, I would still contact pentax, the battery meter and dead battery detection should be that the camera will function correctly (i.e. comply to all of its specifications ) until the detection says the battery is depleted, it should not misbehave.

05-10-2013, 08:03 PM	#1
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148	Strange Exposure Bands I was out and about shooting today, and had a number of my pictures have a dark band along the top of the image (see below for an example). These shots were typically quite underexposed at capture too (the example has been lightened +1.6 in LR). It happened on maybe 10-15% of my shots, and it happened with several different lenses, both with and without a polarizer attached. Some of the affected shots were sequential, some were not. Any ideas what can cause this?

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05-10-2013, 08:33 PM	#2
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	You're shooting at 1/6000 of a second. The camera is catching the shutter because its not quite synced up properly. My K-30 does the same thing. I'm kind of happy to see someone else with the same issue, honestly, it means its camera error and not me. I've discovered if you avoid aperture-priority mode on really bright days the issue largely goes away. My personal theory is that the camera is trying to shoot at an even faster speed than the 1/6000 sec and thats what causes the shadow. My best advice is to just avoid situations where you need to shoot that blazingly fast. I'll bet if you look at the rest of the muffed shots they're all at 1/6000 as well.

05-10-2013, 08:44 PM	#3
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148 Original Poster	Ahhhhh....Thanks! That must be it.

05-11-2013, 04:57 AM	#4
JimJohnson Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Summer:Lake Superior - Michigan Winter:Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,772	Somebody clarify something for me? Do the shutter curtains move vertically or horizontally in current Pentax bodies?

05-11-2013, 05:00 AM	#5
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	ISO 200, f2.8.. what Sagitta said makes sense. Very interesting, though. So get an ND filter or use ISO100 with f8

05-11-2013, 06:05 PM	#6
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148 Original Poster	I usually have highlight correction on, which limits my kx to iso200. I think I need a 1stop ND.

05-11-2013, 09:41 PM	#7
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	Why not just stop down below f/2.8? If you're shooting buildings and the like, you don't need the narrow depth of field you'd get at that size. You could go down around f/8 to f/11 and the camera should slow itself down to compensate.

05-14-2013, 07:47 AM	#8
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	For photos like that I would probably switch to the Landscape mode, which keeps ISO low (no noise), shutter just fast enough (no motion blur, no curtain showing), but maximizes DoF (keeps aperture between f8 and f14, from my experience).

05-14-2013, 10:18 PM	#9
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	I would verify if this is a shutter problem by shooting against a uniformly lit block wall at all shutter speeds If it is the shutter, I would contact pentax for repair. It should not do this.

05-14-2013, 10:46 PM	#10
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,481	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge I would verify if this is a shutter problem by shooting against a uniformly lit block wall at all shutter speeds If it is the shutter, I would contact pentax for repair. It should not do this. +1. Makes no sense for the shutter to gum up as an acceptable design feature.

05-14-2013, 10:47 PM	#11
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	Other possible cause: crappy batteries. I just remembered when I was having this problem myself, I was blaming the lens, then the camera, and then finally realized that I had crap, low powered batteries in the camera when it was doing that as well. I even posted a thread about it. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/217274-vintage...ds-normal.html

05-15-2013, 02:05 PM	#12
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	Originally posted by Sagitta Other possible cause: crappy batteries. I just remembered when I was having this problem myself, I was blaming the lens, then the camera, and then finally realized that I had crap, low powered batteries in the camera when it was doing that as well. I even posted a thread about it. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/217274-vintage...ds-normal.html If this is the case, I would still contact pentax, the battery meter and dead battery detection should be that the camera will function correctly (i.e. comply to all of its specifications ) until the detection says the battery is depleted, it should not misbehave.