LCD brightness

DesertCruiser · 12-23-2013, 01:41 PM

First, I can't find an adjustment for the brightness of the LCD on the K-500. It shows a page with 3 adjustments for Yellow / Green / Blue for brightness, is the only adjust.?

The problem arises when you try shooting the moon, the moon is a white ball that is totally burned out on the LCD. No detail or good edge detail to make is possible to manually focus the camera. Can you stop the lens down while doing this? I've found that using a tripod with the Stabilizer turned on is not a good thing. But otherwise you have to guess at the focus on the lens. Which is a slight bit backed off the affinity setting. This is hard to explain, but with the way I'm doing this, or with what the camera will let me do it's a guess getting the focus right.
Here is where I started: The SR was turned on with the camera on a tripod. This is image number 1 Number 2 is without the SR turned on. And the 3rd one is where I backed the focus ring off a hair and got lucky. Now the fourth one I worked on and it shows that there is a lot of detail available. How can I fix that LCD?

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

View Picture EXIF

DesertCruiser · 12-23-2013, 01:48 PM

When looking at the moon on the LCD of the K-500 This is what you see (graphic made to resemble the LCD) Hope this helps to explain what I'm looking for. It's impossible to manually focus on this. Even auto focus doesn't work.

lister6520 · 12-23-2013, 01:58 PM

First set the AE to spot metering, it will dim the image considerably, providing of course that the moon is right at the centre.

If that is not enough just apply exposure compensation. The exposure compensation will actually affect the brightness of the live view image. I'm not sure though if it does in every mode, you may need to turn the mode dial to P or some other mode.

Then focus and after having focused set back the mode dial to whatever you meant it to be originally, and set the exposure compensation back to zero.

Best if you shoot in manual exposure and get the correct exposure by trial and error.

DesertCruiser · 12-23-2013, 03:06 PM

Thanks lister, but I was hoping for a different answer, the camera probably won't do it. I do have the AE set to spot -- doesn't change a thing. I use manual for most all my night shots of the moon, stars, lightning and fireworks. Good advice, we've been doing this for a long time, never had a LCD that bright. And this is with the very inexpensive 50-200mm DAL lens.
Thanks again,

Don....

lister6520 · 12-23-2013, 04:26 PM

Originally posted by DesertCruiser

Thanks lister, but I was hoping for a different answer, the camera probably won't do it. I do have the AE set to spot -- doesn't change a thing. I use manual for most all my night shots of the moon, stars, lightning and fireworks. Good advice, we've been doing this for a long time, never had a LCD that bright. And this is with the very inexpensive 50-200mm DAL lens.
Thanks again,

Don....

That's odd because it works on my K-30. Its some time ago since I last shot the moon with the K-30 so there might be some detail I'm forgetting but for sure it can be done. I used it with a Tamron 18-250 and a Sigma 150-500 which admittedly aren;t very fast lenses but also with a Tamron 90 F2.8 and could always get a a good image on the LCD with the AE adjustment and spot metering.

Have you tried different modes (P, Av, Manual etc) - not for the actual shot but for composing and focusing - I remember that in some modes the LCD did stay too bright despite these adjustments.

@crew1 - that won;t help much - what we need to regulate is the sensitivity of the sensor not the actual brightness of the display - the image is saturated already before being sent to the display.

**crewl1** · 12-23-2013, 04:30 PM

Originally posted by lister6520

@crew1 - that won;t help much - what we need to regulate is the sensitivity of the sensor not the actual brightness of the display - the image is saturated already before being sent to the display.

Just answering the OP question. I thought your spot metering suggestion was correct but he didn't like that answer.
Whatev...

DesertCruiser · 12-23-2013, 04:39 PM

Well the moon is coming up later each night, so I may not get to try again tonight, and it might be cloudy (has been a lot lately). I do appreciate the help. On some of our Canon's there was a DOF preview button, but even without that the moon looked okay, just like the photographs above, not the blown out one. If I figure it out I'll let you all know,

Crew1 I did have the camera set on spot metering, and usually keep it there. That didn't help.

Thanks again,
Don...

**Ex Finn.** · 12-23-2013, 06:06 PM

Get out of the "easy mode" and using the rear LCD display. Shoot full manual, learn your camera and the lens, bracket exposure and focus both, that is where the fun is

Cheers
p.s your 4th image is fantastic.

DesertCruiser · 12-23-2013, 08:39 PM

Ex Finn: please go back and read the above. I'm guessing you mean the "Program mode" for the "easy mode"? I've never shot the automatic/program mode on a camera and above here I stated that w

Originally posted by DesertCruiser

I use manual for most all my night shots of the moon, stars, lightning and fireworks.

Maybe I should have said "manual Mode"? And there is no reason not to use the LCD (hard enough to see that let alone the viewfinder!) I have the exposure I want on these shots, f8 at 1/250 sec. ISO 200 using manual. I'm new to Pentax but not photography. The camera I need help with.
Glad you liked the 4th image it was worked on in an imaging program -- to show that there was a lot of detail there.

Thanks,
Don....

sterretje · 12-23-2013, 10:08 PM

I don't own the K500. Page 219 of the (english pdf) manual describes how to adjust the brightness of the LCD; is that the adjustments that you're talking about as well?

Quote:

Brightness Level | Changes the brightness of the monitor (-7 to +7).

I guess you're using live view and I'm not sure if this applies to live view.

DesertCruiser · 12-23-2013, 10:42 PM

Sterretje: Yes I'm using live view and it doesn't make any difference. When you're shooting almost straight up into the sky it's almost impossible for me to see the viewfinder, so yes we're using the LCD. Thanks for the help,
Don....

lister6520 · 12-24-2013, 05:29 AM

I can't understand what's going on and why it's not working for you. The only thing I can imagine is that the K-500 behaves differently from the K-30 which would be odd as it is supposedly the same camera just packaged differently. That or maybe there is some elusive setting that is changing the behaviour.

For me once I found the spot metering and EV compensation solution it has never been a problem to get a decent image of the moon on the LCD.

Did you try the different modes as I suggested ? (for viewing and focusing, not when actually shooting the photo)

12-23-2013, 01:48 PM	#2
DesertCruiser New Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Southwest Utah Photos: Albums Posts: 11 Original Poster	LCD When looking at the moon on the LCD of the K-500 This is what you see (graphic made to resemble the LCD) Hope this helps to explain what I'm looking for. It's impossible to manually focus on this. Even auto focus doesn't work. Attached Images

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12-23-2013, 01:58 PM	#3
lister6520 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 733	First set the AE to spot metering, it will dim the image considerably, providing of course that the moon is right at the centre. If that is not enough just apply exposure compensation. The exposure compensation will actually affect the brightness of the live view image. I'm not sure though if it does in every mode, you may need to turn the mode dial to P or some other mode. Then focus and after having focused set back the mode dial to whatever you meant it to be originally, and set the exposure compensation back to zero. Best if you shoot in manual exposure and get the correct exposure by trial and error.

12-23-2013, 03:06 PM	#4
DesertCruiser New Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Southwest Utah Photos: Albums Posts: 11 Original Poster	Thanks lister, but I was hoping for a different answer, the camera probably won't do it. I do have the AE set to spot -- doesn't change a thing. I use manual for most all my night shots of the moon, stars, lightning and fireworks. Good advice, we've been doing this for a long time, never had a LCD that bright. And this is with the very inexpensive 50-200mm DAL lens. Thanks again, Don....

12-23-2013, 04:26 PM	#5
lister6520 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 733	Originally posted by DesertCruiser Thanks lister, but I was hoping for a different answer, the camera probably won't do it. I do have the AE set to spot -- doesn't change a thing. I use manual for most all my night shots of the moon, stars, lightning and fireworks. Good advice, we've been doing this for a long time, never had a LCD that bright. And this is with the very inexpensive 50-200mm DAL lens. Thanks again, Don.... That's odd because it works on my K-30. Its some time ago since I last shot the moon with the K-30 so there might be some detail I'm forgetting but for sure it can be done. I used it with a Tamron 18-250 and a Sigma 150-500 which admittedly aren;t very fast lenses but also with a Tamron 90 F2.8 and could always get a a good image on the LCD with the AE adjustment and spot metering. Have you tried different modes (P, Av, Manual etc) - not for the actual shot but for composing and focusing - I remember that in some modes the LCD did stay too bright despite these adjustments. @crew1 - that won;t help much - what we need to regulate is the sensitivity of the sensor not the actual brightness of the display - the image is saturated already before being sent to the display.

12-23-2013, 04:30 PM	#6
crewl1 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,807	Originally posted by lister6520 @crew1 - that won;t help much - what we need to regulate is the sensitivity of the sensor not the actual brightness of the display - the image is saturated already before being sent to the display. Just answering the OP question. I thought your spot metering suggestion was correct but he didn't like that answer. Whatev...

12-23-2013, 04:39 PM	#7
DesertCruiser New Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Southwest Utah Photos: Albums Posts: 11 Original Poster	Well the moon is coming up later each night, so I may not get to try again tonight, and it might be cloudy (has been a lot lately). I do appreciate the help. On some of our Canon's there was a DOF preview button, but even without that the moon looked okay, just like the photographs above, not the blown out one. If I figure it out I'll let you all know, Crew1 I did have the camera set on spot metering, and usually keep it there. That didn't help. Thanks again, Don...

12-23-2013, 06:06 PM	#8
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	Get out of the "easy mode" and using the rear LCD display. Shoot full manual, learn your camera and the lens, bracket exposure and focus both, that is where the fun is Cheers p.s your 4th image is fantastic.

12-23-2013, 08:39 PM	#9
DesertCruiser New Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Southwest Utah Photos: Albums Posts: 11 Original Poster	Ex Finn: please go back and read the above. I'm guessing you mean the "Program mode" for the "easy mode"? I've never shot the automatic/program mode on a camera and above here I stated that w Originally posted by DesertCruiser I use manual for most all my night shots of the moon, stars, lightning and fireworks. Maybe I should have said "manual Mode"? And there is no reason not to use the LCD (hard enough to see that let alone the viewfinder!) I have the exposure I want on these shots, f8 at 1/250 sec. ISO 200 using manual. I'm new to Pentax but not photography. The camera I need help with. Glad you liked the 4th image it was worked on in an imaging program -- to show that there was a lot of detail there. Thanks, Don....

12-23-2013, 10:08 PM	#10
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	I don't own the K500. Page 219 of the (english pdf) manual describes how to adjust the brightness of the LCD; is that the adjustments that you're talking about as well? Quote: Brightness Level \| Changes the brightness of the monitor (-7 to +7). I guess you're using live view and I'm not sure if this applies to live view.

12-23-2013, 10:42 PM	#11
DesertCruiser New Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Southwest Utah Photos: Albums Posts: 11 Original Poster	Sterretje: Yes I'm using live view and it doesn't make any difference. When you're shooting almost straight up into the sky it's almost impossible for me to see the viewfinder, so yes we're using the LCD. Thanks for the help, Don....

12-24-2013, 05:29 AM	#12
lister6520 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 733	I can't understand what's going on and why it's not working for you. The only thing I can imagine is that the K-500 behaves differently from the K-30 which would be odd as it is supposedly the same camera just packaged differently. That or maybe there is some elusive setting that is changing the behaviour. For me once I found the spot metering and EV compensation solution it has never been a problem to get a decent image of the moon on the LCD. Did you try the different modes as I suggested ? (for viewing and focusing, not when actually shooting the photo)