EV compensation flashing

Nick SD · 11-19-2009, 10:51 PM

Hello all,

This may be a real rookie question but i've been using my K200D in Manual mode more often (forcing myself more like it..lol) Anyway i've noticed that when im working in manual mode the EV compensation is always flashing -3.0 no matter what light im in. I know you cant adjust EV in Manual mode, however im still wondering why it is flashing -3.0 when I try to auto focus. Im unable to find why in the K200D manual either. Any thoughts?

Also, a total topic change. Does anyone know where to find some guides or tutorials on using a 540FGZ. I've read the manual several times but still dont really know what im doing. I've been to the strobist website and learned technique but it doesnt talk about adjusting flash or options.

Thanks

Eruditass · 11-19-2009, 10:54 PM

Flashing means its beyond -3.0. If you open up the aperture, increase the shutter speed, increase the ISO, and/or increase the lighting, shine it into the sun, or perhaps take the lens cap off (!), it should change at some point.

You should be able to use the green button to give you suggested settings for +/- 0.

Don't have the 540FGZ

Marc Sabatella · 11-20-2009, 02:10 PM

Originally posted by Nick SD

This may be a real rookie question but i've been using my K200D in Manual mode more often (forcing myself more like it..lol) Anyway i've noticed that when im working in manual mode the EV compensation is always flashing -3.0 no matter what light im in.

In M mode, that display is not exposure compensation - it's the meter reading. Flashing -3.0 is telling you the combination of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed that you have chosen is going to result in a picture more than 3 stops underexposed. If you tried taking the picture, it would be close to completely black. You're supposed to notice that flashing and change one or more of the exposure parameters to get the meter to read 0, or at least closer to 0. Hitting the Green button does that for you automatically.

Nick SD · 11-20-2009, 02:25 PM

Thank you guys for your quick replies. Im still a bit confused though. Even though it is flashing -30 im still getting good exposure from my flash unit. I tried what you guys said. i opened my aperture all the way (f4 in this case) and tried a slower shutter and its still reading it even to 0.7" second at iso 200. Even at 800 iso the best it gives me is 1/4 second. I suppose it doesn't even really matter because i am getting good exposure regardless from the flash unit. Still, I like to understand why and how things work. Or is my flash unit compensating no matter what in P-ttl mode?

Last edited by Nick SD; 11-20-2009 at 02:43 PM.

Marc Sabatella · 11-20-2009, 03:19 PM

"Oh, you had a flash? You didn't tell us that, so how were we supposed to know?"

Those words above could just as easily have been spoken by your camera... the camera thought the picture would be underexposed because it had no idea what the flash would do. Presumably there is a way to get the camera and flash to communicate in certin modes, but even then, it is nice to have a mode where the camera tells you what the exposure would be just using ambient light, so you have a sense of whether the ambient light is going to be of any use to you or not.

Nick SD · 11-20-2009, 06:01 PM

thank you mark .. you've been very helpful

11-19-2009, 10:51 PM	#1
Nick SD Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 16	EV compensation flashing Hello all, This may be a real rookie question but i've been using my K200D in Manual mode more often (forcing myself more like it..lol) Anyway i've noticed that when im working in manual mode the EV compensation is always flashing -3.0 no matter what light im in. I know you cant adjust EV in Manual mode, however im still wondering why it is flashing -3.0 when I try to auto focus. Im unable to find why in the K200D manual either. Any thoughts? Also, a total topic change. Does anyone know where to find some guides or tutorials on using a 540FGZ. I've read the manual several times but still dont really know what im doing. I've been to the strobist website and learned technique but it doesnt talk about adjusting flash or options. Thanks

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11-19-2009, 10:54 PM	#2
Eruditass Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	Flashing means its beyond -3.0. If you open up the aperture, increase the shutter speed, increase the ISO, and/or increase the lighting, shine it into the sun, or perhaps take the lens cap off (!), it should change at some point. You should be able to use the green button to give you suggested settings for +/- 0. Don't have the 540FGZ

11-20-2009, 02:10 PM	#3
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by Nick SD This may be a real rookie question but i've been using my K200D in Manual mode more often (forcing myself more like it..lol) Anyway i've noticed that when im working in manual mode the EV compensation is always flashing -3.0 no matter what light im in. In M mode, that display is not exposure compensation - it's the meter reading. Flashing -3.0 is telling you the combination of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed that you have chosen is going to result in a picture more than 3 stops underexposed. If you tried taking the picture, it would be close to completely black. You're supposed to notice that flashing and change one or more of the exposure parameters to get the meter to read 0, or at least closer to 0. Hitting the Green button does that for you automatically.

11-20-2009, 02:25 PM	#4
Nick SD Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 16 Original Poster	Thank you guys for your quick replies. Im still a bit confused though. Even though it is flashing -30 im still getting good exposure from my flash unit. I tried what you guys said. i opened my aperture all the way (f4 in this case) and tried a slower shutter and its still reading it even to 0.7" second at iso 200. Even at 800 iso the best it gives me is 1/4 second. I suppose it doesn't even really matter because i am getting good exposure regardless from the flash unit. Still, I like to understand why and how things work. Or is my flash unit compensating no matter what in P-ttl mode? Last edited by Nick SD; 11-20-2009 at 02:43 PM.

11-20-2009, 03:19 PM	#5
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	"Oh, you had a flash? You didn't tell us that, so how were we supposed to know?" Those words above could just as easily have been spoken by your camera... the camera thought the picture would be underexposed because it had no idea what the flash would do. Presumably there is a way to get the camera and flash to communicate in certin modes, but even then, it is nice to have a mode where the camera tells you what the exposure would be just using ambient light, so you have a sense of whether the ambient light is going to be of any use to you or not.

11-20-2009, 06:01 PM	#6
Nick SD Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 16 Original Poster	thank you mark .. you've been very helpful