[Dave54]

When ever I set my camera to auto picture , AV or TV it takes really bad pictures they are usually so dark they don't resemble what I am seing with my eyes even remotely , If I switch to manual they become truer to what I see . The only thing I wonder is if I changed something to cause this. I don't have a problem using manual but sometimes it takes 2 or 3 test shots to dial it in and I have missed shots because of it.
Thanks
Dave

[Photo Tramp]

When ever I set my camera to auto picture , AV or TV it takes really bad pictures they are usually so dark they don't resemble what I am seing with my eyes even remotely , If I switch to manual they become truer to what I see . The only thing I wonder is if I changed something to cause this. I don't have a problem using manual but sometimes it takes 2 or 3 test shots to dial it in and I have missed shots because of it.
Thanks
Dave

Dave, try and reset the menu to Default and take some pictures in auto. If the same thing happens Send it in for service.

[SpecialK]

Can you post a sample picture with exposure data?

I'm just guessing but check the the exposure compensation. It should be 0.0. The way to set that is to hold down the square button near the shutter while moving the control wheel. Unfortunately, that square button is also used to toggle between setting the shutter speed and adjusting the aperture using the control wheel. In that case you press and release the button. Minor operation difference, major result difference.

[Dave54]

The exposure compensator is set to 0 , the camera is brand new so I doubt it's that , I have gone though the custom settings and don't see anything that would change a picture other than the flash settings and I seem to be able to adjust this rather quickly now that I have the hang of it. I will try and reset everything to see. I wonder if when I updated the firmware in the camera with the latest version (1.02) if that could have done it , because I don't remember if I took any shots before I updated it.
Dave

[xfraser]

This may be a stupid question, but have you downloaded the pictures to your PC? It may just be the lcd on the camera is dark but the pictures are okay...

[JJJPhoto]

Well, it depends on the metering mode, subject, and histogram (and possibly the lens) to determine whether your camera has a problem.

Using either my K10D or DL I can get an underexposed or overexposed images relying on the camera's metering ... but that doesn't mean there's a problem with my cameras.

It might be that I have the camera set to multi-segment/scene metering when it really should have been set to spot metering given the subject/scene.

Like all cameras, in multi-segment/scene metering your camera may underexpose or overexpose an image in an attempt to get be best overall mix of highlights and shadows in the frame.

If you think that your camera is giving you bad exposures you "might" want to try using spot metering. I personally find that I get better results when I take more control over what the camera is metering from.

[Dave54]

It is set to muti-segment and the worst pictures are outside with sun and snow, and yes I've put them on the computer to look at them , I can brighten
them up on the pc but prefer to keep doing that to a bear minimum , I'll take some and upload them , not till fri.
Dave

[slip]

It is set to muti-segment and the worst pictures are outside with sun and snow, and yes I've put them on the computer to look at them , I can brighten
them up on the pc but prefer to keep doing that to a bear minimum , I'll take some and upload them , not till fri.
Dave

it doesn't supprise me that they are dark as the bright sun and bright snow as the camera tries to make them "middle grey" meaning the scene will register overexposed so the camera tries to compensate by underexposing.

what do they look like in "regular" scenes?
how about flash?

good luck

randy

[khardur]

I only got my K110D in December, so all I've been taking is snow/ice pictures. You definitely have to compensate for that, either by dialing up the exposure compensation (usually for me +1 to +2 works) or (as was said earlier) by spot metering on something around middle gray.

Also turn on the histogram view for the preview image, that will give you a much better sense at the exposure than will the LCD monitor - (the LCD for me is unreliable for snow shots - it's shows everything being "bright enough" but I've been disappointed afterwards...)

Now I use the histogram display, even though it covers up half of the review image, but that's what the viewfinder is for hey?

-Dan

[Alvin]

Shooting a scene that has a ton of white will throw metering off a tad. This is the camera trying not to blow out the highlights. As mentioned by a couple posters before me, try to turn up your EV a little bit (say 0.7).

[Mike Cash]

Since you're taking snow/ice, have you tried the "snow" setting under the SCN mode? (I'm assuming the 110 also has it).

[khardur]

Since you're taking snow/ice, have you tried the "snow" setting under the SCN mode? (I'm assuming the 110 also has it).

I may have to try that sometime as an experiment - but I'm turned off by the fact that it won't let you change the white balance in SCN mode, seems to be set at auto, and I don't necessarily like that. (K110D)

-Dan

[aabram]

I'm turned off by the fact that it won't let you change the white balance in SCN mode, seems to be set at auto, and I don't necessarily like that. (K110D)

It may come down to personal preferences but... that's exactly why there's an option to shoot RAW. I usually don't bother with WB or EV at all and correct those in PP. Only when WB is too off I set it during shooting, just to get an idea what I just captured when reviewing pics in LCD. I find worrying about WB and EV at the time of shooting a bit pointless since few pics later I may have to set them again and again and again. And I'd probably still need to tweak the pic afterwards anyway, so I might as well to do it all at once then.

BUT that implies shooting RAW though. When you prefer JPG-s then you definitely need to worry.

[khardur]

It may come down to personal preferences but... that's exactly why there's an option to shoot RAW.
BUT that implies shooting RAW though. When you prefer JPG-s then you definitely need to worry.

I don't shoot JPG's - i did for the first couple hundred shots when I got my camera, just because I was screwing around...

I prefer setting the WB as close as possible, but I agree it's nice shooting RAW because you can tweak that after the fact...

But to clarify for anyone who hasn't tried it, in the SCN mode for snow and surf not only doesn't allow you to set the WB, but it also doesn't allow you to change the shutter speed/aperture - it's all auto, except for exposure compensation.. so there's a mode I won't ever use!

[Alvin]

It is set to muti-segment and the worst pictures are outside with sun and snow, and yes I've put them on the computer to look at them , I can brighten
them up on the pc but prefer to keep doing that to a bear minimum , I'll take some and upload them , not till fri.
Dave

Sounds like you are shooting into a strong backlight, or the light is really bouncing off the snow (that is in the background of your subject) into your camera and throwing the multisegment metering out. Use spot metering, push the AE Lock on your subject and fire. If you still have darkness, then try it with a flash.

Really hoping to see the pics tomorrow to help you out.