300D underexpose with 550EX

[trucatus]

Hi does anyone have the problem of underexpose image with the 330D combine with 550EX? I find the exposure about 2/3 under consistantly....

[sonix]

Not enough information to answer your question.

It could be due too you focus on white or bright color and many other possibilities.

[loupgarou]

are you using M mode ( center average weighted) when shooting with flash? (eg: set your camera to 1/200 f/8 , the flash should output at a level to illuminate your subject/scene), not bright enough, then up the FEC

[trucatus]

I tried both the darker and brighter objects the brighter object worst and the darker object 2/3 under still...set my camera to 2/3 over expose and always gives me good exposure....should I send to Canon?

[loupgarou]

first, what are you metering off? is your monitor calibrated? shooting in raw or jpg or mode? is your flash set in ettl mode or manual mode?

show us some pictures first. include exif information. and indicate where you meter off in the picture.

[trucatus]

I still don;t know how to insert picture.....maybe will post it the gallery....

[theITguy]

I thought 300D all along have a liking to underexpose?

[loupgarou]

yes, but the guy say he bump up the fec already, and he gets overexposure, so it seems a problem with where and how he is metering.

my suggestion, shoot in raw and you don't really have to bother too much about exposure.

read

http://daystarvisions.com/Docs/Tuts/Meter/pg5.html

[lsl03]

300D with inbuild or external flash will underexpose the picture, you have to compensate 2/3 to get a proper exposure. It is normal for this cam, take a look at Imaging resource for the review:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/EDR/EDRPICS.HTM

[theITguy]

Originally Posted by loupgarou yes, but the guy say he bump up the fec already, and he gets overexposure, so it seems a problem with where and how he is metering. my suggestion, shoot in raw and you don't really have to bother too much about exposure. read http://daystarvisions.com/Docs/Tuts/Meter/pg5.html

Thought he say over expose by 2/3 stop and always give him good exposure??

[knoxknocks]

as some of the guys have pointed out, difficult to tell unless you've got a picture and also what you were doing (e-ttl or manual on the flash? M, Av or Tv on the body?)

If the room has generally white walls/mirrors or predominantly reflective, your preflash will tell the body to compensate by underexposing (if you're using E-TTL). If room has generally darker tones of paint etc, your preflash will tell the body to compensate by overexposing. Also, if you're taking portraits, color of the clothes, skin tones etc also affect exposure when preflash reflects these things.

Shutter speed and aperture is really used to expose for the ambient light. Can try to use Manual on the body f5.6 1/60. The flash does the rest of the work for the main subject.

just my 2cents...

[loupgarou]

Quote: Thought he say over expose by 2/3 stop and always give him good exposure??

sorry lah, my singlish not so powerful, thought he said upping exposure compensation by 2/3 gives him over exposure.

[trucatus]

I meter with a grey card still under la.....confirm underexpose by 2/3.....
Mode is in ETTL in the 550EX and camera using P mode. I thought the technology suppose to be good in 2005?

[+evenstar]

Mine too..even if it was taking a photo of a friend at point blank range (~1m from the face)...whole photo was dark though FEC on the flash was set at +1/3

[Prismatic]

Try this page and see if your question is answered there.
http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/#faq3

[knoxknocks]

Originally Posted by trucatus I meter with a grey card still under la.....confirm underexpose by 2/3..... Mode is in ETTL in the 550EX and camera using P mode. I thought the technology suppose to be good in 2005?

When you meter off the gray card, make sure you use FE Lock. Otherwise, when you recompose, the correct shutter speed/aperture is lost. You can verify this by checking the shutter speed/aperture when you meter off the gray card, and when you recompose to include your subject. See pg 34 of your 550EX manual.

My suggestion is to use Manual mode on the body. Saves the trouble of trying to "outsmart" a dumb camera

[loupgarou]

actually....

metering off gray cards =

did you know gray card is 18% gray BUT almost all camera meters are calibrated for 12% ....search the web to corroborate my statement..

[trucatus]

I use the same grey card for my EOS 3 for many years. It never give me such problem. So I think the % should be correct. Just maybe there are difference in the metering system or a calibration error.

[loupgarou]

http://www.bythom.com/graycards.htm


trucatus, when you meter off gray card in film, do you process the film/get the film lab to process it? I'm sure there are adjustments they do.

300D histogram gives you instant feedback, so you know how it is. and there's nothing wrong with leaving fec +2/3

[trucatus]

Forgot to mention the exposure for non flash photography is great. Underexpose only during flash photography.