Exposure Problem with the 300D

malabar290 · 4th November 2004

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone out there has any problems with the exposure of this camera? I've been taking pictures on this camera for a while and realised that the pictures sometimes comes up underexposed (in auto mode, AV or Shutter speed setting). I have to go to the manual mode and overexpose the picture by one stop.

Is it my camera, or what am I doing wrongly? Of course, sometimes the pictures come up just right (esp in bright sun) .. didn't have such problems with my old SLR ...

megaweb · 4th November 2004

maybe you should post the underexposed shot to let us share.

why do you need to switch to manual mode to compensate EV +1 ? you can use Av mode, focus, use dial to EV +1.

malabar290 · 4th November 2004

Really, didn't know I can do that - thanks - will definitely try that next time.

I 'cleaned' those underexposed shots up using PS - Auto Levels, so don't really have any underexposed shots right now. Will share them once it occurs again - which is not too far away I think

megaweb · 4th November 2004

Understand the metering mode and the way you compose. If you see a lot of bright or white area within the viewfinder frame, you should get a underexposed shot easily. Try to read up metering and exposure articles

Kit · 4th November 2004

I think you need to read the manual to understand how the camera works.

malabar290 · 4th November 2004

They were all taken in a room with generally dim conditions (taking photos of my baby lar

), and the viewfinder was all on the baby, so no background lighting to interfere with exposure readings...

I nearly always have to use PS to correct for exposure - that shouldnt be common right?

megaweb · 4th November 2004

What mode did you use when you get underexposed ?

If you are using Av mode, check your exposure bar, ensure it is at the ZERO and not negative value. How to set to zero? Just meter and focus lock at the object, use dial button to turn to adjust the bar to ZERO.

Time to post your baby shots

Lindsay Tan · 4th November 2004

Actually, I had a lot more problems with background underexposure with the 300D before. The onboard flash on the 300D is way inadequate for proper flash photography - in fact, I got better flash results with a 10 buck disposal camera.

I never really encountered too many problems with non-flash photography. Maybe you should send your camera in for a check up?

AReality · 4th November 2004

Originally Posted by Lindsay Tan

in fact, I got better flash results with a 10 buck disposal camera.

That's because your 10 buck camera uses film. Overexposure is more muted compared to digital.

Russ · 4th November 2004

On my 300D I usually set my EC to -1/3 stop to prevent OVEREXPOSURE. Slight underexpsure you can always adjust up in PS or PI but overexposure/ saturation is very difficult esp i the patches are big.

Some P&S cameras tend to overexpose in my experience - which can lead to nasty patches. In my experience, the 300D slightly underexposes, the G series gets it about right most of the time but overexposes sometimes, and cheaper P&Ss overexpose a lot more often.

Bear in mind that exposure is based on 18% grey so if there is a lot of white you need to overexpose. The reverse if there is a lot of dark colours.

AReality · 4th November 2004

Agree...
300D tends to underexpose by almost 1 stop. It's a consumer camera after all.

evq · 4th November 2004

I remember reading in this forum once abt this problem, 300D tends to underexpose from 1/3 to 1 stop. I have this probelm too, thus I only use RAW. I do exposure touch-up after that.
Anyway, underexposure is better than over-exposure. With over-exposure, all data are lost.

ST_sg · 6th November 2004

Originally Posted by evq

I remember reading in this forum once abt this problem, 300D tends to underexpose from 1/3 to 1 stop. I have this probelm too, thus I only use RAW. I do exposure touch-up after that.
Anyway, underexposure is better than over-exposure. With over-exposure, all data are lost.

Yes, Initially I was also suffering wrong exposure and wrong WB. After I got the Sandisk Ultra II 512MB, I start shooting in RAW. Now quite happy with my pictures. Exposure and WB touch-up in RAW really helps a lot

Suggest 300D user to shoot RAW

Tzuen · 7th November 2004

As others have mentioned on this thread, understanding the light meter on your camera and how it meters is essential to getting the pictures you want.

- Firstly there is NO such thing as the correct exposure. The lightmeter of the camera is not intelligent and merely does its job. YOU determine what the right exposure will be by understanding what the light meter does.

- The light meter on your camera will do just 1 thing. It will take the area it meters and try to make it the mid-tone. If the world was black and white this would be about 18% grey. For colors it will give the mid-tone of a color. Red not dark red or light red.

- Try this for yourself. Take a white piece of paper and shoot it, filling the frame with just white. Look on your monitor and you will see it as grey, the mid-tone.

- So what does this mean when shooting? If you are shooting something light in color and are metering off it, you need to tell your camera that this is a light tone. This can generally be done by adding +2/3 or +1 exposure compensation. Basically you are telling your camera. You need to make this lighter than the metered value.

- The same is true for the reverse. You are metering off your friend's dark blue graduation gown. You need to use - 2/3 to -1 exposure compensation to make sure it looks dark. Otherwise it will come out as a mid-tone blue and their faces will be over exposed.

- For the 300D try to use AE lock for partial metering whenever you can. This way you can choose what the camera uses to determine exposure. This way you can decide what is the mid-tone in the image and let the rest of the exposure fall where it may.

- In your example of taking up close baby photos, you are probably metering off the skin. Generally speaking (for Caucasians and i think most Chinese as well) skin is +1/2 stop lighter than the mid-tone.

- Matrix mode always seems to under-expose, why? Because it tries to ensure that everything in the scene gets some detail, i.e. not too dark or too light.

malabar290 · 7th November 2004

Thks for all the advice .. will definitely try to shoot in RAW and compare the results. Also, excellent info from Tzuen and will try to remember that in future! Still, I can't help but feel disappointed with the camera (shudder, but don't get me wrong - I'm a Canon fan as well

)

Jia Wang · 7th November 2004

Originally Posted by malabar290

Thks for all the advice .. will definitely try to shoot in RAW and compare the results. Also, excellent info from Tzuen and will try to remember that in future! Still, I can't help but feel disappointed with the camera (shudder, but don't get me wrong - I'm a Canon fan as well )

Disappointed? Don't be... the 300D is a capable tool if u understand it well... I brought my 300D to my weekend camp in P.Ubin... after a bit of tweaking (levels, saturation and USM) in PS, the photos turn out great (btw, I shot in jpeg)... u can see them here ...

Keep shooting...

lui002 · 7th November 2004

Hi Jia Wang, I agree with you. After viewing your photos,
I'm quite sure that 300D can produce excellent photos.

tanjk · 8th November 2004

Originally Posted by malabar290

Thks for all the advice .. will definitely try to shoot in RAW and compare the results. Also, excellent info from Tzuen and will try to remember that in future! Still, I can't help but feel disappointed with the camera (shudder, but don't get me wrong - I'm a Canon fan as well )

Just wondering, are all your under-exposed frames arises from using some kind of flash? (on-board or external)

After owning the 300D and reading numerous informational threads both here and on dpreview leads me to believe that some (not all) 300D has this irritating problem. Just to share with you, my 300D consistently under-exposes 2/3-1 stop when coupled with 420EX in-door. Otherwise, it is spot on.

If that is true for you, you may wish to contact Canon or just learn to deal with it. Of course, you must make sure you understand how E-TTL works and their various metering mode. For me, I learn to deal with it since I put in the hacked firmware and adjust my FEC to +2/3 permanently. I also shoot exclusively in RAW + AdobeRGB. I am since a very happy man.

BTW, shooting in RAW is not the solution to the problem, it just lets you fix the problem w/o suffering any image degradation, ie putting +1 Exposure when you convert.

Please do not feel disappointed with the camera. It is a very capable camera, just that you need to understand it.

Regards,
JK

ps: if you haven't done so already, pls take some time to go through the following website

http://photonotes.org/articles/

BurgaFlippinMan · 8th November 2004

or u can buy a D70 (price cut mar) and revel in Color metering....

*dashes to underground bunker*

malabar290 · 10th November 2004

I often try to resist tweaking using PS, but I realise I don't really have a choice with this camera. In response to tanjk's question, the problem happens even when I'm not using the flash... guess it's time to send it back to the workshop

4th November 2004	#1
malabar290 New Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: East Coast Posts: 30	Exposure Problem with the 300D Hi all, Just wondering if anyone out there has any problems with the exposure of this camera? I've been taking pictures on this camera for a while and realised that the pictures sometimes comes up underexposed (in auto mode, AV or Shutter speed setting). I have to go to the manual mode and overexpose the picture by one stop. Is it my camera, or what am I doing wrongly? Of course, sometimes the pictures come up just right (esp in bright sun) .. didn't have such problems with my old SLR ...

4th November 2004	#2
megaweb Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: East Posts: 8,106	maybe you should post the underexposed shot to let us share. why do you need to switch to manual mode to compensate EV +1 ? you can use Av mode, focus, use dial to EV +1. __________________ See my Photo Gallery at the Clubsnap \| Pbase

4th November 2004	#4
megaweb Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: East Posts: 8,106	Understand the metering mode and the way you compose. If you see a lot of bright or white area within the viewfinder frame, you should get a underexposed shot easily. Try to read up metering and exposure articles __________________ See my Photo Gallery at the Clubsnap \| Pbase

4th November 2004	#5
Kit Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Bukit Timah / Melbourne CBD Posts: 6,010	I think you need to read the manual to understand how the camera works. __________________ arkitectural photography http://arkitecturalphoto.1x.com/

4th November 2004	#7
megaweb Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: East Posts: 8,106	What mode did you use when you get underexposed ? If you are using Av mode, check your exposure bar, ensure it is at the ZERO and not negative value. How to set to zero? Just meter and focus lock at the object, use dial button to turn to adjust the bar to ZERO. Time to post your baby shots __________________ See my Photo Gallery at the Clubsnap \| Pbase

4th November 2004	#8
Lindsay Tan Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 123	Actually, I had a lot more problems with background underexposure with the 300D before. The onboard flash on the 300D is way inadequate for proper flash photography - in fact, I got better flash results with a 10 buck disposal camera. I never really encountered too many problems with non-flash photography. Maybe you should send your camera in for a check up?

4th November 2004	#10
Russ Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Pasir Ris Posts: 1,613	On my 300D I usually set my EC to -1/3 stop to prevent OVEREXPOSURE. Slight underexpsure you can always adjust up in PS or PI but overexposure/ saturation is very difficult esp i the patches are big. Some P&S cameras tend to overexpose in my experience - which can lead to nasty patches. In my experience, the 300D slightly underexposes, the G series gets it about right most of the time but overexposes sometimes, and cheaper P&Ss overexpose a lot more often. Bear in mind that exposure is based on 18% grey so if there is a lot of white you need to overexpose. The reverse if there is a lot of dark colours.

4th November 2004	#11
AReality Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 4,395	Agree... 300D tends to underexpose by almost 1 stop. It's a consumer camera after all. __________________ . The Visual Journalist

4th November 2004	#12
evq Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The 13th floor Posts: 789	I remember reading in this forum once abt this problem, 300D tends to underexpose from 1/3 to 1 stop. I have this probelm too, thus I only use RAW. I do exposure touch-up after that. Anyway, underexposure is better than over-exposure. With over-exposure, all data are lost.

7th November 2004	#14
Tzuen Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 462	As others have mentioned on this thread, understanding the light meter on your camera and how it meters is essential to getting the pictures you want. - Firstly there is NO such thing as the correct exposure. The lightmeter of the camera is not intelligent and merely does its job. YOU determine what the right exposure will be by understanding what the light meter does. - The light meter on your camera will do just 1 thing. It will take the area it meters and try to make it the mid-tone. If the world was black and white this would be about 18% grey. For colors it will give the mid-tone of a color. Red not dark red or light red. - Try this for yourself. Take a white piece of paper and shoot it, filling the frame with just white. Look on your monitor and you will see it as grey, the mid-tone. - So what does this mean when shooting? If you are shooting something light in color and are metering off it, you need to tell your camera that this is a light tone. This can generally be done by adding +2/3 or +1 exposure compensation. Basically you are telling your camera. You need to make this lighter than the metered value. - The same is true for the reverse. You are metering off your friend's dark blue graduation gown. You need to use - 2/3 to -1 exposure compensation to make sure it looks dark. Otherwise it will come out as a mid-tone blue and their faces will be over exposed. - For the 300D try to use AE lock for partial metering whenever you can. This way you can choose what the camera uses to determine exposure. This way you can decide what is the mid-tone in the image and let the rest of the exposure fall where it may. - In your example of taking up close baby photos, you are probably metering off the skin. Generally speaking (for Caucasians and i think most Chinese as well) skin is +1/2 stop lighter than the mid-tone. - Matrix mode always seems to under-expose, why? Because it tries to ensure that everything in the scene gets some detail, i.e. not too dark or too light.

7th November 2004	#17
lui002 Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 271	Hi Jia Wang, I agree with you. After viewing your photos, I'm quite sure that 300D can produce excellent photos.

8th November 2004	#19
BurgaFlippinMan Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: KL Posts: 585	or u can buy a D70 (price cut mar) and revel in Color metering.... dashes to underground bunker

10th November 2004	#20
malabar290 New Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: East Coast Posts: 30	I often try to resist tweaking using PS, but I realise I don't really have a choice with this camera. In response to tanjk's question, the problem happens even when I'm not using the flash... guess it's time to send it back to the workshop