18-55 kit lens tend to underexpose?


sid8888

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Nov 4, 2009
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Anybody experience the same problem? Frequently have to use +0.3 or +0.7 compensation in both outdoors and indoors. Same thing with centre weighted n matrix metering.

Tried 50-200 kit lens didnt have such issues, pictures well exposed....
 

I dont have a 50-200 so i can't confirm, but my tamron 70-300 performs similar to my kit lens- No issues.

Erm, try testing both lens at 50mm in a controlled environment. Because you did not specify, one problem might be because you shot on different subjects?
 

yes, from my experience.

it is the result of being conservative to ensure that highlights are not blown. i usually set it to +0.5ev.
 

yeah kinda underexpose so sometime must +0.3 to 0.7ev
 

The camera tends to underexpose to preserve highlights. You can adjust exposure to be brighter in PP, but you can't bring back details that have been overexposed and blown off.
I find that most lenses need a +0.3 to +0.5 compensation (just dial it in on the exposure compensation and it will be taken care of automatically, even with green button and stop down metering). The odd few lenses (very often non Pentax) need no biasing. As you get familiar with your lenses, you will know what to compensate for.
 

I've tried out the 18-55 for 3 months already, in quite a number of situations,different settings etc...can safely say that more than 90% of the time the picture comes out too dark.
However some other lenses I tried out didn't exhibit the same behavior...if its a characteristic of the pentax cam to preserve highlights,shouldn't pics from other lenses turn out similarly?

Since you guys experience the same thing I guess that's just the way the lens is...but don't you find it annoying having to check the histogram after every shot and adjusting the compensation and retaking the shot again?
 

I've tried out the 18-55 for 3 months already, in quite a number of situations,different settings etc...can safely say that more than 90% of the time the picture comes out too dark.
However some other lenses I tried out didn't exhibit the same behavior...if its a characteristic of the pentax cam to preserve highlights,shouldn't pics from other lenses turn out similarly?

for metering, different lens will give different results.

i have a lens that needs a dial in of -2ev. it's an old lens. :dunno:
 

Yea I guess just have to go out and shoot to understand the lens characteristics....
But metering aside, pentax lenses are great, quite happy with the iq and build quality so far...
 

yes, i always set +.3 or +.7...
but if you set to standard, most of the time you will have almost all the detail except shooting the sun... so overall a bit dark...
 

Yea I guess just have to go out and shoot to understand the lens characteristics....
But metering aside, pentax lenses are great, quite happy with the iq and build quality so far...

well , it is a matter of remembering which lens tends to underexpose, overexpose, etc.. after a while. ;)
 

well , it is a matter of remembering which lens tends to underexpose, overexpose, etc.. after a while. ;)

It is rumored that using the LV (of k-x) helps a lot about the correct exposure?
Anybody confirm?
 

It is rumored that using the LV (of k-x) helps a lot about the correct exposure?
Anybody confirm?
if it adjusts like it does in pns, then yes.

also, if you have a histogram available in LV, and know how to read it, then you will be able to get the optimal exposure when dialing in values.

the thing is, the viewfinder > LV most of the time, really. so it is better to judge and learn about metering tendencies, etc, internalise it..
 

if there is histogram preview..can use it for planned shots..however if you need to grab a moment, best to have a mental gauge what +EV you might need first..in-cam development can give you higher-key processed files as well.

& because different lenses may have different characteristic regarding exposure, generally need to take some time to know your gear thoroughly..
 

Yea my k-7 also always underexpose when taking in bright comditions like 2 in the afternoon say like of a nice car in the hot parking lot:sweat:.I have to +2ev to correctly expose. but when im indoors where its not so bright, my shots turn out fine :think: so i dont think its a lens issue ? but the metering ? im using the sigma 18-200mm btw
 

Yea my k-7 also always underexpose when taking in bright comditions like 2 in the afternoon say like of a nice car in the hot parking lot:sweat:.I have to +2ev to correctly expose. but when im indoors where its not so bright, my shots turn out fine :think: so i dont think its a lens issue ? but the metering ? im using the sigma 18-200mm btw

I find that in many cases people complaining about a camera underexposing, it is often more of a photographer problem than a camera problem. This is one of the cases, when there are parts of the scene that is bright and not-so-bright patches. If you set to multi-segment or center-weighted, it will take exposure of the enter scene into consideration, and reduce the exposure so as not to overblow highlights in the bright areas. If you want to get the exposure correct just for the car, then use spot metering. This will expose the car correctly but will probably overblow the details of the sky or other bright areas.
 

most of the time i use spot metering but its still usually under exposed :sweat: maybe i point at the reflextion of the sun :bsmilie:
 

most of the time i use spot metering but its still usually under exposed :sweat: maybe i point at the reflextion of the sun :bsmilie:

Sorry OT abit,i got one frens who use K10D with 18-55 kit also complaint under expose.
No matter what setting he use & ISO level he push still can't get it right.:think:

Haha! one big round LCD brightness set to -5, I...:hammer: him ah!
 

Yea my k-7 also always underexpose when taking in bright comditions like 2 in the afternoon say like of a nice car in the hot parking lot:sweat:.I have to +2ev to correctly expose. but when im indoors where its not so bright, my shots turn out fine :think: so i dont think its a lens issue ? but the metering ? im using the sigma 18-200mm btw

+2ev is more of the metering being fooled, in which case most cameras will be fooled.

simplest case is to shoot into the sun, no camera will give you optimal metering.
 

Sorry OT abit,i got one frens who use K10D with 18-55 kit also complaint under expose.
No matter what setting he use & ISO level he push still can't get it right.:think:

Haha! one big round LCD brightness set to -5, I...:hammer: him ah!

IMO again, problem is behind the camera. In any exposure mode (besides M), changing Aperture, shutter speed or ISO won't affect the final exposure because the camera will adjust other values depending on what you set in order to match the exposure that is metered. Only EV compensation will make a difference.
 

yes i realised my k-x 18-55 also always underexpose, and my pictures always end up very 'dead' as in , the colours are simply not vibrant enough :( tsk...been trying alot, i alwys try nt to use the saturation bars too much but i realised its quite difficult nt to!