Getting a nice image with fast shutter speed

[Necroist]

How is it possible? At 1/1000, my picture turns out UNDERexposed but I've seen many action photographs coming out well (ie. Sports photography) even at that speed.

What must I look out for?

 

[Richard]

Depends. Faster film, faster lens, etc etc.

 

[Necroist]

But it still doesn't grab enough light?

 

[erwinx]

I don't understand why your photos are underexposed. Reasonably fool-proof metering systems were perfected more than 10 years ago, and unless you have an extreme lighting situation (eg shooting at the sun), theres no reason why you should get underexposure.

Even consumer digicams like the coolpix 995 which I've used on a few occasional give very good exposures. So 2 questions:

(1) What camera are you using?
(2) When you say you use 1/1000 shutter speed, I assume that this is based on the camera's meter reading ? (not a case of shooting in really dim light, totally ignoring the fact that camera says 1/10 and shooting at 1/1000 and wondering 'why my shots underexposed?)

Originally posted by Necroist
How is it possible? At 1/1000, my picture turns out UNDERexposed but I've seen many action photographs coming out well (ie. Sports photography) even at that speed.

What must I look out for?

 

[Necroist]

Originally posted by erwinx
I don't understand why your photos are underexposed. Reasonably fool-proof metering systems were perfected more than 10 years ago, and unless you have an extreme lighting situation (eg shooting at the sun), theres no reason why you should get underexposure.

Even consumer digicams like the coolpix 995 which I've used on a few occasional give very good exposures. So 2 questions:

(1) What camera are you using?
(2) When you say you use 1/1000 shutter speed, I assume that this is based on the camera's meter reading ? (not a case of shooting in really dim light, totally ignoring the fact that camera says 1/10 and shooting at 1/1000 and wondering 'why my shots underexposed?)

1) I was trying out Aquarius's Coolpix 885
2) Its based on the camera's meter reading. Even in the open sunlight, I tried shooting some carshots with 1/1000 and it still comes out underexposed.

 

[StreetShooter]

First things first, did anyone set the exposure compensation in the camera at -1 or -2?

 

[Flare]

or did you just set to 1/1000 but the camera's largest aperture still cannot get enough light?

 

[Necroist]

Originally posted by StreetShooter
First things first, did anyone set the exposure compensation in the camera at -1 or -2?

I'm not too sure about that...

 

[Necroist]

Originally posted by Flare
or did you just set to 1/1000 but the camera's largest aperture still cannot get enough light?

I did choose the largest aperture when I set the shutter to 1/1000.

 

[Flare]

So, you set the aperture to the largest and then set shutter speed at 1/1000 seconds? If you just did , you may not get the correct exposure... You should have based your manual settings on the camera's light meter... In auto mode, look at the settings, then go manual, set to those settings, dial up the aperture (smaller f-stop) and for each stop you open up, reduce one stop for the shutter... so if there's not enough light, you cannot get to 1/1000, you'll have to use a brighter lens and/or faster film/ higher ISO.

 

[Jed]

Originally posted by Necroist


I did choose the largest aperture when I set the shutter to 1/1000.

Okay, without meaning to sound stupid, you do know what a "large" aperture is, and haven't got it the other way around right? Even in reasonable daylight, with ISO 100 sensitivity, you should still be getting enough light. If you're sure you're doing everything right, wait till a sunny day, or crank the sensitivity up to about ISO 400.

 

[Necroist]

Originally posted by Jed


Okay, without meaning to sound stupid, you do know what a "large" aperture is, and haven't got it the other way around right? Even in reasonable daylight, with ISO 100 sensitivity, you should still be getting enough light. If you're sure you're doing everything right, wait till a sunny day, or crank the sensitivity up to about ISO 400.

Yeah I know what an large aperture is.

Bigger Aperture, Smaller f/stops, smaller DOF.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Flare]

Seems correct to me....

So did you base your manual settings on the camera's meter? What situation are you shooting? Outdoor? Indoor? Time and Light condition?

 

[Necroist]

outdoor, afternoon.

Pardon my ignorance, camera's meter? How do I check?

 

[StreetShooter]

Originally posted by Necroist


I'm not too sure about that...

What I mean is that some cameras have "exposure compensation", which means that no matter what the exposure metering is, it will automatically underexpose (or overexpose).

So if exposure compensation is 0, the exposure will be correct.

If you set exposure compensation to -1 or -2, then it will automatically underexpose by one or two stops, no matter what the light conditions.

So please check that first, and make sure it is set to zero.

 

[Flare]

Hmmm .. The 885 doesn't have shytter or aperture priority right?? Ok, so first set at auto/programe mode, frame as desire, half-press... The shutter speed and the aperture value the camera's built in meter should be displayed somewhere on the LCD or something... Go to manual mode and set your manual settings base on the values using the method I suggested above