Jump to content

30D Underexposing by 2 stops


jim_gross

Recommended Posts

Has anyone had an issue with the 30D underexposing by 2 stops (-2)? I looked

back at several weeks of shots and found that this problem has turned on and

off at least three times in the last two weeks. Now it will not stop

underexposing.

 

Observations:

 

1. This is only happening in P, Tv, Av modes and the exposure display is

showing -2 not 0.

 

2. In Photoshop, the bad images look underexposed and shows a -2. ex: 1/15s at

F/4.0 -2, ISO 100.

 

3. The green mode looks properly exposed and Photoshop does not show the -2.

 

4. In the M mode, the exposure display is working and if set to 0, the photo is

properly exposed and Photoshop does not show the -2.

 

Tried a cold reboot by waiting 10min with no battery in camera and then

replacing battery. This did not fix the problem. Going to try cold reboot after

1 hour but do not have any faith this will fix it either.

Looks like a trip to Canon to me.

 

Is there something I may have missed?

 

Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In any of those three modes, do a 1/2 press of the shutter button and QUICKLY rotate the big

wheel on the back of the camera two or three clicks clockwise to set the EC back to 0 (This

will only work if the on switch is in the position lined up with the white mark). That is how

you set (or reset) exposure compensation. If that's what you're already doing, it needs to be

fixed :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jim,

 

No - You haven't missed anything! I have reported this problem before and so have others. It seems to be a re-occuring issues with some 30Ds. I've learned to read the histogram which enables me to re-take the shot whenever it reveals an underexposure. I also shoot almost exclusively in RAW which gives me extra latitude in correcting underexposed pictures.

 

If you send the camera back to Canon I would be interested to know if they find anything.

 

Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Denis Germain wrote: "there is no such thing as compensation in M mode"

 

Yes and no - whereas you don't set an EC explicitly, "spinning the dial" none-the-less will still vary the exposure (with the resultant change in metering).

 

But - the OP has said that it exposes correctly in manual, with the meter centered - it's other modes that are out - which does sound to me like EC has been inadvertantly entered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Andy

 

Thank you for giving me a good kick in the ---.

 

I knew that the big wheel on the back sets the exposure, but in my panic I missed the point that I needed to 1/2 press the shutter button. I had been using manual the other day and I must have inadvertently placed it on Av mode and moved the wheel.

 

Thanks again

 

Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dotun,

 

The issue you speak of very different from what Jim is having. The common underexposeing people complain of is by 1/3 of a stop or so. NOT 2 full stops. And it showed up in the exif data. At two full stops, even RAW is of no use.

 

Don't feel bad Jim, That thumb wheel has gotton me a few times two. Make it a habit to keep an eye on the meter in the veiw finder.

 

Jason

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can set the compensation wrong inadvertently on the 20D as well. Guess how I know. There may be other reasons for exposure problems to show up, but I know in my case, it was 'user error.' However, in my experience, 'user error' is most commonly a result of bad human engineering on the part of the designers of a piece of equipment.

 

I'm told that a Korean War aircraft had the firing button and the eject button next to each other.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your camera is exposing two stops under the meter's measurement because that's what it is being told to do. There's nothing wrong with your camera. What on earth do you think -2 means? Just set it to 0 if that's what you want.

 

This is like saying: "Why does my car start slowing down? It happens when I press the brake pedal."

 

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As Kieth said, you're not seeing it in M mode because there is no EC in manual mode, you need to change the shutter speed or aperture to over or under expose. You obviously have EC set to -2 in one of the other modes. The camera is doing what it's being told to do. Also, setting every scene at the midpoint of the exposure meter will not always give you proper exposure. Good luck.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...