7D - Wild Exposure problems

[hjoseph7]

<p>I solved one of the problems with my 7D. Apparently when you use a TS lens and the lens is in the shift, swing or tilt positions and the camera is set to 'P' mode, wiild variations in exposure are possible mostly over exposures. I took a couple of shots in 'P' mode with the lens tilted and they all came out over exposed ! So that means Manual exposure is the best/only way to go when using the lens the lens in this fashion.<br />I still haven't figured out why some pictures come out dark and others light when using the pop-up flash, but it could be that the flash is putting out more or less power for one reason or another. I'm trying to work this out with the Canon Rep and will keep you posted. <br />With that I apologize to Canon and all the 7D fanatics on this forum.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>It looks like the problem with some pictures coming out darker than others with the same aperture/shutter combination settings might be attributed to slight variations in shooting angle, and the way the flash reflects of the white wall but I 'm still investigating.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>I still have not ruled outproblem #2. The next 2 pictures were taken with the same exact settings.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>I still have not ruled outproblem #2. The next 2 pictures were taken with the same exact settings. Excuse the mess in my room.</p><div></div>

[hjoseph7]

<p>Here is Picture #2 taken with the pop-up flash from the same position with the same exact settings as Picture #1.</p><div></div>

[bjcarlton]

<p>How do you get a pop-up flash to cast shadows like that? The light source in the second shot appears to be quite a bit to the right of the camera, and indeed appears to be reflected in the TV screen on the left. Is the pop-up flash triggering a studio strobe?</p>

[bob_himmelright]

<blockquote>

<p>How do you get a pop-up flash to cast shadows like that? The light source in the second shot appears to be quite a bit to the right of the camera, and indeed appears to be reflected in the TV screen on the left. Is the pop-up flash triggering a studio strobe?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>agreed. something is casting light from the right of the frame....</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>"agreed. something is casting light from the right of the frame...."<br />Nope, as far as I know there was only one light source the pop-up flash. there are a few possibilites why this might have happened.<br />1) The dark picture was taken 15 seconds appart from a previous shot, while almost a minute expired between the dark and light picture.<br />2) The pop-up flash did not go off.<br />3) The battery was drained and did not fully recycle the flash.<br />4) The Auto Lighting Optimizer was set to Enable. <br />5) Bad comunication between camera and flash.<br>

6) The lens blocked off light from the pop-up flash.</p>

[morthcam]

<p>Look at the shadows in #2 -- behind the lightstand, the bust, on the floor from the right -- there's no way that an on-camera flash produced those shadows. None of the possibilities you listed would account for the direction of the light (and the pop-up flash did go off, it's in the EXIF data).</p>

[mark_ethridge]

<p>Harry, glad you sorted out one of our problems. I'm not sure what you have going on in the pictures above, but as others have noted it sure looks like you have a strong light source off to the right. Were you using the tilt/shift lens here too? Would you get that view if you had the lens tilted and shifted to one side (making it appear that the flash is not on camera)? </p>

<p>After going through my pictures again, it appears that I was mistaken. It looked like I had a problem because I had such extreme, progressive changes in images over such a short burst. However, as I examined more of the images I noted that many of them matched the "underexposed" image--it had to do with the direction my camera was facing. And before anyone asks, no I was not using a polarizing filter. I sure am glad to hear that there's no inherent problem with the 7d because in every other area, the thing is rock solid. </p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>"Look at the shadows in #2 -- behind the lightstand, the bust, on the floor from the right"<br />I forgot to mention I did pull up the shade on the window to the right and since it was early in the morning that might be Sun light coming through the window at an angle. I was using the Tilt Shift lens, but it was set in the Normal position. As far as the Pop-up flash, if you look at the Exif data it shows the flash was enabled in both pictures ?<br />The position of the shadow is baffling though and so far I can't explain it. Mark according t the Canon Rep 'CF:' on the top right side of the play back screen means Card Flash as a reminder that a card is inserted in the camera . It sure sounds confusing, I thought it meant Custom Function. In any case I still got allot of testing to do, only got 25 days left before I can return the camera for a full refund or exchange. Thanks for all the help.</p>

[bjcarlton]

<p>Your light source coming in from the right is obviously a point source, because the shadows are extremely sharp. The light source is close by, because the shadows in the upper part of the picture go up (look at the shadow of the blue picture and what appears to be a thermostat by the window), and the shadows in the lower part of the picture go down (look at the shadow of the cardboard box on the floor). Light from the sun would be parallel (and probably not nearly so horizontal), so this is from a much closer source. Interestingly, the picture also shows a second set of shadows, and this set <em>is</em> consistent with a pop-up flash. Look behind the bicycle handlebars and the light stand; you can see shadows on the walls directly behind them. The light stand is particularly interesting, as there are plainly two sets of shadows, one to the left, and one appearing as sort of a ghosting on the wall directly behind the light stand. Interesting stuff, but now I'm not quite clear what these pictures are supposed to demonstrate. They are two images taken under wildly different lighting conditions.</p>

[john_tran14]

<p>Mystery solved, as other posters have found: It's completely operator's fault</p>

<p>#1, the flowers photo: The photos were taken at noon, so exposure set manually at 1/125 iso 100 f14 will give that "normal" shot. The other shots are with P mode and the "operator" can easily make mistake (accidentally or not) to over expose at f4.5 1/50 (please don't ask me how, that's way too easy)</p>

<p>#2. The bicycle shots, one with the bright light bulb on, the other without. That result is obvious</p>

<p>#3. It's definitely the operator fault because he was also confused between the sun and a light bulb, and he thought 4pm is in the morning</p>

<p> </p>

[photos of hans koot]

<p>Didnt read all, my excuses, but the camera may accidentetly have been set to spotmetering.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>"Mystery solved, as other posters have found: It's completely operator's fault"<br>

John Tran the canon expert has spoken case closed !</p>

 

[philip_wilson]

<p>Harry with TS lenses I suggest that you always check in live view - especially when you use tilt or shift. First it is difficult to really compose a TS shot on a 35mm viewfinder and really see the impact of TS - especially on the smaller / darker Digital viewfinders. Secondly live view really lets you see the exposure. When I use TS lenses I always use live view as well as the viewfinder.</p>