mamya pro tl overexposure

[www.whitemountainphoto.com]

Lately, my Pro tl has been overexposing my slide film significantly,

spot or average metering, same thing. I checked it against another

camera and the metering is dead on. Can it be my shutter is already

having problems/off sync? I hate to lose my camera for the time it

takes to send it out and check. Any other ideas?

 

Thanks, Dana

[garry edwards]

Are you sure that it's <b>over</b>exposing?<br>If it's under</b>exposing the problem is most likely caused by your camera battery running flat, in which case the shutter will fire at 1/400th regardless of the setting

[www.whitemountainphoto.com]

Garry, thanks for the insight. I wasn't aware of the 400 shutter speed thing with low batteries, could prove very helpful in the future. However, the transparancies are all very light, I'd say at least 1+ stop overexposed, or more at times.

[www.whitemountainphoto.com]

I think I figured out the problem, but still unsure of exact method after reading the instructions. Using the Pro Tl with the AE prism finder and camera in Auto mode, It says that in order to use mirror lock-up, to depress the exposure button half way, and then flip up the mirror, and release the button, but not to "hold it down a second too long" or it will show the TL in the viewfinder showing too little light and overexposing. I'm pretty sure this is my problem, but I don't really understand the directions entirely....Am I supposed to hold the button down half way, flip up the mirror lock up while still holding the button, then completely depress the button (while never letting go of the half way push)after locking up the mirror, to take the picture OR does it mean that I'm supposed to press half way, flip the mirror up and let go of the button and the exposure is set, and then press the button fully to take the picture at will? The directions are really rather confusing and now I'm wondering if I've been doing the wrong thing when setting the spot meter and recomposing after setting the exposure in the spot meter. Do I have to keep the button held in while recomposing? I often use manual for such puroses, but there are times I want to use Auto and set my overexposure/underexposure dial to get what I want.

[ptucci]

I did the same thing, 'till I realised the overexposures were the ones I used mirror lockup with Autoexposure. Now, when using MLU, I use manual exposure. The sensor sees dark, so it uses a really long exposure time.