Why are the highlights always blown out on every picture I take with my Rebel T1i?

[ks4greenthumb]

Hello, my name is Kevin and I am new to photography and to this forum. I fell in love with photography this year ( 2014 ) when my Dad gave me his old Rebel XT. I used it for 6 months and had no problems with it at all. However, when I saw a good deal for a Rebel T1i on EBay, I bought it. Ever since I started using the T1i every picture I take that has any highlights is pretty much completely blown out, at least the bright areas are blown out. I've tried every setting on the camera to help prevent this to no availe. I can take a picture of the trees with a stormy overcast sky and with the XT I'll get a good exposure but with the T1i the sky will be totally blown out. I turned the HTP on and off, I turned ALO on and off, I've tried every possible combination of features on and off but it still seems to be over exposing the highlights. And it's only the highlights. I can use exposure compensation to darken the over exposed highlights but that totally removes any shadow detail. I'm starting to think that something may be wrong with the camera, like with the metering system or something. Does anyone have any thoughts on the matter, I sure would appreciate some help here !!!!

[Dukai]

Hi,
A bit late but I am having the exact same issue with the Canon 80d. I bought the camera a few month ago, coming from a 600d (t3i) that got stolen. I am more and more convinced there must be an issue with the metering or sensor of some sort that's constantly blowing out the high lights on pictures where it shouldn't (I think)... At least I'm pretty sure my old 600d did a better job regarding dynamic range and I find it weird.
For instance I have tried an experiment, I have just taken a scene's measure in high light and shadow using the spot measure and locking to iso100 at f5,6. The highest speed in the highlights gives me 1/1250 and 1/15 in the shadow, that's a bit less than 6 stops difference. Now if I go slower than 1/250, the highlights are blown out. At the same time, at 1/250 I lose tons of details in the shadow...
I don't have another camera to compare by taking the exact same shot with same lens, settings and scene so I'm not sure if I'm wrong. I'm not an expert so I'm not confident enough either to send the camera to repair or not... What do you guys think?
ks4greenthumb> it's already 3 years ago but, did you find a solution go your problem?
Thanks!
Ps English isn't my mother language, I hope you understand 🙂

[RobertTheFat · Accepted solution]

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@Dukai wrote:
Hi,
A bit late but I am having the exact same issue with the Canon 80d. I bought the camera a few month ago, coming from a 600d (t3i) that got stolen. I am more and more convinced there must be an issue with the metering or sensor of some sort that's constantly blowing out the high lights on pictures where it shouldn't (I think)... At least I'm pretty sure my old 600d did a better job regarding dynamic range and I find it weird.
For instance I have tried an experiment, I have just taken a scene's measure in high light and shadow using the spot measure and locking to iso100 at f5,6. The highest speed in the highlights gives me 1/1250 and 1/15 in the shadow, that's a bit less than 6 stops difference. Now if I go slower than 1/250, the highlights are blown out. At the same time, at 1/250 I lose tons of details in the shadow...
I don't have another camera to compare by taking the exact same shot with same lens, settings and scene so I'm not sure if I'm wrong. I'm not an expert so I'm not confident enough either to send the camera to repair or not... What do you guys think?
ks4greenthumb> it's already 3 years ago but, did you find a solution go your problem?
Thanks!
Ps English isn't my mother language, I hope you understand 🙂

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It sounds like what happens when the scene is backlit. (I.e., the sun is in your eyes, leaving blown highlights in the background and foreground subjects in shadow.) The usual solution is to use fill flash to brighten the foreground and reduce the dynamic range. But if you do that, don't use spot metering.

[m50Scout]

The 18-55 lens…. Works indoors, not outside.  Highlights blown out only outside.  M50 w canon adapter 

[jrhoffman75]

Please start a new thread with your problems. This is an old thread marked as solved. 

[ks4greenthumb]

Hey Bro, there is an Auto Highlight setting somewhere in the menu. I turned that OFF and fixed the problem for me. Hope that helps.

[Dukai]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply, I'll check that out.

[ks4greenthumb]

Let me know if you find it and if that helps.

[stevet1]

Kevin,

In addition to what others have suggested, are you using Auto White Balance by any chance?

The reason I ask is that I used to use Auto White Balance, and always felt like my pictures looked washed out. I started using Daylight and Cloudy based on the conditions, and think my pictures looked much better.

Steve Thomas