topic Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

5D Mark III - Underexposed images

dgtl_nm8r — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 01:38:15 GMT

I just got a new 5D Mark III, and it seems to be underexposing images by about a full stop. I've tried all the metering modes, and it doesn't seem to change anything. Anyone else having this problem?

Thanks,

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

MacPhoto — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:36:03 GMT

Canon's spot meter linked to AF point ONLY in it's $6800 body whereas Nikon does so in it's bottom feeder bodies.

You will be using more af points then just the center, now. You have to read the manual and learn how the metering modes are going to work based on your scene.

Lastly, canon recalled a bunch of original mark III bodies. If your six digit is 1 or 2, send it in. Seems like a silly thing. But get it done while it is in warranty, why not have piece of mind.

Good luck

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

Mykolas — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:05:15 GMT

Dgtl_nm8r,

There was a serivce advisory for the EOS 5D Mark III, but it was not related to the issue you are experiencing. As a first step towards resolving this issue, we suggest that you restore the camera's default settings. You can reset to the factory settings by following the procedure below:

Press the MENU button.
Select the [Tools #4] tab.
Select [Clear All Camera Settings].
Press the SET button.
Select [OK].
Press the SET button.

For reference, this information can be found on page 56 of your User's Manual.

If this is a time sensitive-matter, additional support options are available at Contact Us.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

7D5D — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:28:24 GMT

Heard of this problem with new 5D mk IIIs on other sites. I would call Canon Support and arrange for them to calibrate the meter that way it will be dead on and you will be happy.

My experience with Canon Support is excellent! In your case they should pay for the shipping and will likely have your camera back in about 7-10 days, at least than has been my experience each time.

Good luck

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

placebo — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:44:19 GMT

I have the same problem of underexposed images with my 5D3. How restoring to the default settings would fix that problem?

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

JohnTh — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 08:08:02 GMT

I have the same problem of underexposed images with my 5D3. How restoring to the default settings would fix that problem?

It clears the garbage left by the firmware testers / engineers in settings area. Someone forgot to clear the NVRAM before shipping the software (ok, firmware) out.

Very annoying but not unexpected. However, one must be wizard to figure this without prior knowledge.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

HDCamTeam — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:20:19 GMT

@dgtl_nm8r wrote:
I just got a new 5D Mark III, and it seems to be underexposing images by about a full stop. I've tried all the metering modes, and it doesn't seem to change anything. Anyone else having this problem?

Thanks,
Jm

Hi Jm,

Did you find the cause of the problem? Does it happen in ALL shooting modes?

We use 5D3 and don't have any underexposing issues.

If you still didn't solve this, please provide more details, such exposure mode, lens used, etc.

Regards

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

placebo — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:30:17 GMT

I have restored my 5D3 to the default settings and did some tests. I still have to overexpose by at least 0.7 to get a accurate picture.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

hsbn — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 18:42:09 GMT

Is it under-exposure in camera (see underexpose histogram on the back of your LCD) or when you import them into computer only? If you only see the underexposed image on Computer only, what is the software you use to open your image? Is it RAW or JPEG?

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

HDCamTeam — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 18:55:11 GMT

@placebo wrote:
I have restored my 5D3 to the default settings and did some tests. I still have to overexpose by at least 0.7 to get a accurate picture.

Hi,

Just in case, are you using manual lenses that do not communicate with the camera?

Regards.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

placebo — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 14:48:01 GMT

It is underexposed on the histogram on the camera so I added 0.7 to obtain a correct picture. I used an 24-70 L II f2.8. I had the same results with the 24-105L. Never been a problem with my 5D2.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

hsbn — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:43:15 GMT

just one more quick question, sorry if it bothers you. But is the object that you are taking the photo of to determine the exposure? Is it a gray card? or color patch? or something else.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

placebo — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:26:44 GMT

You do not bother me and thank you for helping me. I am not using any object but taking plain outdoor and landscape pictures to compare . There was no snow on the area but the sea was greyish. Maybe I should take a grey card. The 5D3 is the first DSLR that I have to compensate +0.7 to get "normally clear" outdoor pictures.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

hsbn — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:34:08 GMT

sometimes the sparkling water surface under the sun can throw off your camera metering also. The best way to test, try to find a constant light source, place a gray card in it, take photo see if it is still under exposed.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

placebo — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:36:39 GMT

Thank you for the tip. I'll try it next time and i'll let you know.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

hsbn — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:05:57 GMT

Update us with information whenever you have a chance. I'm eager to know the result too :). Thank you, in a mean time, enjoy the camera.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

pvk — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:49:14 GMT

Do you by any chance have Highlight Tone Priority on?

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

placebo — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 17:12:00 GMT

No but I have auto lighting optimizer on so I'll disable it and do some test pictures.

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

ReviewFever — Sat, 04 May 2013 03:00:56 GMT

Well, I am having what I think may fall under the same category or rather something quite similar...

I just purchased a 5d3 and it is a huge step up from an old olympus evolt i purchased 9 years ago... I had gotten a hold of the camera well enough and needed a step up into a dslr that produced good video so after a VERY long time put into research i went with the 5d3.

Well, sadly, I am quite disappointed with the results I am getting of low light and night shots and after writing out about 11 pages of settings to use in manual mode to produce similar, wonderful shots, I am getting NOTHING but black screens in my shots. Every time. I have reproduced the exact shot styles and lighting doing research into footcandle information and seeking areas that are exactly the same as sample photos taken from a plethora of different sites online and different artists and I cannot duplicate anything nearly close to what I am seeing online. and even after putting my photos into lightroom 4.4 and manipulating them for a REALLY lot longer than i would like to, i still can only turn up with maybe a pile of grain.

so i will try to explain my issue very quickly. -and by no means do i consider myself anywhere near a professional not even a knowledgeable novice- i'm a noob plain and simple and this camera is WAY over my head at the moment, but what i can say is that I learn expremely quickly and retain everything i learn much better than most people so even with a very steep learning curve, I know that with proper direction i will have this camera nearly mastered in few months...

and i am now fairly certain that the issue lies with myself as i must be overlooking something somewhere and i just started on the manual and am up to page 100ish but i havne't come across the fix yet...

i preface saying i want to shoot in manual mode, because i want complete control... but setting it into manual mode is NOT giving me complete control because the camera still is doing things on its own.

so my issue: i set the iso, wb, +/-, and shutter speed as I want them and try to take a static shot of a rather dark area with very minimal lighting and as i depress the shutter half way the camera attempts to autofocus and while it does... (in live view to give me an idea of what's goin on) the screen immediately comes alive with colors and beautiful well lit images as it focuses and shows me a picture exactly as i want it taken and when i fully depress to capture the image i am left with MAYBE one highlight of the most well lit area and the rest is just black.

i dont understand why the liveview is showing me the picture as i hope it to be taken then giving me something that is absolutely unuseable.

i've tried in P mode and with minimal +/- adjustments I am ending up with very well lit night shots at a shutter speed around 1/200 or 1/400 but i can only seem to bring about a well it image in manual mode with a shutter speed of maybe a half a second to an eighth of a second.

I can't understand why i set my camera to the same settings i am seeing other peoples' photographs which turn out very nice at night and in very dark areas and when i try i get utter junk...

i have to be missing something somewhere... the settings i've tried most are:

ISO ... F/ ... SS

800 ... 6.4... 1/12 -very dark

1600 .... 2.8 ... 1/60 black with one barely visible highlight 1/50 black 1/100 black

1600 ... 4 ... 1/200 black 1/60 black with one highlight

3200 ... 2.8 1/1000 black with a pile of noise

and i went to the only camera shop anywhere near me and explained my situatioin and received a little chuckle from the owner because i knew he was thinking i was over my head and i know at the moment i am, but once i learn a little more i know i will be proficient, i didnt spend almost $8000 on equipment with a thought that i couldnt learn this camera and all the lenses and balancing system.

he told me i had to try a moon shot at ISO 400, F/ 16, and SS 400 then just step it down until i got a shot i liked but it's all just black or when stepped down to around 2.8 I'm getting a moon that looks like a yellow fuzz ball and a sky full of purple and white noise.

i'm probably going to have to create a new forum post but i have 1 minute left to work tonight and wanted to get this in here and online before i left and went home. ANY guidance is immensely appreciated. Thanks a bunch in advance and i may end up copying this into a new post altogether. sorry to have seeminly hijacked your post, author.

thanks

jon / reviewfever

Re: 5D Mark III - Underexposed images

Mykolas — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:53:31 GMT

Hi ReviewFever,

Thank you for posting. Every camera is different, so it is difficult to just take what settings someone else used for a similar situation and go get the same exact shot they did on your camera. There are many variables that may not be taken into account. Since you are shooting in the Manual mode, you have the ability to compensate for any underexposure because you alone are in full control of the exposure.

In the Manual mode, there is an exposure level indicator when you press the shutter button down halfway after you have made the adjustments to the exposure settings. This indicator may be in the negative range. Adjust either the shutter speed, aperture or ISO speed until this indicator is at zero or in the positive range.

You can also get a good idea of where to start with the exposure settings by switching to the P mode with Auto ISO and zero +/- exposure compensation. When you take a picture, go back to it in playback and make a note of the exposure settings the camera used. You can plug these into the camera in the Manual mode, then use that as a baseline starting point, making adjustments as needed.

If this is a time sensitive-matter, additional support options are available at Contact Us.