topic Re: 6D Light Meter Issues in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

6D Light Meter Issues

Kaweeka — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 21:11:33 GMT

When taking a picture in low light situations the meter gives a reading 3 stops under exposed; point it towards a bright scene and all is well . . . It does not matter what metering mode I'm using.

i tried clearing all the camera settings, tried a different lens, and still the problem exists. Have I missed something or is it time to visit the service center?

thanks!

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

jrhoffman75 — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 21:33:37 GMT

That measn that even with all the adjustments the camera is applying (shutter speed, aperture and ISO) the scene is still too dark.

Point it to a bright light and the camera can get a proper exposure.

All is well with the camera.

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

Kaweeka — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 21:27:13 GMT

Should have added that I also tried shooting the scenes @ ISO 1600 and the issue still exists. Just a couple of days ago I was shooting pictures of the dogs using just the light from a lamp and all was well. Mystifying!

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

TTMartin — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 21:31:03 GMT

@Kaweeka wrote:
@Should have added that I also tried shooting the scenes @ ISO 1600 and the issue still exists. Just a couple of days ago I was shooting pictures of the dogs using just the light from a lamp and all was well. Mystifying!

ISO 1600 is not high at all for a digital camera.

Your camera sounds like it is working perfectly normal.

I would suggest you watch some YouTube videos on basic photo concepts. Adorama TV on YouTube is a good place to start. I highly recommend the Digital Photography One on One series.

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

Kaweeka — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 21:41:17 GMT

The indoor scene is well lit. I can get a decent picture at 1/80 F4 with 3 stops of exposure adjustment. Seems if all were well the meter should get much closed to a correct exposure. I shoot everything from sports (both outside and in the gym) to long exposure landscapes (volcano at night) so I've played around with many different lighting situations. There is an issue with either something I set inadvertently or with the camera I'm just at a loss what it might be.

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

Kaweeka — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 21:46:30 GMT

Just adding one more thing . . . If I shoot using Live View the exposure is spot on (1/160 F2.8) but through the viewfinder it takes a picture at 1/2500 F2.8. Much appreciate the help!

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

jrhoffman75 — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 21:51:55 GMT

Do you still need to add in three stops of compensation if you are shooting outdorrs in daylight?

Are you getting underexposed images if you use AUTO or AUTO+ mode (depending on what your camera has)?

You can go into Menu and clear all custom settings and clear all camera settings.

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

Kaweeka — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 22:08:04 GMT

Daylight is fine (sitting in my living room rotating the chair to shoot out the window and back to shoot into the room which is back lit). And what throws me off more is in Live View the exposure is fine.

Have the same issue in A+ and P. I also reset all the camera settings back to default as you described (twice for good measure). I'm off to read more about Live View since I do not use it a lot but was doing some full moon experimenting. Makes me wonder if I set something wrong in this process. Makes no sense but what the heck!

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

Kaweeka — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 23:12:03 GMT

Did more reading, found nothing, and then thought what do you do before calling tech support? Reboot! But there is no way to remove the batteries that maintain memory . . . However, what I should have done first is just remove the big battery. Doing so fixed the issue! Sorry to waste your folks time!!

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

TTMartin — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 12:17:16 GMT

@Kaweeka wrote:
Did more reading, found nothing, and then thought what do you do before calling tech support? Reboot! But there is no way to remove the batteries that maintain memory . . . However, what I should have done first is just remove the big battery. Doing so fixed the issue! Sorry to waste your folks time!!

Sounds like you got exposure compensation dialed into the camera. The 'light meter' was actually showing exposure compensation. So you might want to read up on the exposure compensation section of the manual so it doesn't happen again accidentally.

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

Mbrow124 — Fri, 12 Feb 2016 19:17:44 GMT

I just Bought the 6D specificaly for is much touted low light abilities and find myself having the same issue. I will go out side set up the camera on a tripod, aim it at a lake behind the house I will have the camera set to manual mode and open at 4.0 with an iso of 3200 when I adjust the shutter speed so that the metering slide at the bottom is in the middle at 0. To me this indiacates a correct exposure. If I switch it over to live view it will now be 2 stops below the zero mark without changing any other settings. This happens using any meter mode evaluative, spot, center etc.

When I take the picutre with the exposure meter on the zero I expect the meter be then be metering for an 18% relectiviyt so the night scene infront of me should appear brighter, when I expose properly with the view finder, the picture is almost pitch black, with the exposure set through live view it turns out perfect... I have tried the battery removal for a full day and cleared all the camera functions to no avail. is this normal?

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

Waddizzle — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 22:17:47 GMT

I use a 6D, and the only occasions when I have noticed a significant difference in light between the viewfinder and LiveView is when I am using a fully manual lens, one that does not communicate with the camera, AND the camera is set to any mode except for Manual.

When I use a fully manual lens, I find that when I change the camera ISO setting to AUTO, then apparent brightness of the image during LiveView matches what is visible through the viewfinder. I have used these settings for shooting video, too.

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

Mbrow124 — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 02:32:46 GMT

I am using the canon 24-104 l lens and it does it on any setting but I want to keep iso and aperture the same, just have the shutter speed change

Re: 6D Light Meter Issues

TTMartin — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 02:09:57 GMT

@Mbrow124 wrote:
I just Bought the 6D specificaly for is much touted low light abilities and find myself having the same issue. I will go out side set up the camera on a tripod, aim it at a lake behind the house I will have the camera set to manual mode and open at 4.0 with an iso of 3200 when I adjust the shutter speed so that the metering slide at the bottom is in the middle at 0. To me this indiacates a correct exposure. If I switch it over to live view it will now be 2 stops below the zero mark without changing any other settings. This happens using any meter mode evaluative, spot, center etc.

When I take the picutre with the exposure meter on the zero I expect the meter be then be metering for an 18% relectiviyt so the night scene infront of me should appear brighter, when I expose properly with the view finder, the picture is almost pitch black, with the exposure set through live view it turns out perfect... I have tried the battery removal for a full day and cleared all the camera functions to no avail. is this normal?

Is this with your eye up to and looking through the viewfinder?

The viewfinder metering is in the viewfinder. If you are taking a picture without your eye up to the viewfinder, light can enter the rear of the viewfinder and mess up your exposure.

Your camera came with a little rubber piece to cover the viewfinder when you don't have your eye up to the viewfinder.

I find that a lens bottom cap also works well to cover the viewfinder, and is easier to use in my opinion as you don't have to remove the eyecup to use it. Just slide the lens bottom cap over the eye cup.