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 !!!!

[hsbn]

There is nothing wrong with it. Any camera has a limit "dynamic range", so you cannot capture everything as your eyes see it. An overcast sky is really bright even though it doesn't look like it. So most object placing against it will be dark. If you increase the exposure to brighten up the subject, the sky will overexpose. If you reduce the exposure for the sky, the object will be way underexpose.

[ScottyP]

You have literally shot the same scene at the same time using both cameras? And the XT does not blow out the sky and the T1i does?

[ks4greenthumb]

Yes. Literally. I'm at a complete loss here. 

[jrhoffman75]

Are you saying under the exact same conditions side-by-side the XT doesn't blow out highlights but the T1i does?

[ks4greenthumb]

With both cameras around my neck I can shoot a frame that has a tree line with fall colors and a dark overcast sk . The XT will give me a great Evaluated exposure and the T1i will give me a what looks like a Spot exposure for the trees with a blown out sky, but I have the T1i set for Evaluative NOT Spot. I have a bad feeling that there's something wrong with the light meter in the camera. Does that happen?

[hsbn]

Can you post some photo with exif data intact?

[ks4greenthumb]

I think I can pull that off.......how hard can it possibly be !!!! 😨

[ebiggs1]

You have answered your question.  If the two simular cameras (XT - T1i) with the same settings,  with the same lens and in the same settings, is not making nearly the same photo, there is something wrong with one camera.

Your job is to make sure these conditions are met.

[m50Scout]

What lens?