5D Mark III - Underexposed images

[dgtl_nm8r]

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

[Mykolas]

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.

[ReviewFever]

Thank you for the information, Mike. All is good now. The problem existed in the space behind the camera.

[pvk]

Hi ReviewFever,

you have set yourself not the easiest task, but if you persist you will get amizing results with this camera. As said by Canon in the previous answer, you cannot just copy exposure settings, as a minimul change in the light conditions, even by the change of the moon will change the outcome.

Here are some things you could do:

1) start taking pictures in Raw rather than Jpeg and correct the exposure in the Canon Raw or Adobe DPP. You will have much more room to change the exposure and whitebalance after you have taken the picture.

2) Set your LCD display to show the histogram when you review your picture

3) In manual mode, and with the shutter half pressed, observe the exposure meter, it should be near the middle, otherwize correct your ISO or shutter speed

4) take a test picture and look at the histogram. The basic message is that the higher your exposure (the more to the right the graph is) the least digital noise you will have. However, you dont want the graph to touch the right side of the histogram, because than you will be overexposing. You can easilly move the exposure down in post processing, but if you correct the exposure from low exposure to higher in post processing, you will introduce more digital noise.

5) if your exposure was not giving you a histogram with at least part of the graph in the 5th right most segment, you want to turn up the exposure by taking either a longer shutter speed or a higher ISO. If your histogram touches the right side, you want to move the exposure in the other direction

6) No take the actual photo using the settings you just dermined. Always check the histogram, retake the picture if it was not complying to the rules given in the previous point.

Will you let us know if this works for you?

Good luck, Pieter