What am I doing wrong?

[Dian]

Often get over or under exposed photos.  

 

Camera: Sony a7II.

Lens: Vintage manual lens Micro-Nikkor 105/2.8.

Settings: A mode/ISO 200/Center weighted metering.

 

Shooting:  

Shooting a tree testing metering.

Aperture is set at f4.

 

The scene:

Around 10 o'clock in the morning.

Sun is at 3 o'clock.

Sun shine but a few traces of light clouds in the sky.

In a park everything is green.

 

Result:

The photograph is almost burnt.

Even the tree metered in the center is over exposed.

Here is the photo and its histogram.

 

 

Note: 

This happens also if other vintage lenses are mounted.  Very often either over or under exposed.

 

What am I doing wrong?

Any suggestions, please?

 

Thanks.

[Guest all8]

Try Multi-Metering mode.

[christer]

 

Here is the photo and its histogram.

 

 

Nothing there.

[Guest Colin Scott Johnson]

What adapter are you using?

 

If it's the Novaflex, you need to stop it down (smallest circle) prior to mounting and during operation of the lens if it is an AI-S MF Nikon.

This seems contrary to what one would expect, but it definitely works better.

[Dian]

Nothing there.

 

Thanks for pointing out the error.

 

I tried the link when I posted and found it work well.  Another link is added right hereunder:

Please try here again.

 

And I tried again the link just a few seconds ago and it linked well.

 

Thanks for help.

[Dian]

Try Multi-Metering mode.

Thanks.

 

I do use multi-metering if I shoot landscape and any types xxxscapes.  But I very often use spot and/or center weighted meterings if the point of interest in the frame is my main concern of the shooting.

 

Thanks.

[Dian]

What adapter are you using?

 

If it's the Novaflex, you need to stop it down (smallest circle) prior to mounting and during operation of the lens if it is an AI-S MF Nikon.

This seems contrary to what one would expect, but it definitely works better.

Thanks.

 

Many times I want the very limited focus and I use F1.4 or F2 or F2.8 quite often.

 

The following is my understanding as a newbie of the DSLR and is certainly not arguing with you or anyone.

The camera is set for A mode and ISO at 200 and leave the shutter speed open for the camera to adjust freely and automatically according to the amount of light coming in through the lens.  And thus, correct exposures are accomplished.  And this is one of the "attractive features"  of the mirrorless cameras using vintage lenses.  I do not think it (wrong exposure) has anything or little to do with stopping the lens.

[seb]

Thanks for pointing out the error.

 

I tried the link when I posted and found it work well.  Another link is added right hereunder:

Please try here again.

 

And I tried again the link just a few seconds ago and it linked well.

 

Thanks for help.

 

This link refers to content in your google account. It looks like we have no permission to it, only you as the owner.

[Guest all8]

Thanks.

 

Many times I want the very limited focus and I use F1.4 or F2 or F2.8 quite often.

 

The following is my understanding as a newbie of the DSLR and is certainly not arguing with you or anyone.

The camera is set for A mode and ISO at 200 and leave the shutter speed open for the camera to adjust freely and automatically according to the amount of light coming in through the lens.  And thus, correct exposures are accomplished.  And this is one of the "attractive features"  of the mirrorless cameras using vintage lenses.  I do not think it (wrong exposure) has anything or little to do with stopping the lens.

 

Check your shutter speed! The camera can adjust shutter speed freely ... between its minimum and maximum values, after which you will have exposure problems. Based on the Sunny 16 rule, and your parameters, it would suggest you are approaching the maximum shutter speed. As example: http://kareywalter.weebly.com/sunny-16-rule-in-photography.html

 

So try with a smaller aperture or a ND filter? Or disable Electronic First Shutter (or similar) which, IIRC, limits the maximum shutter speed. Or enable it if my understanding is reversed. Manual will explain that, or google.

[Dian]

Sorry for the link.

I'll make it another way.

Please try here again

 

 

 

I tried the link and again it worked immediately.

[Dian]

Check your shutter speed! The camera can adjust shutter speed freely ... between its minimum and maximum values, after which you will have exposure problems. Based on the Sunny 16 rule, and your parameters, it would suggest you are approaching the maximum shutter speed. As example: http://kareywalter.weebly.com/sunny-16-rule-in-photography.html

 

So try with a smaller aperture or a ND filter? Or disable Electronic First Shutter (or similar) which, IIRC, limits the maximum shutter speed. Or enable it if my understanding is reversed. Manual will explain that, or google.

 

Thank you for the good advice and the charts.  I'll pay attention to the shutter speed.

[seb]

I would say it's bright daylight.

In the sun you often have either high shutter speed or big f-stop. Sometimes you need both. Whith FF-sensor, ISO 200 and f4 you can get a 1/8000s quite easy in bright sunlight and as the camera cant get faster it overexpose. Try ISO 100 and f16.

[mguffin]

Looks like the scene metered for the tree... blowing out the sky...

[Golem]

Looks like the scene metered for the tree... blowing out the sky...

Yup .... now that we can see the link,

looks pretty obvious. Would be helpful

to compare multi meter vs center meter

results for the same scene, to   confirm.

[Trad]

Why not shoot in Manual mode? Thereby eliminating the Auto exposure adjustments that the camera is employing to achieve the 18% grey value it's wanting to achieve as the average in the pic. I used to have a good link, but can't find it just now, search on exposure techniques. I use manual mode pretty much all the time whether it's with manual focus or autofocus lenses.

[Trad]

This was the article I was looking for, but it looks like some of the images have been removed, hope it still possibly helps. Ignore the title, it's about exposure modes,

 

http://www.flickr.com/groups/d80/discuss/72157600124196411/?search=mastering+your+d80

[stefanobajak]

hey there, im new in sony, i have the a7rII with metabones ef-e mount T speed ultra booster, with canon serie L lenses, 50mm and 85 mm f.1.2, and 24-70mm and 16-35mm f. 2.8, i don't know what im doing wrong but in M mode in te monitor i can't see there real depth of field, it shows me only a certain part on focus area and when i took a shot it shows me the real f. depth of field, should i try some setting that im missing? and the other thing is that the auto focus doesn't work when im doing video... thank a lot for your opinion.