A6000 Exposure Issues

[midshipmanX]

Hey guys, I just bought an A6000 this morning, and I'm having a big issue all of a sudden. Every picture I take is almost completely black and way underexposed unless the ISO gets set to something huge like 3200 or the shutter speed is slowed to a second even when I'm in a well lit room. For example, if in manual mode, I set shutter to 1/125, ISO to 125, aperture to 5.6, and auto white balance then I'll get a blacked out shot. I also get the little -2.0 exposure warning flashing on the bottom of the monitor. Is this an issue with this specific camera or did I inadvertently change a critical setting?

[Mabi]

What shutter speed do you get in Aperture mode at f5.6?

 

If i set my camera in A mode, f5.6 iso125. I get 0,5 sek 

(In my room with lights on in the roof and 2 windows letting daylight in, pointing my camera at the window from 5 meters in the room) 

 

Set my camera in M mode f5.6 1/125 ISO125 the picture is almost completely black only light from windows show.

Seem like there is no issue!

I guess someone with longer experience could tell you this without testing first, as i did.

[Golem]

........................................

.....................  I'm in a well lit room. For example, if in manual mode, I set

shutter to 1/125, ISO to 125, aperture to 5.6 ... I'll get a blacked out shot

........................................

  

" ..... shutter to 1/125, ISO to 125, aperture to 5.6 ..... "   

 

A standard well lit interior is a large multiperson office space,

away from any large windows. Your settings are several stops

underexposed on that basis. In case you don't know the math

involved, you are operating with about two percent of the light

required for your reported settings. Black frames would be a

perfectly normal result.   

  

The correct exposure for ISO 125 is about 1/30 sec at f:1.4,

or 1/2 sec at f:5.6. Try that and report back on your results :-)

  

If your version of "well lit interior" might happen to be twice as

bright as standard, you'll still get black frames but with maybe

a few very dark details beginning to appear. Any windows and

artificial lights may possibly show clearly in your black frames.  

[Guest Jaf-Photo]

If you shoot in manual setting you should turn Setting Effect on in the menu. That way you get a preview of the exposure on the screen and in the EVF. Then you can adjust the settings to get a good image.

 

You'll make your life easier by using one of the automatic modes like aperture priority. Then you just have to keep an eye on the automatic shutter speed and increase ISO if it's too slow. For action shots, you use shutter priority and watch the automatic aperture.

[Klaus]

@Mabi did you find any solution to still be able to shoot in manual mode?

Im a little late but I bought the same Camera and have the same issue and can’t help.

Greetings

[Pieter]

What is your issue @Klaus? The conclusion of this thread was that the OP had too limited understanding of how to get a correct exposure. Problem was not in the camera but in the operator. Likely your case is similar.

If you have limited experience with setting exposure manually, try setting the camera to Auto, see what exposure settings the camera chooses and use that as a starting point in Manual mode. Then work from there towards your specific preferred settings.

[Klaus]

I photographed a lot before. And recently switched from a Nikon D5100 to the Sony A6000. And in really bright situations the camera is not capable to take „ok“ photos. Even in midday sunlight outside I have to set ISO 800 with settings of 1/200 f5. With my 8yr old Nikon I can take pictures with ISO 100 1/250 f5.

No one else on the internet describes a problem like this so I am not sure if I received a not fully functional camera.

[Pieter]

Sounds unlikely, settings on your a6000 and D5100 should be pretty much identical for correct exposure under the same lighting conditions. As far as I know a camera can't be defective in such a way that it miraculously makes light disappear. Only when you modified your lens (e.g. with a neutral density filter, extension tube or extreme closeup with a macro lens) should your final exposure be significantly affected despite exposure settings on your camera.

[Klaus]

This is the fact that makes me wonder. I have no attachments or filter on the camera or the objective. Is there a known problem with objectives that cause these issues?

I bought the Sony SEL35f18 to be able to take photos during kinda "low light" (early evening) situations. Now I am not really able to take acceptable photos in well lighted situations and I don't know if its something that can be changed by settings or something like that or if its a problem with the camera/objective. I am unsure to keep the setup.

 

[Pieter]

Do you still have your old Nikon and an f/1.8 lens? If so, please check again camera settings under the same lighting conditions versus the Sony with 35/1.8, to make sure it is not just a gut feeling that makes your judgement biased. My brother has a Nikon D5500, I have an a6000 and a6500. We get almost identical images with the same camera settings.

[Klaus]

I double checked it today and can’t figure out what is happening. When I try to brighten it up in Lughtroom the black fully breaks down into noisy green and its to disturbing.

 

I am going to send it back. Is this „Noisy-Black-Green-Problem“ still a thing on the a6500? 
 

The 8yr old Nikon handles the light better and is way ahead in editing and doesnt breaks down the black.

[Thad E Ginathom]

ok, this is  a silly question of the "Are you sure it is plugged in?" kind, but here goes...

Could you have done something with the exposure compensation setting without noticing?

No? Thought not. But it's always worth asking the obvious stuff.

I have a6000 and a6500, but I don't have that lens. I have a Sigma 30/1.4 and a Sony 50/1.8. The big-eyed kitten in my avatar was taken in a low-lit room using the Sigma. In the absence of a silly-mistake setting,  I think there must be a fault in your camera or lens. Sorry that has given you bad experience of this camera.

[dbest]

This may sound a little old fashioned, but you should test the settings with a light meter just to be sure. I use an old Gossen Sixtar to verify if my manual settings are in the ballpark, otherwise I let the camera do the thinking.