Underexposure

[rak996]

I just reviewed my pictures from a recent trip and was suprised at how many shots were underexposed. Picture focus quality is better than any previous taken with my Nikon F100. What am I doing wrong? It is were bad. Someone please give me some advice so that I can improve my exposure quality. Thanks

 

[traderbc]

> G2 metering system is only centre weighted so it is not as advanced as the > F100's matrix metering.

Having said that i have not noticed my pictures coming out under. But i used to own the F3 and is more used to centre weighted metering.

Keep trying and you might find the AEL helpful.

 

[writing4me]

Richard, maybe a little test would help find where the problem lies before trying to make corrections. Pick up a short cheap roll of slide film and pop it into the G2. Purposely aim the camera at a large and evenly lit wall that is about the value of a grey card (maybe a brick wall - depending on the color of the bricks - or a garden wall of weathered wood ... and old door... you get the idea) Focus and shoot. If your camera's meter is behaving properly your slide should come back properly exposed since it is only about the value of a grey card, and every center weighted meter tries to balance the subject to be mid-toned.

Then shoot a person centered in your viewfinder outdoors with a lot of sky in the background. Your meter may be fooled by all the light from the sky and compensate the exposure. Take the same image again, but this time aim the camera first at the ground (hopefully it is just green grass at your feet) and lock the exposure - recompose the shot on the person and shoot. This exposure should be right on - because you have fooled the meter into not thinking about the sky background.

You could also test by shooting a very dark, black object - maybe a cat or dog. Do the same steps as above and see what the difference is in the resulting slides.

I don't have the G2 so I can't give you specifics about how to lock expsosure - but I think it is just a case of getting to know how your meter behaves. Once you know how it reacts then making a minor allowance for it will become second nature to you in no time at all.

Hope this helps, Lynn

 

[coodeville]

I have to agree on Lynn with this one. I own both the G2 and the F100. I usually use the G for out door still life. What I do is this.........I use a lens cleaning cloth that is 18% grey and I place it over the subect. Then I move in and fill the whole frame with the grey card and lock exposure. The cloth is removed and the exposure is taken. Once the exposure is taken, I then see what the exposure would have been if I relied on the reading from the point of composition. After a while, you will know what your meter is all about and know what you have to do with placing the grey cloth on the subject.

 

[coodeville]

I took this picture using the cloth

 

[coodeville]

The emphasis was on the word "laSalle". I did not want to make three posts concerning this. But the system would not allow me to upload the picture on the original one.

 

[cnsiegel]

I hate to bring this back down to basics, but when the G2 battery is starting to die, there is a tendancy towards underexposure. Check the battery meter, or just replace with fresh CR2s and it may solve the problem.

 

[radk2000]

Would any body know if pressing the shutter half-way down would lock the exposure (as well as the focus). Thanks.

 

[julius]

Rudy, this can be done using a custom function setting. I've not used any custom functions, but check out the manual for details on how to set this up.

 

[saspencr]

Rudy, normally the G2 checks exposure just before actually exposing. The halfway press is only for focus lock. I just use the exposure lock lever on the camera and find that better than a combination exposure/focus lock on the halfway press (this feature is on my Minilux).