Help! Sky washed out, what the difference?

manda · Dec 11, 2003

Hi
I need some opinions.
Nukie advised me to sk u guys but I feel silly putting my ugly mug up here with happy snaps, but here goes anyway.
These 2 pics were taken at practically the same time with the same light. Both set in Program mode on a digital camera.
One was an expensive 4MP Canon G3
One was a not as expensive 3MP Olympus Camedia

Can anyone explain to me why the 2nd gets the sky washed out like that. I took the first one, and the 2nd was taken by someone who is not as camera savvy as me, which isnt saying much.

voodoocat · Dec 11, 2003

Looks to me like the first one got some fill flash to compensate for backlighting...

and who the hell has their arm around you? :crazy:

manda · Dec 11, 2003

hehe
his name is Johan
he's lovely

voodoocat · Dec 11, 2003

Do you remember the flash going off on the first photo? It looks as if you're in shade and since it exposed for you guys (still dark) the background was way over exposed.

tr0gd0o0r · Dec 11, 2003

I agree that it may have something to do with a fill flash, but I'm wondering if the type of metering the camera has had something to do w/ it also. I.e. one of them may have matrix metering while the other camera has center weight metering. Or this to, in the first picture theres some person and some sky, so when the meter leveled it all out it exposed for all of it to be correct. In second picture theres a lot more people, and it may just exposed to get the people right.

photobug · Dec 11, 2003

I think trog is on the right track with the metering scenario. You can illustrate it yourself if you have the ability to change metering modes with your camera.

Shot the same scene with each metering mode and compare. You'll probably see a marked difference between the shots.

voodoocat · Dec 11, 2003

Well metering aside.... there is too big of a difference between the sky and the subject. That is why it's blown out in the background. In the first photo the subject is brighter and the sky is exposed correctly. In the second shot the subjects are darker and the sky is over exposed. Sure the cameras have different meters, but that is not what caused these two results.

ksmattfish · Dec 11, 2003

Are you on a boat? Did the boat turn?

There is a huge contrast difference between the two photos. In the first one there is less difference between the sky and the face than in the second one. To me it looks like the sun was closer to or in the background in the second.

I'm not sure I even see any fill in the first one, but it might be there. Always force the flash when shooting snapshots outdoors on a sunny day. Modern metering systems do a pretty good job in auto.

Dew · Dec 11, 2003

ditto what everyone else said, but im thinking the two cams have different "sense" of metering ... my cam for example have ... spot metering, center metering, and "average"

messing with program mode on different cams can give u some not so predictable results :?

hehehehe ... is that your "friend" ?? :sillysmi:

manda · Dec 11, 2003

Thanks guys.
Im pretty sure the flash wasn't on for either. And yes it was on a boat, but a slow one that wasn't really changing direction.
Thanks for all your comments. I was just curious. The sky looks so pretty in the first one so I was a bit bummed the one with both of us had a crappy background.

Yes, dew he is a "friend". :sillysmi: