new d60 blowing my whites

briansommersd60 · Jun 16, 2009

I was shooting my little puppies today, and I had constant problems with blowing my whites..

what do I have set wrong?

thanks
bs

NateS · Jun 16, 2009

Change to spot or center weighted exposure and your problem will be fixed. That or you could just knock the exposure down half a stop or so.

This happens because the whites are obviously brighter so it's always a struggle to expose the whites properly when there's darker colors as well. Spot exposure should fix the problem I think.

PhotoXopher · Jun 16, 2009

What metering mode are you using?

Edit: Doh, too slow again.

Samanax · Jun 16, 2009

Cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy.

What shooting mode are you using?

Do you know about exposure compensation and now to use it?

What kind of lighting are you working with? Sunlight from a window?

NateS · Jun 16, 2009

N0YZE said:
What metering mode are you using?

Edit: Doh, too slow again.

Lol. Well, he hasn't said, but based on the problem I was guessing matrix as that's what most newcomers seem to use. I guess they think it sounds cool cause Neo was in it, but I always have better luck with spot metering unless shooting landscapes or something......then again I'm in full manual with a flash attached most of the time so not like it matters.

paulk_68 · Jun 16, 2009

What was your light source? Besides doing what Nates said, you could have used a reflector to direct light on the left side of the dogs, and then set your exposure.

DScience · Jun 16, 2009

omg, your dog is soooooo cute!!!

briansommersd60 · Jun 17, 2009

I was metering in spot mode, that is what concerns me..

there was some sunlight coming through some big windows on the right and I was in P mode and using the little pop up flash ISO 200

I had started out in matrix and then I though well why not go to spot, but still no good..

yes I know about ev - my fear of turning it down, is that it seems that I have to really brighten up all my photos and I couldn't because then it would really clip then... I'll keep experimenting and see what else I can come up with..

man I'm regretting selling my bees years ago.. really ticks me off.. now I have to start all over again..

artoledo · Jun 17, 2009

briansommersd60 said:
I was metering in spot mode, that is what concerns me..

there was some sunlight coming through some big windows on the right and I was in P mode and using the little pop up flash ISO 200

I had started out in matrix and then I though well why not go to spot, but still no good..

yes I know about ev - my fear of turning it down, is that it seems that I have to really brighten up all my photos and I couldn't because then it would really clip then... I'll keep experimenting and see what else I can come up with..

man I'm regretting selling my bees years ago.. really ticks me off.. now I have to start all over again..

I had that problem with the built in flash. I bought me a SB-900 and it seemed to take car of those problems with the help of the fill flash and bounce cards

briansommersd60 · Jun 17, 2009

oh no another $400 - hehehehe don't tell my wife..

interesting that you mention that, because that what I was just wondering if it had something to do with the flash, well for now I'm just going to have to learn to work with available light until I can afford to get one..

Samanax · Jun 17, 2009

briansommersd60 said:
there was some sunlight coming through some big windows on the right and I was in P mode and using the little pop up flash ISO 200

yes I know about ev - my fear of turning it down, is that it seems that I have to really brighten up all my photos and I couldn't because then it would really clip then... I'll keep experimenting and see what else I can come up with..

Does that camera have FEC (flash exposure compensation)? Could try turning that down.

Have you tried getting out of P Mode and going manual? Shutter speed gives you control over ambient light while the aperture gives you control over the flash. Try using a slower shutter speed and a high f/stop value (smaller aperture opening).

Sw1tchFX · Jun 17, 2009

You have too much daylight coming in, if you tightened down your aperture or lowered your ISO, and made the flash do more work, then you wouldn't have blown anything out, that's what sucks about having only 1/200th of a second flash sync and that's why I still use my D70 from time to time, it can sync at 1/500th.

briansommersd60 · Jun 17, 2009

yes it has FEC and I did turn it down, then the shadow areas were to dark..

but I like the above two ideas, going manual and letting the flash do all the work.. great idea..