d60 settings? how can i make the best of it

Barros VeeDub · Sep 1, 2009

ok, so i have a nikon d60, so it says in my title, but i seem to be noticing that even while keeping an eye on my light meter, and adjusting shutter speed accordingly it seems to be bright/overexposed.

i have a few friends that seems to get shots right on money and dont have to edit anything, their images come out PERFECT. i'll get lucky and come across a perfectly exposed image.

am i missing something while taking photos? should i be adjusting settings to get my image right?

this image is mine, and took slight editing to get it right,

http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_boost/3876203628/

exposure was set properly... but i find myself adjusting exposure in light room because i feel that the image is too overexposure in PP.

here is someone i know...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31069232@N03/3874251083/

granted he is using a D3 and a 50mm while i am using an 18-55mm...

his colors and exposure i feel is PERFECT without any editing. should i be looking out for something while taking photos?

i dont pay too much attention to my aperture (i'm set in manual by the way) white balance i'm not too sure how to set up to be honest, and i dont really like to the use the presets i keep it in auto.

thank you in advance for helping.

Goontz · Sep 1, 2009

There is a setting that compensates for exposure too. Are you sure your exposure compensation isn't set to +(x)eV?

PhotoXopher · Sep 1, 2009

If you are just adjusting to make the exposure right according to the light meter why shoot manual? Just shoot aperture priority.

And like the above said, make sure you don't have exposure compensation dialed in - if you do there will be a +/- icon highlighted on the display.

Tee_bird · Sep 1, 2009

Why don't you just adjust the exposure according to your eye instead of the light meter?

Dao · Sep 1, 2009

If you are shooting with manual, you do not need to worry about the exposure compensation. The issue maybe related to the camera metering. You took the photo with Multi-segment as the metering mode. I do not know too much about your camera. So I guess if your camera meter sample too much of the ground or darker portion of the scene, your photo maybe overexposed.

Is you camera has Spot Meter? If yes, you can use spot meter and meter the area you want to expose correctly such as the white car and see if the camera can give you a better meter readings.

Edit: By the way, the other photo used Spot Metering.

PhotoXopher · Sep 1, 2009

Dao said:
If you are shooting with manual, you do not need to worry about the exposure compensation.

Why not?

If you have exposure compensation dialed in the light meter value will change just like any other mode.

Barros VeeDub · Sep 1, 2009

Goontz said:
There is a setting that compensates for exposure too. Are you sure your exposure compensation isn't set to +(x)eV?

bias is set to 0, you can see it on my photo data.

N0YZE said:
If you are just adjusting to make the exposure right according to the light meter why shoot manual? Just shoot aperture priority.

And like the above said, make sure you don't have exposure compensation dialed in - if you do there will be a +/- icon highlighted on the display.

Tee_bird said:
Why don't you just adjust the exposure according to your eye instead of the light meter?

if i have it set to be perfectly exposed, i want to know it going to be properly set. instead of sitting there trying to figure out whats the proper exposure, yah know what i mean?

Barros VeeDub · Sep 1, 2009

Dao said:
If you are shooting with manual, you do not need to worry about the exposure compensation. The issue maybe related to the camera metering. You took the photo with Multi-segment as the metering mode. I do not know too much about your camera. So I guess if your camera meter sample too much of the ground or darker portion of the scene, your photo maybe overexposed.

Is you camera has Spot Meter? If yes, you can use spot meter and meter the area you want to expose correctly such as the white car and see if the camera can give you a better meter readings.

Edit: By the way, the other photo used Spot Metering.

i did not noticed that. hmm, i'll have to talk with mike that shot that other photo.

PhotoXopher · Sep 1, 2009

I can't see anything in your photo data, sorry.

Goontz · Sep 1, 2009

Yeah, I think flickr only keeps exif data intact if it's the original sized photo. It's not available on the image above.

Barros VeeDub · Sep 1, 2009

well, i shoot in raw on my camera, and use lightroom to convert my raw images to jpgs to upload to flickr (whether i edit them or not), does that have anything to do with me not having my data?

i've noticed my data being slightly different to a few of my friends. is there a better way to just transfer my raw image to my comp and then convert them to jpg without losing data?

Goontz · Sep 1, 2009

It's probably not you taking the exif data out. It's flickr that doesn't make it available for all photos. You can only view exif information through flickr if it's the original size picture; not any of the smaller sizes.

Edit: I just clicked your link and viewed the original size of the picture to confirm that it is there.

Dao · Sep 1, 2009

The exif data is listed on the side under Additional Information. And that is how I know what metering mode you used.

Dao · Sep 1, 2009

Barros VeeDub said:
if i have it set to be perfectly exposed, i want to know it going to be properly set. instead of sitting there trying to figure out whats the proper exposure, yah know what i mean?

In a scene that has bright, normal and dark area, you may not be able to have proper exposure on all area. Select the one which is more important and meter that area with a spot meter.

Of course, sometimes, you may need to over or under expose slightly so that other area will not be heavily over or under exposed.

Or, you may need to bracket your shots.

Barros VeeDub · Sep 1, 2009

Dao said:
The exif data is listed on the side under Additional Information. And that is how I know what metering mode you used.

yeah, i was a bit confused why, he couldnt see my exif data... this is how i view it myself.

Dao said:
In a scene that has bright, normal and dark area, you may not be able to have proper exposure on all area. Select the one which is more important and meter that area with a spot meter.

Of course, sometimes, you may need to over or under expose slightly so that other area will not be heavily over or under exposed.

Or, you may need to bracket your shots.

yeah, i'll have to try that out this week. hopefully i dont have to bracket.