Does the 50D have a tendency to overexpose?

[JClishe]

Whenever I'm shooting outside and in Av mode, I almost always have to dial down exposure comp to about -1/3 or even more otherwise I get blown out highlights. I actually leave it at -1/3 as the default and only dial it back up when needed. The other day I was shooting an old farmhouse during sunset and I still had to underexpose.

Is this typical with the 50D?

 

[gsgary]

What metering were you using ?

 

[Robin Usagani]

+1

What metering were you using ?

 

[Overread]

In stronger daylight I find I do the same with my 400D and its the same with many cameras. The meter is very accurate but it can be fooled, and in certain situations you have to learn (as you have done) to compensate for when the light will trick the meter.

 

[Big Mike]

Also, what are you using to judge that the images are overexposed? Don't rely on the image preview on the LCD...but rather use the histogram.

 

[Taylor510ce]

Turn on your histogram and look for "blinkies" I have had some situations where I needed to do the same thing. Thats why exposure comp is there, to be used.

 

[Ron Evers]

I have the same issue with my G1. I use centre weighted metering.

Whenever I'm shooting outside and in Av mode, I almost always have to dial down exposure comp to about -1/3 or even more otherwise I get blown out highlights. I actually leave it at -1/3 as the default and only dial it back up when needed. The other day I was shooting an old farmhouse during sunset and I still had to underexpose.

Is this typical with the 50D?

 

[Flash Harry]

must be a canon/panasonic thing, lol. H

 

[Idahophoto]

It does a slight bit I think. I usually have mine set for 1/3 stop under exposure which seems to be about right most of the time. If the light is tricky I'll knock it down 2/3 but don't recall needing to go past that unless when I wanted it to be underexposed on purpose.

 

[Derrel]

Both my Canons, 20D and 5D, have a tendency toward overexposure at times. If all it takes is Minus 1/3 the problem surely isn't much of a big deal. My good friend Steve and I were talking a few weeks ago...he's recently begun shooting the Rebel XSi using Minus 2/3 stop, and has corrected a longstanding problem he's had when shooting in bright sunshine...with Minus 2/3 dialed in, his camera is giving him perfect exposures the majority of the time.

 

[robertwsimpson]

weird. I leave my 50d at +1ev or thereabouts when shooting any of the auto modes. Are you shooting in JPG or RAW? I think JPGs overexpose and RAWs underexpose.

 

[TiCoyote]

I have found this problem with the 50D. I did a search on the 'net and I found that often the culprit is the "Auto Lighting Optimizer." It's a feature that is supposed to add fill light to dark areas. It can be set to 0-std, 1-low, 2-strong, 3-disable. The default is 0, but I find that 1 is better. The menu code to find it is C.Fn II -4. It's on p. 177 in your manual.

 

[robertwsimpson]

off is the best

 

[Idahophoto]

I shoot RAW+LJPEG

 

[JClishe]

To answer everyone's questions:

I use evaluative metering. Have never really experimented with the other modes, perhaps I need to.

I almost always shoot in RAW.

I'm discerning that the images are overexposed based on the LCD image, but I've come to learn how an overexposed image looks on the LCD.

The histogram is an interesting comment, and something that I definitely need to learn how to use. I don't leverage the histogram at all right now.

And finally, thanks for the tip about the "Auto Lighting Optimizer". Mine was set to the default of standard, and I turned it off. I'll go out tomorrow to see if I can discern any notable difference.

Thanks!