Is my camera broken or am I?

AndyH · Jun 23, 2015

Ok, I have a canon eos 60d. A few months ago, I had it on a table and it got knocked off onto the tile floor. Nothing on the outside was broke or scratched. Everything appears to work as it should. I have not used the camera much since then. However, today I got my camera out to take some pics of my truck. It was sunny outside and about all of my pics seems washed out in the background. I have used the camera before in the sun and the pics came out great. I don't know if something is damaged internally or if I am doing something wrong. I am shooting in auto mode. Here are some sample pics.

Light Guru · Jun 23, 2015

It's a white truck in the sun, I don't think it's the camera. Try adjusting the exposure manually.

Derrel · Jun 23, 2015

I looked at the exposure times and settings in Program mode...wow, wayyyyy over-exposed.

AndyH · Jun 23, 2015

Lol ok, so I am the broken one. Well I had the camera set to easy mode. I need to learn when I need to adjust the exposure and how much to adjust it. Oh and how to adjust it, lol!

Derrel · Jun 23, 2015

I did not see any + EX, or Plus Exposure Compensation in the EXIF data...but the pics are trending toward overexposure...the truck is supposed to be white...but it looks too white to me. I'm not using a sophisticated EXIF information viewer...maybe I am missing something.

I would suggest dialing in a bit of Minus E.C. if the pics are that bright.

sashbar · Jun 23, 2015

Check you metering mode

DarkShadow · Jun 23, 2015

Reset Camera to factory defaults. In the Menu scroll over to the third wrench,scroll down to clear all camera setting,Select then ok done. then try again.

AndyH · Jun 23, 2015

Thank you all for your help. It's good to know my camera is not broken. I reset all my camera settings. I'm going to read up on adjusting exposure because I don't really know that much about it. I'm going to try again tomorrow. Thanks again!

Overread · Jun 24, 2015

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson

A good book that you might find very helpful in learning how to control your camera. If you can work your way out of program into, say, aperture priority mode and even into full manual then you can better be able to deal with issues like this. Furthermore once you can use your camera in different modes you can choose the mode and settings that you want based on the situation; rather than having to go with what the camera gives you which might not be what you want; or in this example might not be actually work works at all for the shot.

AndyH · Jun 24, 2015

yeah, I need to start using my camera more! Anyway the problem I am having is taking pictures on a sunny day but I am standing in the shade. I have tried aperture priority and used a very small aperture and then a large and it didn't help. Shutter priority and speed of 8000 helped but then it had dark areas. Would a polarizing filter help for this situation?

Derrel · Jun 24, 2015

I think exposure compensation, minus exposure comp of about, Minus 2.5 EV,maybe even Minus 3.0 EV, is what is needed if the camera is consistently overexposing.

Overread · Jun 24, 2015

What you need to understand is that in aperture or shutter priority the camera is metering the scene and setting its setting based on the light it reads. As such the setting you choose has input; but hte exposure should remain the same; for aperture priority, for example; your different apertures will change the depth of field; but the camera will change the shutter speed each time to compensate for the change in aperture you set based on the light you're in.

This is why in those modes you have exposure compensation; to tell the camera to take the setting its controlling and to under or over expose the shot. Derrel has given some starting points for adjusting the exposure compensation to try and best match the light with the settings. This is why auto isn't perfect in cameras and why operator knowledge is important.

Failing all that full manual will let you dial in the settings you want (and make changes if they turn out wrong). The bonus is that manual will keep the settings fixed; a sudden bright or dark patch in a semi-auto or auto mode might fool the camera's meter for a second and it will choose the "wrong settings"

Overread · Jun 24, 2015

Note there is also the dynamic range of the scene to consider. That is the range of light from the darkest to the brightest parts. Ergo if you were to keep your shutter speed and ISO the same (changing only the aperture) the dynamic range (in stops of light) would be the number of stops in difference between a correct exposure when metering purely for the darks and metering purely for the whites in the scene.

Now cameras often can't cover the whole range in one go- heck even our eyes can't do that sometimes (we've a greater range; but also we don't view a scene all in one go; but dart our eyes around a lot to build it up so they constantly change for the brights and the darks). When the scene is too great you've a few options:

1) You can use reflectors or flash light to boost the light in the darker areas; brightening them up.

2) You can use diffusers or other material to block out light so that you reduce some/all of the light in the bright areas.

3) A combination of the both (of course)

4) Take a series of photos, varying one setting (typically the shutter speed since you want the same depth of field in the shot, however depends on the situation - if there are moving parts you might have to vary the ISO) so that you cover the whole range in different photos. Then you use software to blend the results together. Typically called HDR photography. Tone mapping is similar and can be used to a similar effect but with a single photo.

Designer · Jun 24, 2015

Sky and vehicle are blown (no detail).

Here is what I was able to do with one:

vintagesnaps · Jun 24, 2015

Depends on the time of day, direction of the sun, etc. If you're in the shade facing into sunlight the meter could be reading the light coming in from the background instead of reading the amount of light where the truck is parked. Sometimes I aim the camera down a little to get a meter reading closer to where the subject is, then reframe.

You could try taking a photo based on your meter reading, then adjust your settings by a stop and take another shot and see if that exposure is better or worse. A stop would be to open or close the lens to the next aperture setting larger or smaller; or to raise or lower the shutter speed one setting faster or slower.

Your first one is actually pretty good, just looks hazy in the distance so a polarizer might help. What might have helped make that one better was being closer and the trees blocking/filtering some of the sunlight. A little crop of the left side (and maybe slightly the right) might improve it.

Try getting in a little closer next time, that will help bring the viewer's attention more to the subject. Think about the background and your vantage point so if need be you can move a step or a few steps and get a good background for the subject. Notice what's in the viewfinder before you release the shutter. Keep practicing and have fun.