Why the white out??

[greenx]

So I am a new Sony A77 user and was out using my camera for one of the first times this weekend and couldn't help getting these intensly white pictures... Any one know the problem?? I am at ISO 100/F 5.0/1/13 sec in appperature priority.

It wasn't just this pic but many others... Was pretty bummed but I guess the growing pains of a new camera system... It was a pretty cloudy day too which I didn't understand why the intense white highlights...

This photo is completely unedited so you can see the effects I am talking about...

 

[rlemert]

1/13 sec seems like an awfully slow shutter speed for what you have. However, the girl's jacket doesn't look too bad. Two things come to my mind (but someone who actually knows what they're talking about can probably come up with something better). The first thought is that maybe you have some exposure compensation set - so that your camera is automatically over-exposing. Second, since your focus point appears to be on the girl I would guess that you set your focus on her then shifted your aim point. Perhaps when you did so you also set your metering on her as well.

 

[cgipson1]

Looks like the metering picked up on the girl, and exposed her somewhat accurately, and overexposed the background to compensate. YOU need to decide what you want metered.. you do have spot metering turned on. You also have your EC set to +1 per the Exif data. As was mentioned above, 1/13 is very slow for a handheld shot... you should have raised your ISO up to something more reasonable, or opened up the aperture if you have any left.

Fill flash would have allowed a properly exposed subject, and a properly exposed background. Meter the background, and then flash expose for the subject.

[PhotoME]
PhotoME version: 0.79R17 (Build 856)

[Overview]
URL: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...m/34207d1359365096-why-white-out-dsc00489.jpg
File type: JPEG
File size: 886.3 KB
Creation date: 1/26/2013 18:57
Last modification: 1/28/2013 06:27
Make: SONY (Sony USA - Consumer Electronics Products, Movies, Music, Games and Services)
Camera: SLT-A77V
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.3 (Windows)
Dimension: 6000 x 4000 px (24 MP, 3:2)
Focal length: 35 mm (equiv. 52 mm)
Aperture: F5
Exposure time: 1/13" (+1 EV)
ISO speed rating: 100/21°
Program: Aperture priority
Metering Mode: Spot
White Balance: Auto
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

 

[KmH]

The EXIF data shows Spot metering mode was used. Your a77 has 3 metering modes.

Spot metering measure the light in a very small portion of the scene (see page 132 of the a77 users manual). Consequently, portions of the scene not in the small spot of light that was metered may be over or under exposed.

Amazingly the Sony a77 users manual doesn't actually say how big the spot metered is on page 137, nor in the specifications.

Being a Nikon user, I'm spoiled by Nikon's really good user's manuals. I think Canon users manuals are not very good, but Sony's a77 manual is even worse.

 

[ph0enix]

Your camera's light meter is set to spot metering mode:

Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 1/13 second ===> 0.07692 second
Lens F-Number / F-Stop = 5/1 ===> ƒ/5
Exposure Program = aperture priority (3)
ISO Speed Ratings = 100
Sensitivity Type = recommended exposure index (REI) (2)
Recommended Exposure Index = 100
EXIF Version = 0230
Original Date/Time = 2013:01:26 18:57:41
Digitization Date/Time = 2013:01:26 18:57:41
Shutter Speed Value (APEX) = 370044/100000
Shutter Speed (Exposure Time) = 1/13 second
Aperture Value (APEX) = 4643856/1000000
Aperture = ƒ/5
Brightness (APEX) = 11944/2560
Brightness = 25.38 foot-lambert
Exposure Bias (EV) = 10/10 ===> 1
Max Aperture Value (APEX) = 434/256 ===> 1.7
Max Aperture = ƒ/1.8
Metering Mode = spot (3)
Light Source / White Balance = unknown (0)
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 350/10 mm ===> 35 mm
Focal Plane X-Resolution = 8366298/32768 ===> 255.32
Focal Plane Y-Resolution = 8366298/32768 ===> 255.32
Focal Plane X/Y-Resolution Unit = (null)
Image Source = 0x03,0x00,0x00,0x00
Scene Type = directly photographed image
Custom Rendered = normal process (0)
Exposure Mode = auto exposure (0)
White Balance = auto (0)
Focal Length in 35mm Film = 52
Scene Capture Type = standard (0)
Contrast = normal (0)
Saturation = normal (0)
Sharpness = normal (0)
Lens Specification = 35-35mm F1.8-1.8
Lens Model = DT 35mm F1.8 SAM

Change it to matrix metering if you want it to read the whole scene. Matrix is a Nikon term. I don't know what Sony's equivalent is but I bet the metering modes are explained in the manual. As has been said, 1/13s is too slow for handheld shots. The recommended minimum if you have a steady hand is around 1/30 but it depends on other factors.

 

[KmH]

Sony calls it Multi-segment. Nikon calls it Matrix. Canon calls it Evaluative.

 

[Designer]

Evaluative?

 

[TCampbell]

The EXIF data shows Spot metering mode was used. Your a77 has 3 metering modes.

Spot metering measure the light in a very small portion of the scene (see page 132 of the a77 users manual). Consequently, portions of the scene not in the small spot of light that was metered may be over or under exposed.

Amazingly the Sony a77 users manual doesn't actually say how big the spot metered is on page 137, nor in the specifications.

Being a Nikon user, I'm spoiled by Nikon's really good user's manuals. I think Canon users manuals are not very good, but Sony's a77 manual is even worse.

Manual? What's a manual? ;-)

 

[scorpion_tyr]

What everyone else said is correct. I'll just throw in that using fill flash is a great way to even out the exposure.

 

[vintagesnaps]

The shutter speed was really slow. My starting point is usually 1/125 sec. and I use a faster speed if it's sunny or I want to freeze movement, but I don't usually set it slower than 1/60.

If it's cloudy try a higher ISO (200 up to maybe 400). An ISO of 100 would be good usually if it's sunny outdoors.

I think the meter is the most important thing in determining how much light is coming into the camera and to indicate where you need to make adjustments (to ISO, aperture, and shutter speed).