andreas.hermann Posted January 25, 2010 Share #1 Posted January 25, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I am a new user of my lovely M8 and questions are popping up: Recently I was taking architectural pictures inside a building, switching between A- and M-mode. I was using f/5.6 - f/8 which gave approx. 1/2 - 1/15 sec. I noticed that the left triangular LED started to flash constantly: in A-mode the left triangular LED was flashing together with the digit indicating the shutter time, in M-mode the left triangular LED was flashing constantly. In M-mode, it seems to me, that the light balance is not working correctly: with various shutter times (2sec-1sec-1/2s-1/4-1/8-1/15) I was stepping the lens down step by step 11 - 8 - 5.6 - 4 according to the given light level: .../+3/+2/+1 the right triangular LED is constantly on +1/2 the right triangular and the the circular LED are constantly on +/- 0 the circular LED is constantly on -1/2 the left triangular and the circular LED are constantly on -1/-2/-3/... the left triangular LED is flashing - which actually means the exposure meter is out of range ... with available light giving f5.6 1/4 ??? Any advice? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Hi andreas.hermann, Take a look here accuracy of the digital display. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted January 25, 2010 Share #2 Posted January 25, 2010 Sounds like normal. A flashing left triangular Led means the light level reaching the exposure meter is below the threshold of accurate measuring. The combined lighting of a triangle and the dot is an accurate indication of the exposure offset. It is in the manual.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted January 25, 2010 Share #3 Posted January 25, 2010 Did you forget to take the lens cap off (if you don't have enough light)? Also, you described exactly how the meter works, so is the problem that the meter won't turn off? What ISO was used? Not very clear what your issue is... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 25, 2010 Share #4 Posted January 25, 2010 Not really - as I responded in another thread to your identical post - this is normal. Flashing means too little light, e.g. stopped down too far. The rest is accurate indication of the exposure offset. The manual explains it clearly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas.hermann Posted January 25, 2010 Author Share #5 Posted January 25, 2010 Not really - as I responded in another thread to your identical post - this is normal. Flashing means too little light, e.g. stopped down too far. The rest is accurate indication of the exposure offset. The manual explains it clearly. Does it means that there is already too little light, according to my additional information (approx. ISO 320 f5.6 1/2)? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 25, 2010 Share #6 Posted January 25, 2010 It is what your camera tells you. Iirc it goes down to EV 0. But that is the light striking the exposure meter, not the light you are seeing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas.hermann Posted January 25, 2010 Author Share #7 Posted January 25, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) i messed up the description above, actually it is as follows: .../+3/+2/+1 the right triangular LED is constantly on +1/2 the right triangular and the the circular LED are constantly on +/- 0 the circular LED is flickering -1/2 the circular LED is off and the left triangular is flashing -1/-2/-3/... the left triangular LED is flashing I tried with available light giving with ISO 320-1250 approx f5.6 1/4sec - maybe i was really already out of the exposure meter's range ... will try it again with different lighting Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ho_co Posted January 25, 2010 Share #8 Posted January 25, 2010 Just a suggestion--why don't you try doing what the meter suggests? Change the aperture or the speed to get a reading. If you get the meter to tell you what it thinks the exposure should be, you can always change shutter speed and aperture back to what you want. I'm with the others in not understanding what the problem is. You seem to be saying that sometimes you want to take pictures at a speed/aperture combination that the meter can't handle. That sometimes happens. When it does, try another exposure combination to bring the meter into its range. Somehow, I'm completely missing what the problem is and what it has to do with the meter readout. Since you're bothered by something, there may be a problem. But just a list of what the diodes did in a certain situation doesn't give any indication of what the problem is, if you have one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted January 26, 2010 Share #9 Posted January 26, 2010 i messed up the description above, actually it is as follows: .../+3/+2/+1 the right triangular LED is constantly on +1/2 the right triangular and the the circular LED are constantly on +/- 0 the circular LED is flickering -1/2 the circular LED is off and the left triangular is flashing -1/-2/-3/... the left triangular LED is flashing I tried with available light giving with ISO 320-1250 approx f5.6 1/4sec - maybe i was really already out of the exposure meter's range ... will try it again with different lighting Because the meter is behind the lens, its sensitivity is affected by the aperture setting. Even if you can't get a reading at f/5.6 you'll probably be able to get one if you set the lens to f/2 or wider. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffreyg Posted January 26, 2010 Share #10 Posted January 26, 2010 I think what the OP is getting at is not the overall system approach, but rather the inconsistency between the left side arrows and the right side arrows. One is flashing, the other is constantly on. I haven't noticed this, as I just move the exposure settings as they tell me, recognizing that flashing usually means out of range, and solid means within the realm of getting it right sooner than not with more adjustment. Obviously the dot in the middle is good, and dot+arrow is pretty close (vary as you want for +/- 1/2 stop). As to right arrows on, and left arrows flashing: I'll take another look. Seems a bit odd. Geoff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 26, 2010 Share #11 Posted January 26, 2010 The left side arrow is the one that is designated by design to signal underexposure.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicoleica Posted January 26, 2010 Share #12 Posted January 26, 2010 Perhaps this page from the M8 manual will help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas.hermann Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share #13 Posted January 26, 2010 Thanks Nicole Reading the quote from the M8 manual I have following questions: Working below the metering range “… If under very low lighting conditions and manual mode the exposure meter reading is out of range, the left hand triangular LED gives a warning by flashing …” Ok, got it, it seems to be similar on the M8 like it is on the M6. “… In aperture priority mode the shutter speed remains displayed. If the shutter speed exceeds the longest possible shutter speed of 32s, this display also flashes …” Does this mean that just the shutter speed is displayed until it reaches the longest possible speed of 32s and then the display of the shutter speed starts to flash? Or, does it mean that the left hand triangular LED flashes and the shutter speed is displayed until in reaches the longest possible speed of 32s and then the shutter speed display starts to flash as well? If so, in aperture priority mode, the camera sets still the right shutter speeds despite being out of the metering range? Andreas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicoleica Posted January 26, 2010 Share #14 Posted January 26, 2010 Hi Andreas, I'm happy that the page was of help. As for your question about when in Aperture priority mode though, I couldn't determine that either from the text. I've just performed a very unscientific test, and what I see is that if you have auto-iso on, then both the shutter-speed and the triangle flash when speeds get below about 1/30 second. But at a fixed ISO setting, only the triangle flashes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 26, 2010 Share #15 Posted January 26, 2010 If so, in aperture priority mode, the camera sets still the right shutter speeds despite being out of the metering range? Andreas Well, accuracy is no longer guaranteed in that case, but in my experience it often is rather close. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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