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Overexposed frames


Olsen

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Have you tried the 'Overgaard method' - aim the camera at what you consider to be average grey in the scene (no need to focus) and set the exposure accordingly. Or aim at the palm of your hand in the prevailing lighting (again no need to focus) and set the exposure, or carry a grey card. Of course that just gives an average exposure where everything in the scene averages to 18% grey. It's then up to you to select the key tone in the scene and increase or decrease the exposure to your taste. But starting with the method described will get you close. 

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You could do the basic test first (before booking the camera in with Leica Service or throwing it in the sea) and reset the camera to factory defaults. Then make sure you aren't having 'finger trouble' which is sometimes known to occur when the camera is first picked up.

 

Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...

Have sailed around Sydney harbour and taken a lot of photos.  Almost every time I start using the camera after it has been resting, it produces an extreme overexposed frame.  It is not the shuttler, but the light meter setting all too long exposure time. 

​Nor am I satisfied with the performance of the light metering of my M-P(240).  On this around the harbour toor, particularly, the exposures were 'all over the place'.  With exposure settings being off with 'well a stop' either up or down. My wife, using a IPhone had far more luck....

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Have you tried the 'Overgaard method' - aim the camera at what you consider to be average grey in the scene (no need to focus) and set the exposure accordingly. Or aim at the palm of your hand in the prevailing lighting (again no need to focus) and set the exposure, or carry a grey card. Of course that just gives an average exposure where everything in the scene averages to 18% grey. It's then up to you to select the key tone in the scene and increase or decrease the exposure to your taste. But starting with the method described will get you close. 

 

Why is ist called Overgaard method? That's just the way it works. Either you measure at something you consider reflecting about 18% or you measure somewhere else and over- or underexpose according to how much brighter or darker the measured area is or should appear on the image. That's how it works, not only for a Leica M but also for any camera with a usable inbuilt light meter.

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Green grass is also a good representative of 18% grey. It was the American school of landscape photographers of the 30's, 40's and 50's that helped formalise the idea with the advent of the Weston meter, although the principle goes way back. Read anything on exposure by Adams and it isn't long before '18%' crops up and it's a shame history is being hijacked in the minds of people when bloggers are simply regurgitating well tried formulae.

 

 

Steve

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Have you tried the 'Overgaard method' - aim the camera at what you consider to be average grey in the scene (no need to focus) and set the exposure accordingly. Or aim at the palm of your hand in the prevailing lighting (again no need to focus) and set the exposure, or carry a grey card. Of course that just gives an average exposure where everything in the scene averages to 18% grey. It's then up to you to select the key tone in the scene and increase or decrease the exposure to your taste. But starting with the method described will get you close. 

Thorsten simply gave a good overview of principles known for many decades. I would hardly call this "the Overgaard Method" and I doubt whether he would do so himself.

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It seems to be 'every first frame' i shoot after the camera has been resting for a while.  Then it overexposes so frames become almost all white.

 

 

This doesn't sound like a settings or user error. Send the camera for repair.

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Have sailed around Sydney harbour and taken a lot of photos.  Almost every time I start using the camera after it has been resting, it produces an extreme overexposed frame.  It is not the shuttler, but the light meter setting all too long exposure time. 

 

​Nor am I satisfied with the performance of the light metering of my M-P(240).  On this around the harbour toor, particularly, the exposures were 'all over the place'.  With exposure settings being off with 'well a stop' either up or down. My wife, using a IPhone had far more luck....

I thought I posted my thoughts on the subject earlier today, it seems not.

 

If you use auto exposure and have exposure compensation turned ON I suggest you turn it OFF and see if it improves things.  

I have recently experienced that merely touching thumb wheel will send compensation set to -/+0.3 to the extreme setting of -/+3 stops with under/over exposure to match.  

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I thought I posted my thoughts on the subject earlier today, it seems not.

 

If you use auto exposure and have exposure compensation turned ON I suggest you turn it OFF and see if it improves things.  

I have recently experienced that merely touching thumb wheel will send compensation set to -/+0.3 to the extreme setting of -/+3 stops with under/over exposure to match.  

Thanks for advice, mmradman,

 

 

​I will do that and see if it improves.  - I was 'very satisfied' with my M9 - after having grown used to it. What settings will simulate a M9?

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Thanks for advice, mmradman,

 

 

​I will do that and see if it improves.  - I was 'very satisfied' with my M9 - after having grown used to it. What settings will simulate a M9?

From memory M9 auto exposure compensation was adjustable via either menu or control wheel at the back.

 

M240 is more flexible, it can work via menu or several button combinations, I have exp compensation set to work via thumb-wheel.

 

As a reminder:-

 

Set (rear button)

Exposure Compensation

Direct Adjustment - Off enables front button while ON also enables thumb-wheel to select compensation.

 

As I stated I also noticed erratic compensation with above set-up causing over or under exposed images. I don't begrudge, live with gremlin (or user error), always check desired level of compensation before pressing the shutter.

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