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Constant Over Exposure With Digital CL.


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My Leica T always over exposed all subjects by at least 2/3 of a stop and this happened regardless of whichever lens was fitted. Not that it was a massive problem as I just used to dial in minus 2/3 stop exxposure correction but it did annoy me and I also used to wonder if it was just my camera which was so, or if all Leica T's were the same? However having changed systems a few months back to the Leica CL I find it likewise always over exposes everything by the same 2/3 stops.

 

Is this annoyance general to all such T's and CL's etc I wonder or is it just mine?  And if it is a general fault would anyone (Especially from Leica) like to comment as to why it should be so please :unsure: ?

Edited by Don Morley
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I've not read comments about regular over exposure from any other users, and it's very unlikely that you'd get two cameras with the same 'fault' so I expect it's a case of user error of some sort.

 

It might help if you post a few examples (at standard exposure) with the exif data etc.

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If anything, I find that the CL has a bias towards underexposure. Obviously everything depends on the subject lighting and contrast.

That is the nice thing about a histogram in the viewfinder combined with the EV comp.  wheel.

I have to shift exposure to the right quite regularly (to the left as well), sometimes even beyond one EV value. On an evenly lit, moderate contrast subject I find that the the peak of the histogram sits exactly in the middle, on higher contrast subjects the camera tends to shift to the left, leaving the high end of the DR unused. I suspect that this is on purpose to protect highlights.

 

The danger of automation: people think that the camera knows it all.

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I must admit to my also having got used to several other camera systems with which I know I can rely 100% on those cameras automated average reading auto exposure system to virtually always get the exposure right so maybe I am just expecting too much from my CL and if so then I suppose I am going to have to be less lazy and accept having to put more personal effort in. Thanks for all of your replies, and most especially Jaapv for his usual wisdom. Don :rolleyes:   

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I find while using center-weighted exposure and spot focus, I am frequently toning down overly bright highlights in post when I shoot outdoors on bright days.  I think it because when I focus on something deep in the details, I am missing the overall level of brightness.  It may also be that I have forgotten to check whether my exposure mode is actually spot meter as well as my focus setting. As others have said, I have no trouble when the lighting is even and not twelve stops contrasty.

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Hi Don, I thoroughly concur with what you say, with respect to the Leica T, which I currently have. Normally I find -1/3 EV is sufficient, say, in woodland shots where the tree bark looks a pale washed out colour, but not always sufficient. I often bracket. Amateur Photographer Magazine suggests with the CL to expose to the saturation of the sky you want, then lighten the shadows with lightroom to add detail in them. I hope to convert to a CL shortly, because of wanting to use a viewfinder whilst a decent flash gun is attached, the zoning capability with the 55-135 zoom whilst focusing, as with the 60mm macro, the coding for R lens sizes which are not ROM coded, the extra versatility of the top dials and buttons, and finally, Perspiration gathers on the T camera below the viewfinder in the display on a hot day if I'm rushing around, which will not occur if my face is offset to the left. Having said that, I love using my Leica T enormously, especially with the Visoflex. I just think my photography lifestyle suits the CL . Finally, in this overlong posting, I am not up to speed with how the Histogram defines what you should be doing. Is there anywhere to read up and learn about them ? Thanks, Peter

Edited by Petercoll
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I set up the CL to flash an area which is blowing highlights. I then mainly use exposure compensation to bring down the exposure until perhaps just a little of a cloud area is left over-exposed. (Usually it's the skies and clouds which blow out first.)

 

Between that and exposing for a decent looking sky with good cloud definition, I can pull whatever I need from the landscape up in post.

 

Using the histogram does help in maximizing dynamic range but: 1) I find the above simpler to see; and 2) sometimes the skies are a bit tough to pull to something I'd like in terms of look, even with a histogram reference (only).

 

This is what works for me, others make a histogram work really well for them.

Edited by carl_b
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Never used histograms with any of my cameras so far. I use auto iso in M mode generally and lock AE the usual way by half pressing the shutter release. I don't need to underexpose this way, i mean with the CL not the M240 though.

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I think that we are agreed  on this forum that a wide usable DR is desirable. Using the histogram is the best and easiest way to optimize the DR that we have available.

It would be nice if Leica reintroduced the raw histogram that we have on the MM1. It might gain another EV value to play with.

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