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I import to Capture One from three different profiles, Street, Action & Portrait and my images are almost universally underexposed.  I am using "Center Weighted" metering in every case.  In post, I have to bring up the exposure, shadows and brightness just to get to a fairly "normal" state.

Any thoughts for me?  Maddening!!!

Edited by reynoldsyoung
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Maybe some examples? That would help! 
Did you perform an exposure bracketing? 
And if the camera is underexposing, I would correct this into overexposing and do this with the correction. I use the image and the histogram to define my exposure and how I do the next shot. On the other hand: I often underexpose and on camera raw I push the exposure. 
Are your shooting raw? I would understand the concern if you would shoot film, but digital? 

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Yes...here are a couple taken today....I push the exposure and always end up in a good place.  Just wondering if I should compensate the exposure all the time?? 

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Posted (edited)

What does the histogram show? I would check to see if you have inadvertently changed exposure compensation. If not then try using exposure compensation set to +2/3 and see what happens.

Edited by Le Chef
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34 minutes ago, reynoldsyoung said:

I import to Capture One from three different profiles, Street, Action & Portrait and my images are almost universally underexposed.  I am using "Center Weighted" metering in every case.  In post, I have to bring up the exposure, shadows and brightness just to get to a fairly "normal" state.

Any thoughts for me?  Maddening!!!

JPEG or raw? Can you check the EXIF to ensure that no negative EC was applied? Have you tried shooting in multi-field metering mode? How does the histogram look like in Live View?

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You may have activated Highlight-Weighted metering by mistake. Its icon has a misleading dot in the middle, suggesting that it is Center Weighted. Also, you may have set exposure compensation to a negative value. I suggest Multi-Field metering as the best general purpose method. I like Highlight-Weighted too, but it means having to brighten every image.

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6 hours ago, reynoldsyoung said:

Yes...here are a couple taken today....I push the exposure and always end up in a good place.  Just wondering if I should compensate the exposure all the time?? 

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I use multi-field metering and all of the Q variants are very accurate in exposure.  Histogram in liveview can help you figure out what is happening. 

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Posted (edited)

Your shots wouldn’t worry me at all. Far better like this than with blown skies, which you risk with greater exposure. I use highlight-weighted metering which produces similar images. These are easily recovered. Since I edit (or delete) every single photo I take, I would simply adjust in post. 

I’d you want to get it exactly right in camera you need to see exposure preview in the EVF, plus the histogram, plus blinkies, then adjust the exposure either manually or with exposure compensation. Avoid highlight-weighted metering (at risk of blown highlights).

Edited by LocalHero1953
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Posted (edited)

Yes, always set your exposure to taste.  Exposure metering if pointless when you can adjust exposure to suit your taste. Your eye and brain know how you want the exposure to look, the camera has no idea.

Edited by RQ44
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Posted (edited)

As already mentioned. Photos look good to me.

Consider using the histogram and switch "Clipping / Zebra" in "Capturing" menu.

As mentioned earlier: use EV to compensate. Metering is your starting point. Bring EV to a point where bright parts start flashing and go back one 1/3 EV. This is called Exposure to the Right, meaning go as far up in the exposure as possible w/o overexposing. This gives you the best options in post later. If you underexpose (histogram does not show anything in the left 1/3) it will be harder to reveal shadows. 

I pretty much always change EV in every shot using the thumb wheel. With Clipping / Zebra activated you immediately see if the picture will be overexposed. If only a few small spots flash it's still OK. I typically work with Aperture priority, set shutter speed to auto and select ISO so that shutter speed is in the desired range. In your case ISO 200 (if it's really bright ISO 100), f/8, auto shutter speed should give great results. 

 

 

Edited by Alexander108
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You guys are fabulous!!

Here are the histograms from the two shots.  The first relates to the group of three...the second to the group of two.

Didn't find an exposure comp in play.   I am switching to multi-field and paying more attention to the histogram.  Basically, delighted to know I am not TOO far off the norm and you guys aren't overly concerned.  With editing in CO, the resultant images are just fabulous...which is what it is all about anyway.

Thank you SOOOO much for chiming in.  The whole discussion is VERY helpful.  It ALL makes such a difference!!

 

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On 7/17/2025 at 6:20 AM, ravinj said:

I use multi-field metering and all of the Q variants are very accurate in exposure.  Histogram in liveview can help you figure out what is happening. 

These shots are made in the middle of the day in bright sunshine. Maybe 22 stops between white and black. Then you need to think what you want to show ( camera does 14-15 stops) if you want the faces lighter you need to overexpose. You can use your hand as reference. Usually the skincolor is 18% gray ( the camera reads a grayscale) if your skincolor is darker then the grey is darker than 18%. 
you can deal with the problem on location or later in adobe camera raw. The darker parts need a little more light and the lighter parts a little less. 
it’s a light game you need to play until you get this right. 
 

and most important you need to learn to read the light. 
 

it not the camera > the camera does not take images > it’s you. 
 

Remember you first day on the golf course. 
Could you read the course. 
 

Did you have an instructor? Somebody that showed you how to swing the arm and hit the ball? 
 

Same with photography. the camera can produce images but you need to see the light. 
 

then there is the part of postprocessing. 
 

In this image you could make the sky a little darker and your friends a little lighter. 
 

if you squeeze your eyes then you can simulate what the camera is able to capture. 
 

so first is light 

then there is composition 

then there is moving around in the scene 

then comes the camera and then comes post processing. 
 

if you don’t have a raw converter then make an image with your phone in raw and play around with the sliders in the photos app to see the potential! 
 

you can connect the camera to the phone and download the raw image and check it there. 
 

what I would suggest is: 

if you want to master photography, take a photography course. Maybe a course on a golf course as you are interested in sport. And I think this will improve your understanding and overall connection to the medium. It also takes away the mystery and it’s fun. 
 

the other idea is: go around and have a look at all the different light situations life has to offer. It’s a lot. 
 

I hope this all makes sense. I am not native in English. 
 

Have lots of fun with the camera and good luck and fun with heavy over and underexposing! 
 

cheers Peter 

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Peter...you are a master.  Thanks for taking the time to get me on track.  I just move toooo fast and need to slow down and REALLY photograph the way Leica was intended.  READ THE LIGHT, Reynolds!!

Thank you so much!!

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3 hours ago, reynoldsyoung said:

Peter...you are a master.  Thanks for taking the time to get me on track.  I just move toooo fast and need to slow down and REALLY photograph the way Leica was intended.  READ THE LIGHT, Reynolds!!

Thank you so much!!

If you pass by Hamburg, we can make a photowalk. Cheers 

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8 hours ago, Pelu2010 said:

These shots are made in the middle of the day in bright sunshine. Maybe 22 stops between white and black. Then you need to think what you want to show ( camera does 14-15 stops) if you want the faces lighter you need to overexpose. You can use your hand as reference. Usually the skincolor is 18% gray ( the camera reads a grayscale) if your skincolor is darker then the grey is darker than 18%. 
you can deal with the problem on location or later in adobe camera raw. The darker parts need a little more light and the lighter parts a little less. 
it’s a light game you need to play until you get this right. 
 

and most important you need to learn to read the light. 
 

it not the camera > the camera does not take images > it’s you. 
 

Remember you first day on the golf course. 
Could you read the course. 
 

Did you have an instructor? Somebody that showed you how to swing the arm and hit the ball? 
 

Same with photography. the camera can produce images but you need to see the light. 
 

then there is the part of postprocessing. 
 

In this image you could make the sky a little darker and your friends a little lighter. 
 

if you squeeze your eyes then you can simulate what the camera is able to capture. 
 

so first is light 

then there is composition 

then there is moving around in the scene 

then comes the camera and then comes post processing. 
 

if you don’t have a raw converter then make an image with your phone in raw and play around with the sliders in the photos app to see the potential! 
 

you can connect the camera to the phone and download the raw image and check it there. 
 

what I would suggest is: 

if you want to master photography, take a photography course. Maybe a course on a golf course as you are interested in sport. And I think this will improve your understanding and overall connection to the medium. It also takes away the mystery and it’s fun. 
 

the other idea is: go around and have a look at all the different light situations life has to offer. It’s a lot. 
 

I hope this all makes sense. I am not native in English. 
 

Have lots of fun with the camera and good luck and fun with heavy over and underexposing! 
 

cheers Peter 

When did I ask you for advise? 

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