Help - Exposure Simulation borked (probable user error!)

[DibblyDobbler]

Gents - can you help me please.

I can't get the exposure simulation to work on my 60D and it is bugging me!

I'm on manual mode with a 2 sec exposure + high iso so the pic is well over-exposed (just for experimental purposes) but on live view it looks normal - with exposure simulation on or off, no difference!

I must be doing something daft buy for the life of me I can't think what - help ?!


(the idea is that I'll use this to help me compose night shots btw - tried it the other night and it didn't appear to work then either)

[Major Bloodnok]

Maybe the simulation only works within certain limits, so massive under/over exposure can't be simulated and it defaults to 'normal'?

[Simpo Two]

Press the button then see what you got.

[DibblyDobbler]

Thanks for the reply Major

Think you may be on the right lines - tried pointing it at a light while on live view (Av mode) initially the screen goes bright then it dulls it down. Took a pic and it looks very like the live view screen. All good.

However in a dark(ish) room the 'live view' icon flashes and it doesn't appear to be able to adjust the display to what the eventual pic will look like.

Bit of a bummer as I was hoping to use it for night shots!

[flat-planedCrank]

Doesn't it have a live histogram? What does that say?

[DibblyDobbler]

Yes it does have a live histogram - I'm not much cop at reading them though! What should I look out for ?

[Simpo Two]

Wouldn't the histogram just reflect the auto-corrected picture, and therefore be equally useless?


NB To answer the question, if you want massive over-exposure, then the histogram would be piled up against the right hand side (white) like a car crash. Other end is black.

[flat-planedCrank]

Simpo Two said:

Wouldn't the histogram just reflect the auto-corrected picture, and therefore be equally useless?

I guess Never used it...

[Simpo Two]

Hmm, I think you guys should set it on 'Auto' after all!

[flat-planedCrank]

Can you try in a light environment (with exposure simulation on) increasing the shutter speed / iso to overexpose the scene. Does it change the lcd exposure at all?


As Simpo said, the histogram should slide right (brighter) as you lengthen the shutter time & increase the iso.

[flat-planedCrank]

Simpo Two said:

Hmm, I think you guys should set it on 'Auto' after all!

I just use the nice green rectangle and the flash always pops-up - that's the best mode, right?

[mojitomax]

flat-planedCrank said:

I just use the nice green rectangle and the flash always pops-up - that's the best mode, right?

Doesn't the P on the settings dial stand for professional?

[gingerpaul]

In my experience the live view picture bares no resemblance to the exposure you're going to get. Is there an exposure meter on the camera anywhere?

[Ed_P]

Someone has to ask - you have Enabled it in the menu system?!

[DibblyDobbler]

Ed_P said:

Someone has to ask - you have Enabled it in the menu system?!

Ed - yes it's enabled!

Basic scenario is simple: I want to use live view + exposure simulation to help compose a night shot. As I understand it the live view screen should 'simulate' the resulting shot but it doesn't, it's resolutely dark and of no help at all. It's really not that big a deal but it's bugging me

If it point it a something bright it dulls the screen down and it looks like the final shot (the icon shows ok) but in a dark area the icon flashes and it wont work.

[Ed_P]

Is this a features that you've used successfully before, and is now not working? I've not used it, but recollect reading somewhere (but don't thinks it was about the 60D), that it only worked when Live View settings were set to "Stills Only". Might be worth checking ...

[markmullen]

Have you got bracketing switched on? On mine (5D3) if you've got HDR switched on it won't do exposure simulation.

Otherwise it does work as you're expecting.

[DibblyDobbler]

Thanks for the suggestions chaps - will give it a try later (am at 'work' now)

Ed - yes I definitely got this to work once a few weeks ago and recall it being rather handy. Must have changed something since then ...

[DibblyDobbler]

Had another experiment. I think it's not that it doesn't work - just it doesn't work well. If it's too dark the icon flashes and it doesn't simulate the shot at all. If light is normal ish the icon is steady and it does simulate.

Can anybody with a Canon which has this feature please try it on live view + exposure simulation enabled in a dark room to see what the screen shows ?

TIA

PS - Ed,Mark no other funny settings involved I think as it does work in certain light conditions, just not when I want it to!