Lenses & Exposures
Discussion
Feel a little out of my depth wandering in here to post a thread, so please forgive my genuine lack of knowledge and understanding !!
I've an aging Nikon D40 with two lenses, AF-S 18-135mm 1:3 5-5.6G ED and a 70-300mm 1:4-5.6
Now admittedly the camera is getting on, and the D40 was always a b!tch for over-exposing shots, but is there a simple explanation as to why there is such a variation between the two lenses when it comes to exposure.
I shoot mainly in aperture mode with the 18-135 and deliberately try to lower the exposure as much as possible to get a half-decent pic for my own use, hols. trips etc. Having the exposure set to it's lowest in the settings and when shooting in Ap just about does it, but if I switch to the 70-300 I have the opposite problem and everything comes out pretty much black, the odd shadow might be visible. I've also tried a friend's 18-55 VR and it presents the same dilemma as the 70-300, total underexposure, even if the camera is left to it's own devices in Auto as an experiment. Leave it in Auto with the 18-135 and it's the opposite, it will overexpose everything.
I've tried various combinations of the metering and ISO, but still can't escape the radically different exposures from one lens to the next, and the fact that if you just handed the camera to somebody and they put it in Auto they'll never get a pic out of it.
I was going to get a D3100 just for an easy life, and keep the D40 as a backup gathering dust somewhere, but I still want to know what the problem is. I picked it up second-hand years back, and it's been like this since I got it. I've never been able to use it for sports or such, as trying to use it to pan and shoot in Shutter mode is a plain waste of time the way it has always behaved. You may get a half-assed shot, you may get an overexposed shot, and you may get an underexposed shot; and if you leave it in burst mode you stand a good chance of getting all three.
Is it the body, firmware, or what am I missing as a total pleb when it comes to shooting pics ?
Anybody any ideas ?
I've an aging Nikon D40 with two lenses, AF-S 18-135mm 1:3 5-5.6G ED and a 70-300mm 1:4-5.6
Now admittedly the camera is getting on, and the D40 was always a b!tch for over-exposing shots, but is there a simple explanation as to why there is such a variation between the two lenses when it comes to exposure.
I shoot mainly in aperture mode with the 18-135 and deliberately try to lower the exposure as much as possible to get a half-decent pic for my own use, hols. trips etc. Having the exposure set to it's lowest in the settings and when shooting in Ap just about does it, but if I switch to the 70-300 I have the opposite problem and everything comes out pretty much black, the odd shadow might be visible. I've also tried a friend's 18-55 VR and it presents the same dilemma as the 70-300, total underexposure, even if the camera is left to it's own devices in Auto as an experiment. Leave it in Auto with the 18-135 and it's the opposite, it will overexpose everything.
I've tried various combinations of the metering and ISO, but still can't escape the radically different exposures from one lens to the next, and the fact that if you just handed the camera to somebody and they put it in Auto they'll never get a pic out of it.
I was going to get a D3100 just for an easy life, and keep the D40 as a backup gathering dust somewhere, but I still want to know what the problem is. I picked it up second-hand years back, and it's been like this since I got it. I've never been able to use it for sports or such, as trying to use it to pan and shoot in Shutter mode is a plain waste of time the way it has always behaved. You may get a half-assed shot, you may get an overexposed shot, and you may get an underexposed shot; and if you leave it in burst mode you stand a good chance of getting all three.
Is it the body, firmware, or what am I missing as a total pleb when it comes to shooting pics ?
Anybody any ideas ?
Corso Marche said:
but if I switch to the 70-300 I have the opposite problem and everything comes out pretty much black, the odd shadow might be visible.
I can't put my finger on it but for starters check and clean all the lens contacts. In the case of variable exposure, make sure you haven't got autobracketing on.
Corso Marche said:
You may get a half-assed shot, you may get an overexposed shot, and you may get an underexposed shot; and if you leave it in burst mode you stand a good chance of getting all three
That seems to be two different symptoms. In the top scenario they're all coming out black; in the lower one they vary.I can't put my finger on it but for starters check and clean all the lens contacts. In the case of variable exposure, make sure you haven't got autobracketing on.
The D40 does overexpose a little bit and common practice, including on my D40, is to set -1/3EV exposure compensation.
For the other problems you need to post some pics of the same scene with the two lenses with all the EXIF data still attached for someone to give you an answer. Without that, it is just a guess (although cleaning the lens contacts as suggested is a good idea). Note that your lenses are variable aperture (the widest aperture varies as you zoom). You may be setting f/3.5 in Aperture or Manual mode, then zooming and ending up with f/5.6
The D40 is a good camera, Nikon have no since made a DSLR that small (except for the D60). I'd try to make it work as a D40 is a good package.
For the other problems you need to post some pics of the same scene with the two lenses with all the EXIF data still attached for someone to give you an answer. Without that, it is just a guess (although cleaning the lens contacts as suggested is a good idea). Note that your lenses are variable aperture (the widest aperture varies as you zoom). You may be setting f/3.5 in Aperture or Manual mode, then zooming and ending up with f/5.6
The D40 is a good camera, Nikon have no since made a DSLR that small (except for the D60). I'd try to make it work as a D40 is a good package.
What do you mean by deliberately try and lower the exposure? Do you dial in a lot of -ve exposure compensation?
What metering mode are you using?
How fast are you shooting? Single shot or rapid?
IMO first do a complete factory reset of the camera and try again, then try the 70-300 on another camera.
It could be a stuck aperture, or it could be you have bracketing switched on ( does the d40 even do that?)
What metering mode are you using?
How fast are you shooting? Single shot or rapid?
IMO first do a complete factory reset of the camera and try again, then try the 70-300 on another camera.
It could be a stuck aperture, or it could be you have bracketing switched on ( does the d40 even do that?)
RobDickinson said:
It could be a stuck aperture
Assuming the image appears normally bright in the VF (ie at max aperture as normal), then a sticking aperture would give overexposure not underexposure - as the blades don't close sufficiently. My Sigma 70-200 had this. But without more details we can't go further.My money is on the 18-135 lens having the aperture diaphragm stuck open.
Simple way to test, take the lens off the camera, look through it from the back:
Are the diaphragm blades closed right down to give a very tiny hole through the lens? They should be.
If you move the little metal sprung lever on the back of the lens where it mounts to camera, do the blades open and close smoothly? They should.
Simple way to test, take the lens off the camera, look through it from the back:
Are the diaphragm blades closed right down to give a very tiny hole through the lens? They should be.
If you move the little metal sprung lever on the back of the lens where it mounts to camera, do the blades open and close smoothly? They should.
Simpo Two said:
How does a stuck-open aperture give underexposure? (so much that the image is 'pretty much black'?)
The under exposure was with the 70-300 and a borrowed 18-55, the 18-135 was over exposing.My thinking is that he has exposure comp at -3 to correct the over exposure with the 18-135 which leads to massive under exposure with the other lenses.
Yep, guessed correctly guys. I had the exposure comp set to -5.0 to try and counteract the overexposure with the 18-135, as that's the most used lens. Setting it back to 0.0 or above is giving OK shots with the 70-200 and I can shoot with it in all modes.
I'll check the 18-135 lens when I get home tonight as suggested to see if the aperture diaphragm / blades are staying open / sticking.
I'll check the 18-135 lens when I get home tonight as suggested to see if the aperture diaphragm / blades are staying open / sticking.
Corso Marche said:
Yep, guessed correctly guys. I had the exposure comp set to -5.0 to try and counteract the overexposure with the 18-135, as that's the most used lens. Setting it back to 0.0 or above is giving OK shots with the 70-200 and I can shoot with it in all modes.
I'll check the 18-135 lens when I get home tonight as suggested to see if the aperture diaphragm / blades are staying open / sticking.
You must have had the exposure comp set to something other than -5.0 as the D40 exposure comp doesn't go down that far. I'll check the 18-135 lens when I get home tonight as suggested to see if the aperture diaphragm / blades are staying open / sticking.
ManFromDelmonte said:
My money is on the 18-135 lens having the aperture diaphragm stuck open.
Simple way to test, take the lens off the camera, look through it from the back:
Are the diaphragm blades closed right down to give a very tiny hole through the lens? They should be.
If you move the little metal sprung lever on the back of the lens where it mounts to camera, do the blades open and close smoothly? They should.
Thank you sir, your on the money. As I said earlier, I pretty much know diddly-squat and feel embarrassed coming in here asking the question, but you're suggestion is correct.Simple way to test, take the lens off the camera, look through it from the back:
Are the diaphragm blades closed right down to give a very tiny hole through the lens? They should be.
If you move the little metal sprung lever on the back of the lens where it mounts to camera, do the blades open and close smoothly? They should.
The blades are wide open, and whilst I'm obviously pushing against a spring action when moving the metal lever the blades don't even flinch as I do it when peering through the lens.
So then, I guess the next question is if this lens is now scrap, or if it can be repaired ? I see three screws on the rear of it, but assume it's hardly a DIY job is it ?
What are people's thoughts, is it a pro-repair, a DIY open-and-see, or just buy a new lens ?
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