A question for photographers

EssexExile

How long does it take to get proficient with a camera?

Some people, no time at all. Other people, never. Join a camera club, chat to other photographers.

System

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

I can't see any of the EXIF camera data on that photo so it's difficult to tell what's happened.
I'd try taking some similar photos and see how the camera behaves because it's possible it's a fault with the camera if it keeps doing that on automatic.
.

Thanks everybody for the fab replies. John I don't know what EXIF is but I'm assuming it means the information that these sites strip out before uploading so I've uploaded all of the pictures I tried to take and kept the EXIF information if that helps.

I don't mind the odd bad picture but I'm worried if my camera is not as it should be because it's only done this once.

My first thought was something must be wrong but then again I know not much about these type of cameras

tempus_fugit

beanfarmer wrote: »

Thanks everybody for the fab replies. John I don't know what EXIF is but I'm assuming it means the information that these sites strip out before uploading so I've uploaded all of the pictures I tried to take and kept the EXIF information if that helps.

I don't mind the odd bad picture but I'm worried if my camera is not as it should be because it's only done this once.

My first thought was something must be wrong but then again I know not much about these type of cameras

framapic.org/gallery#KnbZJgWbD1G7/1mE2eRiawW4t. JPG,MQG2zZY2rmEw/tZlAIChjEs8y.JPG,moMGVCt5z3hf/ HGqfNXex7AXR.JPG,gxAxRARCOeQG/n1BBGnorcC3i.JPG,pLOkvIyDxXGV/qwoPXuRxXLXX.JPG

EXIF data is information that is saved along with the photo, so things like the date, time, location (if you have that enabled) and the settings used for the photo, e.g. shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance etc., the file name and even the make and model of your camera. If you save a photo to Google Photos, for example, and then click on the "i" button for the photo you will see some of that data in there.

I agree with others that have mentioned the ISO setting though. Normally if you are using automatic mode it should automatically adjust the shutter speed etc to get the lighting right, but that's if you have the ISO set to automatic as well. I know on my camera it's possible to override the ISO and if you set it too high then the automatic mode can't set a shutter speed fast enough to stop too much light coming in and it gets overexposed. However, if I do this then my camera warns me that something's not right so that I can change settings accordingly. So, I don't know what has happened in your case I'm afraid.

It might be a good idea to read up on some of the basics though so that you know what you are doing, e.g. shutter speed (slow means more light, fast means less), aperture (lower 'f' number, e.g. f1.8, means more light, less depth of field, higher number, e.g. f11, means less light, more depth of field), ISO (higher numbers mean more sensitive "film", - so you can take photos in darker settings - the numbers come from the old days when you actually bought your film with a specific ISO number) etc, etc. Knowing these basic facts is a godsend to helping you understand your camera and what its capabilities are.

ukcarper

The thing I find odd is that the top of photo is not so badly over exposed as bottom and I would have expected there to have been some darker patches in lower half of photo. It could be flare due to light reflecting from window onto lense.

What was image like in viewfinder when you took image.

System

Hi Carper
Hmm I'm not exactly sure if I looked through the viewfinder or not as I tend to just use the image screen on the back of the camera if you know what I mean.
There was nothing odd or unusual about that.
Do you think it's my camera?

[Deleted User]

The Exif data on those photos show iso125 'film speed' (its lowest setting), F4 aperture (max F1.8) & either 1/400 or 1/500 sec shutter speed (max 1/2000).

The OP needs to shoot different shots that don't have so much flare in the frame.

ukcarper

beanfarmer wrote: »

Hi Carper
Hmm I'm not exactly sure if I looked through the viewfinder or not as I tend to just use the image screen on the back of the camera if you know what I mean.
There was nothing odd or unusual about that.
Do you think it's my camera?

It's difficult to tell lens flare can be affected by a slight change in angle of bright light landing on lens. I would take a few pictures in different lighting conditions to see how camera is behaving. You can't really combat lens flare in some conditions although a lens hood can help.

System

What happens if you take a direct picture of the sun? Would that be any sort of useful test?

droopsnoot

I'm not sure it would be a good idea to look directly at the sun through your viewfinder, thought it would be OK to compose the image using the LCD preview screen. I'm not sure it would help much.

Taking photos with the sun in the image is quite an extreme thing to expect a camera in auto mode to deal with. Even winter sun is a very bright thing, and to expect it to expose a photo with that very bright thing correctly exposed, and the things it is shining on also correctly exposed, is asking a lot of any camera.

As for getting good at taking photos, take lots of photos, and when they don't come out well, do what you've done here - find out why not. Then when you're next taking photos in similar conditions, remember the answers you had (which in my experience is the challenging bit) and apply any changes you need.

With all respect to MSE, a photography forum is probably a better place to discuss stuff like this, but it can also be a challenge to find one that isn't full of people who are already really good. Looking at a great landscape image and seeing people discuss how it could be better isn't always encouraging to those of us who would be completely happy with the original image.

Heedtheadvice

beanfarmer wrote: »

Hi Carper
Hmm I'm not exactly sure if I looked through the viewfinder or not as I tend to just use the image screen on the back of the camera if you know what I mean.
There was nothing odd or unusual about that.
Do you think it's my camera?

Given the photos you have posted recently on the site and the EXIF information !posted by Colin I suspect it could still be a camera fault!