A question for photographers

[Deleted User]

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

I was thinking the same but according to the EXIF it was in the 'pattern' AE mode which is the default in auto.

Also it would show in the image preview on the display or EVF that the exposure was a long way out and the exposure settings look ok although hard to tell what the lighting was actually like when the photo was taken.

Ahh, I missed that in the Exif info.

ukcarper

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

I was thinking the same but according to the EXIF it was in the 'pattern' AE mode which is the default in auto.

Also it would show in the image preview on the display or EVF that the exposure was a long way out and the exposure settings look ok although hard to tell what the lighting was actually like when the photo was taken.

As you say it's hard to know what is wrong parts of image are not excessively over exposed but others are completely burnt out and the burnt out part is where you would have thought image would be darker.

Johnmcl7

ukcarper wrote: »

As you say it's hard to know what is wrong parts of image are not excessively over exposed but others are completely burnt out and the burnt out part is where you would have thought image would be darker.

For a general metering auto exposure setting getting it wrong I'd expect more of the image to be correctly exposed and the settings look ok as it was a reasonably fast 1/400 at F4 and iso 125. If it was something like 1/30, iso 1600 and F1.8 because it was accidentally metering for the indoor part then I could definitely see it being horribly overexposed but it's nowhere near that.

ukcarper

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

For a general metering auto exposure setting getting it wrong I'd expect more of the image to be correctly exposed and the settings look ok as it was a reasonably fast 1/400 at F4 and iso 125. If it was something like 1/30, iso 1600 and F1.8 because it was accidentally metering for the indoor part then I could definitely see it being horribly overexposed but it's nowhere near that.

I agree I don't think it's an exposure problem it could be a bright reflection into lens causing flare or a sensor fault, but if latter I would have thought it was be visible in other photos.

System

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

That's my thought as well as I can't see any strange setting in the EXIF data that would cause that sort of image in an auto mode as the auto-exposure mode looks to be a general one rather than a centre weighted one. I've taken a lot of photos with an RX100mk1 and mk4 plus plenty of other recent Sony cameras and never seen them do something like this on automatic.

OP, does the image look fine on the camera screen before you take the photo? Also when you took the photo did you just point it straight then press the shutter button? Or did you point at a different location, half press the shutter then turn the camera to final position and fully press the shutter?

Yes I would say the picture did look fine when I took the photo. Yes I did point the camera straight at the area and pressed the shutter button.

I may have done the second you know how that button is not really clear and crisp about what is exactly on and off. It seems to do something like auto focus if you press it halfway. So you are correct that I could have done something like that but I wouldn't have put it completely in a different location it would have been a series of pictures.

System

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

That's a good point, although he's on auto mode can you set the metering mode separately? This camera has Multi Pattern, Center Weighted & Spot metering options, if he's got it on Spot (maybe Centre Weighted) metering that may explain it.

So there could be an explanation other than my cameras broken? I don't understand the technical terms though.

System

d0nkeyk0ng wrote: »

Okay so I've done a search - some people have reported their rx100m3 overexposes. For some people this has been marginal (less than +1). For others, it has been more (+3 or greater). The latter has been attributed to dodgy models. So if the camera constantly overexposes (in the absence of any other causes like camera settings or user error), this may well be a dodgy unit.

Thanks d0nkeyk0ng, in my experience when there's a known pattern then there's always shades of gray usually. So for example when cars have "known issues" quite often the issues are slight in some models but more severe in others.

System

Thanks for all of the really helpful suggestions DonkeyKong, Heedtheadvice re taking different pictures and everybody else. I have tried to understand the technical points but essentially my feeling is that you chaps are extremely knowledgeable about cameras and it seems most posters think it's fairly likely to be a fault.

Seriously I've tried to follow the technical language but you guys are like forensic crime scene photographers! It's very kind that you have put effort into solving my problem and I sincerely thank you all for your kind attention!

My summary after reading several times everybody's input is that on the balance of probability there's something that doesn't stack up and is explainable meaning potentially some fault.
I'm not a gambling type but I'd wager that it's a fault combined with the fact I have not owned this from new.

ukcarper

beanfarmer wrote: »

Seriously I've tried to follow the technical language but you guys are like forensic crime scene photographers! It's very kind that you have put effort into solving my problem and I sincerely thank you all for your kind attention!

My summary after reading several times everybodies input is that on the balance of probability there's something that doesn't stack up and is explainable meaning potential some fault.
I'm not a gambling type but I'd suggest it's a fault combined with the fact I have not owned this from new.

Thank you everyone!

Are the other photos you've taken OK if so it could just be a one off.

System

Yes ukcarper generally most of the other pictures are OK, they are not always perfect or clear but as a general rule they come out well. It was just this one situation where no matter how many pictures I took it wouldn't work.
I had to actually do them again on a different day. When they don't come out it's a question of focus usually but by standing back a bit or adjusting they are fine