I think something is wrong

[mstark70]

with my Mom's Canon 40D. Yesterday she came over for Mothers Day Dinner and we were setting her camera up for some full moon shots later that night. When I was messing with her settings I noticed that her exposure compensation was set at +1 to over expose her images. She has been frustrated for some time now thinking she has been doing something wrong and wondering why her images seemed off. Well, I moved it to zero and continued setting her camera up. When she got home and turned it on to start taking her Moon shots it was back at +1 in TV mode she can not get it to zero for nothing. No matter what she changes it will not go to zero. It seems to work ok in manual mode (which we did) but it should not be doing this. Has anyone else had any similar problems? I am guessing we need to have it looked at.

[Doug Pardee]

This sounds like a common problem that users of these cameras have.

The big wheel on the back adjusts the Exposure Compensation. It's real easy to accidentally move that dial. It can happen when you're holding the camera, it can happen when you've got it hanging on a neck strap and it's bumping against your body, etc.

For that reason, the camera's power switch has two "on" positions. If you only turn the switch to the word "ON", then the big wheel is disabled and can't cause you grief. If you turn the switch all the way to the bent line that leads to the big wheel, the big wheel is enabled.

Another common mistake is to confuse the Flash Exposure Compensation (set by pressing a button on the top of the camera) with regular Exposure Compensation.

[mstark70]

Originally Posted by Doug Pardee

This sounds like a common problem that users of these cameras have.

The big wheel on the back adjusts the Exposure Compensation. It's real easy to accidentally move that dial. It can happen when you're holding the camera, it can happen when you've got it hanging on a neck strap and it's bumping against your body, etc.

For that reason, the camera's power switch has two "on" positions. If you only turn the switch to the word "ON", then the big wheel is disabled and can't cause you grief. If you turn the switch all the way to the bent line that leads to the big wheel, the big wheel is enabled.

Another common mistake is to confuse the Flash Exposure Compensation (set by pressing a button on the top of the camera) with regular Exposure Compensation.

I thank you for your taking the time to comment and offer us some insight into this situation. However this is not what the problem is. I also have the 50D and have never had the problem you speak of here. Thank you anyhow for trying, we really do appreciate any help given.

[sybren]

I don't have the 40D, but when I checked its specs I saw that it has custom modes. Perhaps your mother set +1 EV as some sort of default or custom mode?

[yolanda_b]

Well you helped me! i use a pentax and I noticed some time ago that it selected exposures too small over and over again. I use manual mode, but there's a little button that sets shutter speed from which you can adjust up or down. it shortcuts the mental work a lot. Well it was always going too low and if I didn't remember to change it, I would get dark pics. Suffice it to say, a lot of post processing.
Reading this thread, I went to my manual and looked up 'exposure compensation" to see if and how my camera sets this. I was able to adjust it to fix the issue and now next time I know how to deal with it!
Now if I only knew why sometimes my viewfinder view gets dark and grainy with every lens, even though there is no dust, it fixes itself when I least expect it, and there's no difference in the pictures.
Very weird and doubtless a setting of which I'm unaware.

[mstark70]

Originally Posted by sybren

I don't have the 40D, but when I checked its specs I saw that it has custom modes. Perhaps your mother set +1 EV as some sort of default or custom mode?

I wonder if this may have been the problem. She cleared all custom settings and it seems to have fixed it for now. Thanks for the comment.

[sybren]

I'm glad to hear that.