overexposed/blown highlights when wide open

[Spinnerette]

I haven't gotten the hang of working with the 50mm ƒ1.4 outdoors, apparently.

Basically, when I'm wide open, the images are totally overexposed...
Sometimes I get a high-keyish interesting (at least for me) result like on this one:


manual mode, (1/320), ƒ1.6, ISO 100, 0 EV, Metering Mode: Multi-segment (aka center-weighted)

but most of the time, there are blown highlights that completely ruin the picture and drive me crazy:


manual mode, (1/160), ƒ2.0, ISO 100, 0 EV, Metering Mode: Multi-segment (aka center-weighted)

(both are straigh out of camera)

I'm thinking it's the speed I'm getting wrong, maybe I should work in Aperture mode until I'm more used to the lens? I've read that Nikon cameras supposedly blow the highlights, but I hadn't noticed anything till I got this lens.

I know this is PP, but it would be cool to get the same results (seing it's the same camera/lens combo)... sorry, no direct linking:

on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

thanks everyone!

[SusanH1970]

When shooting in manual, are you using your camera's meter to check your exposure? And yes, it probably was too slow a shutter speed. In bright daylight when shooting wide open I've gone with at least 1/1000th at times. All depends on what my meter's telling me. Hope this helps.

[Benji]

Dontcha just love it when the "experts" tell everyone to shoot wide open then when you do it the image sux? Unless you pay about $3000.00 for a lens it WILL be soft when at maximum aperture, which is reason # 1 to never shoot wide open (unless you like soft images.) Reason # 2 is the extremely limited DOF shooting wide open will give you. Most people like to have both eyes in focus in portraits.

Benji

[Jim Bryant]

Why not Benji.........you learn from the pros. I shoot wide open most of the time and my subject are tack sharp. Remember the lower the f-stop you use, you either have to use a higher shutter speed. If it's still blown our...........change to a lower ISO. Or get a ND filter.

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Why not Benji.........you learn from the pros. I shoot wide open most of the time and my subject are tack sharp. Remember the lower the f-stop you use, you either have to use a higher shutter speed. If it's still blown our...........change to a lower ISO. Or get a ND filter.

Yup. Here's the exif for the photo that you linked to (the baby portrait):

Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1000)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 100

She shot in manual, spot metered, and set her WB manually. Subject is in perfectly fine focus.

[private]

Also check your DoF Calculater - if the image has a blurry eye - you are more than likely too close to the subject.

[Chip]

My Nikon D90 does tend to overexpose the highlights, but in a predictable way. So, if shooting in Aperture priority, I'll turn down the EV, if shooting in manual, I'll underexpose it, . . . .

Just becoming familiar with how a camera and lens combo works in any given situation, and then adjusting the settings appropriately before pressing the shutter, has helped me quite a bit.

[Spinnerette]

thanks everybody for the replies!

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

Yup. Here's the exif for the photo that you linked to (the baby portrait):

Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1000)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 100

She shot in manual, spot metered, and set her WB manually. Subject is in perfectly fine focus.

yes, sorry I forgot to link the EXIF, that's precisely why I chose that image in particular (similar situation and gear)... but that's also when I noticed the huge difference in shutter speed. Thanks Susan!

[amymnc]

If it's bright sunlight middle of the day (i hate dealing with that kind of light), how can you shoot at 1.4? Do they make a shutter speed high enough? Even at 1/4000 it's not worked for me (probably just me!) Is that even possible to do without blowing out a highlight somewhere? Will be watching this topic, it's a very helpful and interesting question

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

... I shoot wide open most of the time and my subject are tack sharp.

Bit easier to do that with L glass, though.

Originally Posted by amymnc

If it's bright sunlight middle of the day (i hate dealing with that kind of light), how can you shoot at 1.4?...

As Jim mentioned, you can use a neutral density (ND) filter. It's like putting sunglasses on your camera.



Canon XT. Olympus OM 50/1.2 (adapted). iso 100. f/1.2. 1/1000s. ND4 (two-stop) filter.