Did I get a D90 lemon?

[heartfeltgreetings]

Oh, I hope I didn't get a lemon! I just got back from the local camera store here, and am now the proud owner (I hope) of a Nikon D90. I purchased a refurbished camera. However, as I've been playing with it for the past two hours, I am wondering if the exposure compensation display is broken/off/screwed up. Shooting in manual, my photos are overexposed at 0, and perfect at -. Grrrrr! I've worked with my D40 long enough to think that something is off here, but I wanted to check in here first before I bring it back to the store to exchange. Maybe it's something I'm doing or a setting is wrong. Can someone help me before I hyperventilate????

[SusanH1970]

Can you post a couple of photos and the EXIF so we can see examples? It'll help us help you out.

[Jim Bryant]

Read the owner's manuel before you faint

[heartfeltgreetings]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Read the owner's manuel before you faint

Jim, I did!!!! Honestly!

[Vagebond]

In another thread a few weeks ago there was talk about a strange (?) way Nikon D90 does exposure compensation, especially in manual mode. This link will send you to the last post of that thread, sort of a conclusion. If it sounds like your "problem", read the thread.

Exposure in Manual Nikon D90

[WooD]

I wouldn't worry about it.

If I use the in camera meter on my D300 it will be underexpose at least one stop.

I just got use to it.

[Nicole]

There are a number of things that could be happening (that are easily fixable)

1. Have you used the exposure compensation buttons accidentally? If you use the exposure compensation buttons in M mode, it will change how the meter is reading the scene since it essentially makes 0 = your selected exposure compensation.
2. How much is it over exposing? Every camera seems to have it's quirks about what it thinks 0 should be and that might differ from your thoughts on it.
3. What metering mode are you using and what kind of scene are you shooting? For example, if you're spot metering off of a person's skin, the background could wind up overexposed.

So, first things first though, have you tried a reset? Press the AF and +/- buttons that have the green dots by them. Hold them down until the top LCD blinks (a few seconds). Then see if it still happens. And also try taking a picture in Auto just to see if everything seems to be working right.

[heartfeltgreetings]

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

Can you post a couple of photos and the EXIF so we can see examples? It'll help us help you out.

Ok, here's two examples of some pics I just took. The EXIF data for the first one is as follows: Manual, ISO400, 1/250, f/5.6 (DSC 0045). The exposure display said that I was underexposed (all the way left, to the - sign). To me, the photo looks nearly perfectly exposed, maybe SLIGHTLY underexposed.

The EXIF data for the second photo is as follows: Manual, ISO 400, 1/60, F/5.6 (DSC 0046). The exposure display for this photo said it was right in the middle, but to my eye, the photo is clearly overexposed.

Am I going goofy here and letting my inexperience get the best of me? Please help me so I can get this figured out, whether it's operator error, or computer error. Thanks peeps!

[heartfeltgreetings]

Originally Posted by Vagebond

In another thread a few weeks ago there was talk about a strange (?) way Nikon D90 does exposure compensation, especially in manual mode. This link will send you to the last post of that thread, sort of a conclusion. If it sounds like your "problem", read the thread.

Exposure in Manual Nikon D90

Thanks for the link, I will go check this out right now to see if it might be the same thing....

[teaking]

Do you have another example?

Only that the scene you chose has a lot of dynamic range with the indoor scene and light flooding in through the window one or the other has to be exposed for if you want both exposed properly it usualy requires flash or gelling the window to balance the light. This is not realy a good scene for your camera meeting system to deal with.