# Nikon D750 underexposure



## Tinyt (Jun 24, 2015)

Hello everyone. 

About two months ago i upgraded from Nikon D3200 to D750, my first FX camera 
I seem to have a small issue with the exposure particularly when i shoot landscapes. Although the camera says i have the right exposure, when i process my files they all seem slightly underexposed. Like -o.20 on a bright day and -0.25 - .30 indoors. 

Nothing i can't fix in Photoshop and Lightroom, but i can't stop being bothered because my Nikon D3200 seem to almost always get the right light. 

I use Matrix metering and my central weight is set to 12mm 
Here is an example : 

RAW (SOOC) Shot at iso 100, f11 - 24 mm (Nikkor 24-120mm)


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## jaomul (Jun 24, 2015)

You can tweak exposure in this camera to shoot a little brighter or darker


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## sscarmack (Jun 24, 2015)

Bring your aperture down to f8 and ta da.


What shooting mode are you shooting? Full manual? Aperture Priority? Shutter?


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## Ysarex (Jun 24, 2015)

The camera was set to underexpose by 2/3 stop according to the EXIF data for the file. EC is set to -.6 which, if you wanted a camera JPEG in this backlight, was a judicious choice to prevent highlight clipping. For a good raw exposure the opposite would likely be more appropriate.

Joe


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## Braineack (Jun 24, 2015)

> Shutter Speed Value 1/1000
> Aperture Value 7.1
> Exposure Compensation -2/3



It's probably good you underexposed that image *on purpose*, once you process it, youll have a bang on exposure for both the sky and ground.


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## Tinyt (Jun 24, 2015)

Oh, sorry. My bad... This was shot at f7.1 - not f11 as i mentioned in the first post 
And i always shoot fully manual. 

Here's another example, which again, seems underexposed. 
Raw + fully manual, this is the sooc file


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## Tinyt (Jun 24, 2015)

Should i turn off my exposure compensation?


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## Ysarex (Jun 24, 2015)

The second photo likewise has a -2/3 exposure comp. set.

Joe


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## Ysarex (Jun 24, 2015)

Tinyt said:


> Should i turn off my exposure compensation?



You note that you're shooting in manual mode. How do you determine exposure?

Joe


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## Ysarex (Jun 24, 2015)

Tinyt said:


> Should i turn off my exposure compensation?



Why do you have it set in the first place?

Joe


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## Tinyt (Jun 24, 2015)

I determine the right exposure from the exposure indicator in my view finder. 
As i said in the first post, this was my first Fx camera and when i first took it in had i watched a tutorial about the "recommended" setting where the EC was on. 

Is the EC causing me the underexposure issues?


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## Derrel (Jun 24, 2015)

Tinyt said:
			
		

> I determine the right exposure from the exposure indicator in my view finder.
> As i said in the first post, this was my first Fx camera and when i first took it in had i watched a tutorial about the "recommended" setting where the EC was on.
> 
> *Is the EC causing me the underexposure issues?*



Yes. The EXIF information on the last shot of the grain and sky shows this:* Exposure Bias Value: -0.6666667
*
So, if you are using Matrix metering in manual exposure mode (not a really good choice actually, using Matrix + Manual) and just centering the meter at the 0.0 mark, your exposures are basically "whole,entire frame, RGB color-analyzed, distance analyzed, Nikon-computed exposures, which are then under-exposed by 2/3 of an EV".


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## Tinyt (Jun 24, 2015)

Thank you so much for clarifying, now it all makes sense. 
I turn my EC off, but i'm not sure now about my metering. I do shoot only manual and i use spot metering when shooting a subject. 
What would have been my ideal metering method for the above landscape?


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## Tinyt (Jun 24, 2015)

I guess i'll just have to get back and finally pay attention to that loooong user's manual. 
Thanks everyone for the replies.


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## Derrel (Jun 24, 2015)

Tinyt said:
			
		

> Thank you so much for clarifying, now it all makes sense.
> I turn my EC off, but i'm not sure now about my metering. I do shoot only manual and i use spot metering when shooting a subject.
> What would have been my ideal metering method for the above landscape?



Well, according to both the above landscapes, you shot in "*Metering Mode: Pattern*"...which is Nikon's "matrix" metering. Maybe some manual reading is in order if you think you're in spot metering mode. And if you're unaware of the exposure compensation system and how it works.

There is no one, single, ideal metering mode...I can see that the Matrix metering you used gave a pretty good exposure--all that would be needed would be to properly process a .NEF file. On the second shot, the Matrix would have given a very good exposure without the 2/3 EV underexposure dialed in on your part. Even the 2/3 underexposed image looks like it had plenty of highlight protection, and the .JPEG image file could easily be massaged in post to make a very nice, lively image.


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## Ysarex (Jun 24, 2015)

Tinyt said:


> Thank you so much for clarifying, now it all makes sense.
> I turn my EC off, but i'm not sure now about my metering. I do shoot only manual and i use spot metering when shooting a subject.
> What would have been my ideal metering method for the above landscape?



In the two landscapes here you had the camera set to matrix metering. If all you're doing is adjusting the exposure controls (shutter/aperture) to zero the meter indicator then the question is begged why shoot manual?

There is no ideal metering method. How did you test your camera's meter?

Joe


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## gsgary (Jun 24, 2015)

Angle your camera down slightly so it doesn't meter as much of the sky or learn how to use spot metering
Also the camera didn't underexpose you did you said you were in full manual mode


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## jaomul (Jun 24, 2015)

In manual mode the ec should only matter if auto iso selected as far as I know


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## Derrel (Jun 24, 2015)

jaomul said:
			
		

> In manual mode _the ec should only matter if auto iso selected_ as far as I know



No, that is incorrect. In manual mode, with exposure compensation dialed in, the meter when set to the centered position will reflect the amount Plus or Minus exposure compensation amount the user has entered; this is extremely useful when shooting in front of large, dark-colored backgrounds, or large, bright backgrounds, or whenever an "offset" from the meter's normal reading is desired. (Just verified with a Nikon, in Matrix, and Manual mode, and set to Minus 0.7 EV, and also with no EC dialed in.)


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## jaomul (Jun 24, 2015)

Always open to correction, just glad I didnt state it as an absolute fact, nice to learn a bit to


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