stills overexposing w/Nikon manual lenses

L

Lenilenapi

Carbonite Member
My T2i is overexposing almost 2 stops in still mode when I use my Nikon manual lenses. It won't do this if I'm using some of the auto functions but I prefer to shoot manually.
It doesn't do this in movie mode even if I am taking stills.
Any idea why this is happening and if there is any way around it? Will this also happen on a 7D or 5D?

I can underexpose intentionally and then they come out properly exposed, but that's a weird way to shoot. I can also just take stills in movie mode but that means you get a shadowed band at top & bottom and can't use many of the still mode functions.

Lenny Levy
 
Are you looking through the viewfinder for stills? This isn't an accurate indicator of exposure unless you check your metering, for video you are seeing the final exposed image.
How are you deciding if it is under/over exposed when taking stills?
 
I'm shooting with my 7D and a Nikon 50mm f1.4 lens from 1962 (See article here http://gavingear.com/?p=6 )

I set everything manually including ISO (try and keep as low as possible of course). I use live view for exposure, and it comes out great.

Also, check out the intro to this video shot with the same combo:

4514924893_46c3b6132a.jpg


Here's the full video:
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I AGREE
 
Forgot to mention- the technique of using a custom picture style with contrast/sharpness set to minimum, and then applying brigthness/contrast/sharpen/color/saturation in Vegas has been working well for me (that's what was used for the video above)
 
TooTall-
I'm using live view to determine exposure and double checking with the little meter at the bottom.
How else would you do it? Viewfinder is not good option when focusing manually as I'm using a hoodman and that's seems pretty good for focus, but would get in the way of the viewfinder.
Live view is accurate if I use a lens like my Tamron 17-50 which is made to work with the Canon, but not with the nikons.

Gavin,
I'm shooting with contrast all the way down but sharpness is a question. I started with it down but everything looked soft. I can correct in post , but if everything is going to get corrected anyway it is easier on the post process "renders" if I've done it beforehand. Don't know what the difference is between applying the detail before or after compression in this medium. I've been trying +2 and that seems to look pretty good.

Lenny
 
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Looks great but his nose is out of focus - in fact it looks like the focus is near his ear.

Hard to nail focus at f1.4 unless you can magnify the screen or have a larger screen.
 
Actually, the interview test was done at f2.0, and I locked focus on the eyes (tip from portrait photography). Still figuring all this out... And I usually zoom in max during live view to lock focus. Great ability on the 7D!
 
I have a Nikon Telephoto 70mm-200mm f4 which I used with an adapter. With a Cinevate adapter (a good adapter IMO), it's definitely not as good as the native EOS lenses. I sometimes find that the exposure meter is really off, there is no infinity focus and sometimes I get a weird purple color shift.

But I think that's just the nature of using adapters. It will never be as good as if the lens is native.

And I do notice that with my Nikon lens, things tend to come out overexposed a bit more.
 
I have been using my Nikon f2.8 80-200 with the more expensive fotodiox adapter with steller results. Tach sharp and while back focus may be just a hair out it definitely gets infinity and almost tracks correctly. I get excited when I put it on actually. Much sharper than the Tamron 17-50 VC I tried. Haven't compared it to the Canon yet. You should not be getting a weird purple shift from an adapter .
Are you not getting infinity at all? If so either the adapter or the lens is just way out and in m,ind should be returned. Both fotodiox adapters I've tested have gone a bit past infinity. The $90 one is very close and the $20 is worse but I can always hit infinity.
Do you have the same exposure problem? Pic looks fine , meter fine - snap the photo and then & its almost 2 stops over? Using a T2i also?

Lenny
 
I have also noticed that my nikon adapted glass is off on the metering as well.

I just got that same exact nikon 50 1.4 on ebay, an di also have a vivitar nikon mount 70-210 3.5 macro lens that is slightly off as well. Its frustrating for sure, but i guess ill just have to learn to eyeball it off the screen.

not sure what else to do?

:(
 
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