D200 exposure

[christiand]

Hi everyone,

who owns a D200 and shares my experience regarding exposure ?
It would seem to me that my D200 under exposures quite a lot and that causes some noise in the images when I compensate using software.
It is probably due to the way how I use the D200. (settings - etc)
Anyone knows this and has a fix for it ?

Thank a lot in advance.

Cheers,
CD

[bwhinnen]

I haven't noticed any great underexposure yet. But then I've not really shot any scenes with huge contrast differences in the frame yet. I know it does a damn fine job of protecting blown highlights so far.

I actually think the images that come off the camera (processed from RAW to JPEG with no changes) are way better than the D70 was. This is with the same lens (18-70 kit). I've not tried the 70-200VR on the D70 that extensively yet.

I know that dependant on the scene will depend on the metering method I use, shooting water skiers at Seaworld last week I was using spot metering to ensure I had good exposure of the skier in the focus point. Only one or two had a slightly underexposed background due to this metering method.

Let me get back to you in a few weeks time though

Brett

[christiand]

Thanks a lot for your reply Brett,

I was thinking this could be related to the exposure mode.
I'm still experimenting to get it right.
I have read quite a lot of times that it it seems to be mandatory to get the exposure right; else underexposed images will display a lot of noise.

Thanks again,
CD

[MCWB]

Christian: I agree with you, it takes a little getting used to. The D200 is majorly conservative where highlights are concerned, and will do anything to try and avoid blowing them. This is a bit of a PITA as it's the complete opposite of the D70's behaviour, but like always with a new camera you learn it and get to anticipate how the camera will react to a given lighting situation. I rarely have to correct exposure these days.

[bwhinnen]

I had to always dial in EC on the D70, maybe that is why I am not noticing it as much. I haven't shot similar scenes with the D200 yet (only had it two weeks). But from initial tests (such as Seaworld) I don't think I will be having to do as much to it.

Cheers
Brett

[big pix]

Took my new D200 2 week old back to Nikon due to bad digital noise at 100 and 200 ISO, oh they were going to replace it with a NEW body and when I arrived at Nikon, the response was, yes we have problems with the filter over the sensor, and body replaced with, would you believe a body that had been repaired, they said it was a new body....... This body had a scratched viewer cover, and greasy finger prints under said cover, tested the second body and it was worse than the one that I gave Nikon, down to the body fired by its self, even on a tripod, and the digital noise was worse, the exposure jumped up to 2 stops but the image did not change in quality, but what speed was I shooting at ?, but when it worked it was good....... the body number was 40 thousand less than the body I had returned, which would have made it an old camera and it felt very used with the controls, did not have time to test this body at Nikon, nor did I notice the big difference in numbers at the time, as I was on my way to a location shoot at Windsor then a 5 hour drive home.........

The second body was reported to the dealer, who spoke to Nikon and I was advised that it would be replaced with a New out of the box body....... arrived at Nikon showed then the images on my laptop and they agreed that the body had noise and banding,. I was kept waiting for over 25 minutes, reason was that the firm ware needed to be updated in the NEW BODY they were going to give me, bit strange as the firm ware update for the D200 has been out for almost 3 months. Checked the numbers of the body on the box they offered me and was advised that it was a new body. The numbers on this so called new body were more than 30 thousand less than what I had purchased as new, and I asked about this and was told in a firm way that it was a new body, Nikon would not even discuss the big body number difference, which I had refused to accept as a new body, and I was given the choice of take what was being offered or my original D200 which they said was in spec ?????? I took my original body back to the dealer and got a full refund and purchased a D2Xs....... lets hope this D2xs is OK..........

So if returning a body to Nikon and get offered a replacement check the serial numbers, you could end up with a dud.......

[sirhc55]

Good on ya Bernie

[big pix]

Thanks Chris......... makes you wonder if Maxwells have ever left the building ???

[Onyx]

Bernie, sorry for your frustrating experience.

I would guess the practise is commonplace in other electronics industries too. I work for a supply-chain company involved in the refurbishment of Nokia phones. What 'we' send out as "new" is so far from it, I really pity the end user who's unlucky enough to have a defective unit, as they're treated not much better than your experience with Nikon and their 'new replacement' policies.

I guess I should be thanking my stars that my D200 isn't defective, and hope like hell I don't have to deal with Nikon/Maxwell any time soon. My experiences with them in the past have been mixed at best.

[EveyOz]

When I moved from a canon to my D200 I too thought it under exposed. When I recovered the images in RAW to how I wanted them to look noise would often become a problem.

As MCWB said the D200 will always play on the safe side and will try not to blow highlights. You get used to it and when you do it gives great images by using EC (I often use +3 for normal shooting) and AE-L. Somehow you just learn to guess how the D200 will meter the scene and you compensate before taking the shot.



Edited for spelling and to add that if there is a bright sky/background in more than a small corner of your viewfinder add some EC.

[christiand]

Thank you,

a lot of helpful replies.

Chers,
CD

[Keith anderson]

I have a preview show that shows the histgram in the RGB colours so I can instantly see the expsoure. I also know which colour will clip. Of course if shooting fast subjects you can't do that but then I'll spot meter and set camera to manual.

[Matt. K]

christiand
Without loking thru your images it would be hard to comment. What I have found is that if you use matrix metering and you are not shooting against the light then the exposures are spot on. If the background is brighter than the subject then the camera does tend to expose very conservatively. The images look too dark. Be very aware of the direction of the light and if you are shooting against the light switch to spot or centre weighted metering or add plus one or two stops of exposure compensation. Do not evaluate image brightness off the camera monitor because it can be very misleading. Use the histogram often and get used to understanding what it is telling you in relation to the tones in our image. Shoot some test images against the light using the different metering systems to understand what they are doing.

[tasadam]

Well said, MattK.
I use centre a fair bit (when needed) and sometimes but not often, spot.
EC is also used a bit.
Another way, a cheat and dirty method I use to correct exposure is to frame my image and if I think it's going to be a bit under-exposed, point a bit lower / darker and lock the exposure (not much) or go for a bit more sky / brightness and lock exposure if I think it is going to be too dark. Be careful not to stuff your focal point if using the quick & dirty method.

You could also use bracketing a bit more to be sure you capture what you want until you get more used to what the camera is trying to do then learn to recognize what you think it is going to do and adjust as necessary.

When I say I use methods of adjusting exposure a bit, by far the majority of my shots are with normal exposure settings.

Finally, having heard a certain horror story, I don't feel so bad about buying from HK now...