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Peter

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Lakers035

Help!  I'm having major exposure issues with my 800.  I have read and re-read the manual, as well as googled the issue, and can't seem to find anything!  

My exposure meter is telling me that everything is WAY overexposed, but when I take the picture, it is really UNDER exposed.  The only way for the picture to turn out at all is for me to max out my exposure meter.  

I'm not sure what settings I need to include, but here's a list of where my settings are at:

Manual

RAW+fine

AF-S

Spot metering

Bracketing is turned off

I have been working on this for quite awhile now, but need to just turn away now.  I'm getting too frustrated.  >;o

Parke1953

Lakers035 this is just a guess but push your exposure compensation button down and see if you have something set there. You wont see anything unless you push it down but you will see the +- compensation in the center of the top screen.

Parke1953

Lakers035 you will also see the exposure compensation icon in the view finder to the left of the iso if it is on.

Lakers035

Thanks for getting back to me!  I'm not sure what you exactly mean about the exposure compensation, (if you saw my intro of myself, I'm not very good at technical terms!) but I looked it up and have already attempted to adjust that.  I'm now at --0.3 and it's still telling me which brings my meter bar to the + side, but I still have to have my ISO cranked to 6400 to get somewhat good exposure.  My meter bar is blinking now, so I'll have to look into that.  

I bought this camera a few weeks ago for myself, as an upgrade from my current D90.  I am still using that as my "go to" camera, until I can figure this one out.  This seems to be my only major issue with it.  

Thanks again for your help!  

SkintBrit

As a matter of interest, why are you using spot metering, and what happens when you use matrix? Also do you get the same problem when you are not in manual mode?

Golf007sd

My recommendation is to first do a Full Reset of your current camera settings, and see if that solves your problem.

Parke1953

I guess you are shooting inside. Exposure compensation is the button on top far right with the +- on it. Push that down and hold it down if you see numbers rotate the main command dial till it reads 0.0. Depending on your lens ISO 6400 or higher might be correct. As SkintBrit says take it out of manual and try something else like aperture priority. A full reset as Golf007sd said but that will not reset exposure compensation you have to do that. For what does and does not get reset read pages 193 and 194 of your manual.

spraynpray

I have typed several responses to your question but had to delete them all for fear of coming over like a troll.

Trust me I mean no offense, but what are you doing with a complex camera like a D800 if you can't work a problem like that out?  Take it back and get a P&S.  I'm betting you have not read the manual from end-to-end and therefore have no idea about a two button reset even though you have a D90.

Even if you get to the bottom of this problem, it sounds like the complexity of your camera is always going to be a barrier between you and capturing your shot.  Get a P&S and relax is my genuine advice to you.

Happy New Year Lakers035.

Msmoto

Hello,  If by chance you have set the camera to show the virtual horizon in the viewfinder, the "exposure bar" is showing this and not exposure.  Other function button settings may affect the bar in the viewfinder as well, but definitely affect exposure. Also, set the camera to matrix metering and see if the problem exists.

These cameras can be a bit overwhelming if one is attempting to learn photography, much the same way driving a race car is very difficult for a new driver.  My D4 has almost 18,000 clicks and I still make errors all the time, have to read the manual, and accept the learning process.

Resetting the camera can be helpful as this cleans up any hidden adjustments.  Things like setting a minimal shutter speed can create high ISO's especially if a spot metering is used as the meter may catch a very dark area and demand high exposure level.

Also, it would be good as a beginner to take a basic course on photography, not that you will learn so much, or that you need this, but so you can be around others who may have the same camera and similar issues.  

Good luck and congratulations on your fine camera.

Lakers035

Thanks everyone for you help.  Now that it is daytime, I plan on figuring this problem out.  I understand that most of you mean well, and I also understand that I'm a somewhat beginner photographer compared to many out there, but I'd like to think I know my way around a typical camera.  My D90 has served me well, but my ISO settings limited me quite a bit.  I have taken several classes, and the main thing I struggle with is the terminology that is often used.  I choose to use spot metering because I find it the most precise, and I like to make the decisions regarding my photos, and not allow the camera to, which is also why I choose Manual mode, vs A, P, or S. 

Trust me I mean no offense, but what are you doing with a complex camera like a D800 if you can't work a problem like that out?  Take it back and get a P&S.  I'm betting you have not read the manual from end-to-end and therefore have no idea about a two button reset even though you have a D90.

I thank you for your response but question how you grow with your photography?  Do you never upgrade or learn anything new?  Is this forum not the place to ask both simple and in-depth questions?  "Trust me I mean no offense" but please keep opinions of others' advancement to yourself, and stick to the question.  

To all others that have replied:  I will try a hard reset, and as I said earlier, now that it's day, I'll experiment with my exposure comp settings and get back to you all.  Thank you for all the help that I was given. 

Lakers035

I did a hard reset, and then made the adjustments that I use and it seems to be working MUCH better.  I'm not sure what was off before, but I'm not going to sweat it since it's now working.  Thank you again for all of your input!!

Msmoto

@ ;Lakers035...Good news!   And welcome to the world of Nikon confusion....  I get caught in the trap all the time, the last one was the virtual horizon thing....

Glad it is working.

Golf007sd

Lakers035 Very happy to hear about your camera setup...for now.

With that out of the way, one of the way we can help you (and others that may read this) is to give us a little feed back regarding your familiarity with the camera body and your photography knowledge/skills. The more we know about you the better "language/tone" we can use in order to assist. Some time, I myself included, have made recommendation without knowing the full experience of the other person, resulting the OP feeling insulted. The majority of the active members here have one intention: helping and enjoy the world of photography. Moreiver, even though this is a Nikon forum, we welcome all those with different gear as well. In fact, I welcome those with other gear so that they can shed some light on some topic that come up. 

jonnyapple

I know this thread shows up as "answered," but one more thing that people who migrate to SLRs from point and shoots don't realize is that the metering system in an SLR will pick up light coming not only from the lens but also the light coming through the eyepiece. 

This stray light can sometimes cause underexposure, which is why there is an eyepiece cover that comes with the camera that can be used to block it out. Use it if you're shooting an auto exposure mode (anything but M) and not looking through the eyepiece while shooting, for example if you put your camera on a tripod.

D900E

Number of clicks
This is a question that I can't answer regarding refurbished/used cameras. Not that I plan to get one of those, but it is only to understand if I missed anything.

Some people said that they got a Ref camera that had only xxx shots. What do they look at? I am not aware of a mechanical counter/odometer, is there one?
If they base their statement on the file number, that is incorrect. Most of the DSLR that I know, from the D100 have a RESET option for that in the menu - I have used it several times on mine. The camera can have taken 100,000 shots, you do a Reset and it start from file 0001.

Anyone can explain me this fact? Thanks!