OK I've asked the moderators to move our old posts to this thread. I hope it's possible to do that.

This thread is where that discussion will take place instead of getting off topic on the other thread.


Thanks to the mods for moving this!!!

GG -

The only 'protection' I used was the lens hood on the 45-200 and the shutter speed set itself as quickly as I could change the subject. Sounds as if your camera has an issue. The only way I could replicate your under exposed shots was to intentionally use the 'wrong' settings in manual mode.

I don't know about the turn around time from Olympus, I've never used their service. I would recommend giving them a call or email to get their take on the under exposure issue.

J

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"Every photograph you've ever admired was taken with past equipment, not the thing you're waiting for someone to announce." - Thom Hogan

OK I called adorama and they'll replace it but they're on a backorder with no known dates. She suggested I call olympus (which I was going to do any way.) I called and asked and they say that a black is normal for one under exposed. He said that I'd have to meter better, like use spot meter on the object, which I do use AEL on things, but this was just quick shooting and not really paying attention. Something would catch my eye and being used to 1/8000 on the DSLRs I'm not thinking in terms of only 1/4000. So that could be the problem. He said if I can't get it to work better send it in and they'll look it over. For now I'm just assuming user error, but if I keep finding that even metering better doesn't help it'll go in. Just with every other camera I've ever owned not one would take a black shot like this. Maybe it's just something different with Oly metering that I have to get used to??

GG -

The EXIF on the last shot posted these numbers (the under exposed flowers):

Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 1/2500 second ===> 0.0004 second
Lens F-Number / F-Stop = 71/10 ===> ƒ/7.1
Exposure Program = aperture priority (3)
ISO Speed Ratings = 1000

Maybe I'm all wet on this, I'm easily confused ; but here's my take -

Your OM-D was in aperture priority, with aperture set at f/7.1; to my mind the camera should have set the shutter speed to something slower than the 1/2500 of a second that it actually chose as the 'proper' exposure.

There appears to be plenty of "wiggle room" - the camera could have doubled the exposure simply by halving the shutter speed.

The camera is supposed to set the shutter speed as required once the aperture is chosen by the photographer. Let's assume that you had set f7.1 on a previous shot, then swiveled and shot the new subject (the flowers) without taking time to change the aperture. The camera should have adjusted the shutter speed to allow for the change of ambient light on the new subject.

I've tinkered a bit and simply cannot replicate your results unless I force the under exposure using full manual mode. My OM-D changes the shutter speed so quickly that by the time the 45-200 focuses the proper shutter speed has already been dialed in.

Maybe someone more versed on exposure and the OM-D can chime in and show where I'm all wet on this, but I've been shooting 35mm since 1969 and I seriously doubt that the Olympus technician understood exactly what your OM-D is doing.

If Adorama will place you on the 'replacement' list and let you keep your current OM-D until the new one comes in, I'd do that. Otherwise I'd get a second opinion from a different Olympus technician.

Just my 2 cents.

Regards,

Jim

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"Every photograph you've ever admired was taken with past equipment, not the thing you're waiting for someone to announce." - Thom Hogan

Yeah I'm still not 100% on this. I just don't know enough about exposure on the OMD, which is why I'm not sure if it's user error. I'm not sure why it would be dark at 1/2000 when it could go to 1/4000 or 1/1200 to change lighter or darker as needed. It's not shooting at 1/2500 in the shade, it's shooting at 1/640 or whatever it's metering at for the f/stop. So it's not like it's not trying to change the shutter speed, it is trying, it's just not getting it right.

argh! this is frustrating. I guess I'll call adorama back and see if I can keep this until the new ones come in. They're giving me a couple days leeway on my 30 days, but that ends very soon since I've been trying to contact them since 8/2 and 30 days was yesterday (when CS is out.) I don't think they'll let me keep this one since it's past the 30 days now. But if the backorder is much more then a few days I also don't want to be without a camera. I wish I had the money to buy a cheap backup camera, but I just don't.


ETA:

Called adorama and being the awesome company they are, they're doing an exchange. They don't have the silver in stock and a very limited supply of the black kits in. So when they get the camera back they'll send me whichever they have in stock, but the sad part is they won't hold a black kit for me. I'm only a day away from them so I hope they don't sell out in the next couple days! They also apologized about 3 times for Olympus not understanding the issue even though they don't have to!

The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking there just has to be something wrong with the shutter. There is something messing up between the metering and the shutter. I was taking photos a few weeks ago of my water lily (white) and I tried about 20 shots then gave up. For some reason it wouldn't meter it right. I tried spot metering, I tried AEL with spot, AEL with eval. Nothing would work. I just could not get the shot. It kept coming out VERY dark or black. I couldn't even see the bright white of the flower. Later that day I tried again and it came out looking great?! All I did for that one was set it to f/6.3 and shoot. It metered fine. ?? When it was working I LOVE this camera. That's what's so frustrating. I just can't wait to get my replacement! I'm already going stir crazy and it's only just been packed up 20 minutes ago! It's just SO fun to use!

In case anyone else is following this aside from Jim, and if it happens to anyone else I'm updating everyone.

I got my replacement camera back a couple hours ago. VERY fast from adorama! After I charged the batteries (which the blue nook ones from amazon work fine so far) I snapped a few photos. I had high ISO and made sure it was f/6.3 and 1/4000 and the photo came out!! It wasn't black it wasn't dark. It looked fine! So it was the camera not just me! So far all is well with the new one!

There will always be lemons. It's great news it got resolved quickly and easily for you!

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EM5; 9-18, PL25, 100-300 and some others.
(also, 6D + RX100)

Awesome, good to hear GardenGirl ;)

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OM-D , G1X
P25mm, 14mm
O45mm, 12-50mm

OK a bunch more shots and I'm back in love! The other camera was only a lemon in this part, the rest I loved it! I re-took the problem shots and guess what? They're just what they're supposed to be! The one flower shot is nice and back-lit, getting a very nice silhouette going on. The birds in the sky are nice. I really thought I was doing something wrong, but when Jim was so nice to help out, and a few others on another forum suggested it's not me, I looked harder at it. Self doubt stinks! Went with my gut and now the new camera is awesome!

Most excellent news!!!

You've had a pretty good day, camera-wise .

Glad everything is working for ya.

Jim

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"Every photograph you've ever admired was taken with past equipment, not the thing you're waiting for someone to announce." - Thom Hogan