light meter help

not sure whether or not to post here or on the olympus forum but it might be something that other users could help with.

the "on board" light meter seems to be giving me a problem.

perhaps i can explain step by step.

using manual when i get a 0.0 reading the shot is either way too dark or way too light.

(i have it set to the digital metering).

i got to "auto" and get something fairly resembling what it should be like, compare the auto settings.

i then have tried manual and set to the same setting that i got in auto for example 125 @ 5.6 F

i get a too dark shot.

i go to A priority set to 5.6 and don't get anything close to 125

i go to 125 on S priority and get nothing like 5.6

where is this going wrong ???

thanks ~ you might save more of this:

:mad2: :mad2: :mad2:

:cryin: :cryin: :cryin:

Which Oly do you have? Does it have an Auto ISO mode?

e 500 and i have it in auto ISO

i have read through the hand book and tried to do all that i can with setting it up.

i tried to give a few manual shots and it was horrendous it seemed out by about 2

i.e. sometimes i had it underexposed by -2 or sometimes over exposed by 2 to give me about what it should have been depending on the places i shot. i was only at a friends taking shots in his back yard in both very bright and fairly darks places. just shooting for shooting sake to see if i could give manual a go when taking my next exercise trip.

Never use Auto ISO. I've never got good results with the my old Olympus C-3030. Than goodness the Nikon D70 doesn't have auto ISO but I keep forgetting to check the ISO before I start taking photos some times.......

Very strange - I'm not familiar with Olympus other than my very simple pocket sized 720SW, but the "0.0" means (or should mean) proper exposure? As in another possibility would be a + or - number showing over or underexposure?

If you don't see an answer that solves the problem, post something in the Olympus form asking people to take a look at this thread (usually works better than duplicate posting).

Make sure that the cameras meter didn't get graduation set on high or low. Or sometimes mine can get put on spot metering by mistake. You might also check and make sure you didn't somehow get the meter compensation off. It's happened to me many times. Several settings being off can cause the meter to seem wrong.

i double checked the spot metering and the graduation.


i can't find anything in the users guide with respect to meter compensation though. perhaps i'm looking in the wrong place.

thanks for the help so far, i have asked for help in the oly forum too, cross referencing this thread.

Meter compensation is done in one of the pre programed modes by holding down the +/- button and turning the thumb wheel. It will show up in yellow plus or minus if it is set. Try shooting in full manual an make sure you are ESP metering too. I have had my meter completly freeze up before and I took the battery out for awhile and removed the lens and put it back on and it started working again. It also happened once on my 510.

Greg, did shoot in full manual.

bought Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.

one chapter suggests manual and i followed the instructions. meter shows 0.0 (or close enough) and i got a too dark exposure.

i had iso set at 100 at the time.

took various pictures with S priority and A priority all with similar results either too dark or too light.

i experimented and i came out most times to either letting the meter go to around 2.0 either + or - to get something that resembled correct exposure.

set to ESP metering.

:mad2: :mad2: :mad2:

as stated when checking to auto exposure and trying to "re-capture the settings" it was a definite no go.

Try posting a picture. If the subject is backlit it will come out dark or the other way around.