NEWBIE QUESTION~Problems with my Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1

[dooscoop32]

Hi Guys,

I am new to this forum and am hoping someone can help me with a problem I am having with a Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1 digital camera. I just bought it used on eBay and I am very disappointed so far. All of the pics I have taken are dark. I have tried every setting on the flash but it didn't help. And it does this inside or outside. Now, one problem which I think it may have is the lithium-ion battery. It is so weak that it is exhausted after about four or five pics. Could this be causing this problem or do you think it is something else? I do have a new battery on the way so I can't find out if this solves the problem until it gets here. And don't suggest that I ask for a refund because the seller specified no returns were allowed.
Any ideas or help would be highly appreciated. Thank you.

[Greg McCary]

Are the pictures dark on the LCD screen or on the computer after an upload? I certainly feel the battery is causeing the the camera to exhaust only after four or five pictures. You can read the voltage of the battery with a meter and see if it is good.

[dooscoop32]

Are the pictures dark on the LCD screen or on the computer after an upload? I certainly feel the battery is causeing the the camera to exhaust only after four or five pictures. You can read the voltage of the battery with a meter and see if it is good.

I just turned it on to see about the LCD and was using it inside. I have the "LCD Brightness" setting on high and, yet, I feel the pics looked too dark on the LCD screen. When I started taking pics with it just now, the battery "gauge" showed it to be fully charged. By the third picture, it was already in the red, indicating a very weak battery. I don't have a meter to check the strength of the battery but a battery that weak must be causing problems of some type, don't you think??
What was your point about the dark pics on the LCD as well as after being uploaded?
Thank you very much for the reply.

[Greg McCary]

It sounds like a battery issue to me. The reason I wanted to know if the pictures uploaded to the computer looked ok, then that would indicate the camera was exposing the shots right. Be sure and check the White Balance that it is set right. I think your camera will only go as high as 200ISO. If so the pictures will be dark if the flash doesn't go off if used inside. How are the outside pictures?

[dooscoop32]

It sounds like a battery issue to me. was exposing the shots rightThe reason I wanted to know if the pictures uploaded to the computer looked ok, then that would indicate the camera . Be sure and check the White Balance that it is set right. I think your camera will only go as high as 200ISO. If so the pictures will be dark if the flash doesn't go off if used inside. How are the outside pictures?

It sounds like a battery issue to me.
>>>I got the new battery I had ordered yesterday. I installed it in the camera and fully charged it. It helped with the number of pics I could take because the old one was exhausted after 4 or 5 pics. But the LCD still doesn't look very bright. And the pics still seem too dark. They do upload to the computer fine but they are, for the most part, dark.

Be sure and check the White Balance that it is set right. I think your camera will only go as high as 200ISO.
>>>The White Balance was on Auto but I changed it to ISO 200 and that did seem to help some.

How are the outside pictures?
>>>They are too dark, too. The pic below was taken outside yesterday afternoon at around 4:30 PM.
Any ideas on what is going on here??? Anyone???

[jokerb]

I don't know that this will help, but try setting your camera back to the original settings...you should find this in your menu...

[SmartWombat]

Found the solution !
Your camera is set to under-expose by 2 stops.

# Exposure Bias (EV) = -20/10 = -2.00

Resetting this exposure adjustment to 0 will make the images brighter.

[dooscoop32]

Found the solution !
Your camera is set to under-expose by 2 stops.

# Exposure Bias (EV) = -20/10 = -2.00

Resetting this exposure adjustment to 0 will make the images brighter.

You ARE the man! I did reset the exposure adjustment to 0 and the pics are much brighter both on the LCD and on the computer.
Now, do I need to leave it there all the time, like when I'm taking pics outside or do I change it back to 2.0?
Thank you so much for your help. I really thought I had gotten burned on this deal. I wonder if this could be the reason the seller sold the camera!:idea:

[SmartWombat]

Leave it there.
Until you want to get creative.

Put someone up against the sky, get down low and want just a silhouette?
Use -1 or -2 to make sure they are nice and dark.

Got something against the sky like a bird, and want some detail in it?
Use +1 to make sure it's light enough to see the detail.

But for most of the time, leave it at 0 and the camera will do a pretty good job.