LED display issue

zeppelin390

New member
When I am in Auto mode, my LED screen when in live mode, is bright and can see everything clearly. When I switch to M, A, S, or P mode, the display becomes very dim and poorly lit in areas when the cursor is in a bright area, and when I move the cursor into a darker area, the screen lightens up and I can start to see everything.
I want to screen to be bright in all areas, always. I have the settings for screen brightness all the way up +3, so that is not the issue.
I can't tell if this is an issue I need to have it sent in for, or a setting I have overlooked.
Any suggestions?
 

zeppelin390

New member
the exposure is the outcome after I hit the shutter, it shouldnt have any relevance on the LED screen and preventing me from being able to compose the shot because I cant see everything.
 

nickt

Senior Member
the exposure is the outcome after I hit the shutter, it shouldnt have any relevance on the LED screen and preventing me from being able to compose the shot because I cant see everything.

Well, it sort of does have relevance. Check your manual, page 104:

Exposure

Depending on the scene, exposure may differ from that which would be obtained when live
view is not used. Metering in live view is adjusted to suit the live view display, producing
photographs with exposure close to what is seen in the monitor. In P, S, A, and [] modes,
exposure can be adjusted by ±5 EV in increments of 1/3 EV (p70). Note that the effects of
values over +3 EV or under –3 EV can not be previewed in the monitor.
 

zeppelin390

New member
I understand what you mean, but I want no change in the screen, the same it does in Auto mode, even when it automatically changes exposure and the screen brightness remains the same.
The ability for me to properly compose what is in the live view screen should not be dependent of what exposure setting I am at. At times, I have to press the shutter to see the exposed picture in order to see if my composition is correct.
 

LouCioccio

Senior Member
Zeplplin390,

Do this for preview mode so you can look at the Histogram; to read at the left are the shadows in the middle are mid tones and the right are highlights. Any peaks could be sky, white or anything is bright. You want a good exposure nothing going off the left under exposed and nothing going past the right over exposed. You want to see data is in between the left and right. If its looking dark in Live then you need to increase ONE of these only: Aperture or Shutter or ISO as you increase either of these your screen in live view will get brighter. Use the preview with Histogram and that will give you a handle on which way to go. You may already know that most zoom lenses have two apertures printed one is the max in the smallest zoom (55mm) and the second one is the max in largest zoom (200mm as an example). You can also use the EV + or - to do something similar. I like teaching people the concept in manual mode to get the proper exposure and in the other modes you'll have a better understanding.

Like many features on the Nikon D5100, the histogram isn’t available by default when reviewing pictures.


To enable the histogram and other display options such as EXIF:


Click the Menu button
Select the Playback menu (play icon)
Select ‘Playback display options’
Choose the playback display options you’d like to see while reviewing images (Highlights, RGB histogram, Shooting data (EXIF), Overview).
When reviewing an image, press the down arrow on the directional pad to cycle through displays in the order of default view -> Highlights -> Histogram -> Shooting Data -> Overview.

Lou Cioccio
 

zeppelin390

New member
Hello Lou,

I do have the histogram enabled for when I cycle down. I use it quite frequently, as I do real estate photography and am in dimly lit rooms often.
I always start with ambient light only so that I can see where my shadows and highlights are, then I apply my flashes accordingly.
I am always in M mode and when I adjust either the exposure, f-stop or ISO, neither will increase or decrease the brightness of the room in the LED screen. So while the LED screen is showing harsh shadows, I can be at f8, 1/5, ISO 320 and after I hit the shutter, I may have a well exposed shot.
 

LouCioccio

Senior Member
I really never shot in Live view in stills have done movies now you peaked my interest to try it on the DSLR; I do know on the point and shoot it will (screen) will get brighter or darker.
Lou Cioccio
 

nickt

Senior Member
While the manual says that the live view tries to simulate the final exposure, they dont explain that it biases this view/metering to the LV focus point. That is why you get a light/dark screen depending where you move the point. I'm not sure how it is on the d5100, but on my d7200, I have an exposure meter visible. If that meter is zeroed, LV pretty much matches the final exposure.
Another point of interest... in most of our Nikons, when we enter live view, the aperture cannot physically change once we enter live view. If we change settings, the aperture cannot change. It will take the change once the picture is snapped, but not before. The mechanism needs the shutter to cycle to set/change the aperture. I think the d800 has a separate mechanism to change the aperture during live view. I am not sure how this behavior affects what we see in live view, but its something to be aware of that the LV might or might not be the aperture that will be used for the actual shot. Entering live view from Auto mode likely starts LV with the aperture wide open. Entering LV from another mode where you previously set a high aperture will enter live view and immediately set that selected aperture.
 
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