Over exposure when using flash
- Thread starter toxin
- Start date
Fred Kingston_RIP
Senior Member
read the manual ??? :shame:
RocketCowboy
Senior Member
Howdy Toxin and welcome to Nikonites!
Can you post an image with the EXIF data intact that shows the over-exposed problem so we can help with more specific responses?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Can you post an image with the EXIF data intact that shows the over-exposed problem so we can help with more specific responses?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
singlerosa_RIP
Senior Member
You should be able to get consistently decent exposure in Auto w/flash. Need more info - popup flash, flashgun, settings, plus examples for us to help. I'm a manual shooter, but I took my D7200 (most like your body), set it on Auto, using the pop up flash, and I could not take an overexposed photo. (I didn't try shooting the sun.) All controls for exposure and flash are turned off on my 7200 when in Auto. I can't even try to take an overexposed photo. 
If in A,S,P, or M modes, the question to ask is What is the flash mode? TTL or Manual? TTL is automatic, Manual is not. (menu E1) And what is the Flash Compensation?
If in Auto mode, I'm not entirely sure, but it is automatic, and I doubt there is any manual control possible.
Direct flash can overexpose near subjects if the background is far or dark.
If in Auto mode, I'm not entirely sure, but it is automatic, and I doubt there is any manual control possible.
Direct flash can overexpose near subjects if the background is far or dark.
toxin
New member
I did not change anything while taking these two photos. There is less than one minute time difference between them. As you can see one is almost all white and the other one is just like it suppose to be.
here are the exif data for both photos;
Filename - DSC_0093.JPG
Make - NIKON CORPORATION
Model - NIKON D5300
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 300
YResolution - 300
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - Ver.1.00
DateTime - 2016:03:26 00:05:45
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ExifOffset - 228
ExposureTime - 1/60 seconds
FNumber - 3.50
ExposureProgram - Not defined
ISOSpeedRatings - 800
ExifVersion - 0230
DateTimeOriginal - 2016:03:26 00:05:45
DateTimeDigitized - 2016:03:26 00:05:45
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
CompressedBitsPerPixel - 2 (bits/pixel)
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 3.48
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected
FocalLength - 18.00 mm
UserComment -
SubsecTime - 30
SubsecTimeOriginal - 30
SubsecTimeDigitized - 30
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 4496
ExifImageHeight - 3000
InteroperabilityOffset - 15204
SensingMethod - One-chip color area sensor
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 1 x
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 27 mm
SceneCaptureType - Portrait
GainControl - Low gain up
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
SubjectDistanceRange - Unknown
GPS information: -
GPSVersionID - 2.3.0.0
Maker Note (Vendor): -
Data version - 1120 (825307696)
ISO Setting - 800
Image Quality - NORMAL
White Balance - AUTO
Focus Mode - AF-S
Flash Setting - NORMAL
Flash Mode - Built-in,TTL-BL
White Balance Adjustment - 0
White Balance RB - 778
Exposure Difference - -0.9
Flash Compensation - 393472
ISO 2 - 800
Image Boundary - 0 0 4496 3000
Serial number - 2683814
Colorspace - sRGB
Active D-Lighting - Auto
Picture control - Version - 0100
Picture control - Name - PORTRAIT
Picture control - Base - PORTRAIT
Picture control - Adjust - Default
Picture control - Quick Adjust - Not available
Picture control - Sharpness - Auto
Picture control - Contrast - Auto
Picture control - Brightness - Normal
Picture control - Saturation - Normal
Picture control - Hue Adjustment - Normal
ISO 3 - 800
ISO Expansion - Off
HDR info - Version - 0200
HDR - Off
HDR Level - Auto
Lens type - G VR
Lens - 18.00
Flash Used - On camera
Shooting Mode - 0
Noise Reduction - OFF
Lens info - AF-S DX VR Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II
Total pictures - 204
Vari Program - SCENE AUTO
AF info 2 - version - 0100
Contrast Detect AF - On
AF ImageWidth - 6000
AF ImageHeight - 4000
AF Area X-Position - 1359
AF Area Y-Position - 1455
AF AreaWidth - 1940
AF AreaHeight - 1940
Thumbnail: -
Compression - 6 (JPG)
XResolution - 300
YResolution - 300
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 15860
JpegIFByteCount - 7114
YCbCrPositioning – Centered
Filename - DSC_0094.JPG
Make - NIKON CORPORATION
Model - NIKON D5300
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 300
YResolution - 300
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - Ver.1.00
DateTime - 2016:03:26 00:05:56
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ExifOffset - 228
ExposureTime - 1/60 seconds
FNumber - 3.50
ExposureProgram - Not defined
ISOSpeedRatings - 800
ExifVersion - 0230
DateTimeOriginal - 2016:03:26 00:05:56
DateTimeDigitized - 2016:03:26 00:05:56
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
CompressedBitsPerPixel - 2 (bits/pixel)
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 3.48
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected
FocalLength - 18.00 mm
UserComment -
SubsecTime - 70
SubsecTimeOriginal - 70
SubsecTimeDigitized - 70
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 4496
ExifImageHeight - 3000
InteroperabilityOffset - 15204
SensingMethod - One-chip color area sensor
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 1 x
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 27 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
GainControl - Low gain up
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
SubjectDistanceRange - Unknown
GPS information: -
GPSVersionID - 2.3.0.0
Maker Note (Vendor): -
Data version - 1120 (825307696)
ISO Setting - 800
Image Quality - NORMAL
White Balance - AUTO
Focus Mode - AF-S
Flash Setting - NORMAL
Flash Mode - Built-in,TTL-BL
White Balance Adjustment - 0
White Balance RB - 778
Exposure Difference - 0.0
Flash Compensation - 393472
ISO 2 - 800
Image Boundary - 0 0 4496 3000
Serial number - 2683814
Colorspace - sRGB
Active D-Lighting - Auto
Picture control - Version - 0100
Picture control - Name - STANDARD
Picture control - Base - STANDARD
Picture control - Adjust - Default
Picture control - Quick Adjust - Not available
Picture control - Sharpness - Auto
Picture control - Contrast - Auto
Picture control - Brightness - Normal
Picture control - Saturation - Auto
Picture control - Hue Adjustment - Normal
ISO 3 - 800
ISO Expansion - Off
HDR info - Version - 0200
HDR - Off
HDR Level - Auto
Lens type - G VR
Lens - 18.00
Flash Used - On camera
Shooting Mode - 0
Noise Reduction - OFF
Lens info - AF-S DX VR Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II
Total pictures - 206
Vari Program - SCENE AUTO
AF info 2 - version - 0100
Contrast Detect AF - On
AF ImageWidth - 6000
AF ImageHeight - 4000
AF Area X-Position - 1359
AF Area Y-Position - 1455
AF AreaWidth - 984
AF AreaHeight - 816
Thumbnail: -
Compression - 6 (JPG)
XResolution - 300
YResolution - 300
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 15860
JpegIFByteCount - 10175
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
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I don't see any difference in any of the EXIF data for the two pictures. I may have missed something, but I tried to compare them line for line. I am not smart enough to see any reason for your results. I am going to ask, in the second photo did you see the flash do its thing? Actually flash.
Dawg Pics
Senior Member
The exposure difference is different for each file, but I don't know what that means. I don't know if that is the exposure compensation.
If you didn't accidentally change the exposure compensation then the camera needs to be repaired or replaced. Doesn't make sense that it exposes that much differently in that setting.
If you didn't accidentally change the exposure compensation then the camera needs to be repaired or replaced. Doesn't make sense that it exposes that much differently in that setting.
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The Exif have different settings, but I have no explanation for the flash failure in one.
The white one says Portrait scene mode, Picture control Portrait, Saturation Normal, and -0.9 EV exposure difference.
The "normal" one says Standard scene, Picture control Standard, Saturation Auto, and 0.0 EV exposure difference.
So the scene mode setting changed between the pictures, but the flash difference surprises me.
Both say Flash Compensation - 393472. That seems a bad garbage number, it should say 0.0 EV, or 1.0 EV or something, but it should not be a nonsense number like this. That is probably just a problem in the Exif Viewer incompatibility... Which Exif Viewer was it?
The flash mode was auto TTL BL. Both exposures are 1/60 second f/3.5 ISO 800. Yet the white one thought that was nearly a stop insufficient ambient exposure, and really hit the flash exposure hard. Seemingly a lot more than one stop more. We don't actually know if it was due to the setting change, but either way, it would seem to be a defect to me. You would want to learn more by seeing how the specifics repeat, can it be duplicated? I would not expect scene mode change to cause this.
I don't have any experience with flash in Auto mode, that seems the hard way (no user control at all). I know you want it to work in Auto mode, but I'd try camera A mode to see what happens. In camera A mode, you have to check that menu E1 says flash is in TTL mode. And in camera A mode, you must open the flash door if you want to use flash. It probably does not default to Auto ISO either (often a good thing with flash, certainly for this picture).
What Auto mode will do in indoor situations is to raise ISO and slow the shutter and open the aperture trying to make the ambient exposure sufficient, without flash, if possible. I don't know if ISO 800 is a limit, but 1/60 and f/3.5 probably are at limits, of the lens and for the flash. Then the flash would be at minimum fill level (instead of the main light). This can leave the incandescent ambient orange, and the flash is white. Note in the "normal" picture, there is a flash shadow under the desk lamp, the flash fired, but even the laptop screen is correctly exposed by the ambient exposure. It has a lot of ambient exposure, even though flash is used.
The white one says Portrait scene mode, Picture control Portrait, Saturation Normal, and -0.9 EV exposure difference.
The "normal" one says Standard scene, Picture control Standard, Saturation Auto, and 0.0 EV exposure difference.
So the scene mode setting changed between the pictures, but the flash difference surprises me.
Both say Flash Compensation - 393472. That seems a bad garbage number, it should say 0.0 EV, or 1.0 EV or something, but it should not be a nonsense number like this. That is probably just a problem in the Exif Viewer incompatibility... Which Exif Viewer was it?
The flash mode was auto TTL BL. Both exposures are 1/60 second f/3.5 ISO 800. Yet the white one thought that was nearly a stop insufficient ambient exposure, and really hit the flash exposure hard. Seemingly a lot more than one stop more. We don't actually know if it was due to the setting change, but either way, it would seem to be a defect to me. You would want to learn more by seeing how the specifics repeat, can it be duplicated? I would not expect scene mode change to cause this.
I don't have any experience with flash in Auto mode, that seems the hard way (no user control at all). I know you want it to work in Auto mode, but I'd try camera A mode to see what happens. In camera A mode, you have to check that menu E1 says flash is in TTL mode. And in camera A mode, you must open the flash door if you want to use flash. It probably does not default to Auto ISO either (often a good thing with flash, certainly for this picture).
What Auto mode will do in indoor situations is to raise ISO and slow the shutter and open the aperture trying to make the ambient exposure sufficient, without flash, if possible. I don't know if ISO 800 is a limit, but 1/60 and f/3.5 probably are at limits, of the lens and for the flash. Then the flash would be at minimum fill level (instead of the main light). This can leave the incandescent ambient orange, and the flash is white. Note in the "normal" picture, there is a flash shadow under the desk lamp, the flash fired, but even the laptop screen is correctly exposed by the ambient exposure. It has a lot of ambient exposure, even though flash is used.
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Don Kuykendall_RIP
RIP :(
The shutter speed, ISO and aperture is the same on both shots.
Which flash are you using?
Stratman1944
New member
Not a helpful answer! The User Manual that comes with the D5300 (and I have one) is only around 58 pages long; this is nothing more than a "Quick Setup" guide. The full reference manual (which I also have) is over 300 pages and the link to download it is available from Nikon. This will tell you everything you need to know about the D5300 - with a few minor omissions! Call Nikon, either UK or Europe (or in the USA if you live there), and they will give you the link to that full reference manual but make sure you have enough paper, and ink, in your printer to download it!!
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RocketCowboy
Senior Member
Welcome to Nikonites!
This is a rather old thread to respond to as a first post, but appreciate the clarification between the Quick Setup and Reference Manuals available from Nikon.