Beginner Cannon EOS 10D over exposure problem

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I'm new to cameras in general but have had some success with some old 35mm SLR's which in all fairness I would prefer to use but as processing is so expensive I have brought myself a cheap second hand Canon EOS 10D DSLR body ,I have brought a M42 lens adapter and have tried using the camera but all the photos are way over exposed regardless of what lens I use. I have set the camera on auto and have looked at some of the settings of each photos, the camera seems to alter the ASA/ISO but as yet thats as far as I can work out. Altering the f setting gives a better photo but makes it hard to see through the view finder, I was under the impression the camera would sense the light and alter exposure times to suit.
Any advise much appreciated.
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Just tried the same thing on my old 300D which is of similar vintage and got similar results.
Switching to aperture priority gave better results, but had to stop the lens down a couple of stops to prevent the shutter speed maxing out.
As there is no aperture info being passed from the lens to the camera, I'm guessing Auto cant calculate the correct exposure.
 
Hello again all,

Thanks for the replies. I seem to have sorted the problem although I think I may need to make more adjustments as the colours are a little pale, I got to thinking that if I took a photo of anything white it just bleached the screen out completely so was it a white balance issue ? I then found out you cannot adjust white balance in auto so tried it in a manual setting this gave me pre-sets for day/night plus others I set it in day light and it was much improved (white balance is not really something I have come across so far with using film cameras but I had read about it in connection with camera phones. I think as you said Steve B it's a result of not using the correct lens ! Here's a photo anyway of nearly the same subject which is about 100m away
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Hello again all,

Thanks for the replies. I seem to have sorted the problem although I think I may need to make more adjustments as the colours are a little pale,

I think you normally have to use old manual lenses in either Aperture or Manual exposure modes.

Other than that... I think the JPEG's from these older cameras can be expected to be less punchy than ones from modern cameras. There will probably be some in camera JPEG settings you can tweak (It's a long time since I had a 10D and I can't remember what options you get) but if you are not doing so already it may also be worthwhile looking at processing your pictures on your computer or maybe shooting raw to get the best results possible.

PS.
White balance shouldn't be anything to do with the white blowing out, it's more to do with colours looking right.
 
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Using lenses via an adapter you will either have to use the Av (aperture) mode and let it adjust shutter speed for the aperture you have chosen to shoot at or M (manual) mode. As there will not be any automatic control of the aperture you will have to open the aperture fully to focus and then stop down to desired aperture to shoot. In Av mode the camera will set shutter speed automatically for you whan you have stopped lens down and display it while in M mode you need to adjust aperture and shutter speed yourself until exposure is centered on the display. Auto white balance is available in all shooting modes, but can get fooled by large amounts of colour so sometimes you will want to set for sun, cloud, shade, tungsten, fluorescent or flash as required. Not sure if the 10D lets you do custom white balance (where you take a picture of something white and use that). The manual for the 10D is available at the Canon web site http://www.canon.co.uk/support/cons...gital_slr/eos_10d.aspx?type=manuals&language=
 
I took the camera out today(along with a 35mm SLR and an old Russian point and press) to my local airfield (Half Penny Green) and had some reasonable results but also some failures when the planes were against white sky. I have been using it in Manual mode and setting the aperture to give a reasonable (brightness wise) view through the lens then manually focusing.I will try the camera in AV mode tomorrow and see if thats an improvement. I really should specially as I'm a beginner concentrate on one camera (I have about 8, six 35mm film cameras a Digital point and press and the Canon DSLR. I am stuck with one lens at the moment a Pentacon 2.8 135mm as I have found the other lens I have 58mm seems to not have enough width to fit things in unless you stand a mile off, I'm guessing that because of using the adapter so am a little stuck with what I can do until the other adapter turns up and I can use the Praktica Bayonet lenses I have. Here are a couple of the good(ish photos. They were took at about 100ft away apart from the Poppy field !
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I have had to wait for a while for bright conditions to return to try the camera out in AV mode, it is still chronically over exposing with me trying to set the exposure by eye by just looking through the view finder and using the aperture setting to make it look not too bright. I am beginning to lose confidence with this camera not knowing if it has a fault or whether it is just down to the settings (there are plenty) . It has now got to the point I would rather use the film camera rather than miss a one off photo.Does anyone know if there is a method of resetting the camera to factory setting so at least I have a starting point ?
 
In Aperture priority or Manual you should be ok shooting raw but if you're not and shooting jpeg I suggest you set any values as you think best... Other than that why are you judging the exposure by eye? Can't you just get the curosr in the middle of the exposure scale?
 
To reset the camera you will need to go into the "MENU".
As far as I remember the "Clear All Camera settings" is in the far right menu, but it is a very long time since I last used a 10D.

I get the impression you are setting the camera on the brightness of the image in the viewfinder, rather than using the lightmeter built into the camera?
If so this is why your exposures are unpredictable.
Not sure why you are waiting for bright conditions to test it either, it's not as if you are wasting film by taking test shots in less than ideal conditions or of crap subjects, just delete them afterwards.
My suggestion would be, put the camera in AV mode, set the aperture on it to f 5.6 or f 8 if brighter conditions, check the ISO is 100 or 200, point out the window or go outside and click off a shot. If the shot is a bit too bright or dark on the back of the camera, this can be corrected using "Exposure Compensation" but that is probably over complicating things at this stage.
 
To reset the camera you will need to go into the "MENU".
As far as I remember the "Clear All Camera settings" is in the far right menu, but it is a very long time since I last used a 10D.

I get the impression you are setting the camera on the brightness of the image in the viewfinder, rather than using the lightmeter built into the camera?
If so this is why your exposures are unpredictable.
Not sure why you are waiting for bright conditions to test it either, it's not as if you are wasting film by taking test shots in less than ideal conditions or of crap subjects, just delete them afterwards.
My suggestion would be, put the camera in AV mode, set the aperture on it to f 5.6 or f 8 if brighter conditions, check the ISO is 100 or 200, point out the window or go outside and click off a shot. If the shot is a bit too bright or dark on the back of the camera, this can be corrected using "Exposure Compensation" but that is probably over complicating things at this stage.
Exposure compensation could be the issue. It looks like it exposed about +2/3. Could be caused by the exposure compensation or the wrong metering mode.
 
Exposure compensation could be the issue. It looks like it exposed about +2/3. Could be caused by the exposure compensation or the wrong metering mode.

Well resetting the camera settings will zero any compensation, so the reset should remove that possibility from the equation.
 
Thanks for the help all, I was using the camera in AV mode but had to alter the aperture until it looked about right because if I had it set to bright in the view finder it was bleaching out the photos and if I made it too dark the photos were dark almost like the auto exposure was not working. If there were any white items in the photo this was really hard as they would appear as white patches if I got it wrong. I have now reset the camera and tried my hardest to provoke it to fail and if anything it is a just a little dark, that said by this time the sky had gone rather dark. The auto exposure seems to work now when I alter with aperture, I also took a couple of photos in a dark corner of a dark room and the camera held the shutter open for a good few seconds. Fingers crossed I now have a working starting point ! I'm off to Wales in the morning so will give it a good go and will use the film camera if I spot anything I really don't what to miss.

Thanks again all

PS I do have the Manual but as there are so many setting I wasn't sure where the starting point was.
 
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This is seems like one of those English comprehension question that had to be read carefully in order to formulate the correct response.

From the first line of you post I see you are using a modern (ish) Auto\manual DSLR with an old Manual only M42 lens.

Using DSLR camera with a old manual focus lens will mean you have no choice but to control the aperture setting manually. The DSLR will have way of checking the set aperture or changing the aperture value.
Your old lens will have no electronics that allow the camera to control its aperture. Manual is the best exposure setting for you in this situation.
 
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Dunno about Manual being best. I use manual lenses in Aperture mode mostly, Manual next.
 
I have done a couple of tests while in Wales after the reset and I'm now quite pleased. As I was passing the Mach loop I thought I'd give it a go Only one plane came through but the camera worked well. I them took some random photos while riding the Mawddach Trail all seemed to work well with some photos taken into the sun. So it looks like the reset has got rid of what ever setting were causing the problem.Now I can tweak to suit.
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I have done a couple oftest while in Wales after the reset and I'm now quite please. As I was passing the Mach loop I thought I'd give it a go Only one plane came through but the camera worked well I them took some random photos while riding the Mawddach Trail all seemed to work well with some photo into the sun. So it looks like the reset has got rid of what ever setting were causing the problem.
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Thats good to hear, at least you can use it with some confidence now.
 
On checking some of the settings on the camera now that I have a starting point I have now realized there is a manual way of setting the Aperture ( I guess to use the original lens) if I set at between 1.8 and 2.5 on the camera with my manual lenses in any aperture this is fine in normal day light, but if I set any different it causes the problems I was having. I'm now guessing there is a limit to the combination of manual aperture and what the camera expects to see according to it's aperture setting and because of this it was over exposing the photos. I thought on AV it would just set the exposure according to the light input through the lens and never thought of there being a limit.
 
On checking some of the settings on the camera now that I have a starting point I have now realized there is a manual way of setting the Aperture ( I guess to use the original lens) if I set at between 1.8 and 2.5 on the camera with my manual lenses in any aperture this is fine in normal day light, but if I set any different it causes the problems I was having. I'm now guessing there is a limit to the combination of manual aperture and what the camera expects to see according to it's aperture setting and because of this it was over exposing the photos. I thought on AV it would just set the exposure according to the light input through the lens and never thought of there being a limit.
I think we need a more detailed understanding of what you're actually doing.

There's no reason for a 'limit' on the effectiveness of the metering at almost wide open.

My guess is that you think the camera should be doing more automatically without realising you've removed its ability to do so by using these lenses. I'd guess you're not stopping down the lens manually (there's no connection to stop it down automatically), when taking the shot.

It should work perfectly wellproviding:
Obviously you need to manually focus
In manual mode with the lens stopped down
In AV mode with the lens stopped down
 
And a PS to the above... look at the meter at the bottom of your vf and start off with the cursor in the middle and take it from there.
 
Phil V, I originally brought the camera from Ebay and tried using it in AV mode with a lens from a film SLR from the collection I had inherited this with the idea that I would not have wasted too much money if I didn't take too it. The first number of shots were bleached looking and if there was anything white in the shot it would just appear as a white blodge. As the camera was new to me and an ebay find I didn't know if it was faulty, just something in the settings or a problem with the Lens /camera combination or my lack of experience so I sort help here! I had read that in AV mode the camera would sense the light through the lens and set the exposure accordingly but this did not seem to be happening (there was no aperture display on the camera at the time) so I took to judging the amount of light I was seeing through the view finder/lens and adjusting the lens aperture so it did not look too bright, this gave me a success of about 80%.
I then did a full reset to try and get me back to a starting point were it should work reasonably well. This seemed to work with photos turning out well. I then started to experiment with the settings to see the affect. I noticed there was a display on top of the camera which hadn't been there up to this point and using the manual found out this was Aperture on the camera.I then found varying this outside of my original factory setting then made it too dark or caused this bleaching affect .So I now know to keep the settings on the camera to 1.8 to 2.5. The funny thing is which I cannot understand is if I put the camera in manual and try to match aperture on the camera to the aperture on the lens it again just over exposes to the point it looks as if I've taken a picture of a white wall, again keeping it in the previous limits it works fine in any aperture setting on the lens ! I still suspect there maybe a software issue or have I got the idea of manual completely wrong. That said at this point I now have a camera I can trust enough to not have to take a Photo with the film camera as well.

PS the meter has always been in the middle !
 
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In AV mode the meter changes to showing "Exposure Compensation" rather than being a light meter, so should stay centered as default, so that is working correctly.
 
In AV mode the meter changes to showing "Exposure Compensation" rather than being a light meter, so should stay centered as default, so that is working correctly.
Not with an uncoupled lens, which really should be stopped down to be metered.
 
Phil V, I originally brought the camera from Ebay and tried using it in AV mode with a lens from a film SLR from the collection I had inherited this with the idea that I would not have wasted too much money if I didn't take too it. The first number of shots were bleached looking and if there was anything white in the shot it would just appear as a white blodge. As the camera was new to me and an ebay find I didn't know if it was faulty, just something in the settings or a problem with the Lens /camera combination or my lack of experience so I sort help here! I had read that in AV mode the camera would sense the light through the lens and set the exposure accordingly but this did not seem to be happening (there was no aperture display on the camera at the time) so I took to judging the amount of light I was seeing through the view finder/lens and adjusting the lens aperture so it did not look too bright, this gave me a success of about 80%.
I then did a full reset to try and get me back to a starting point were it should work reasonably well. This seemed to work with photos turning out well. I then started to experiment with the settings to see the affect. I noticed there was a display on top of the camera which hadn't been there up to this point and using the manual found out this was Aperture on the camera.I then found varying this outside of my original factory setting then made it too dark or caused this bleaching affect .So I now know to keep the settings on the camera to 1.8 to 2.5. The funny thing is which I cannot understand is if I put the camera in manual and try to match aperture on the camera to the aperture on the lens it again just over exposes to the point it looks as if I've taken a picture of a white wall, again keeping it in the previous limits it works fine in any aperture setting on the lens ! I still suspect there maybe a software issue or have I got the idea of manual completely wrong. That said at this point I now have a camera I can trust enough to not have to take a Photo with the film camera as well.

PS the meter has always been in the middle !
You don't appear to be understanding the process of using an old manual lens on a modern camera.

I don't have any old lenses to write a step by step, but I'm sure there'll be one on the web.
 
Not with an uncoupled lens, which really should be stopped down to be metered.

Makes no difference wether the lens is coupled or not, in AV mode the light meter switches automatically into being the exposure compensation scale.
 
Makes no difference wether the lens is coupled or not, in AV mode the light meter switches automatically into being the exposure compensation scale.
How can it be 'compensating' if it doesn't know how much light will be in the exposure?

I understand where you've drawn the line, but it's 'shorthand' when you know what you're doing. :)

The light meter is what it says on the tin. It tells you (in any mode) how much light is entering the lens either side of an approximate 'correct' reading. In AV with a lens the camera understands, the usual way to 'move' the needle is with exp comp, but you've not changed it's purpose, only the way you're using it.
 
How can it be 'compensating' if it doesn't know how much light will be in the exposure?

I understand where you've drawn the line, but it's 'shorthand' when you know what you're doing. :)

The light meter is what it says on the tin. It tells you (in any mode) how much light is entering the lens either side of an approximate 'correct' reading. In AV with a lens the camera understands, the usual way to 'move' the needle is with exp comp, but you've not changed it's purpose, only the way you're using it.

Trying not to over complicate it for the OP, Phil.
With an uncoupled lens, with a half press of the shutter, the camera will take a light reading and calculate the exposure based on the light entering the lens at the aperture set on the lens. It will centre the meter based on this reading. This reading can then be altered to under or over the centered position using exposure compensation if required, which will alter the shutter speed to compensate.
It really is that simple.

The main difference with a coupled lens is that the aperture will stay open to let more light in, until you half press the shutter, when it will close down to the set aperture to take the light reading.
 
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I have decided finally to give up on this camera after spending a full day out taking over 150 photos but only finding 2 usable. The photos were taken over 6 locations in various light conditions using two lenses with the camera in manual and Aperture Priority with various settings but all were bleached out. I then tried taking photos of my car in all apertures setting exposure to suit and then aperture priority all were very poor . In comparison the last couple of photos of a roll taken on my Manual 1970's lowfi Camera without using a light meter were stunning. I still think there is some kind of fault with the camera as it is totally unpredictable. The most reliable way seems to be using the camera in Aperture Priority and trying to judge the light through the lens by eye using the aperture setting on the lens. I have even tried using a light meter (which matched what the camera was already saying it was doing) but photos are over exposed in bright conditions. I've even tried using exposure compensation down 1 and 2 stops but with no luck.
 
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I have decided finally to give up on this camera after spending a full day out taking over 150 photos but only finding 2 usable. The photos were taken over 6 locations in various light conditions using two lenses with the camera in manual and Aperture Priority with various settings but all were bleached out. I then tried taking photos of my car in all apertures setting exposure to suit and then aperture priority all were very poor . In comparison the last couple of photos of a roll taken on my Manual 1970's lowfi Camera without using a light meter were stunning. I still think there is some kind of fault with the camera as it is totally unpredictable. The most reliable way seems to be using the camera in Aperture Priority and trying to judge the light through the lens by eye using the aperture setting on the lens. I have even tried using a light meter (which matched what the camera was already saying it was doing) but photos are over exposed in bright conditions. I've even tried using exposure compensation down 1 and 2 stops but with no luck.
I really think you should tell us step by step what you're doing.

Because I'd bet £100 this is user error and we could help if you tell us what you're doing instead of keep doing the same thing and spending 200 words telling us about light conditions and loads of other irrelevant details.
:D
 
Without testing with a compatible EF lens it is hard to tell if this is user error, metering problem, shutter problem or something else. Some exif data from the files that worked and didn't would be a start.
 
Here's a 100% crop from shot I took in 2007 with a Canon 20D and an old Olympus Zuiko manual lens. There's highlights and shadows and it all looks ok to me. Anyway, the 20D obviously isn't a 10D but I'd bet the same result would be possible.

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Keep at it and don't give up Brad, I think there'll be a way to get good results.

PS. I found another :D I remember taking this shot in 2012 with my 5D and an old Olympus Zuiko 135mm f3.5. It's a 100% crop again.

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Using M42 lenses In manual with a totally uncoupled lens (I've tried a few) I set the aperture on the lens (aperture on the camera reads 00 and is not adjustable ) and then set the exposure so that the meter is in the central position I generally try to use f16 or f11 but some times have to open it up further if needed to avoid the possibility of shake.
In AV I set the aperture on the lens again trying to keep it at the F16 end depress the shutter button slowly to check exposure is within it's limits then shoot if O.k I have tried using exposure compensation but his does not cure the problem.

Very similar using Praktica bayonet mount lenses using an adapter with a chip this allows me to set aperture on the camera (I guess as it thinks there is a lens connected) Doing this does affect the lightness/ darkness of the pictures so must be having an affect on the camera. This seems to work OK using both lens types but in bright conditions just bleaches the photos out.
I have tried taking photos of the same thing (my Car) using all apertures on the lenses all iso's but in bright conditions I have the same results. If there is any sort of shine from the car even in lower light conditions this seems again to cause problems. I have also tried all metering types. I have compared the photos taken at the same time with my Phone which do not have this problem. I have also tried using a separate light meter but this gives me the same settings the camera gives.

A side to this I also noticed that the photos seemed slightly out of focus. I tried adjusting the eye piece and realized that this could make quite a difference to what I am seeing so have now set things to be in focus in the eye piece when the lens is set at infinity this seems to work but has baffled me that you can set the view through the lens to be ofset is this normal ?
 
A side to this I also noticed that the photos seemed slightly out of focus. I tried adjusting the eye piece and realized that this could make quite a difference to what I am seeing so have now set things to be in focus in the eye piece when the lens is set at infinity this seems to work but has baffled me that you can set the view through the lens to be ofset is this normal ?
Yes, it's perfectly normal. It's intended to correct for the user's vision. For example I'm slightly short-sighted so if I look through a viewfinder without wearing my glasses, I can't focus my eye on a distant subject even if the lens is perfectly focused. The viewfinder has a corrective optic in it which reproduces the effect of my glasses so that I can see in focus.

Your problem is that if you haven't got the viewfinder correction set properly (and it sounds like you haven't), you won't be focusing the lens properly.
 
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