Olympus camera overexposes

D

DaveC

Guest
Olympus FE-20 p&s digicam.

Holding the camera up and using the display as the viewfinder, the exposure
looks normal. Pressing the shutter button results in an overexposed photo.

It doesn't matter if the flash is on or off; the resulting photo shown on the
LCD display is always overexposed.

Changing the exposure setting does have a little effect on the exposure.

I'm a bit confused; if the "before the shot" view in the display is accurate,
why would the exposed photo be different?

What might be the cause?

Thanks,
Dave
 
Olympus FE-20 p&s digicam.

Holding the camera up and using the display as the viewfinder,
the exposure looks normal. Pressing the shutter button results
in an overexposed photo.

It doesn't matter if the flash is on or off; the resulting photo
shown on the LCD display is always overexposed.

Changing the exposure setting does have a little effect on the
exposure.

I'm a bit confused; if the "before the shot" view in the display
is accurate, why would the exposed photo be different?

What might be the cause?
Click to expand...

Bad design. This is a common problem with digital cameras.

"What you see" on the LCD is not always "what you get". On my Olympus E-500,
the LCD image almost always looks underexposed. Yet the final image is
correct.

I assume the camera has some sort of exposure compensation. If setting it to
underexpose all your shots doesn't fix the problem, the camera needs
servicing. Or you need a new camera.
 
On Jan 21, 3:46 am, DaveC <inva...@invalid.net> wrote:
Olympus FE-20 p&s digicam.

Holding the camera up and using the display as the viewfinder, the exposure
looks normal. Pressing the shutter button results in an overexposed photo..

It doesn't matter if the flash is on or off; the resulting photo shown on the
LCD display is always overexposed.

Changing the exposure setting does have a little effect on the exposure.

I'm a bit confused; if the "before the shot" view in the display is accurate,
why would the exposed photo be different?

What might be the cause?

Thanks,
Dave
Click to expand...
Have you gone thru the service manual? Have you replaced a battery
recently? Has the camera always been this way since new??
Sommerwerck is right.
 
Olympus FE-20
- - -
Are the pictures pale-looking even when you upload them to a computer?

Has the camera previously produced acceptable pictures?

Is the battery OK?

Could be a fault in the exposure meter or in the 'firmware'.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't these faults be evident in the "viewfinder" mode (before taking the
exposure)? When I aim the camera at light and dark subjects the camera
compensates by "irising" up and down to give what looks to be a
properly-exposed "preview" display. Only when the image is captured is it
overexposed.

Images downloaded and viewed on the computer are overexposed, identical to
when viewed on the camera's display.

This is a new-to-me camera (used) so I don't know the history.

Battery icon is green (fully charged).

It doesn't matter whether flash is on or off.

Ideas?
 
Wouldn't these faults be evident in the "viewfinder" mode (before
taking the exposure)? When I aim the camera at light and dark
subjects the camera compensates by "irising" up and down to
give what looks to be a properly-exposed "preview" display.
Only when the image is captured is it overexposed.

Images downloaded and viewed on the computer are overexposed,
identical to when viewed on the camera's display.
Click to expand...
This isn't what I remember you saying. Regardless...

If the picture is consistently misexposed, then the exposure-compensation
control (assuming the camera has one) should fix the problem. If it doesn't,
then the camera needs repair or replacement.

As I said, this discrepancy is not uncommon.
 
On 2010-01-21, DaveC <invalid@invalid.net> wrote:
Olympus FE-20
- - -
Are the pictures pale-looking even when you upload them to a computer?

Has the camera previously produced acceptable pictures?

Is the battery OK?

Could be a fault in the exposure meter or in the 'firmware'.

Wouldn't these faults be evident in the "viewfinder" mode (before taking the
exposure)?
Click to expand...
Not necessarily. In 'viewfinder' mode one set of 'firmware' routines
operates to put an image on the screen; in 'picture taking mode' a
different set of routines determines the 'exposure' settings and then
encodes the image for 'saving' to memory, probably doing some 'processing'
and then compressing the data to a JPEG file, for point-and-shoot cameras.
Then yet another set of routines comes into play when you look at the
saved image.

Any of those firmware routines can become corrupted, for example by
physical damage to the camera or exposure to electro-magnetic radiation
that's powerful enough to scramble the bits and bytes stored in the
micro-chips.

When I aim the camera at light and dark subjects the camera
compensates by "irising" up and down to give what looks to be a
properly-exposed "preview" display. Only when the image is captured is it
overexposed.
Click to expand...
OK, so the firmware that processes compresses and saves the image, may
be faulty; or the firmware that calculates the exposure; or the hardware
exposure meter (if there is one, as such).

Images downloaded and viewed on the computer are overexposed, identical to
when viewed on the camera's display.

This is a new-to-me camera (used) so I don't know the history.

Battery icon is green (fully charged).

It doesn't matter whether flash is on or off.

Ideas?
Click to expand...
You've got a duff one. A camera shop may be willing to 'look at it', but
don't hold your breath.

--
-- ^^^^^^^^^^
-- Whiskers
-- ~~~~~~~~~~
 
If the picture is consistently misexposed, then the exposure-compensation
control (assuming the camera has one) should fix the problem.
Click to expand...
Compensation doesn't fix the problem, it fixes the symptom. The problem
remains.

The compensation range on this camera is +/- 2 stops and this is not enough.

If it doesn't, then the camera needs repair or replacement.
Click to expand...
I'm asking questions to find out what the cause is. Repair options to be
considered after this is determined.

Thanks.
 
Any of those firmware routines can become corrupted,
for example by physical damage to the camera or exposure
to electro-magnetic radiation that's powerful enough to
scramble the bits and bytes stored in the micro-chips.
Click to expand...
It doesn't work that way. And if it did, the firmware would likely fail
altogether.
 
If the picture is consistently misexposed, then the exposure-compensation
control (assuming the camera has one) should fix the problem.

Compensation doesn't fix the problem, it fixes the symptom. The problem
remains.
The compensation range on this camera is +/- 2 stops and this is not
enough.
Click to expand...

If it doesn't, then the camera needs repair or replacement.

I'm asking questions to find out what the cause is. Repair options to be
considered after this is determined.
Click to expand...
If +/- 2 stops isn't enough to compensate, then the camera is either grossly
misdesigned, or it's defective. The "cause" is immaterial, as a properly
designed and operating camera should not show this problem (or symptom, as
you prefer).
 
On Jan 21, 2:48 pm, "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgee...@comcast.net>
wrote:
If the picture is consistently misexposed, then the exposure-compensation
control (assuming the camera has one) should fix the problem.
Compensation doesn't fix the problem, it fixes the symptom. The problem
remains.
The compensation range on this camera is +/- 2 stops and this is not

enough.

If it doesn't, then the camera needs repair or replacement.
I'm asking questions to find out what the cause is. Repair options to be
considered after this is determined.

If +/- 2 stops isn't enough to compensate, then the camera is either grossly
misdesigned, or it's defective. The "cause" is immaterial, as a properly
designed and operating camera should not show this problem (or symptom, as
you prefer).
Click to expand...
Does the camera have an exposure setting in addition to the +/- two F-
stops? Do you have the instruction manual??
 
On Jan 21, 3:48 pm, DaveC <inva...@invalid.net> wrote:
Does the camera have an exposure setting in addition to the +/- two F-
stops?  

No.

Do you have the instruction manual??

Yes.
Click to expand...
Have you tried removing the battery for a couple of days and then
basiclly starting from scratch as far as settting up all the options,?
 
On Jan 22, 4:47 am, DaveC <inva...@invalid.net> wrote:
Olympus FE-20
- - -

Are the pictures pale-looking even when you upload them to a computer?

Has the camera previously produced acceptable pictures?

Is the battery OK?  

Could be a fault in the exposure meter or in the 'firmware'.  

Wouldn't these faults be evident in the "viewfinder" mode (before taking the
exposure)? When I aim the camera at light and dark subjects the camera
compensates by "irising" up and down to give what looks to be a
properly-exposed "preview" display. Only when the image is captured is it
overexposed.

Images downloaded and viewed on the computer are overexposed, identical to
when viewed on the camera's display.

This is a new-to-me camera (used) so I don't know the history.

Battery icon is green (fully charged).

It doesn't matter whether flash is on or off.

Ideas?
Click to expand...
Samples, including exif, please? In other words please post some of
the worst examples, unedited except for resizing, and make sure
whatever program you use leaves the exif details intact.

The Oly FE20 has a pretty ordinary sensor, with a limited dynamic
range. It is probably set to slightly overexpose out of the box, to
give the bright results that ma and pa kettle expect. And at this
stage we don't even know if your monitor is correctly adjusted..

I'd really like to see the images to ensure it isn't a natural result
of the type of images you are taking..
 
Have you tried removing the battery for a couple of days and then
basiclly starting from scratch as far as settting up all the options,?
Click to expand...
Yes.

Thanks.
 
On Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:40:34 -0800, DaveC <invalid@invalid.net> wrote:

|>> If the picture is consistently misexposed, then the exposure-compensation
|>> control (assuming the camera has one) should fix the problem.
|>
|>Compensation doesn't fix the problem, it fixes the symptom. The problem
|>remains.
|>
|>The compensation range on this camera is +/- 2 stops and this is not enough.
|>


I had the same problem with all my Cokin Flashes, they had a -4 stop
problem, so I fixed the exposure meter with incremental chromatic layers of
black marker touches...

But a mere +/- 2 stop is a good range if you shoot negs (C41) rather
than Slides (E6)....

|>> If it doesn't, then the camera needs repair or replacement.
|>

A big step, they might find other problems....the time spent can be
quite high, and the proper meter sensor too.

|>I'm asking questions to find out what the cause is. Repair options to be
|>considered after this is determined.

They might cost you a bit much these days...oh but wait, there are
camera repair schools where you are or mail-out?

Bob
 
On Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:48:21 -0800, DaveC <invalid@invalid.net> wrote:

|>> Does the camera have an exposure setting in addition to the +/- two F-
|>> stops?
|>
|>No.

Can you fool the light sensor a few stops then...might cost you a
bit of film a few NOTES to compare after slide/neg development...

Bob
 
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