Olympus camera overexposes

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.

re

the

ate,

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

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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?

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.

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.

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).

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

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

Thanks.

It doesn't work that way. And if it did, the firmware would likely fail altogether.

enough.

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).

ion

sly

Does the camera have an exposure setting in addition to the +/- two F- stops? Do you have the instruction manual??

No.

Yes.

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,?

the

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..

Yes.

Thanks.

|>> 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

|>> 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