35mm lens in manual mode

Malia_W

I just recently added the 35mm lens to my collection. When I was using it, I noticed that my pictures were coming up white when I was using the suggested settings on the cards for group photos outdoors. Are there any suggestions or ideas on what I could have been doing wrong?

bruto

You can use either software on a computer or enable the "overview" playback mode in the camera, and check the EXIF information for the shots that did not come out. The overview will also show you an exposure histogram which can be a useful guide to determining if an image is optimally exposed. You need to read the shutter speed, aperture and ISO that the shot was made at.

You get to that with the playback menu on the camera. Go to the Playback Menu, and open "playback options". A number of options will be shown with check boxes. All are useful at times, but the one you really need is called "overview". Check that one, and exit the menus. Now when you play back a file, you can shuttle between that view and any others you've chosen using the up/down arrows of the rear control. The option you choose will remain in use as you use the left/right arrows to go through the pictures, so you don't have to keep doing it for every one to have it available when needed.

It sounds as if it's overexposing, and I would guess that some setting did not get made. Remember that when using manual mode the same adjusting wheel sets both shutter speed (wheel alone) and aperture (wheel with exposure compensation [+/-] button held down).

For a quick test to make sure the lens is functioning properly, you can put it into P mode and take a shot. P mode uses all the same settings you have in manual, except that it sets both shutter speed and aperture, so if that gives you a decent shot you know all the machinery is OK.