Why does my Canon 700D preview look brighter than the final photo in Manual mode?
Asked 9/21/2020
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I’m using a Canon EOS 700D with the 50mm f/1.8. In Manual mode, the image on the LCD/live view can look brighter, especially for a moment when I half-press the shutter, but the saved photo comes out underexposed. I’ve already reset the camera settings. Why would the preview be brighter than the actual image, and how can I judge exposure more accurately?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
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You probably use a small aperture. When autofocus does its work, it usually does it with wide open aperture. That's why you get a brighter image for a small time. It says nothing about the brightness of the final image. This may be different when using phased-based autofocus and contrast-based autofocus, but this depends on what the camera does.
Some cameras might have an option for a "framing" vs "preview" display either in live view or when using a through-the-lens optical viewfinder: in that case "framing" gives full brightness but less depth of field than the actual photograph may have, while "preview" corresponds in brightness and depth of field to the final result.
Looking in the manual, it would appear that you have a depth of field preview button to the upper right of the lens mount. Pressing that should reduce the brightness to the actual brightness that is going to end up in the photograph, at least when using the optical viewfinder.
Originally by user95069. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user95069
5y ago
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This can happen because the camera may show a brighter live-view/framing image than the actual exposure, especially while autofocus is working with the lens aperture wide open. If your final shot is taken at a smaller aperture, the recorded image can be darker than what you briefly saw on screen.
Also, the LCD is not a reliable exposure judge by itself. Screen brightness and ambient light can make images appear brighter than they really are. In Manual mode, this mismatch is more noticeable if you’re relying on the display instead of exposure tools.
What to do:
- Check whether the camera is showing a framing display rather than a true exposure preview.
- Use depth-of-field/exposure preview behavior as described in the manual.
- Lower the LCD brightness if needed.
- Judge exposure with the histogram rather than the LCD image.
In short: the brief bright preview is likely related to autofocus/wide-open aperture behavior, and the LCD can mislead you. Use the histogram and exposure preview settings to evaluate the real exposure.
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