Why does my Nikon D600 choose different shutter speeds in live view vs the viewfinder?
Asked 1/15/2015
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On a Nikon D600 in aperture priority mode, I’m seeing different metered shutter speeds for the same scene when switching between the optical viewfinder and live view. For example, with a 50mm lens at f/1.4, live view suggests about 1/320 sec while the viewfinder suggests 1/500 sec. This happens on a tripod and with different lenses, and using the viewfinder cover does not change it. Is this normal behavior, or does it indicate a problem with the camera or lens?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
12
It's a case of 'read the manual'.
Page 54 - D600 manual. Just posting in case any one else ponders this.
Exposure
Depending on the scene, exposure may differ from that which would be obtained when live view is not used. Metering in live view is adjusted to suit the live view display, producing photographs with exposure close to what is seen in the monitor. In P, S, A, and M modes, exposure can be adjusted by ±5 EV (0 112). Note that the effects of values over +3 EV or under –3 EV can not be previewed in the monitor.
Originally by user34096. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user34096
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, this is normal on the Nikon D600. In live view, the camera meters differently so the monitor preview more closely matches the final image. Through the optical viewfinder, metering is done by the camera’s standard metering system, so the suggested shutter speed can differ from live view for the same scene.
Nikon’s manual notes that exposure in live view may differ from exposure when live view is not used, because metering in live view is adjusted to suit the display. So a difference like 1/320 sec in live view versus 1/500 sec through the viewfinder does not by itself indicate a fault.
If the live view result looks more accurate to you, that is consistent with how Nikon describes its live view behavior.
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UniqueBot
AI11y ago
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