M mode - photos are all black

[GreenTea]

What am I doing wrong? I have a Fuji Finepix S8000fd. I choose the f-stop and the shutter speed, the camera says it's OK, then the photo is a black square...

[JonathanC]

Sounds like underexposure and could be caused by one or more of these:-
Wrong f/ stop
Wrong shutter speed
Wrong ISO equivalent
Lens cap on

Can you tell us how you decided on the shutter speed and f/ stop please as that might pin it down.

[Shutterman]

I agree with Jonathan, it sounds like underexposure. Are you taking the shot at night or during the day, inside in poor light or good light? Let us know.

[Davey]

if it's any help my fuji s5600 is very different in M to things like auto even when iso, f stop and shutter are identical due to exposure compensation. Your cam might have similar thing (but maybe more complex due to more features as much higher model than mine). Might not be this but if it is try making sure it's set to proper value and not right down.

[GreenTea]

It happens every time I've tried to use M mode, so the stops vary. What's strange is that if I use the same values more or less on A or S mode, the photo is OK... I'll do some tries again now and report the stops used.

[GreenTea]

Davey, indeed I suspect this is a problem with the Fuji Finepix. I heard about another person who had the same problem.

[Davey]

are you shooting jpeg or raw? If it is jpeg try wacking the exposure compensation right up to see if that makes a difference, I don't get the option when shooting .raf though presumably because exp comp just pulls up shadows more and raf doesn't have any processing (except small jpeg preview) and it's assumed you will dig it out yourself if it's too dark.

[GreenTea]

That's what's weird. The exposure compensation button doesn't work in M mode!

By the way, from complaints I see in Google, this black screen in M mode is not just connected to Fuji Finepix but a general problem faced by newcomers to the use of M mode. There's something we don't know...

I shoot in jpg, btw.

[Amberglass]

Agrees with JonathanC to it sounding like a severely underexposed image. What does your light meter tell you? Try adjusting your shutter speed while looking at the exposure analogue indicator, and try getting it close to center or a little over depending the exposure look you want. If the shutter speed drops below what your focal length of lens, or do not drop past 1/60th shutter speed, adjust by increasing your aperture or ISO to avoid motion blur on non IS/VR (motion stabilization) lenses.

Most people can hand hold at 1/60th with inducing motion blur with proper body ergonomics, but takes practice to go for longer exposure time below 1/30th hand held.

[Wirefox]

I see every one has been diplomatic enough not to ask if the lens cap was on sorry I had to get that one in. I have never had this problem with my Fuji S7000. i agree with the other comments and reiterate that tests on the same subject with constant lighting may give an insight. After that I would suggest talking to the dealer.

Steve

[GreenTea]

The histogram looks correct, though. No under or overexposure. When I changed the ISO, shutter speed and aperture a lot, I got an "almost" black photo.

BTW, yes Jonathan had already joked about the lens cap here above.

[kevinbythebeach]

send it in for repair...

[Amberglass]

send it in for repair...

Yup, send it in for repair. If the histograms are telling you everything is correct (also download the images to Lr, Aperture, Ps (whatever you're using) to confirm info) then it's definitely the camera.

[Colin Southern]

That's what's weird. The exposure compensation button doesn't work in M mode!

Nothing weird about that - in manual mode you there's no automatic exposure - thus can't have an offset in the form of exposure compensation applied.

[Davey]

Hmm how does it work in semi modes like P, A, S? My shots don't work out too much different in manual. Granted a bit darker due to no exp comp but not by enough to give an almost black image compared to equal auto iso/a/s settings that look ok.

If you shoot wider aperature and long shutter speed how does that look? I'm sure fuji would have addressed it if it was such a major issue that was the fault of the cam (being that it's widespread as you say) so don't know if repair would help as presume it's a user setting issue. Can you post images with exif intact for people to see (no doubt colin and dave or someone can figure it out from that). Perhaps 2 images of same subject iso/a/s one in auto and one in manual.

[Colin Southern]

Something doesn't quite add up here. How about taking two shots - one in Av mode and the other in Manual mode (but using the same settings), and post both here so that I can read the Exif data?

[Dave Humphries]

Hey, there's an echo, echo, echo ....



(Actually more like "Great minds think alike")

[GreenTea]

It doesn't happen anymore. Now I check the histogram to make sure the combination I've chosen will get me a correct exposure. I took some very good photos in M mode today, actually. Thank you all very much!!