High-contrast scenes creating too dark JPGs with X-T50??

[Tvir]

I would like to get your comments on the following problem of mine: Occasionally, I do get too dark JPG pictures with X-T50 - when the scene is contrasty; I think this is the very situation. This can happen when sun shines from a blue sky or the sky is cloudy but still very bright. I find these outcomes strange, as in many other (more or less similar) situations I find that the exposure is balanced. Is there any remedy for this, as I cannot completely figure out as to why this happens. Photometry is at the most common center-weight setting. What factors/settings can affect the picture's exposure in X-T50 (in the situation I describe)? For JPGs I've set the dynamic range on (DR400 with ISO500). Can that do it?? I thought it balances contrasts... Well, I can adjust the exposure on a computer but that is extra work for holiday pictures.

[jerryy]

Which direction is the light source coming from in the dark images?

For example, if it coming from behind the subject, a common occurrence known as backlighting, put some light from the front toward the subject — you can do this with a flash unit, or by using various types of colored reflectors. Or, use long exposures with various grades and types of graduated neutral density filters to bring out the dark areas without blowing out the highlights. Or try bracketing exposures. There is a technique called ETTR, expose to the right, which will bring out shadow detail but risks blowing out the brighter sections.

This may help in understanding DR settings as well as Dynamic Range Priority:

https://www.jmpeltier.com/fujifilm-dynamic-range-settings/

p.s. The situation you are describing has been one photographers have struggled against since cameras and photographers have been around.

 

[Tvir]

Thanks!

[ruralrelic]

Try setting Dynamic Range to Auto.

A difficult ,situation but auto DR often shows great improvements

[Tvir]

Hi! Thanks for this comment! Yes, although I'm utterly happy with my X-T50, small, light, sharp pictures, Xapp functioning, I've got to know that the camera tends to emphasize contrast in contrasty scenes. In a way this is strange to me, as X-T50 mostly exposes very well. This is especially expected with photos with foliage. Of course, I would like that the behaviour would be different. When I'm taking travel and such pictures I choose for JPG format (not HEIC, as Mac's Photos opens them oddly very slowly; iPhone's HEICs open fast ...). With JPG I've chosen to use the DR400 setting, but the problem is still there. For "more important" photos I of course use the RAW format. Regards, T.

[pw-pix]

Perhaps matrix/evaluative metering mode would be a better choice in more circumstances.

We need to be aware of how the camera will see the scene and choices it might make, I find having the viewfinder set to "exposure preview" or whatever it's called is helpful in knowing when to apply exposure compensation.

[Tvir]

Hi Everyone! I like to continue analyzing as to what I find problematic in X-T50's photometry/exposure measurement. My settings related to this issue are as follows: Film simulation in C (default), Exposure mode Multi (center-weighted, no difference), ISO 500 (increased if there is not enough light for handheld shots), DR400. Mostly I use the aperture-priority autoexposure, aperture at 8, picture quality fine, and for casual/travel photos saved as JPGs (for pictures which I find important I use RAW; I'm _not_ now discussing RAW; I would like to use the HEIC format but Mac's Photos app handles them so so slowly (in contrast to Apple's own HEIC) and Photoshop only recognizes them thorough the RAW editor!). So, I wonder why X-T50 underexposes certain similar kind of scenes, particularly, if the day is relatively bright, but cloudy and there are strongish/some contrasts although the light is dull, for example cloudy sky and dark forest. To me, looking by my eyes, the scene is not that contrasty. The result is a photo, let's say, too dim, the dark parts getting too dark. Of course, it is possible to lighten the photo by increasing exposure manually. The strange thing is that I didn't have this problem with my Nikon D7100. As to other lighting conditions, I find that X-T50 does great job: Colors are nice, photos are crisp and they are nicely exposed. To me, Fujifilm X-T50's photometry programming needs adjustment in situations in which the light is dull but there are strong whitish elements. All comments welcome! Regards, Tuomas

[pw-pix]

I've tried shooting jpg in my Fuji cameras and I do not like the results.

I find the shadows blocked up and the overall tonality too dark.

I always shoot raw except for a couple of times when I've tried raw + jpg as an experiment.

Why don't you spend some time adjusting the parameters of your chosen jpg film simulation to better fit your expectations. Increase shadow exposure, for example to reduce the harsh contast. Try a couple of steps at a time to see if you can get output more to your liking.

[Tvir]

Hi! Perhaps I need to follow your advice. The problem can be that JPGs containing a mixture of shades and colors are exposed to my liking. The problem arises when there are larger areas of light gray/white, like cloudy sky. I'm a bit surprised that X-T50 cannot expose those more difficult scenes correctly, as I've understood that modern cameras can analyse scenes and expose accordingly. In the past, when I used cameras with simple exposure methods or hand-held exposure meters the situation was different. The meter reading was just a starting point to adjust camera's settings manually. Moreover, cellular phones do not suffer this problem (although the result on the whole is of course inferior). Regards, Tuomas

[pw-pix]

When the scene is atypical, "larger areas of light gray/white, like cloudy sky" you need to use your exposure compensation dial to correct the camera's metering choices.

Even if you are shooting raw, you need to help the camera in situations where the calculated exposure isn't what you intend, and isn't correct (quite subjective) for the scene in front of you. Large areas of dark tones will make the camera overexpose as it tries to get the overall scene to a mid grey. Large areas of light tones will make the camera underexpose as tries to get the overall scene to a mid grey.

I turn on "exposure preview" or "picture effect" or whatever the camera model calls it so I can see in the EVF what is happening with exposure, and I also turn on highlight clipping indicators (blinkies/zebras) so that I can see if the highlights are blown out. Using these tools it fairly easy to judge exposure and adjust compensation appropriately.

[Tvir]

True. For me the problem is that it is quite difficult to infer from EVF what the outcome will be. Of course, you can get some impression as to how the scene will be exposed, and then you can adjust the settings (exposure). To me, you need to make several different exposures in certain situations, as you cannot, however, determine correctly the one by just looking at EVF. I find this laborious for some holiday pictures etc... The "important" pictures I always take in Raw. I din't find this problem with my Nikon D7100. So I have needed to adapt to this new situation. 😃

[pw-pix]

On 9/20/2025 at 6:06 AM, Tvir said:

I din't find this problem with my Nikon D7100. So I have needed to adapt to this new situation. 😃

I find that Fuji metering needs much more frequent correction with exposure compensation than either my Nikon D3s or D800E did. Fuji seems much more likely to ignore blown highlights and need intervention.

[Tvir]

Yes. This is my experience, too (compared to Nikon D7100).

[Tvir]

Hi! As I was in the beginning thinking that X-T50 behaves in a similar way as my Nikon D7100 (exposures without any major concern without any compensations, automatic or manually, in general) - I like to take pictures, not to play with a technical thing - it didn't occur to me that I need to be more careful with X-T50. In fact, I was wondering why some pictures (the JPGs which I take in holidays etc; I take only RAW when I'm "serious") showed to me too dark, or flat; now I've been experimenting, after some 6 months after the purchase  . So, I've noticed that DR400 compensation tends to darken pictures in general, not only in the highlight regions. Subsequently, highlights, like sky, get nicely exposed by DR400 but the dark areas may be even darker (not lighter as it is informed), and it can be difficult to correct them without major effort (Mac Photos, Photoshop). Also, when there are not larger highlight areas, DR400 doesn't mostly affect (at least badly) the exposure. Moreover, it seems to work fine in the backlight. I think the worst outcome is when the scene is "flat" by itself. Then the picture can become too dark. In conclusion, I'm not sure as to how I should take JPG (casual hobby) pictures. I would like to rely on the EVF but it is difficult to infer from it; so multiple pictures should be shot. I didn't do that (almost ever) with my Nikon. Is the Fujifilm's sensor intrinsically more demanding for exposure, or cannot X-T50's software process the photo as well as that from Nikon? Regards, Tuomas

[jerryy]

if you are shooting jpeg images (hobby photos as you called them) keep in mind the film simulation applies tone curves even at DR400. Try experimenting with the different simulations to see which is pleasing for a situation.