Altering aperture are you meant to see the brightness change before you take the sho

P

Purple:)

Messages
16
Edit My Images
No
Hi there,
I'm doing an online course and on one of the exercises it says "alter the aperture, and watch as the image in your screen grows lighter and darker" but it doesnt make any difference to what I see in the viewfinder. Only when I take the shots is there a difference in dark and light. It appears from what it says on the exercise I am meant to see it before I take the shot

Am I missing something here? Thanks for any help.
 
Put the lens and camera into Manual and try the experiment again.
 
Most modern DSLRs stay at max apature untill the instant you take the shot. Try manuel and depresing the DOF preview button as you change the apature.
 
Lens and camera were both in manual. I have a new D90. Does that mean there's something wrong with my camera?
 
Depends on the lens, it may not have manual aperture change - do as Melvyn says and press the DOF button to see the difference as the aperture settings are changed (I'm not familiar with the D90).
 
Purple:) said:
Lens and camera were both in manual. I have a new D90. Does that mean there's something wrong with my camera?
Click to expand...

You'll need to usenthe dof button.
 
The dof button is doing absolutely nothing. Bizzare. Guess its a trip to a Nikon shop. Thanks for replies.
 
Purple:) said:
The dof button is doing absolutely nothing. Bizzare. Guess its a trip to a Nikon shop. Thanks for replies.
Click to expand...

don't yet. It may be a couple of things

1. The brightness through the viewfinder on Nikons maxes at around f/2. If you're switching between bigger apertures you won't see a change, so if you're switching between f/1.4->f/1.8->f/2 you won't see a difference.

2. You can set the DoF button to do other things in the menus. Check you haven't first.
 
Lol, bit of a dizzy moment :LOL:
I still find it strange that the exercise expects all cameras to show a change without having to press a button at each different aperture. I'm assuming that means that most cameras do it the way the exercise describes?
 
Nah, most modern cameras don't do it that way, they only stop down when you take the shot - the joys of progress :)
 
Purple:) said:
Lol, bit of a dizzy moment :LOL:
I still find it strange that the exercise expects all cameras to show a change without having to press a button at each different aperture. I'm assuming that means that most cameras do it the way the exercise describes?
Click to expand...

Lots of courses have significantly outdated sylabusses and it sounds like the one you're doing comes under that category. Back in the old days, with stop down metering, turning the aperture ring would indeed darken or lighten the viewfinder image, with modern, AF and auto diaphragm lenses, turning the ring does little other than making the camera report an error (in Nikons, at least!).
 
May be wrong but I think a digital camera benefits from having the aperture wide open before the shot so more light can get to the sensor for metering, auto focus and so on.

DoF preview sets the aperture to what it has been set at to give the preview of what you will get. Or use live view of course...
 
Purple:) said:
Hi there,
I'm doing an online course and on one of the exercises it says "alter the aperture, and watch as the image in your screen grows lighter and darker" but it doesnt make any difference to what I see in the viewfinder. Only when I take the shots is there a difference in dark and light. It appears from what it says on the exercise I am meant to see it before I take the shot

Am I missing something here? Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

You may want to turn on your histogram. The changes in brightness are sometimes easier to see that way.
 
ernesto said:
May be wrong but I think a digital camera benefits from having the aperture wide open before the shot so more light can get to the sensor for metering, auto focus and so on.
Click to expand...

Errr, thats what 'open aperture metering' is and its been present on most TTL meter equipped SLR's since the late 60s/early 70s! Quickens up metering no end not having to stop down, meter, open aperture, focus; plus the viewfinder is much brighter for focusing.
 
Nod said:
Lots of courses have significantly outdated sylabusses and it sounds like the one you're doing comes under that category.
Click to expand...

I think it may actually be that the course material is too up to date and is based on mirrorless cameras that have no viewfinder.

My brother has a Sony which has no viewfinder (can't remember what model it is) but when you alter the aperture or the shutter speed the display on the screen changes brightness accordingly.
 
I very much doubt that any sylabusses are that up to date! However, I have never done a course, so may be wrong. I was considering doing an A level but apparently I'm about 30 years too old to do it, even though I would be paying for it AND have my own kit (always surprises me that so many A level Photography students don't have any of their own kit and borrow it all from the educational establishment!). I was rather looking forward to taking a portfolio in for consideration and having a couple of shots that will probably be used in the prospectus in it!

Never mind, I'm happy that I'm reasonably competent and the course would really only be to fill a little of my time rather than to teach me much. I have no aspirations to be a pro photographer (beyond helping friends out from time to time - no weddings etc though!!!)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top