Camera meter indicated the correct exposure

scrag68

scrag68

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Craig
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The question may have been asked before sorry if it has.

I keep hearing and seeing "Camera meter indicated the correct exposure" can anyone explain where i can see this indicator on a 450d, i can focus my 450d on an object but i never see anything in the view finder suggesting i have the correct exposure unless im missing it.

should something flash in the view finder confirming i have the correct exposure?

i clip of this would be a big help.

thanks in advance ;)
 
You have a thing in the viewfinder with a row of lines like a rule and a stick that runs across it, that is the exposure scale that tells you how your exposure is behaving ;)
 
arent you talking here about Exposure compensation rather than what I think the OP is asking which is how to confirm that the picture being taken is done so at the correct exposure? - in which case the way to demonstrate this is viewing the histogram after the shot is taken?
 
rabaroo said:
arent you talking here about Exposure compensation rather than what I think the OP is asking which is how to confirm that the picture being taken is done so at the correct exposure? - in which case the way to demonstrate this is viewing the histogram after the shot is taken?
Click to expand...


Confirming that i have the correct exposure before taking the shot is what i was looking for? is the meter what confirms this and if so how is it shown in the view finder?

thanks for the replies
 
This is what you are looking for:
exposure.jpg
it is currently showing a "correct" exposure.
 
Page 18 in the manual, look for exposure level indicator. It shows a scale -2 to +2 in the middle is the correct exposure
 
Thanks for the replies guys sorry for the questions but theres a lot to learn being a newbie.

thanks again:thumbs:
 
as someone once told me: the correct exposure aint exactly the right exposure. so screw the rules. use the meter how u see fit.
 
This will give you correct exposure depending on what the camera thinks is correct, up to a point. To see if the image is truly correct you need to check the histogram after the shot is taken.
 
I have a D100 but I had the same problem at first. The meter scale only shows up in manual mode. I suppose in the other modes they don't think you need it as the camera sets the shutter/aperture.
 
Half depressing the shutter shows the exposure scale in the viewfinder for a second or so in AV, TV and P modes. Whilst it does have it's uses it's not always correct for the circumstances. Best to check the histogram after taking the shot and adjust for the next shot if necessary.
 
Use the histogram!! Remember, depending on how your metering, your camera can lie to you in terms of the correct exposure. The histogram on the other hand never does!!! :D
 
Morganc said:
This is what you are looking for:
exposure.jpg
it is currently showing a "correct" exposure.
Click to expand...

no its not - its showing a neutral compensation at the given settings used (i.e. aperture and shutter speed if in full manual mode).... whether the picture turns out balanced or not isnt dictated by this little graphic - the only way to determine that is checking the histogram after the event....

if the histogram is out of balance, then you adjust one of the master settings, or slightly adjust the exposure compensation (i.e. your pic).... there are technical reasons where applying exposure compensation by default is helpful (snow is a good example)....
 
It comes down to experience really, centreing the meter is one way of getting close to the correct exposure, but it's also using your brain to decide what adjustments to make. So, if it's a snowy scene for example, centreing the meter will underexpose it, so you'll adjust accordingly, so the needle is at +1 or whatever.

Graulges, I just had a look at my D100 and you're right, it doesn't show the meter in S or A modes. If you hold down +/- button on top of the camera, you can use the dial to adjust exposure compensation as you see fit.
 
rabaroo said:
no its not - its showing a neutral compensation at the given settings used (i.e. aperture and shutter speed if in full manual mode).... whether the picture turns out balanced or not isnt dictated by this little graphic - the only way to determine that is checking the histogram after the event....

if the histogram is out of balance, then you adjust one of the master settings, or slightly adjust the exposure compensation (i.e. your pic).... there are technical reasons where applying exposure compensation by default is helpful (snow is a good example)....
Click to expand...
I think you're actually wrong.

In manual mode on your camera, you will see the "metering scale pointer" go up and down the scale. Correct me if I am wrong, but depending on where it is, shows how many stops under/over exposed you are at the given settings (aperture and shutter).

However, I am relatively new to photography myself, so please correct me if this is wrong.
 
The metering on the camera should be used as a guide - likewise the histogram. You don't always want a balanced histogram so don't think you've under exposed if it's all piled uon the left. it depends what you're photographing
 
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