Exposure (again!)

Rozzy

Rozzy

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Chris
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ok, so iv noticed that now and again, when the exposure meter in the camera says "perfect", the image is under/overexposed. however, if i anticipate this, then i can adjust the settings to what the meter says is wrong, and the image is exposed nicely. is this normal??
 
If you have a very bright area or a very dark area in the frame, the metering system in the camera will try and expose it properly which will make the rest of the frame look over/under exposed.
 
Your histogram would help here.

The camera is only telling you what it thinks is perfect.
 
no exposure is perfect for all the elements unless you are photographing grey card...ish shots
the old way of bracketing does alleviate these pitfalls
what one needs to do is assess what is the most important element in the shot
highlights...expose for them
shadows...tricky but you can expose for them
your aunts right eye...or skin tone...expose for that

my remedy is to use spot metering...
 
Rozzy said:
yeah mrcrow, iv been switching to spot metering a fair bit, and then adjusting for the rest of the frame, and I seem to be having an effective outcome
Click to expand...

dont get too worried about not getting good results...i never do and rely on a bit of pp to get the best out of the shot
i was put onto spot metering after a disastrous safari shoot with my new toy set on auto and mid quality shots
i thought it was brill to get 1000 shots on a card....dohhh...
now i have the cam set at max image quality...asa 64..or the lowest...and what was the best advice..spot metering...along with the spot focus technique and using the +/- clicker to reset any exposure variations...i am pretty pleased with the out of the camera results
still with 3 free pp software progs i just have to ruin them..:cool:
all the best
geof
 
Thanks for the explanation EdB. Rozzy, hope you don't mind me asking a related question on your thread (rather than starting another thread on exposure)...

How does exposure compensation physically work? I understand that a faster shutter lets in less light, similarly with a smaller aperture and lower ISO. But what part/parameter of the camera does the exposure compensation adjust? Can I use EC as a valid "fourth option" (even using +/- 5 stops that my camera offers) for controlling exposure?

Paul
 
Example,

In Aperture Priority mode with no exposure compensation, you set an aperture of f8 (any given ISO), when you half press the shutter the camera meters and determines that a shutter speed of 1/60 is required. Now, if you dial in some + compensation, and meter again the camera will adjust the shutter speed according, in this case making it slower (more lightl, + compensation) to say 1/30 and the over all exposure will be brighter.

The same applies in Shutter Priority but obviously in then adjusts the aperture. Which setting it adjusts in the auto modes depends on which mode you're in.
 
Ah, OK - so exposure compensation is just going to alter aperture or shutter depending on which mode you're in. And presumably, if you're in manual mode you'd never need to use exposure compensation because you'd just change the shutter or aperture yourself?
 
Spuff said:
How does exposure compensation physically work? I understand that a faster shutter lets in less light, similarly with a smaller aperture and lower ISO. But what part/parameter of the camera does the exposure compensation adjust? Can I use EC as a valid "fourth option" (even using +/- 5 stops that my camera offers) for controlling exposure?
Paul
Click to expand...

i relate exposure compensation to the controlling of the reading taken by the camera and then +/- to what you want it to be
on my cam its +/- 2 stops....and i use it all the time as a real exposure tool
the camera on spot metering gives a reading to which i apply my assessment as to what other areas should be brought in to the metering envelope...over or under exposed..normally under
why not use average metering etc or auto
i like to take readings over the frame and do my own assessments rather than let the software in the cam do it
it and old habit but it can be used effectively
if i have a reading i want to be unaffected then i set it on the manual settings
i use aperture and speed only to set those parameters
not to meter
 
Spuff said:
Ah, OK - so exposure compensation is just going to alter aperture or shutter depending on which mode you're in. And presumably, if you're in manual mode you'd never need to use exposure compensation because you'd just change the shutter or aperture yourself?
Click to expand...

brilliant...never thought about that as i am usually always in P..
cool thinking
in manual the little rocker thing becomes the speed and aperture settings

but for manual you need to know what to aim for or set at...?
my readout shows +/- values for any combination...
so i can muck about till the value is 0 for my spot read area...then recompose...
usually i have taken a reading in P and just apply it
as for a pano etc
 
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