Exposure compensation vs Manual Mode

MythicalSnapshots

MythicalSnapshots

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103
Name
Joe
Edit My Images
Yes
Hey everyone, random question maybe ...

Why would you use exposure compensation instead of just moving to manual mode from AP, SS etc...


Kind Regards

Joe
 
Yes, much faster to turn the EV dial, than change mode then change shutter speed and aperture. The way I shoot anyway.
 
MythicalSnapshots said:
So then my next question is why not just shoot manual straight away?
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Because that's too slow for my scenarios. You try adjusting shutter speed and aperture fast enough to keep up with a toddler running around.
It's very rare I use full manual mode some people use it most of the time.

I'll use manual if I want to dictate the exact aperture and shutter speed I'll then let the camera auto control ISO.
But 99% of the time I'm only interested in dictating the aperture.
 
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robj20 said:
Because that's too slow for my scenarios. You try adjusting shutter speed and aperture fast enough to keep up with a toddler running around.
It's very rare I use full manual mode some people use it most of the time.
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Ahh right so exposure compensation is for people who want to use those modes specifically whereas if you can/are using manual you just shoot as normal.
 
What Rob says. My camera does a great job of getting exposure right 99% of the time. I shoot landscapes plus toddler! Both of which I use aperture priority most of the time. 9 times out of 10 I don't care what the shutter speed is - if I'm shooting landscapes I'm using a tripod with ISO 100. If I'm shooting toddler I'll whack it on auto-iso so shutter doesn't drop too low to hand hold. It just means I can shoot away without thinking about exposure. If I'm doing long exposures, panos or astro I'll use manual.
 
99% of the time my composition depends on Aperture and I couldn't care what the shutter speed is as long as it's fast enough to freeze someone walking.

So AP plus exposure compensation is just faster.

Manual is important to understand, but once you understand it you realise in which situations it's necessary to use and when it's not.
 
I always shot manual, The Sony a7Riii has the EV dial next to the shutter release - a no brainer for me

:Les :)
 
I tend to shoot manual most of the time now. I always used to shoot Av for many years.

I prefer the control and the consistency.

I guess I don't really need to be quick with my shooting though.
 
In most situations my choice of Aperture priority or shutter priority is fine and needs no compensation. In more challenging lighting such as aircraft, birds in flight or night photography, I would always choose manual. So I rarely find the need to use compensation.

Dave
 
It depend entirely on the situation.
Mostly I am either in situations where Aperture priority is the most suitable, so exposure is best adjusted by exposure compensation.
Or I Use manual, where exposure compensation "if possible" is meaningless.
It is very rare that I use shutter priority..
I occasionally auto bracket exposure, for later fusion.
I never use auto ISO.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
It depend entirely on the situation.
Mostly I am either in situations where Aperture priority is the most suitable, so exposure is best adjusted by exposure compensation.
Or I Use manual, where exposure compensation "if possible" is meaningless.
It is very rare that I use shutter priority..
I occasionally auto bracket exposure, for later fusion.
I never use auto ISO.
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It's far from meaningless and in fact is very useful.

If for example you're using Aperture priority and the light level brings the shutter speed down to 1/60 or slower that may be too slow for people shots unless they're static and posed. 1/1xx may be more appropriate for unposed shots to freeze movement but switching to Shutter priority could mean that although you'll be able to shoot at a people friendly shutter speed your aperture may be too wide. Changing to Manual could mean that you can set your desired aperture and shutter speed and use exposure compensation to overcome any changes in light levels with ISO whilst retaining your required aperture and shutter speed settings.

I too very rarely shoot shutter priority. I use aperture until the shutter speed drops and then switch to manual with auto ISO and exposure compensation. With cameras that have auto ISO but no exposure compensation in manual I adjust the exposure post capture.
 
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woof woof said:
It's far from meaningless and in fact is very useful.

If for example you're using Aperture priority and the light level brings the shutter speed down to 1/60 or slower that may be too slow for people shots unless they're static and posed. 1/1xx may be more appropriate for unposed shots to freeze movement but switching to Shutter priority could mean that although you'll be able to shoot at a people friendly shutter speed your aperture may be too wide. Changing to Manual could mean that you can set your desired aperture and shutter speed and use exposure compensation to overcome any changes in light levels with ISO whilst retaining your required aperture and shutter speed settings.

I too very rarely shoot shutter priority. I use aperture until the shutter speed drops and then switch to manual with auto ISO and exposure compensation. With cameras that have auto ISO but no exposure compensation in manual I adjust the exposure post capture.
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As I said I never use Auto ISO. It is the one factor I always wish to be in control of.
 
woof woof said:
Can I ask why?

I find auto ISO an absolute gift, it speeds operation up considerably.
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it also works to achieve the lowest common denominator "Quality" wise. It always works toward capturing fewer photons.
 
Nod said:
Make up your mind! Auto ISO is NOT manual.
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I read this before and no matter how many times I read it it always makes me think the same thing - It's a silly comment made by men on forums!

I think I'll write to all manufacturers that offer this and request they change the Mode dial labelling from saying "Manual" to saying "The manually set the aperture and manually set the shutter speed and let the camera choose the ISO whilst you retain the ability to have control via the exposure compensation dial" mode.

Set absolutely everything if you want but if you do that you'll have to change settings from one shot to the next and risk missing shots unless you're in a non changing environment.
 
As others have already said, you use whichever is best for what you want, in the given situation.

So personally, most of the time I am happy with AP, and use EC to adjust for shooting a scene the camera won't meter properly.
In that situation, the EC value tends not to vary from shot to shot - so it's a single adjustment, then once set I'm back to just having to adjust Aperture.

The same applies when using 'Manual Mode' with ISO in Auto - where I want to set a specific aperture and shutter, but am happy that the camera can meter correctly (perhaps with some EC).
(I'll use this when shooting my children bodyboarding at the beach, for example - where I want a fast shutter to freeze motion, and a wide aperture to isolate them from others)

Then there is a studio type shot - where I will fix the ISO, shutter and aperture, as the camera cannot meter.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
it also works to achieve the lowest common denominator "Quality" wise. It always works toward capturing fewer photons.
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As if that matter for most photos taken. :LOL:

M + Auto ISO + Exposure Compensation. It's the future I tell you!!!
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
it also works to achieve the lowest common denominator "Quality" wise. It always works toward capturing fewer photons.
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There are three settings you can change, aperture, shutter and ISO. If a certain combination is required for example f4, 1/160 and ISO 6400 I can't see how it matters if I set the first two and the camera sets the latter. The metering may not get to where I want it to be and that's when exposure compensation can be useful unless there's a dedicated ISO dial that'll achieve the same thing but none of my cameras have a dedicated ISO dial and they all have exposure compensation.

Manually selecting everything doesn't magically get you better image quality but partially automating a part of the process but still retaining the ability to intervene can allow you to reduce the time you spend fiddling with settings and give you more of a chance of pressing the shutter button at the right time.
 
Ed Sutton said:
As if that matter for most photos taken. :LOL:

M + Auto ISO + Exposure Compensation. It's the future I tell you!!!
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It's a Godsend for me once the light gets low. Set the aperture for the required depth of field (dear camera, f1.2 is useless, f4 is what I want) set the shutter to the required freeze the action setting (dear camera, 1/60 is useless, I want 1/160 to freeze movement) and let the camera set the ISO and I'll turn the compensation dial if I disagree.
 
If the lighting is changing EC sets the desired offset from standard & allows everything to be automated or semi automated.
Manual is perfect for when you're outside the range of the auto modes, or any time where you want consistent settings.
 
Manual shutter speed + manual aperture + auto ISO = not manual, because the camera is still automatically setting the exposure by changing the ISO. End of argument, facts cannot lie!

So how many people now realise that they're not really a 'proper photographer' at all? :eek: ;)
 
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woof woof said:
I read this before and no matter how many times I read it it always makes me think the same thing - It's a silly comment made by men on forums!

I think I'll write to all manufacturers that offer this and request they change the Mode dial labelling from saying "Manual" to saying "The manually set the aperture and manually set the shutter speed and let the camera choose the ISO whilst you retain the ability to have control via the exposure compensation dial" mode.

Set absolutely everything if you want but if you do that you'll have to change settings from one shot to the next and risk missing shots unless you're in a non changing environment.
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I don’t think @Nod has written what you read into it.
There’s no judgement - he’s not saying it’s wrong.
Simply that M with auto ISO isn’t Manual.

not that it matters, and the camera mfrs aren’t even likely to catch up and change the mode descriptions, but it’s only Manual if you have controlled all 3 elements.

It’s also a mode I can’t be arsed to find a use for, I’m a 90% AV shooter, only ever using M when the auto modes couldn’t possibly second guess me. And in those situations (usually flash involved) leaving the ISO at auto definitely proves that M with auto ISO isn’t Manual.
 
woof woof said:
There are three settings you can change, aperture, shutter and ISO. If a certain combination is required for example f4, 1/160 and ISO 6400 I can't see how it matters if I set the first two and the camera sets the latter. The metering may not get to where I want it to be and that's when exposure compensation can be useful unless there's a dedicated ISO dial that'll achieve the same thing but none of my cameras have a dedicated ISO dial and they all have exposure compensation.

Manually selecting everything doesn't magically get you better image quality but partially automating a part of the process but still retaining the ability to intervene can allow you to reduce the time you spend fiddling with settings and give you more of a chance of pressing the shutter button at the right time.
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What manual in those situation does do is make you consider the consequences of the settings.

when I go into a situation I set the appropriate ISO that will give me a suitable range of shutter speeds to go along with the chosen aperture.
That way all the images will match quality wise. which I consider an important factor.
 
Faldrax said:
Of course, and none of this 'cheating' with a lightmeter either - if you can't determine the exposure by eye you're clearly not a 'proper' photographer :LOL:
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And as for using a range finder when focusing? :rolleyes: Rank amateurs! :giggle:
 
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robj20 said:
Should you also be using manual focus in "M" mode? That's the question.
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If you are shooting stitched Panoramas, most definitely so, You should also set the colour balance manually too.
 
Phil V said:
...M with auto ISO isn’t Manual.
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If you're using exposure compensation with M + Auto ISO you are effectively controlling the ISO. So it is full manual. :naughty:
 
If I'm shooting outside I mostly use Av mode .... iso set between 100-400 and exp comp to -1 as I prefer the final outcome, this way if the light changes (e.g sun out sun in) the camera will select the shutter speed, if I was in Manual mode I would need to change the settings as the light changed.
 
Phil V said:
I don’t think @Nod has written what you read into it.
There’s no judgement - he’s not saying it’s wrong.
Simply that M with auto ISO isn’t Manual.

not that it matters, and the camera mfrs aren’t even likely to catch up and change the mode descriptions, but it’s only Manual if you have controlled all 3 elements.

It’s also a mode I can’t be arsed to find a use for, I’m a 90% AV shooter, only ever using M when the auto modes couldn’t possibly second guess me. And in those situations (usually flash involved) leaving the ISO at auto definitely proves that M with auto ISO isn’t Manual.
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I know what he's saying, you too, but it is IMO a silly argument.
 
Ed Sutton said:
If you're using exposure compensation with M + Auto ISO you are effectively controlling the ISO. So it is full manual. :naughty:
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No it isn't, the camera has told you the exposure, all you've done is change the auto selection a bit, so it's partial manual! ;) Anyway, none of the above should apply to you as you should be shooting in 'P' mode like Martin does. (y)
 
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