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exposure compensation dial, do you use it?
- Thread starter warakawa
- Start date
Well I guess if you don't know what it does I can see why you'd never use it....
Its needed anytime you want to dial in some + - EC for a given shot, such as if you want to overexpose for your subjects face against a strong backlight or to underexpose a scene, say a sunset or night shot for better overall ambiance.
Given there are no film cost with a digital camera, just experiment
Its needed anytime you want to dial in some + - EC for a given shot, such as if you want to overexpose for your subjects face against a strong backlight or to underexpose a scene, say a sunset or night shot for better overall ambiance.
Given there are no film cost with a digital camera, just experiment
Mark Evans Kent
Well-known member
Only received my x100 today, but I know I've used exp comp when I've taken pictures during snow to over expose a little or during glaring sunlight to bring it down a tad and add depth to colours on previous cameras.
Mark.
Mark.
theswede #100093
Veteran Member
It's there because as far as the camera is concerned, a perfect photo averages 12% gray reflectance.
When you see that the photo you want to produce should average some other shade of gray than 12% reflectance you use it.
Jesper
I thought adjusting exposure is combination of aperture, shutter speed and iso.
Mark Evans Kent
Well-known member
If you shoot mostly in aperture priority or shutter priority as I do, then it's the easy way of adjusting exposure. I never used to use it, and adjusted manually all the time - took forever.
Mark
Mark
I don't use it in manual mode as it is redundant then.
But when I am in AS or P modes then yes I do use it.
When to use it?
When the scene in front of you is not around 18% gray which auto exposure will otherwise produce in your photos.
If it is darker than that you will want to let in less light so you will adjust to perhaps -1/3 or -1/2 or something, thus letting in less light than auto exposure would have.
Alternatively perhaps it is a snow scene and auto exposure rendering it as 18% gray would not be right, because it would make white snow appear grey in your photo so - you want to adjust the exposure to let in more light than auto would do, you dial in +1/3 or +1/2 or more to let in more light and let your snow be white.
Mark
Moti
Veteran Member
No wonder you also think the AF is a joke. You should start by reading a book about photography fundamentals.
Moti
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andrzejmakal
Senior Member
You are joking, right?
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persianpaddy
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+1!
lnbolch
Senior Member
For me, it is the most important control on the camera. All three viewing methods display live histograms. A glance at the subject matter tells me if there are going to be exposure problems and I dial in perfect exposure every time. Never in hundreds of thousands of lifetime exposures have my results been so consistent.
People have complained that it is too easy to turn. Once you comprehend why, it is brilliant. Looking at the scene in the viewfinder, I can set the EC to produce exactly the histogram I want— without removing my eye from the finder .
Compare that to my D700. The scene may have light-sources that will be included in the picture area so I know it will probably underexpose. I shoot a test shot. Switch to review mode and page to the histogram screen. Evaluate and guess how much EC is needed. Return to shooting mode and knock off another test shot. Return to review mode and confirm or make further adjustments. Faster than a hand-held light meter but long compared to the second or two it takes with the X100.
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People have complained that it is too easy to turn. Once you comprehend why, it is brilliant. Looking at the scene in the viewfinder, I can set the EC to produce exactly the histogram I want— without removing my eye from the finder .
Compare that to my D700. The scene may have light-sources that will be included in the picture area so I know it will probably underexpose. I shoot a test shot. Switch to review mode and page to the histogram screen. Evaluate and guess how much EC is needed. Return to shooting mode and knock off another test shot. Return to review mode and confirm or make further adjustments. Faster than a hand-held light meter but long compared to the second or two it takes with the X100.
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Most pictures that you take will be exposed reasonably well without exposure compensation. If you are shooting in RAW at 200 ISO you can probably get the ones that are not exposed properly to come out good enough. This is probably why you feel exposure compensation is not necessary.
Exposure compensation is used when you know that the photo you are taking should look either very dark or very light. For example if you are in an old poorly lit building you may want a dark picture. This is where you set exposure compensation to darken the image. In this case you may be shooting at a high ISO and may not have enough dynamic range without compensatin to get a good picture.
If you do not learn how to use exposure compensating these very light or dark pictures will not expose properly any you will probably stop shooting these types of pictures. Some of the pictures that you miss may have been very good shots. You will miss a tremendous opportunity by not knowing how to use your camera.
Alan
Exposure compensation is used when you know that the photo you are taking should look either very dark or very light. For example if you are in an old poorly lit building you may want a dark picture. This is where you set exposure compensation to darken the image. In this case you may be shooting at a high ISO and may not have enough dynamic range without compensatin to get a good picture.
If you do not learn how to use exposure compensating these very light or dark pictures will not expose properly any you will probably stop shooting these types of pictures. Some of the pictures that you miss may have been very good shots. You will miss a tremendous opportunity by not knowing how to use your camera.
Alan
And if they are shooting daylight scenes probably with the sun behind them perhaps they will get away with it.
I first started using cameras in manual mode, so I chose my own exposure with every shot.
A scene like a white swan on dark waters did not bother me, I exposed with spot metering for the bright white swan - so as not to blow it out - and let the dark waters fall dark where they should.
Later I decided to teach myself matrix metering and how to compensate.
Mark
I first started using cameras in manual mode, so I chose my own exposure with every shot.
A scene like a white swan on dark waters did not bother me, I exposed with spot metering for the bright white swan - so as not to blow it out - and let the dark waters fall dark where they should.
Later I decided to teach myself matrix metering and how to compensate.
Mark
pkincy
Leading Member
For me most of the time it is the second most important control on the camera. Well maybe 3rd.
First I set the aperture, depending on what DOF I am looking for.
Second I focus (sometimes although not often with AF mostly with the AEL button and MF);
thridly I adjust the focus with the EC ring. For a goodly portion of my shots (and it could be my X100) I find that I need to expose more for the shadows than the highlights and will normally run with 2/3rd to 4/3rds of a stop underexposed using the EC dial.
Perry
First I set the aperture, depending on what DOF I am looking for.
Second I focus (sometimes although not often with AF mostly with the AEL button and MF);
thridly I adjust the focus with the EC ring. For a goodly portion of my shots (and it could be my X100) I find that I need to expose more for the shadows than the highlights and will normally run with 2/3rd to 4/3rds of a stop underexposed using the EC dial.
Perry
Yep same here. I always use Exp Comp, and in almost 90% of cases have it set to on -1 as I like to expose for highlights / darker. Overexposed digital looks terrible imo.
It's why I love the x100, you can play with settings and get very film-like shots. Though it also makes it glaringly obvious how terrible the manual focus... the one key part of the x-series cameras that doesn't have that manual feel.
It's why I love the x100, you can play with settings and get very film-like shots. Though it also makes it glaringly obvious how terrible the manual focus... the one key part of the x-series cameras that doesn't have that manual feel.
hellocrowley
Senior Member
When I was shooting Nikons, I rarely used EV compensation. Their metering is that good. Even with the Nex, I could shoot a portrait in snow without having to to overexpose.
Modern cameras don't expose for 18% grey anymore. They have thousands of preconfigured scenes in memory to reference. In addition, high DR means you have a lot of room to PP. I suspect EV comp will eventually extinct as technology progresses.
Modern cameras don't expose for 18% grey anymore. They have thousands of preconfigured scenes in memory to reference. In addition, high DR means you have a lot of room to PP. I suspect EV comp will eventually extinct as technology progresses.
jesseleite
Well-known member
Not much no. I shoot almost exclusively in manual (the X100 is a joy to shoot in full manual mode in my opinion). I don't think the exposure compensation does anything in manual mode (not sure?). The odd time I hand the camera to my wife, I will switch it to shutter priority or program mode, do a quick pre-shot, and adjust exposure compensation if needed... then it's easy shooting for her.
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Trevor Kloeden
Senior Member
I do use it.
In high contrast conditions or with bright or dark back lit subjects it is handy to adjust your expose quickly. I mainly shoot in A mode.
Yes you can adjust S and ISO but this dial is much quicker.
Trevor Kloeden
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In high contrast conditions or with bright or dark back lit subjects it is handy to adjust your expose quickly. I mainly shoot in A mode.
Yes you can adjust S and ISO but this dial is much quicker.
Trevor Kloeden
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Matt Mikulla Photography
Leading Member
You have to use exposure compensation in many situations.
Exposure compensation is a must know photography skill. Learn it and learn in what situations and how it must be applied.
Once you learn it photography will be more enjoyable and your images will be properly exposed more often.
Remember, cameras don't see what you do.
Exposure compensation is a must know photography skill. Learn it and learn in what situations and how it must be applied.
Once you learn it photography will be more enjoyable and your images will be properly exposed more often.
Remember, cameras don't see what you do.
Photohobbyfun
Senior Member
Exposure compensation will always be needed. It doesn't matter how will the camera meters, the camera can't read your mind. You could have a situation where you want to create a silhouette of a person against a sunset, or you could have a sunset but want to expose for the person.
Sure you could use spot metering, but exposure compensation can be another way to do that or a way to dial things in better.
On an XZ-1, you can set your camera to exposure compensation bracketing and it'll only bracket shots if you hold down the shutter button. So sometimes I set my drive to exposure compensation bracketing and if I come across a scene that I think may be tricky or that I want to experiment with, I'll hold down the shutter button and bracket the scene. View and delete later. It's a bit lazy but its digital.
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