how do you manually adjust the exposure correction

Lisa Horton wrote:

I made a video demonstrating how to set Exposure Compensation while in Manual mode on a modern Rebel.

a screenshot from your brief video, with my annotations added

However, it must be noted that Exposure Compensation is not supported in Manual (M) mode on the Canon EOS 550D / T2i (released February 2010).

Canon EOS 550D Instruction Manual, page 87

I purposely took those pictures when that exposure comp/AEB setting shows, but it disappears after a few seconds (so I had to hurry when I took those photos).  The exposure compensation can be changed in a mode like Aperture priority using auto ISO.  So I think Canon used that notation for exposure compensation or AEB bracketing.  But for Manual (M) Mode with Auto ISO it's only for AEB bracketing with the older Canon T2i (550D) camera.  When you hit the "set" button for that you are immediately given a choice to change the AEB bracketing...I don't see any way to change the exposure compensation with that combination.

Now the Canon T7i (800D) is another story.  In that section of the Q menu, you can change the exposure compensation and both use the AEB bracketing when using the Manual (M) Mode and auto ISO.  So, if you want the pictures to be a little brighter than what the camera thinks is appropriate and you want it bracketed with say three exposures, that can be done.

So, before we discuss this further, I think it would be best that you got a Canon T2i (550D) camera.  Then if you find another way, different than what I was doing, that would be interesting to know (even though I don't use that camera any longer on a regular basis).  Maybe it would help the OP.  I just wanted to discuss this with you or anyone about the camera that the OP mentioned.  I appreciate and value your input.  You seem really sharp; you have lots of gear and experience.

Digirame wrote:

So, before we discuss this further, I think it would be best that you got a Canon T2i (550D) camera. Then if you find another way, different than what I was doing, that would be interesting to know (even though I don't use that camera any longer on a regular basis). Maybe it would help the OP.

Indeed.

The OP was asking in the specific context of a Canon 550D, as clearly stated.

I noted above: Exposure Compensation is not supported in Manual (M) mode on the Canon 550D / T2i.

All demontrations or arguments unrelated to the 550D are irrelevant and unhelpful.

Thank you so much for finding that.  That really helps.

I liked that Canon T2i (550D) camera so much that I kept it.  I knew right where to find it, so that I could take those pictures of the Manual (M) Mode and auto ISO settings.  But I did give one of them away, as I had two of them.

Again, thanks for doing that research.

stevet1 wrote:

I had a T6 and it was the same way. You could set the exposure compensation in any of the Creative Zone modes except for Manual (M) mode

Canon EOS T6 and T7 (released 2016 and 2018, respectively) are budget, lowest entry-level Rebel models. Their internals, externals, and capabilities are simplified and limited. Witness the obvious omission: fully-articulating touch-sensitive LCD screen. These budget models only have fixed, non-touch, low-resolution LCD screens.

One cannot talk about such models based on what are available on “modern” Rebel models like SL3, T7i and T8i.

Thank you all. I'm a newbie and I don't quite understand what the iso, the f's are for. But it is clear that in manual mode you cannot compensate the exposure. Also when I have asked it is because I was not able to do it so thank you for confirming it.

dostoyevski wrote:

Thank you all. I'm a newbie and I don't quite understand what the iso, the f's are for. But it is clear that in manual mode you cannot compensate the exposure. Also when I have asked it is because I was not able to do it so thank you for confirming it.

You may want to use P (Program AE) mode, with ISO set to Auto.

When you have some time, read this article to gain basic understanding of aperture (f stop), shutter speed (exposure duration) and ISO level (increased or reduced brightness):

https://photographylife.com/what-is-exposure-triangle

Good luck.

Lisa Horton's solution is the correct one. I had been struggling with this issue myself (recently picked up a Canon Rebel to dink around with a DSLR and optical viewfinder... been using mirrorless for the past 2-3 years).

Her solution is exactly what I was looking for. Just press the 'Q set' button and go to the exposure compensation box. My camera lets you adjust exposure compensation from -5 to +5 which is excellent. Yes, all it does is adjust your ISO but THAT IS THE POINT. That's how it works on my mirrorless. Why would I want it to adjust my aperture or shutter speed???????????????????????????

Thank you Lisa for the solution.

It's because we were helping the original poster (OP) who said "hi, how do you manually adjust the exposure correction in manual (M) mode? On a canon eos 550d."?

The Canon T2i (550D) camera is quite old and is different.  Lisa was helpful, but it's confusing if we are not talking about the same camera.

Digirame wrote:

It's because we were helping the original poster (OP) who said "hi, how do you manually adjust the exposure correction in manual (M) mode? On a canon eos 550d."?

The Canon T2i (550D) camera is quite old and is different. Lisa was helpful, but it's confusing if we are not talking about the same camera.

Ah ok I didn't get that part, thank you. I'm using a SL3 which is quite recent.

blse59 wrote:

Digirame wrote:

It's because we were helping the original poster (OP) who said "hi, how do you manually adjust the exposure correction in manual (M) mode? On a canon eos 550d."?

The Canon T2i (550D) camera is quite old and is different. Lisa was helpful, but it's confusing if we are not talking about the same camera.

Ah ok I didn't get that part, thank you. I'm using a SL3 which is quite recent.

Even the “quite recent” entry-level T7 (2000D, 2018) does not behave like your SL3.

I reply not to disagree, but to just explain what I do:

The reason I use autoISO is that the lighting changes all of the time, especially on cloudy days.  I'll have the sun come out and then disappear.  It's important often that I have the right aperture and shutter speed.  As the lighting changes, the camera changes the ISO automatically.  Often I don't have time to change the ISO manually, because I have critical moments when I take the pictures, that happen within split seconds.  This is especially important at people events and with wildlife.  If I want the photos to be darker or lighter than what the camera chooses (with the ISO level), then I will use the exposure compensation on my Canon T7i (800D) camera.  But I could not do that with my older Canon T7i (550D) camera (that the OP had questions about).

Not everyone may do that.  But that is what works for me.

Digirame wrote:

I reply not to disagree, but to just explain what I do:

The reason I use autoISO is that the lighting changes all of the time, especially on cloudy days. I'll have the sun come out and then disappear. It's important often that I have the right aperture and shutter speed. As the lighting changes, the camera changes the ISO automatically. Often I don't have time to change the ISO manually, because I have critical moments when I take the pictures, that happen within split seconds. This is especially important at people events and with wildlife. If I want the photos to be darker or lighter than what the camera chooses (with the ISO level), then I will use the exposure compensation on my Canon T7i (800D) camera. But I could not do that with my older Canon T7i (550D) camera (that the OP had questions about).

Not everyone may do that. But that is what works for me.

+100

Yes, I shoot in Manual mode with Auto ISO quite often.

For a certain artistic expression of a subject (or a class of similar subjects) in a dynamic environment where the light conditions may change slightly from one frame to the next, I set aperture (for depth of field) and shutter speed (for freezing motion) as fixed, then let the camera float ISO to adapt to the light conditions at the moment of exposure.

Furthermore, I have the flexibility of adjusting the camera-chosen ISO by dialing EC. But this has been rare.

Yes, shutter speed and aperture are to be fixed if there's motion and the desire to maintain a certain depth of field.  The adjustment of the exposure compensation is to make things brighter or darker than what the camera determines.

For example, when I took pictures of some wood ducks I wanted a certain depth of field.  With a telephoto lens that is often not easy.  So if there's two ducks, then I try to focus in between with the F-stop that I choose.  I have to have a certain shutter speed to freeze the action.  The ducks may travel in and out of the shadows of trees.  The sun may come and go.  That's why you'll see a lot of my photos with an ISO6400 or higher.  My eyes don't perceive it's that dark, but the camera does.  If I don't  have the proper shutter speed, the ducks are blurry.  If the depth of field is not good, then the ducks are soft or blurry.

It's the same at people events.  Things can happen crazy fast, like you don't have time to even think, but you have to make those decisions quickly.  With autoISO you don't have to worry about the changing light conditions.

R2D2 who now owns Canon mirrorless cameras told me one time that he sets manually all three settings.  Those are the aperture, shutter speed and ISO levels.  I tried that a few times at people events, when I knew the lighting conditions were constant.

Do you take pictures of wildlife or people events where there is a lot of motion?  Do you use a telephoto lens?  With a telephoto lens with a large focal length, there's times the depth of field is very narrow...sometimes only inches.