exposure compensation

[chris.e.fry]

I just need a little help understanding this. I am using a Nikon D40. If I go in and change the exposure compensation, the exposure display still moves around to whatever it wants. Is the compensation still applied? Also, does anyone have any really bangin links that explain these things really well?

[dkippen]

Chris - I don't know how the Nikon works, but I'm sure Jerry will be able to help with that. In the meantime, here are a few links on exposure compensation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_compensation
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-features/advanced-settings/ec.php
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=exposure_compensation
http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/exposure-compensation.html
http://www.dslrtips.com/workshops/How_to_brighten_exposures/positive_exposure_compensation.shtml

[LensBaby]

Are you using Manual mode, or automatic etc. ?

[jonrayner]

I am trying this out as well at the moment. I took these two photos at the weekend. The first one, i took as is and thought that the exposure was a little too bright, so I dialled in -1.33 exposure compensation to make it darker and produced the second shot.

[LensBaby]

yes I agree I think the first one is a little too bright, and is kind of harsh on the eyes. The second photo is not harsh on the eyes, and the colors on the building seem to pop out better than the first.

[mosca]

I think the first one is closer to correct than the second; the first one isn't obviously overexposed, but the second is obviously underexposed.

My limited experience is that 1/3 stops are there for a reason; 1/3 is usually enough of a correction. Does the D40 have exposure bracketing? Try it at 1/3, 2/3, 1, etc, to get a feel for how your camera acts with each.

[coffee]

I think the first one is closer to correct than the second; the first one isn't obviously overexposed, but the second is obviously underexposed.

My limited experience is that 1/3 stops are there for a reason; 1/3 is usually enough of a correction. Does the D40 have exposure bracketing? Try it at 1/3, 2/3, 1, etc, to get a feel for how your camera acts with each.

I tend to agree with mosca. The first looks very good. In fact where I'm sitting the first looks a little underexposed. The second is clearly too dark. Might just be a differencr in monitors since everyone is using something different.

[venturachristina]

Ok can anyone help me with this. I don't understand bracketing or stops...I am so lost here. What lesson is this? Can anyone help. I am in lesson 5 and I just am having a really hard time.

[dkippen]

Bracketing is taking a series of shots with one of your settings slightly modified, such as shutter speed, f-stop, or aperture.

[LensBaby]

Yes we all have different monitors and also some do not calibrate and some do. On my monitor the first one looks overexposed but yet the second one looks great. I see a huge difference in the detail of the building. It does not look underexposed to me at all, but the first looks overexposed a touch.The colors are much more rich in the second one on my computer and the sky is not totally blown out like the first. I am on a Mac monitor and I only calibrate with the spyder, so it doesn't mean that any of us are wrong. We would have to see the printed photo to be able to really see what the results are.

[jerryph]

Ok, one question at a time... exposure compensation is basically what it sounds like. You are changing your exposure to compensate for a condition that YOU see and will know that your camera will improperly set the exposure for.

Example: You are taking a pic of a snowy hill... you *KNOW* that if you leave that in the hands of the camera, the snow will come out looking grey (that's what a camera does... meters everything to 18% grey). You add a 1/2 stop into the exposure comp and the snow comes out looking white, not grey.

Bracketing:
Bracketing is a setting on most modern dSLR cameras that will assist you in getting the right exposure by taking multiple pictures at different exposure settings. The best way to bracket is using shutter speed. Using the aperture will affect your depth of field as well as the exposure and that is very undesirable.

In bracketing you decide on 2 things:
- number of pictures you wish to take
- the differences in exposure levels per pic... usually set at 1/3rd, 1/2 or full stops difference per pic.

Scenario:
You want to take a picture in a complex lighting environment and do not know for sure how to deal with it. Set the camera to take 3 pictures at 1 stop difference. The camera then takes 1 picture metered as it normally would, then one at 1 stop lower than it normally would and one at 1 stop higher than it normally would. When you look at the 3 pics, you will decide which is the one exposed in the manner you wish.

On a side note, bracketed pictures also are used to create HDR pictures. This is where all 3 pictures are imported into an application like Photomatix and combined in a manner that best displays all the times (tone mapped), or given that cartoon-like look that we see in many places around the web.