Manual Bracketing

[CJSCHWARTZ]

Hey guys, I have watched so many YouTube videos and read so many webpages on bracketing but they all seem to suggest using the AEB function which my camera doesn't have. I have a few questions to make sure I'm doing it right. First of all, I'm using spot metering to select the exposure for the shot. I'm also using the flash. I also seem to have to use aperture priority to be able to adjust the exposure compensation. It feels as though I have no control over the settings used and feels a bit too simple. One final thing, should I just be taking three shots like this while only adjusting the EC? All of my shots were really good which is why I'm asking if I've done it right. It is for an assignment I will be submitting on my photography course and they stress I need to show an understanding of bracketing rather than how to use exposure compensation. I'm not too sure how to separate the two if I am doing it right! Thanks guys

 

[john.margetts]

You should be able to use either shutter priority or manual to bracket shots. With shutter priority it will be like aperture priority and you use exposure compensation but in manual you can adjust either shutter speed or aperture to achieve the bracketed shots (unless your tutor has specified exposure compensation, if course, when manual would not get you the required marks). If all your shots are exposed well, make sure that ISO is NOT on auto!

If you are using flash, you could also use flash compensation instead.

 

[Derrel]

In Manual exposure control mode, I normally shoot three exposure values. One shot is "under" the suggested exposure, the middle frame is "dead-on the money", and the third frame is "over" the suggested exposure. I do this by adjusting the shutter speed control; my experience is that it is easier to start with the under shot, move the speed control dial to the dead-on, and then finish with the over-exposed shots...this means you will move the shutter speed control wheel in just ONE direction.

Keeping the f/stop the same, such as say at f/4. means that the bracketing is done using the shutter speed.

As j.m. mentions above, flash shots can be bracketed by using the FLASH exposure compensation feature.

 

[CJSCHWARTZ]

Thank you for your replies. I’ve done it right then. I’m beginning to think the assignment request of exposure bracketing is the easy part and getting the other settings right for the ‘correctly’ exposed shot is the challenge. With that in mind, I’ll be going out again to find some more challenging lighting now I know the bracketing part is correct. Step out of my comfort zone a bit. Thanks again for the clarification.