Order of Dialing in Exposure Settings?

[gracecovenant]

My first post, and a new dslr owner.....be gentle please.

I am trying to approach my manual mode's Aperture, Shutter, & ISO settings systematically instead of fumbling until the exposure dial is centered. This is my GENERALIZED system:

In most cases, i first set the iso as low as i think is reasonable for the light. Then, i try to establish the aperture for the depth i am looking for. Finally, i set the shutter to bring the exposure dial into center.

I know there are so many variable that could nullify this approach, but I am curious how many of you have a system and if I am grossly off the mark in my approach.

 

[480sparky]

I don't use a one-size-fits-all method. It depends on whether DOF or shutter speed is more important. That is based on the subject matter.

I typically shoot in manual with auto ISO. The maximum ISO, again, is set according to the subject and desired results.

 

[Ysarex]

I set ISO to base and leave it there always (Fuji XE-2). The camera is then set to P(rogram) mode and exposure is fine-tuned by using the EC dial on the camera. When I take up half pressure on the shutter release I see the f/stop and shutter speed in the viewfinder. I turn the program shift wheel to select either f/stop or shutter speed as the case may dictate and if low light/hand-held is a factor I adjust the EC dial until I get a shutter speed that will allow me to take the photo.

The camera remembers the program shift for the next shot or I can turn the wheel again if I want to change it. Simple and I have full control of the camera.

If I do have the camera in manual then the EC dial comes out of the equation and I set f/stop and shutter speed directly in no special order.

Joe

 

[Gary A.]

I dial in a rough ISO based upon knowing what I would be shooting and what I expect from the lighting. As an example, if I'm shooting, say Street in the afternoon I'll dial in ISO 400. If I'm shooting theatre, then I'll dial in ISO 1600 or 3200. Then I fine tune when I start shooting my subjects.

For what I generally shoot and how I generally shoot, shutter speed is the most important exposure element. I dial in a minimum shutter speed based upon either the movement of my subject, my own movement and my vision of the final image.

Then I adjust the aperture to reflect a 'proper' exposure.

If I guess wrong on the lighting, I'd reset the ISO.

Sensors are so good these days that ISOs have such a ridiculously wide range before most sensors start delivering distracting levels of noise. For what I shoot, image context is much important than image quality. As such, while I may adjust the ISO and while I shoot in a lot of low light, I don't worry much about IQ.

More specifically, my overall concern is that my settings will reflect the previsualized image I conjured up in my cream cheese brain.

 

[tirediron]

There are as many methods as there are photographers, and I think your method is a good one at this point; learning by routine establishes a pattern, and you're less likely to miss a critical step. That said, it's essential to understand that simply centering the meter will not always result in a "proper" exposure. Shooting something that's highly reflective such as light sand or snow, or very dark such as deep, black cliffs will likely require some degree of under or over exposure (according to the meter). At the end of the day, YOU decide what correct exposure is, NOT your camera. Don't be afraid to over-ride it, and don't simply accept what it "tells" you as gospel.

Along that same vein, don't fall into the thought process that says, "I shoot in manual, therefore I must be a better photographer than someone who uses 'Auto' or a semi-auto mode. If you can get the shot in 'Auto' there's NOTHING wrong with that at all!

 

[The_Traveler]

There are as many methods as there are photographers, and I think your method is a good one at this point; learning by routine establishes a pattern, and you're less likely to miss a critical step. That said, it's essential to understand that simply centering the meter will not always result in a "proper" exposure. Shooting something that's highly reflective such as light sand or snow, or very dark such as deep, black cliffs will likely require some degree of under or over exposure (according to the meter). At the end of the day, YOU decide what correct exposure is, NOT your camera. Don't be afraid to over-ride it, and don't simply accept what it "tells" you as gospel.

Along that same vein, don't fall into the thought process that says, "I shoot in manual, therefore I must be a better photographer than someone who uses 'Auto' or a semi-auto mode. If you can get the shot in 'Auto' there's NOTHING wrong with that at all!

Quoted specifically to emphasize this

That said, it's essential to understand that simply centering the meter will not always result in a "proper" exposure. Shooting something that's highly reflective such as light sand or snow, or very dark such as deep, black cliffs will likely require some degree of under or over exposure (according to the meter). At the end of the day, YOU decide what correct exposure is, NOT your camera. Don't be afraid to over-ride it, and don't simply accept what it "tells" you as gospel.

Along that same vein, don't fall into the thought process that says, "I shoot in manual, therefore I must be a better photographer than someone who uses 'Auto' or a semi-auto mode. If you can get the shot in 'Auto' there's NOTHING wrong with that at all!

 

[robbins.photo]

My first post, and a new dslr owner.....be gentle please.

I am trying to approach my manual mode's Aperture, Shutter, & ISO settings systematically instead of fumbling until the exposure dial is centered. This is my GENERALIZED system:

In most cases, i first set the iso as low as i think is reasonable for the light. Then, i try to establish the aperture for the depth i am looking for. Finally, i set the shutter to bring the exposure dial into center.

I know there are so many variable that could nullify this approach, but I am curious how many of you have a system and if I am grossly off the mark in my approach.

Ok, so methods vary a lot on this and on what your shooting. I do a lot of shooting "from the hip", meaning I usually don't have time to dial everything in to perfection.

So my own method, I set the camera for Auto-ISO and specify a maximum based on what I know will be acceptable level of noise that I can deal with in post, in my case using my D600 that maximum is ISO 6400.

Since my camera has two control dials I can easily manipulate both aperture and shutter speed. So, I let the camera set ISO for proper exposure (up to a max of 6400) and I use my control wheels to set aperture and shutter speed.

If I have the time and I think my ISO is too high, I can open the aperture or lower the shutter speed until I get the ISO down as needed. By using this method I can always be sure that I'll get a shot, but if time permits I can dial in a "better" set of parameters for what I want.

I've found this to be a great method for me, it maximizes my shooting opportunities while minimizing the amount of time I spend fussing with settings. If I want more background separation, for example, I can open the aperture and the ISO adjusts accordingly. If I need a faster shutter speed, same thing. If I feel the need to manipulate the ISO I can by adjusting the other two parameters, and if I really feel the need I can always adjust it manually as well. So best of all worlds I think.

YMMV of course. Good luck, and happy shooting.

Oh. and as previously mentioned, the meter in the camera isn't always dead on - so yes, in some situations you'll want to override it based on your experience. Nothing wrong with that at all.

 

[fmw]

Pretty simple really. Shutter speeds affects motion blur. Aperture affects depth of field. ISO affects digital noise. It doesn't really matter the order in which you set them. What matters is that you get the element that is most important for the subject you want to photograph.

 

[SquarePeg]

480Sparky nailed it. First decide if shutter speed or dof are the priority then set the rest. I use auto Iso often if I'm not in a controlled environment.

 

[astroNikon]

You are at the point in Manual that you need better understanding of what the 3 settings are all about.

Aperture controls the Depth of Field. Depth of Field is simple the "Depth" of what will be in focus. It can get a bit more complex as your distance to the subject. But for default, just try using f/5.6 as a starting point.

This will give you some more information ==> Understanding Depth of Field in Photography

Shutter controls how you stop (or control) movement. (and subsequently how long light to the sensor)
half way down on this page is a generalized chart about shutter and when to use for what ==> Understanding Shutter Speed + Shutter Speed Chart

And ISO sets the sensors sensitivity. (too much can introduce noise)

You pull all 3 together ==> Camera Exposure: Aperture, ISO & Shutter Speed


Every one is different, but I Always set my Aperture and Shutter to what I want based on the situation. Then I set ISO (or have AUTO ISO with a max). If something doesn't expose properly then I'll change Aperture and/or Shutter some until I get a good exposure.

It just requires practice and understanding how Aperture and Shutter Speed affects the image. Then use ISO as a balancing act. The cameras today with ISO are far better than cameras just a few years ago.

 

[smoke665]

The order of "how" you get there isn't as important as "why" you got there. Left out of the conversation is how you are metering the scene. Under certain shooting conditions changing from "evaluative/matrix" metering to "spot" metering will accomplish the same thing as applying a couple of stops exposure compensation, or more, while "center weighted" might fall somewhere in between. Unless you are aware of how the lighting for the scene will affect the meter mode you chose, you're still adjusting in the blind.

Knowing your camera and how it operates is the other most important point of "getting to the correct" exposure. Using Exposure Compensation is easy and quick but you have to know how it works. The exact implementation may vary by camera, but generally in Program Mode, EC compensation will add/subtract from the camera's chosen exposure value (unless you've chosen to manually set one of the values). In AV mode EC compensation will add/subtract from shutter speed chosen by camera. In TV/S mode EC compensation will add/subtract from the aperture mode selected by the camera. Using EC compensation in manual adjusts the meter only up or down. So knowing how your adjustments are affecting everything else is really important.

 

[jcdeboever]

Generall. Not saying its right, just how I do it.
1. ISO but I usually set it to auto with a small range depending on condition
2 Shutter
3. Aperture
4. EC