Effect of exposure compensation on blurriness (speed) and depth of field (aperture)

[JHM]

I'm confused about Exposure Compensation. How does it affect the photo. If, for example, I have the exposure set for
f16, 1/100 and ISO 100 and I adjust the Exposure Compensation to +1 stop does that adjustment just make the photo the equivalent of 1 stop lighter by adjusting the sensitivity(ISO) of the sensor without affecting the depth of field associated with f16, or the stop action associated with a shutter speed of 1/100th of a second? Or does it allow 1 stop more light in by adjusting the shutter speed and/or aperture by the equivalent of 1 stop?

 

[480sparky]

Depends on how you've configured the camera.

Just try changing the EC and see what gets changed.

 

[WayneF]

I'm confused about Exposure Compensation. How does it affect the photo. If, for example, I have the exposure set for
f16, 1/100 and ISO 100 and I adjust the Exposure Compensation to +1 stop does that adjustment just make the photo the equivalent of 1 stop lighter by adjusting the sensitivity(ISO) of the sensor without affecting the depth of field associated with f16, or the stop action associated with a shutter speed of 1/100th of a second? Or does it allow 1 stop more light in by adjusting the shutter speed and/or aperture by the equivalent of 1 stop?

If your settings described camera Manual mode, Exposure Compensation will not change those manual settings (Exposure Compensation has no effect on Manual settings). However, it will change what the light meter shows, so if you are zeroing the meter for your settings, it will cause effect. Auto ISO can change that meter too. What it changes is the Exposure Goal (that the settings try to match).

In the auto settings (like camera A, S, P modes), Exposure Compensation will simply change the settings (it zeros the meter for you). If camera A mode, this changes the shutter speed. If camera S mode, it changes the Aperture. In P or Auto modes, it can change anything. On Nikon cameras, it will change flash output too.

 

[Gavjenks]

It usually changes shutter or aperture, whichever one is considered "least important" and sometimes other things, like if you have auto ISO turned on it might just bias that instead.

So it sort of acts like your main spinning dial, except for whichever variable the main spinning dial is not currently set to.

 

[Big Mike]

I'm confused about Exposure Compensation. How does it affect the photo. If, for example, I have the exposure set for
f16, 1/100 and ISO 100 and I adjust the Exposure Compensation to +1 stop does that adjustment just make the photo the equivalent of 1 stop lighter by adjusting the sensitivity(ISO) of the sensor without affecting the depth of field associated with f16, or the stop action associated with a shutter speed of 1/100th of a second? Or does it allow 1 stop more light in by adjusting the shutter speed and/or aperture by the equivalent of 1 stop?

Welcome to the forum.

It depends on the brand of camera and what more you're in. In any of the automatic or priority modes (besides full auto, which doesn't allow EC), Exposure Compensation will change one of the exposure variables, likely shutter speed or aperture. If you're in Aperture Priority, it would change the shutter speed. But don't think of it that way....think of it as you are using EC to change the position of the 'needle' on the meter, and the camera will then give you settings to get to that value, rather than zero.

Now, if you are in manual mode, on a Canon DSLR...then there is no EC. It does not exist in manual mode. This differs on a Nikon, where you can still set EC while in manual mode. What this accomplishes, is to shift your meter/scale away from zero. So if you wanted to have an exposure that was 1 stop higher than zero, you could dial in +1 EC and then get to zero on your meter by adjusting your three variables. Doesn't make a lot of sense IMO....it's just confusing. I teach a DSLR class and there is always at least one Nikon shooter who didn't realize that their EC was set to something other than zero while in manual mode.

 

[JHM]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. One small step closer to being competent.