Exposure Compensation...

TamiAz

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I was a little confused about exposure compensation and I did a little research this morning..I want to make sure I understand what I read. Exposure compensation is used in auto modes (A,P,S) to help the camera. When you are in manual mode you don't use exposure compensation because you are setting the shutter speed, aperture and iso. After taking a picture in manual mode I would just change one of my settings if it looks over or underexposed. Is this correct?
 
Exposure compensation is used in auto modes (A,P,S) to force the camera in taking a picture off the exposure it would take in auto. In manual, you decide, also basing on the meter you see in the viewfinder: from that you may under/overexpose for the amount you like.
 
Exposure compensation is used in auto modes (A,P,S) to force the camera in taking a picture off the exposure it would take in auto. In manual, you decide, also basing on the meter you see in the viewfinder: from that you may under/overexpose for the amount you like.

Exactly. There is no other way to change the exposure in A,P,or S, as the camera would just adjust to any changes you made. In manual you're making all the final decisions based on what the cameras suggested exposure is.
 
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I was a little confused about exposure compensation and I did a little research this morning..I want to make sure I understand what I read. Exposure compensation is used in auto modes (A,P,S) to help the camera. When you are in manual mode you don't use exposure compensation because you are setting the shutter speed, aperture and iso. After taking a picture in manual mode I would just change one of my settings if it looks over or underexposed. Is this correct?
Yes, you have it right.

When in auto modes, the camera sets the exposure that will put the 'needle' of the camera's meter, on the zero -1..0..+1. But if you want an exposure that is different from that, you can use exposure compensation. It will change either the shutter speed or the aperture, to increase or decrease the exposure. But keep in mind that it's always going to be the set value away from zero...and the zero is determined by what the camera is reading at the time.
So if you set the EX to +1, it will give you an exposure that is one stop above zero. If you're pointed at a dark subject, you will be one stop above zero, if you are pointed at a light subject, you're still one stop above zero. But because of the way a reflected light meter works, the shot of the dark subject will be quite a bit over exposed.

In manual mode, there is no need for EC, because the 'needle' isn't locked to the zero at all. If you adjust any of the three exposure settings, the needle will move...so if you want it to be one stop above zero, just adjust the settings until it gets there.

Now, there is a quirk to be aware of. With a Canon camera, there is no Exposure Compensation in manual mode. The button/dial that adjust EC in auto, will adjust the aperture when in manual mode. However, on a Nikon camera, you can set EC while in manual mode...and what this does, is shift the whole scale away from zero. So if you were in manual mode on a Nikon and you set an EC of +1, but you then adjusted the settings to be one stop below zero, you would actually be exposing at zero. I don't really know why the do this, it just seams confusing to me.

In the classes I teach, there is almost always at least one student shooting a Nikon who has inadvertently set their EC away from zero and thus gets weird results while trying to shoot in manual mode.
 
WHAT MIKE SAID
 

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