Exposure-Newbie Help Needed Please

[PhotosInParadise]

i started out with the 18-55mm kit lens on my Canon T5i, took newbie acceptable photos, moved up to using Tv mode for outside photos of my black dog who is a fast mover so used 1/1000 SS, still acceptable photos. Purchased a Canon 24-70 f/4L. Using Tv mode, f/4, 1/1000 Auto ISO took blah photos so in trying to improve them with what I thought was a really nice lens, I tried Manual mode. Bright sunny day, set camera in Manual mode to f/8, 1/1000, ISO 100 and got photos so dark (black really) had to move exposure slider all the way up just to see which photo was which. But I dont know which setting to adjust, since I cant move EC in manual mode. Can you help this newbie?

 

[weepete]

You camera has a built in light meter which should give you a good indication of where your exposure should be for any particular shot. You need to learn how to use it.

Second it doesn't sound to me like you understand exposure either. Try googling the exposure triangle and see if you can get a better understanding of it. Luminous Landscapes.com can be a pretty good resource for information.

 

[astroNikon]

As mentioned use your light Meter which should be in the viewfinder or LCD. Though it may only show in Manual Mode.

If
Manual mode to f/8, 1/1000, ISO 100
was black then you know the exposure wasn't bright enough.
You'd have to increase your Aperture to say f/5.6 which affects Depth of Field
Slow the Shutter to say 640 which may affect stopping motion
and/or increase your ISO to say 800.

you may have to tweak all 3 to get an acceptable exposure for your sensor/camera.

Since it's a digital camera just go outside in Manual and shoot a fence or rock (it isn't going to move nor care) until you can adjust your exposure to get a clear photo. And watch your built in light meter.

Also be knowledgeable of your Metering Mode - spot, area, Matrix (or the specific Canon speak).

 

[PhotosInParadise]

Thank you! I have it set for evaluative metering. I will try some static object and test the magic 3 settings until I get something acceptable in manual mode.

 

[SCraig]

Be aware that there is no such thing as a "Magic Setting". A photograph depends on reflected light, and light is constantly changing. Unless you are in a studio with fixed, unchanging lighting conditions, you will have to learn to adapt to the vagaries of something that is constantly changing.

Also learn the limitations of your metering system. Start Here. If you are photographing a solid black dog you are going to have to compensate for the solid black or you will consistently get overexposed photographs. The metering system is going to try and expose that black as neutral gray which is going to overexpose the shot every time.

 

[astroNikon]

Evaluative Metering .. must be a Canon thing.

 

[Ysarex]

Evaluative Metering .. must be a Canon thing.

"Evaluative metering" is Canon speak for the Nikon speak "matrix metering." Both function similarly in that they are a weighted average that employs an algorithm designed to identify local anomalous readings and compensate for them.

Joe

 

[fmw]

In shutter priority mode you set the shutter speed and the camera metering system applies the aperture that will provide a normal exposure. Set the camera shutter to a 250th or 125th second and see if the meter provides a useful aperture. If so then fire. If you have to have 1000th second, then the solution is to raise the ISO (sensor sensitivity.) I'm not familiar with your camera but it certainly will have a way of indicating all these settings. Also, consider resetting the camera to be sure you haven't set some default that gets in the way of what you are trying to do.

ISO - sensor sensitivity. Higher number = more sensitivity
Aperture - Size of the opening in the lens that allows light to enter. The higher the number the less light gets in.
Shutter speed - Exposure time. The higher the number the less light is available for the exposure.

Naturally there tradeoffs with any of the settings. You can learn to deal with those in time. For now you just need to make a satisfactory exposure.

 

[robbins.photo]

Like fmw for the type of shooting your doing I'd recommend either av mode or tv mode (aperture or shutter priority) as opposed to full manual mode. On a camera with a single command wheel you can only adjust one value quickly between shots.



Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk

 

[gsgary]

In manual take a meter reading from a piece of grass the is lit similar to what your dog will be lit, grass is very good for taking a meter reading
Using the sunny 16 rule the day you shot your dog on manual a meter reading would be close to F16 ISO100 1/125 which is a long way off what you used, with the settings above i can alter it to get a faster shutter speed by setting my camera to F5.6 iso100 1/1000