Exposure settings

Shandela · Feb 6, 2012

Hi,
I am brand new to photography and just wanted a good camera to take pictures of my kidlets....I am trying to understand as much as I can to get the best pictures I can. However, I am trying to shoot in Manual mode and can't seem to find an option to change my exposure. I have a Canon Rebel T2i...How do I change my exposure. I have pressed every button and read the manual and I am still confused. HELP

Josh66 · Feb 6, 2012

Read the manual again. Pay particular attention to the section that deals with manual exposure.

Generally, you roll the little wheel to change shutter speed, you hold another button down while rolling that wheel to change aperture.

When you look into the viewfinder, there is a little meter. It will have a small needle on it - when it is in the center, the camera thinks it's a good exposure (it isn't always right).

redessa · Feb 6, 2012

I'm not quite sure what you're asking. In manual, you determine the exposure yourself. The camera meter will give you a reading. You adjust the shutter speed, aperture and/or ISO to get the exposure you want. Since you're just starting out, try just getting the meter to zero out. See how often you get the results you want. As you get more experience, you'll learn when you need to intentionally over or under expose a scene.

For example, snow. You camera meter will try to make all that white into grey. So in order to get the correct exposure, you will have to make the camera think it is over exposing.

Shandela · Feb 6, 2012

Thank you for your response. I will go back and look again at my manual. I think where I am stuck is when I am in Manual mode my meter stays all the way over at the -2 and I cannot seem to find any combination of buttons/wheels that will allow me to change that. So for instance if I want to take a picture in low lighting I can adjust my speed and aperature but it will not allow me to adjust my exposure and it isn't going to the middle ever. No matter what adjustments I make....

MTVision · Feb 6, 2012

Shandela said:
Thank you for your response. I will go back and look again at my manual. I think where I am stuck is when I am in Manual mode my meter stays all the way over at the -2 and I cannot seem to find any combination of buttons/wheels that will allow me to change that. So for instance if I want to take a picture in low lighting I can adjust my speed and aperature but it will not allow me to adjust my exposure and it isn't going to the middle ever. No matter what adjustments I make....

I think you are talking about exposure compensation. Exposure is determined by aperture, shutter speed and ISO.

You may have to use the cameras menu to change it. But -2 definitely sounds like exposure compensation.

Bitter Jeweler · Feb 6, 2012

You may be WAY off and have to turn the wheel quite a bit.

Use Auto, meter the scene, and write down the exposure values it selected, and then switch to manual and see how far you are off.

Google 'exposure triangle' to learn how to set your camera, and why.

Josh66 · Feb 6, 2012

If it's dark (indoors), you will probably need a longish shutter speed. Either that or flash. The button you hold down (while turning the wheel) to change aperture is probably "AV +/-", or something like that.

Have you tried doing this outside in the sun? I think it might just be too dark where you are trying to take pictures now... In daylight, it should be much easier...

Josh66 · Feb 6, 2012

MTVision said:
But -2 definitely sounds like exposure compensation.

Or -2 on the meter. Can you even do exposure compensation in manual mode?
(Never tried ... I mean, it's manual mode, why would it need exposure compensation?)

Shandela · Feb 6, 2012

Yes Megan, It would be the compensation and mine just isn't allowing me to set it to what I want it to be. I have tried resetting my camera to factory settings in case I messed it up but that didn't work and I have tried every option that I can think of in the menu and that doesn't work either. I am beginning to wonder if there is a defect in the camera or me...:/ Pretty discouraging either way. Thanks for your help y'all!

Tony S · Feb 6, 2012

What you are seeing in your meter when it's way over like that is that your scene is too dark and needs to get more light to the sensor to record the scene properly. To do this you may need to make several changes, first you should look at changing your ISO to a more sensitive setting (a higher number), along with this you might need to use a longer shutter speed and a larger aperture.

Spend some time reading the manual, it really does a good job of explaining each setting and the effect it has on the exposure of an image.

Josh66 · Feb 6, 2012

Shandela said:
Yes Megan, It would be the compensation and mine just isn't allowing me to set it to what I want it to be. I have tried resetting my camera to factory settings in case I messed it up but that didn't work and I have tried every option that I can think of in the menu and that doesn't work either. I am beginning to wonder if there is a defect in the camera or me...:/ Pretty discouraging either way. Thanks for your help y'all!

What mode is the main mode dial of the camera pointing at?

You said manual before, but I just tried, and there is no such thing as exposure compensation in manual. Either you're not actually in manual mode, or the problem is something other than exposure compensation.

Shandela · Feb 6, 2012

You said manual before, but I just tried, and there is no such thing as exposure compensation in manual. Either you're not actually in manual mode, or the problem is something other than exposure compensation.[/QUOTE]

UGHH! I feel like an idiot. There isn't exposure comp. in manual and Bitter Jeweler was right the issue was I was so far off from where I needed to be. Sorry to have bugged y'all. I might need to go back to the point and shoot but I so desperately want to get this down. I don't get why this is so complicated for me. Oh well! Thanks for the help!

MTVision · Feb 6, 2012

O|||||||O said:
What mode is the main mode dial of the camera pointing at?

You said manual before, but I just tried, and there is no such thing as exposure compensation in manual. Either you're not actually in manual mode, or the problem is something other than exposure compensation.

I can set exposure compensation in manual mode with my camera. There isn't really a point for it but it can be set.....

Bitter Jeweler · Feb 6, 2012

Shandela said:
UGHH! I feel like an idiot. There isn't exposure comp. in manual and Bitter Jeweler was right the issue was I was so far off from where I needed to be. Sorry to have bugged y'all. I might need to go back to the point and shoot but I so desperately want to get this down. I don't get why this is so complicated for me. Oh well! Thanks for the help!

Don't give up now...you just made it passed your first hurdle. Been there, done that.

luvmyfamily · Feb 6, 2012

Bitter Jeweler said:
You may be WAY off and have to turn the wheel quite a bit.

Use Auto, meter the scene, and write down the exposure values it selected, and then switch to manual and see how far you are off.

Google 'exposure triangle' to learn how to set your camera, and why.

This is how I taught myself how to shoot in manual mode. I put it in Auto, see what the camera selects, the go to M to do the same settings. Once you do that, change the settings a bit, play around with the same shot, and like Bitter said write it down. I have a Canon t3 which is similiar to yours. But are you actually asking HOW to mess with the settings in manual?? Since your cam is similar to mine, flick it in manual (M). You should have a button that has a "Q" with a square around it. Press the Q button and hit set. Then, use your arrows to scroll over your shutter speed, Aperture, ISO, Exposure comp etc. You can change the settings there. Bitter is right, don't give up now! I doubt very seriously anyone on here picked up a camera for the first time and got a perfect shot.