First attempt at manual settings.

[dustin0479]

I am using a Rebel XT with the standard 18-55 crap lens. Any feedback would be great.

 

[dustin0479]

to clarify, i realize the image is completely unbalanced. I am looking for feedback on the image quality. (gotta take things one step at a time....)

 

[edouble]

It appears that you want to know if the exposure is correct. It looks properly exposed to me. For this scene I would meter from the bright green grass or the sky 90 degrees away from the sun.

 

[dustin0479]

Still working on learning metering. I had it set to center weighted but i am not yet sure how to get it to meter on anything but the focal point of the picture.

How would i go about locking the meter once i get a reading from the grass or sky?

 

[edouble]

Still working on learning metering. I had it set to center weighted but i am not yet sure how to get it to meter on anything but the focal point of the picture.

How would i go about locking the meter once i get a reading from the grass or sky?

You first have to decide what aperature you want to use, which is a different topic itself. After deciding aperature, point your camera to the area you want to meter from. Adjust your shutter speed for a good exposure which will be near a 0ev value. Then simply recompose your shot, set focus and shoot. Remember in manual mode your camera isn't going to set the exposure, you are, so once you set it its set.



Edit. You can set exposure by setting your shutter speed first then meter and set aperature. Depends on the scene and what you are photographing.

 

[dustin0479]

bah, turns out with the xt i can only adjust
AV-Aperature and EV
TV-Shutter Speed and EV
M-Shutter Speed and Aperature

There is no selection that would allow all 3 so i am assuming i would use the AV setting and let the camera pick the shutter speed?

 

[LarryD]

EV is simply the Exposure Value you have set on the camera and could be a number of different combinations of shutter and aperture... (Nikon has an EV button, but it is really Ev Compensation)

I think that you mean that you can set Av or Tv and some Ec (exposure compensation). Ec (or EVc) allows you to override the meter setting and either add some light, or subtract some light by some portion of a stop or so...

In Manual, you set the f-stop and the shutter speed, so you can set them anywhere above or below the metered value, and therefore you do not need to do any "Exposure Compensation"....

If, as in your example, you are shooting in Av with a Canon and center weighted mode, simply look to the grass, press the shutter halfway (meter) and press exposure lock, recompose and shoot. Or, you could note the meter reading as compared to metering on the subject, then add/subtract some Exposure Compensation to achieve the same exposure as the grass..

 

[dustin0479]

Just what i was looking for. Thanks!
What impact would setting the meter from the grass have had on this photo?

 

[keethjon]

I think you are making it too complicated dustin. You should just set your camera to AV or TV and then forget about EV. If the exposure you get with AV or TV is not what you want, then use the camera in the full manual mode and manually set the shutter and aperture to get the exposure you want.
As for metering the grass, if you metered the grass in the shadow area, the dog would come out too light. If you meter the grass anywhere else, the picture would come out about the same as it is unless you adjusted it using ev. Hope this helps

Keith
http://easybasicphotography.com

 

[edouble]

Just what i was looking for. Thanks!
What impact would setting the meter from the grass have had on this photo?

It all comes with experience using your camera when deciding where to meter the scene. The histogram is your friend.

Lots of research and reading and take lots of pictures! PRACTICE PRACTICE

 

[o hey tyler]

E-Dub,

What's your signature from? If that was a forum post that I missed, I'm going to be really upset.

 

[sam_justice]

The only thing that impacts metering is light, not objects, just light. Sometimes you'll find that whilst one subject in your image is getting enough light, another may not. It is upto you whether or not you find the midpoint, or sacrifice one for the other. Welcome to photography

 

[edouble]

E-Dub,

What's your signature from? If that was a forum post that I missed, I'm going to be really upset.

LOL nah I got it from a Nikon forum, epic.