Exposure comp vs. Manual setting

Lucky Hack · April 13, 2005

I'm a little oldschool, when I want to dial in a shot I have always just used the manual setting on my D70. When is (and why is) it good to use exposure compensation instead?

hoping this message finds you well -Ian

jthomas · April 13, 2005

Lucky Hack wrote:

I'm a little oldschool, when I want to dial in a shot I have always just used the manual setting on my D70. When is (and why is) it good to use exposure compensation instead?

hoping this message finds you well -Ian

I'm the same way, have the same camera, and had the same question. Hope we get a good answer from one of the experts.

I used the exposure compensation quite a bit on my Coolpix 5700, primarily because it was so complicated to do things manually. It's a snap on the D70.

Maybe exposure comp gives you fractional changes, less than a full f-stop?

wxwax · April 13, 2005

One example is when you're shooting sports and messing with aperature size for depth of field. It's a lot quicker and easier to shoot in Aperature Priority with Exposure Compensation. You can change your aperature and everything else falls in line. In manual, you'd have to figure out your shutter speed every time you changed your aperature.

Conversely, if you're shooting motor sports and changing your shutter speed for effect, you'd be shooting in Shutter Priority, and using Exposure Compensation to move off of middle gray. Again, one change to your shutter speed changes your aperature and overall exposure automagically.

It also makes sense to shoot in Aperature Priority on the street, when you might want to quickly change your depth of field. And you also know that by opening up your aperature, you will automatically dial-in a faster shutter speed, if you need it. And again, using Exposure Compensation makes it quicker and easier to get the right exposure.

For me, at any rate, Manual mode is best with fairly static situations. In a rapidly changing environment, my skills aren't good enough to make the necessary aperature and shutter speed changes and still get the shot I want.

I'll be interested to hear what others have to say.

Shay Stephens · April 13, 2005

Mysteries revealed
In manual mode, the photographer controls all the aspects of the exposure (i.e. aperture, shutter speed, etc). So far so good.

But what happens when the photographer chooses to use one of the auto or semi-auto modes (i.e. aperture priority or shutter priority)? The camera determines all or a portion of the exposure settings. Now, what if the photographer does not like the exposure settings the camera chose to use?

Without exposure compensation, the photographer can't really do anything. But with exposure compensation, the photographer can override the cameras settings. Using negative compensation will make the exposure darker than the camera otherwise would expose the scene. Positive compensation will make the exposure brighter than the camera would otherwise expose the scene.

Using exposure compensation is similar to setting the exposure manually, but the camera retains some control over the exposure and alters the exposure based on the compensation dialed in by the photographer. It is no better or worse than setting the exposure manually. In manual or EV compensation, you have 1/3 stop increments. EV compensation is usually limited to a range of -2EV to +2EV compensation, while in manual mode, you can use any setting you want.

So, in the auto/semi-auto modes, EV compensation just allows you to have some additional control over the outcome of the exposure. Manual mode gives you total control over it. If you remain within -2 to +2, the control is the same using either EV compensation or manual mode. If you need control beyond those limits, manual mode will allow that.

Lucky Hack wrote:

I'm a little oldschool, when I want to dial in a shot I have always just used the manual setting on my D70. When is (and why is) it good to use exposure compensation instead?

hoping this message finds you well -Ian

Lucky Hack · April 13, 2005

Thanks wax.

hoping this message finds you well -Ian

Lucky Hack · April 13, 2005

Thanks for the breakdown Shay.

hoping this message finds you well -Ian

wxwax · April 13, 2005

:pissed Well, that's no fun. You're supposed to tell us we're hacks and :crazy and explain why manual is always better. What kind of forum is this, where you can't even get into a good fight? :pissed

Lucky Hack · April 13, 2005

wxwax wrote:

:pissed Well, that's no fun. You're supposed to tell us we're hacks and :crazy and explain why manual is always better. What kind of forum is this, where you can't even get into a good fight? :pissed

Would it help if I led in with some Mama jokes?

Your mom is so fat her blood type is Rocky Road!

Your mom is so heavy she fell in love and broke it!

Your mom is so stupid it takes her to hours to watch 60 minutes!

Oh yeah, you're all crazy hacks and Manual is better!

hoping this message finds you grinning -Ian

wxwax · April 13, 2005

Lucky Hack wrote:

Would it help if I led in with some Mama jokes?

Your mom is so fat her blood type is Rocky Road!

Your mom is so heavy she fell in love and broke it!

Your mom is so stupid it takes her to hours to watch 60 minutes!

Oh yeah, you're all crazy hacks and Manual is better!

hoping this message finds you grinning -Ian

Now you're talking!

* Your mom's so fat she can't even jump to a conclusion.
* Your mom's so fat, when she turns around they throw her a welcome back party.
* Your mothers so fat, she went to the movies and sat next to everyone.
* Yo mama so ugly, when she joined an ugly contest, they said "Sorry, no professionals."
* Yo momma so stupid she went to Disney World and saw a sign that said "Disney World - Left" so she went home.

Lucky Hack · April 13, 2005

wxwax wrote:

Now you're talking!

* Your mom's so fat she can't even jump to a conclusion.
* Your mom's so fat, when she turns around they throw her a welcome back party.
* Your mothers so fat, she went to the movies and sat next to everyone.
* Yo mama so ugly, when she joined an ugly contest, they said "Sorry, no professionals."
* Yo momma so stupid she went to Disney World and saw a sign that said "Disney World - Left" so she went home.

Nicely done!, thanks for the laughs

hoping this message finds you well -Ian

bkriete · April 13, 2005

Yo' mama so fat, she sweats gravy.

Exposure comp vs. Manual setting

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