Newbie - Help on Exposure (Tree VS Sky)

[takafan]

This thread has certainly benefitted me. I hope others who are new like me will also read through this and find something useful here.

Thanks to you guys with all the patience and kindness to help out and explain stuffs to newbies like me.

:thumbsup: for you guys ~

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Anyway i have another question regarding exposure compensation vs shutter speed.


I look through the live view and find that if i lower the shutter speed, that is to say 1/20, 1/10, 1 sec, it gets brighter. And if shutter speed is faster, it gets darker.

So, should i actually play with the shutter speed? Or should i allow it to be darker and set the exposure compensation higher to +1/+2/+3 etc ?

How do i know under what circumstance to use what?

Yup. i understand.

What i mean is the priority.

Do i actually adjust the shutter speed so that it gets the correct exposure first?

Or do i take the photo even if its too dark/bright, then adjust the Exposure Compensation +/- accordingly?

Which comes first?

If you adjust Exposure Compensation into positive values, the camera will attempt to adjust the aperture and/or shutter speed (depending on the exposure mode P, A, or S) in order to achieve the desired exposure level.
Slowing the shutter speed (eg from 1/60s to 1/30s) increases the amount of light entering, so if all else is unchanged, the image should become brighter.
After you've taken a shot, adjusting exposure compensation will do nothing for the shot you've just taken. It only affects the next shot.

 

[takafan]

If you adjust Exposure Compensation into positive values, the camera will attempt to adjust the aperture and/or shutter speed (depending on the exposure mode P, A, or S) in order to achieve the desired exposure level.
Slowing the shutter speed (eg from 1/60s to 1/30s) increases the amount of light entering, so if all else is unchanged, the image should become brighter.
After you've taken a shot, adjusting exposure compensation will do nothing for the shot you've just taken. It only affects the next shot.

A little lost here. Exposure Mode --> P/A/S ? What's this?

I only have the values -5 to +5 on my camera. And you can only adjust this if its set to Aperture Priority. Under Manual, i can't seem to touch this.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

the modes P, A, S, M (sorry... Nikon terminology. Canon uses P, Av, Tv, M)
are directly affecting exposure levels.
Which mode you use is determined by how much control you want to have over the variables that affect exposure.

If in manual (M), you control all the variables that affect exposure level, so what good does adjusting exposure compensation do?

 

[takafan]

the modes P, A, S, M (sorry... Nikon terminology. Canon uses P, Av, Tv, M)
are directly affecting exposure levels.
Which mode you use is determined by how much control you want to have over the variables that affect exposure.

If in manual (M), you control all the variables that affect exposure level, so what good does adjusting exposure compensation do?

That's true..

What im thinking was that, certain shots that requires slower shutter speed and u dont want to use a tripod yet u want it to be brighter, then hopefully u can shoot in Manual Mode then set the exposure as well.

Say for example, im on 1/30 and f14. Then any lower shutter speed then 1/30 my image will blur due to hand shake. So im thinking it would be nice to use 1/30, f14 but although this setting is still under-exposed, yet i cannot set to slower shutter speed which will cause hand shake.. Then maybe i can instead use +1/+2/+3 exposure to make it brighter?

I hope what i said is not confusing :embrass:

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

i think you still don't understand the use of exposure compensation.

If you set your camera to 1/30s and f/14, and the picture is still not bright enough, you need to either adjust the aperture, or shutter speed, or both.

In A mode, if you dial in EV +1, you will notice that the shutter speed will automatically become slower. If you dial in +2 it will become even slower.

So in manual mode, when the camera can NOT adjust either aperture or shutter speed automatically, why do you think that adjusting the EV will make the photo brighter?

 

[takafan]

i think you still don't understand the use of exposure compensation.

If you set your camera to 1/30s and f/14, and the picture is still not bright enough, you need to either adjust the aperture, or shutter speed, or both.

In A mode, if you dial in EV +1, you will notice that the shutter speed will automatically become slower. If you dial in +2 it will become even slower.

So in manual mode, when the camera can NOT adjust either aperture or shutter speed automatically, why do you think that adjusting the EV will make the photo brighter?

I didnt know that! Hmmm... in that way, i guess i'll just use Manual Mode. In cases really have to expose more than 1 sec, i guess no choice but gotta use Tripod. They don't allow you to cheat, haha! :sticktong

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

using manual mode may not be suitable for all occasions. Sometimes you don't have time to set up the camera properly, so 1 of the automated modes might be more suitable.
That's when EV adjustments will be useful.

 

[takafan]

using manual mode may not be suitable for all occasions. Sometimes you don't have time to set up the camera properly, so 1 of the automated modes might be more suitable.
That's when EV adjustments will be useful.

I see.. On my camera, there's no quick access to adjusting EV. So by the time u change the EV, might as well use Manual Mode. Takes roughly the same time to set EV, and to use Manual Mode, haha!

 

[Octarine]

I see.. On my camera, there's no quick access to adjusting EV. So by the time u change the EV, might as well use Manual Mode. Takes roughly the same time to set EV, and to use Manual Mode, haha!

Which camera has no Exposure Compensation easily accessible? Check your camera manual.
Even for an experienced user it's faster using EV instead of Manual (Unless the user is already in Manual). Reason: with EV you will immediately change the flexible parameter according your mode (aperture in A/Av, shutter in S/Tv, both in P mode). Switching to Manual you will find the parameters as left from the last shot.. which maybe was something at night with f/11 and 20s. How much time will it need you to dial down the parameters to match your scene?

 

[Diavonex]

takafan, I think you need to read up more about the Exposure Triangle (aperture, ISO and shutter speed) and Exposure Compensation.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/camera-exposure.htm

http://digital-photography-school.com/ev-compensation-explained

 

[Diavonex]

Exposure compensation button; push to compensate for over/under-exposure.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

yeah... never seen a camera where exposure compensation wasn't easily accessible.
Even on a PnS the exposure compensation is designed for quick access!

 

[takafan]

I must have been so blur to be on manual mode again, haha!

Thanks guys, I know what to do about the exposure thing already

 

[Octarine]

I must have been so blur to be on manual mode again, haha!

I recommend going to "Manual Reading Mode" ...

 

[ziploc]

I recommend going to "Manual Reading Mode" ...

Yes that's good mode, especially for TS. And while he is at it, remember to turn on the "Books Reading Mode" as well...

 

[takafan]

:cry:

 

[kutten]

:bsmilie: Once you mastered this mode, you will be an expert

 

[ortega]

actually hor, what what i see from the TS photos, you just need to go back to the same place with the right light
it seems that the trees are in the shade so to expose for the trees the sky will be overexposed.

so go back at a different time to shoot when the light is on the trees and the sky is blue, normally i would prefer early mornings

 

[takafan]

actually hor, what what i see from the TS photos, you just need to go back to the same place with the right light
it seems that the trees are in the shade so to expose for the trees the sky will be overexposed.

so go back at a different time to shoot when the light is on the trees and the sky is blue, normally i would prefer early mornings

Yes, I have come to realise white is not a good friend of photography, haha. So a blue sky is definitely better than a cloudy sky!

One more point I think for the tree shot to be successful is the sky as well. I find that even if the tree is properly exposed, sun behind etc etc, it wouldn't help if the sky is blooming with white clouds because the sky's gonna get over exposed again. So probably need to wait for it to be blue or lesser clouds~