Canon A1 Exposure Compensation Question

<p>Hey guys, another technical question. I am metering my desk in a dark room, shutter priority at 1/60th. The resulting aperture light blinks f1.4 indicating the picture will be underexposed. I turned the exposure compensation dial to "1/4th," two stops underexposed. Once I dialed the exposure dial to "1/4th," the meter in the viewfinder reads 1/60th at f1.8 and the aperture light doesn't blink. How can the exposure be correct at 1/60th f1.8 when it's a result of underexposing 1/60th f1.4 blinking by two stops? I AM CONFUSED.</p>

<p>So I am confused too! What is the maximum wide open aperture of your lens? </p>

The lens was a 50mm 1.4.

<p>The meter pegs at the widest aperture available for the lens mounted, blinking because the exposure that would be correct is beyond what the lens can be set to. In this case nominally the correct exposure for 1/60th of a second would be an f/0.9 and 2 stops underexposure on that takes it down to f/1.8 which is something your lens can actually be set to (in shutter priority at least, it's probably between clicks on manual) so your meter stops blinking.</p>

<p>Also the meter itself has a range. Read your manual to see if this combo approaches the limits of the meter.</p>

<p>The blinking doesn't mean underexposed, but it means it is outside the available settings.</p>

<p>When you set the compensation dial, you are asking for two stops less. That could be because you know that the meter is being fooled, and the right exposure is two stops less.</p>

<p>In that case, the result 1/60 and f/1.8 is within range, so no blinking.</p>

<p>It is up to you to know how to set the compensation, when there is a reason for exposing different from the meter reading. The camera just believe what you say.</p>