Exposure Compensation

<p>Can you use exposure compensation in manual mode? I have tried it and it doesn't seem to do anything. I know it works in AP and or SP mode.</p>

<p>I'm shooting in low light at ISO 2000, f2.8, and 1/320 with a D300. I can't slow the shutter down any further as I'm shooting moving people. I really would even like to be a little faster on the shutter but this speed is ok.</p>

<p>Sorry, if this seems to be a "well no duh" situation. I'm still fairly new to photography and still learning how to use all the tricks.</p>

<p>David-see page 114 of the manual; "In exposure mode M, only the exposure information shown in the electronic analog exposure display is affected, shutter speed and aperture do not change." It's the same for my D90-it works in P,S, and A modes. cb :-)</p>

<p>David,</p>

<p>Yes you can use the exposure compensator in M mode on the D300.</p>

<p>It sounds to me that you are trying to freeze the action and thus need to raise the speed of the shutter to capture the motion of people moving. Using the exposure compensator is not going to do it for you. You need to lift the shutter speed faster. Try cranking the D300 up to ISO 3200 if you are already at max. aperture.</p>

<p>Charles is right. In A or S, exposure compensation changes the automated setting (shutter speed in A, aperture in S) to give you the change you have dialed in.<br>

In M, you manually control the whole lot, but what exposure compensation does is give you the 'bias' you want in your viewfinder exposure meter so that you can still aim for the 'zero' point with your setting and get the exposure you want.<br>

In short no it does not affect the image, but it is still useful in helping you choose your own manual settings.<br>

Practical example - You are set at EV=0 and are showing a 'correct' exposure in your little meter, at f/8 and 1/100 shutter speed. If you then move to EV= -1, the little metre will show you as one stop overexposed and to regain centre you will need to move to 1/200 (or alternately to a smaller aperture, depending on your choice).</p>

<p>What the other guys said with the addition that exposure compensation actually works the same in all modes. It's a bias applied to the exposure meter in the camera.</p>

<p>If for instance the camera measures that the scene has the light level of EV 14 (ISO100) and you have -1 exposure compensation the result is that the camera now thinks the scene is 14-1=EV 13. The camera tries to expose for EV 13 and depending on the exposure mode it will set the aperture (P & S mode), the shutter speed (P & A mode) and the ISO (if Auto ISO is activated) to get the proper exposure for EV 13. More on EV here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_value</p>

<p>In manual mode the analog bar in the camera shows the difference between what the camera meter is measuring (including exposure compensation) and your current camera setting (shutter speed. aperture & ISO). When they agree it shows 0.</p>

<p>In the other modes (P & S & A) the analog bar shows how much exposure compensation you have dialed in.</p>

<p>Just to clarify. If you are in manual mode (M) you decide the shutter speed, aperture and ISO. But if Auto ISO is activated, the camera will adjust the ISO (only higher) to try and get the exposure it sees as right. In this case exposure compensation matters since it will bias the exposure meter and thereby changing the auto ISO.</p>

<p>Same thing applies to TTL flash in manual exposure mode since the exposure compensation is also here in effect. If you set the exposure compensation in manual mode you basically control the flash output in TTL.</p>

<p>After the camera has decided how much juice the scene needs you also have the flash compensation. That will however only bias the flash power the camera will put out and is not really part of the metering. But that's another story...</p>

<p>Just set the meter to 1,2, or 3 ticks to the right or left rather than center it when using manual. You can ever forget to turn it off then</p>

<p>Ronald-while you can move the settings 1,2,or 3 steps to the right or left in manual mode as you suggested, the truth of the matter is that there is no change in exposure as opposed to the P,S,or A modes. I guess the answer to David's question "Can you use exposure compensation in manual mode?" is yes but, as he noted, it has no effect. (ie you can go through the motions but it won't accomplish anything). cb</p>

<p>David, this may help...for the D300, in manual exposure mode exposure compensation is "invisible". The zero point is moved when exposure compensation is set. Try it. Set a correct exposure in manual exposure mode and then dial in compensation: you'll see that the manual exposure indicator moves off of the O in direct relationship to how much exposure you dialed in. So, in manual mode, you are essentially telling the camera that you don't need it's meter, you know better. And the camera is telling you, go ahead and set the exposure compensation, I'm ignoring you, you already picked your settings. So, if you are shooting in low light, and you want to stop action, you would be better off in shutter priority, set the speed that you feel you need, let the camera pick the aperture and crank up the iso until you can get your shot. This is directly from Thom Hogan's guide to the D300. He is certainly smarter than I am.</p>

<p>So, David, you are correct in your observation that when you have the camera set on manual, changing the exposure compensation is not doing anything.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the feedback.</p>

<p>Of course you get longer or shorter exposure by allowing tick marks to show left or right of center in manual made.</p>

<p>In other modes that are auto, you must use compensation.</p>