D700 exposure compensation

[tom_dwyer]

<p>Hi everyone,<br />I hope this isn't a boneheaded question......but when I set exp. comp. to, say +0.3EV, and I'm metering manually, does the camera still copmensate even though I've set exposure on "M" and it's me moving dials? I can't find this question addressed in the Nikon manual.<br />Thanks.</p>

<p> </p>

[michael_alger]

<p>I do not have the manual with me and to grab the camera I would have to stand up, but why don't you just try it yourself?<br>

Meter something in manual and vary the exposure compensation. What happens?</p>

 

[bmg5]

<p>Typically EV does not work in "M" mode, you should compensate manually instead</p>

[elliot1]

<p>I believe if Auto ISO is on, the ISO will adjust as set by the exposure compensation.</p>

[aliaks]

<p>Agree with Brian</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>It will shift the bias of the metering - so if you dial in +1/3 EV, it will take that one as 0 (or the new center of the exposure scale).</p>

[pge]

<p>Hi Tom</p>

<p>Actually an interesting question. I am a bit of a owner's manual hog and I did not know the answer. The short answer is that Dieter is correct.</p>

<p>It does not change your exposure, this is left to your manual settings. However it shifts your metering. For example I manually exposed a shot correctly and took the shot. The meter read in the middle as it should. Then I went to -5 and took a shot, same exposure on the shot but the meter pointed ---> towards the +. Opposite when I went to +5, but the actual shot was still the same.<br /> <br /> So if you set your +/- to -1 the meter will guide your shot to 1 stop underexposed.</p>

<p>Interesting.</p>

[alan_huett]

<p>In short, it works exactly the same in manual as in any other mode, it changes the metering. In a non-manual mode this alters the way the camera takes the shot - since you have asked it to take the shot based upon its metering. In manual, it effectively drags the "needle" of the meter away from the center, thus altering the guidance from the meter by whatever amount you have dialed in. If you then alter the exposure to recenter the needle, you will have the required compensation.<br>

So in manual you actually see the operation of the metering adjustment, in other modes this is hidden, since the aperture/shutter speed combination alters in lockstep with compensation, thus keeping the metering needle centered at all times.</p>

[mark liddell]

<p>Alan has covered it well</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I believe if Auto ISO is on, the ISO will adjust as set by the exposure compensation.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It will and it is also interesting that auto iso works in manual mode just as it does in the others. This is good workaround to stop diving into the menu to change the auto iso threshold shutter speed each time you change lenses.</p>

[dan_south]

<p>Exposure Compensation has NO EFFECT on your image in Manual Exposure mode. But it does change the metering display that you see in your viewfinder.</p>

<p>Let's say that you meter a scene with no exposure compensation. You arrive at an exposure of 1/125th @ f/8. Put the camera in Manual Exposure mode and set it to this exposure. The exposure meter in your viewfinder will be centered unless the lighting changes.</p>

<p>Now set exposure compensation to -1.0. The meter in your viewfinder will now indicate that your scene is going to be overexposed by 1 stop. This isn't really true, it's just what the recalibrated meter THINKS is true. Your exposure will still be at 1/125th @ f/8, so the image will not be any lighter or darker as a result of changing the exposure compensation value.</p>

 

[elliot1]

<p><em>"Exposure Compensation has NO EFFECT on your image in Manual Exposure mode."</em> Not to beat a dead horse but it does if Auto ISO is on. As long as you are not at the camera's base ISO (and try to underexpose( or maximum ISO (and try to overexpose), exposure compensation will effect the image in manual mode in the same way it does in the other exposure modes.</p>

[dan_south]

<p>Not to beat a dead horse with a pedantic whip, but if you have Auto ISO engaged, you're not really in Manual Exposure mode. You're still giving the microprocessor the ability to modify the exposure based upon its own criteria rather than controlling the exposure yourself (the entire point of Manual Exposure mode). If I recall my Bryan Peterson, an "exposure" is a function of three variables:</p>

<p>(1) Aperture<br>

(2) Shutter speed<br>

(3) Film speed/sensor sensitivity (a.k.a. the ISO value)</p>

<p>The discussion that I presented above assumes that the photographer has selected a specific ISO value, otherwise his/her exposure cannot be considered "manual."</p>

[gdw]

<p>In a real world test of a D700 with Auto ISO off:<br>

1. Take a correctly exposed photograph in Manual Mode<br>

2. Change the EV to -5.0 and take a second photograph<br>

3. Change the EV to +5.0 and take a third photograph<br>

All three photographs will have the same expsoure (aperture, shutter speed and ISO remains the same) the histogram will be identical for all three. Changing EV compensation in Manual has NO effect on the exposure.<br>

The test took a lot less time than typing the question. But the question gave a lot of "experts" the opportunity to be wrong as is frequently the case on Internet forums. It's the classic--OP Beware!</p>

[mila-g]

<p>I have one lens that appears to be improperly communicating with my D80. It provides under-exposure when compared to my other lenses. i can correct this by dialing in about 1.7EV and I then know it will expose the same as the others. Im still not sure whats going on with the lens but its a quick fix for now.</p>