Exposure compensation in camera.. do you use it?

[tonyespofoto]

I use Exposure Compensation often, usually with sports. I often use a +1 for ice hockey, for example, because of the near white background. For football, especially in late afternoon backlit situations, I will use Highlight Tone Priority, which is a kind of Exposure Compensation. For shooting events, I will often set a +1/3 or +2/3 Exposure Compensation along with a flash exposure. The object here is to acquire the best Raw file possible. You want files from any event to be as nearly alike as possible so as to limit the time necessary for good Lightroom or ACR processing. If your exposures are all over the lot, you will need to spend a long time making them look consistent. If you are shooting Jpegs, you are in even more trouble. At least with Canon, I have found the most consistent flash exposures are those in which the flash contributes at least 1/3 stop more exposure than the available light. I almost always bounce the light off the ceiling and try to achieve an exposure in which the flash exposure, even if is the dominant light source, appears completely non-existent. I try to make it look as if the available light is the only light and it is a very flattering light (no raccoon eyes, etc). This is actually seldom the case, but properly balancing the flash exposure with the available light can make a silk purse out of the usual sow's ear of available light. A combination of Flash Exposure Compensation and Exposure Compensation plus gelling the flash is often necessary.

 

[3kramd5]

I don't understand how anybody who is keen on photography couldn't use exposure compensation. Even shooting M mode we are still using the cameras meter and choosing to go a different route, which is essentially the same thing as using an auto mode and EC.

EC is the backbone of optimising your exposure, achieving optimal exposure is the very foundation of good photography.

I shoot based on the meter. I have a finger and a thumb and can adjust any of the three key exposure settings with ease. I don't understand the advantage of EC unless the camera is allowed to choose one of those settings, and don't agree with the final statement at all, since there could have been no good photography prior to EC were it true.

 

[JohanCruyff]

Even though I know that Photography Holy Rules strictly forbid to take pictures from 11.00 AM to 5.00 PM, sometimes I disobey and - in strong/harsh light conditions - I often abandon M in favour of AV and sometimes underexpose.
I've read that other brands (whose blasphemous name cannot be pronounced in this forum) allow a more sophisticated EC... or was it a better AutoISO? :-\

 

[weixing]

Hi,
I shoot wildlife and always use Exp. Comp. even in manual mode (7D2 can perform Exp. Comp. in manual mode with auto ISO), because it's fast... wildlife don't wait for you and every seconds saved count.

Have a nice day.

 

[TexPhoto]

You are always better off getting the exposure correct in camera than fixing it later in post. if you achieve that via exposure compensation, or manual, is more a mater of personal preference.

Three Photographers shot the same photo of an Aardvark:
Photographer 1: shot in Auto and his camera selected 1/125 and F4.0 and ISO 200.
Photographer 2: shot in Tv at 1/125 and ISO 200 and his camera selected and F4.0.
Photographer 3: shot in M and selected 1/125 and F4.0 and ISO 200 all while watching the camera's meter.
So who is the better Photographer?
My guess is the Aardvark who got a selfie with the three photographers on his iPhone.

I use Exposure compensation and typically shoot in Av. I think the image is more important than the settings.

 

[privatebydesign]

You are always better off getting the exposure correct in camera than fixing it later in post. if you achieve that via exposure compensation, or manual, is more a mater of personal preference.

Three Photographers shot the same photo of an Aardvark:
Photographer 1: shot in Auto and his camera selected 1/125 and F4.0 and ISO 200.
Photographer 2: shot in Tv at 1/125 and ISO 200 and his camera selected and F4.0.
Photographer 3: shot in M and selected 1/125 and F4.0 and ISO 200 all while watching the camera's meter.
So who is the better Photographer?
My guess is the Aardvark who got a selfie with the three photographers on his iPhone.

I use Exposure compensation and typically shoot in Av. I think the image is more important than the settings.

Yes, but if the Aardvark is in the shade hiding under some dead brush:
Photographer 1: shot in Auto and his camera selected 1/125 and F4.0 and ISO 200. And he put EV comp at -1 and got 1/100 and F5.0 and ISO 200.
Photographer 2: shot in Tv at 1/125 and ISO 200 and his camera selected and F4.0.And he put EV comp at -1 and so got 1/125 and ISO 200 and F5.6
Photographer 3: shot in M and selected 1/125 and F4.0 and ISO 200 all while watching the camera's meter. And if he had EV comp in manual, put EV comp at -1 and so got 1/125 and ISO 100 and F4.0. If he didn't have EV comp in manual he either moved the SS to 1/250, he closed the aperture to f5.6, or he moved the ISO to 100 (or any combination of the three that got him 1 stop less exposure), but he still, effectively, applied EV compensation, ie, he changed the exposure value from the metered value to one he thought would be more appropriate.