cdemaree

When I use the EC Dial +/- with my pictures on a Sony A7ii, how does the camera adjust the exposure when I'm in Aperture Priority mode? Does it effect my aperture setting, speed setting or ISO? Or does the camera do it somehow else digitally? Just curious?

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

I have 4 Sony cameras. To answer your question...it depends. When in A P. the EC will change the ISO and or shutter speed. If you have manually set the ISO then the camera will only change the shutter speed. Happy shooting

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The best way to determine how EC works on your camera is to test and experiment and observe the camera's behavior in your hands.

Most digital cameras are biased to hold a lower ISO over other possible changes. So, if you're in Aperture Priority and AUTO ISO, as you move the EC dial, you should see the shutter speed change rather than the ISO. But, we'd have to see the lens, the current aperture, and the lighting situation, to say for sure how the camera is expected to react.

If you fix the ISO, the only way the camera can respond to EC changes is via the shutterspeed.

Silverrails

I have another Exposure Compensation question;
What is the Best or proper way to use my E.C. dial with doing Portrait Photography and Flash & Ambient Light and does Indoor and Outdoor make a huge difference? I am attempting learn all necessary aspects of controlling Exposure.

BebuLamar

When in Aperture Priority mode and Auto ISO is off then the EC changes the shutter speed. If Auto ISO on it's a bit more complicated.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Changing the EC value changes the level of exposure that the camera targets. How the camera responds depends on what mode it's in. In Aperture priority the camera will target the new exposure level by changing the shutter speed.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

There is no right or wrong. When you use flash you add another set of controls. Your flash and or camera has the ability to vary the flash exposure compensation. It is separate from the EC dial. Note that some flash units have their own power controls. The onboard flash controls are also separate from the camera controls. You would have to just do set-ups and experiment with what ever flash unit you are using with your camera. Play, experiment , and practice. You will find out what works for you. There really isn't any difference between indoors and out doors other than color temperature.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The exposure triangle is always the same three attributes: aperture and shutterspeed and ISO.

The exposure triangle is always the same in all exposure modes.

The exposure triangle is always the same in all shooting situations and genres.

In the three semi-auto modes of Program, Aperture and Shutter priorities, using Exposure Compensation is the way the human communicates to the camera to achieve an exposure that differs from the camera's default calculation, that is: moving the exposure to the right or left of the 0-mark of the camera meter.

There's no best / proper way to define EC. Rather, look at your own images and ask yourself a few questions about each image:

1. What would I do different for this image?
2. What exposure mode was I using?
3a. If too dark, what aspect of the triangle could I change manually? Would positive EC brighten the image? How?
3b. If too bright, what aspect of the triangle could I change manually? Would negative EC darken the image? How?

With a goal of "I am attempting learn all necessary aspects of controlling Exposure", grab your digital camera, turn it on, start shooting, analyze the results with the 4 questions above. Repeat.

bleirer

I can answer your last question. There is no 'something else digitally' in the camera. F stop and shutter speed are the only exposure variables, iso is the only 'gain' variable. No other behind the scenes wizardry.

cdemaree

Thank you for all the great explanations!

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Exposure compensation affects the light metering. If you are in aperture priority at say F8, ISO 200 fixed and shutter speed 1/250 changing the EC will cause the camera to meter as if the light was brighter or darker.

For example: EC +1 would have the camera metering to change the above to F8, 1/250 at ISO 100 thereby allowing in 1 stop more light. If shutter priority, the the aperture would change. In either example the ISO may or may not change.

The important thing to remember is that you want to allow more or less light than the normal metering. The EV, in essence, fools the meter into reading a different light value. This is important when your subject is white or light on a dark background or dark on a light background.

If you are shooting in full manual, the EV has no effect at all.

The ISO may or may not be affected when set to auto depending on your camera and any custom settings.

I hope that this helps.

Silverrails

Thank You, Good Advice, Hands on Practice is the way to strengthen your memory of what you have Learned.

bleirer

I think each camera will have its own way to deal with any limits it encounters. For example if you have a limited range of ISO set, or if you have a minimum shutter speed associated with auto iso, or you run out of f stops, and so on.

Kozan Loc: Trenton Tennessee

I can tell you how it works on my Nikons. In anything but Manual it will actually change the exposure. In Aperture priority, it only changes the shutter speed unless you have a minimum or maximum shutter speed set that the camera cannot go to. In Manual mode, ONLY the meter setting is changed, the exposure does not change.

You need to take about 20 minutes and experiment for yourself to understand it.

cedymock Loc: Irmo, South Carolina

Steve Perry just did a video on exposure compensation link below, may give some insight.

https://backcountrygallery.com/exposure-compensation-made-easy/