quenepas Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

This is a naive question BUT I’ve been trying to understand the uses of the Exposure Compensation (EC) dial on cameras. I understand the basics that rotating the EC dial to “+” increase light for exposure and rotating the dial to “-“ decreases light. But other exposure factors get modified when you do this (reduce shutter speed for “+” and increase for “-“). Can’t you simply make these manual settings when you want a specific effect? I guess the advantage of the EC dial is that it facilitates adjustments to exposure for a particular effect (darker/lighter exposure). But I think that mirrorless cameras with Electronic View Finders are the ones that mostly benefit from this technology. All comments are welcomed to enlighten a very aging amateur photographer and dedicated Hog follower.

williejoha

That change is usually done when shooting in manual.
WJH

BebuLamar

The idea of the EC is that you can increase or decrease exposure that is suggested by the meter without going into manual mode. That's all. I never use it as if I want an exposure different from what the meter said I simply switch to manual.
The true exposure compensation is the exposure slider in the raw converter. With that you can compensate for under or over exposed images.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Let's say for example that you are out shooting birds and it is all happening quickly. You might want to be in one of the auto exposure modes. Maybe all the little critters are up in trees or flying up above and these images with brighter backgrounds are leaving the subjects quite underexposed. You could add a stop or more of exposure using the EC dial to compensate for that. There are other situations where you might want to override the metering system.

Daryls Loc: Waco, TX

Quenepas,

Exposure Compensation is used in Program, Shutter, and Aperture priority modes to lighten, or darken, an exposure, thus overriding what the camera’s light meter ‘thinks’ is the correct exposure value. In Manual mode, you choose your settings according to the light meter reading and your particular desire for the photograph. Since I use Manual mode almost exclusively, I do not use Exposure Compensation. I don't want the camera deciding the correct exposure for me. It goes back to my film days when we had to control all the settings manually.

Daryl

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

The above are succinct and all you need to know

With M4/3 cameras, electronic viewfinders and real-time exposure, I like to be in manual mode. If I want to change exposure quickly I can move my shutter speed knob/dial or aperture (both are on top of my camera and I don't need to take my eye away from the viewfinder).

I've never used EC in manual mode and don't understand its purpose in M for the real-time exposure cameras.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Modern cameras are amazing.
I use it all the time if I am not happy with what the camera chose.
Manual or automatic absolutely no difference, you are doing a different setting from what the suggests.
Thus in automatic using ec is amazing quick and easy.

kenArchi Loc: Seal Beach, CA

I have my shutter speed set and aperture set.
I manualy adjust the iso with my thumb on the tip dial.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Exposure Compensation is a function that is available to use as you choose. The capabilities it offers differ on some camera models. Some folks say that their cameras do not offer the function when in Manual mode. That may well be true. All of my cameras DO offer EC in Manual mode. It is very useful if exposure values of the subject you are shooting is not "biased" the same as is typical or expected, especially if you are using Matrix or Center Weighted metering. It is also useful is you are working to create "low key" or "high key" images.

Many cameras, especially more recent models, also include a function (usually buried in the menu somewhere) to perform a similar function by adjusting all shots relative to the meter reading, regardless of operating mode. This is simply a meter calibration function and can be used to correct an incorrect meter or simply bias all exposures to the taste of the photographer.

I take a lot of JPEGs which are downloaded and used immediately. I use all 4 exposure modes to produce these images, depending on what is most appropriate for me. One of my cameras (the one I most prefer to use) produces better results if exposure is reduced by 2/3 of a stop. I could use the calibration feature to accomplish this adjustment, but prefer to use Exposure Compensation, because I can always see and be remonded of what I've chosen to do.

Ollieboy

Try the P mode (program). That allows you to decide shutter or aperture compensation.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

YES - EC is mainly for auto-exposure modes and it will offset one of the 3 exposure triangle settings. Actually, even in Manual mode you can have an EC on flash shots. It will adjust the flash duration.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

It really depends on your camera capabilities. A camera that can use EC and AUTO ISO in Manual is the cat's pajamas!! You set your shutterspeed and aperture and then 'tell' the camera where you want the exposure on the meter, to the right (or left) of the 0-mark. Then, just focus and shoot. You can continue to make shutter and / or aperture changes without needing to make any additional ISO adjustment as the camera keeps the result pegged to your EC metering. The camera is way faster and more capable than a human at making / responding to multiple exposure triangle settings.

I used to shoot in Aperture priority on a camera that doesn't have the feature above. I'd pick an aperture and usually a static ISO and would EC the shutterspeed to position the meter. I realized that EC was nothing more than the shutterspeed dial in manual, and I made a permanent change to manual exposure.

I shoot a lot in (P)rofessional on my film camera. I use EC there, again to offset the metering, sometimes overriding the camera's aperture select and letting the camera dynamically adjust the shutter to correspond to my aperture, maintaining the metering offset to the right of the 0-mark.

RightOnPhotography Loc: Quebec,QC

And it's not going to have any effect in Auto ISO setting.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

When using EC to overexpose or underexpose the camera will adjust the aperture, shutter speed or ISO to the degree of change you want. Which of those factors that is adjusted will depend on the exposure mode you are using. You can find what will change in your manual. I usually shoot in Manual Exposure so I can decide which to change instead of the camera deciding for me.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

quenepas I use Exposure Compensation frequently on location...
That said I'm a portrait photographer who works both in and out of a studio environment.

In the studio I always shoot at my camera's basement ISO (even Lo 1, 2 of 3)
My exposure in the studio is locked in by an aperture setting (typically f/8 to f/11) depending on the optic and a shutter speed of my camera's sync speed typically 1/250. (albeit HSS can (and does changes this).
So in the studio I adjust my exposure by varying the power to my strobes
Which btw, I always do using an incident light meter (reads the power of light reaching the talent's face)

However on location it's entirely a difference animal. I let the camera do the heavy lifting with Auto-ISO where I set the highest ISO I will tolerate... and let it give it's best guess while setting the metering mode to center-weighted. This often results in close but not quite what I'm looking for so Exposure Compensation allows me to fine-tune Auto-ISO's choices...

Please keep in mind that on location ambient is constantly changing, and sometimes quickly by huge amounts!
I certainly appreciate the speed and accuracy my Nikon's exposure algorithms which can "think" far faster then any human can. Canon, Sony, and others are equally empowered to provide stellar results to those who take the time to experiment and master what they bring to the table.

Those who live in yesterday and say that they only shoot manual all the way are possibly naive to what technology can provide (but only if mastered through trial and error)

quenepas there are no easy answers to your query. Please be patient and study your camera's manuals. They go a long ways to explaining what their camera's are capable of.

Oh for the days when all one did was buy a roll of ASA 25 Kodachrome and shoot in bright sunlight...
Hope this helps and please keep asking questions it is one of the best ways to learn.