Daryls Loc: Waco, TX

Thomas, I would say not naive [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)], but a choice due to habit. A preference maybe, due to wanting to control all the aspects of the photographic process - like doing a lot of post processing after taking the photograph. A means of exerting control that the photographer understands.

Daryl

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Good thoughts.
Ec in manual is just manually over or under exposing nothing more.
Exactly like my 40 year old film camera. Only difference is you can change ASA in mid roll.

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

Thomas does outstanding work. Listen to what he has to say.

kenArchi Loc: Seal Beach, CA

Thomas, your explanation has cleared up for me better than peterson's.
It moved me from 40 0/0 knowledge of exposure to 80 0/0.

I need to read yours over a few times to help me understand it well.
And of course much practise.

jcboy3

I bracket frequently, and use EC in Aperture priority to adjust exposure. The bracketing automatically adjusts shutter speed.

With a mirrorless camera that shows blown highlights (that excludes Nikon), I can adjust exposure so that the darkest exposure has no blown highlights and then shoot the bracket.

In manual exposure mode with Auto ISO, I use EC to lighten or darken the image in the viewfinder. EC doesn't affect exposure in manual mode, so it's just for convenience.

I've never, in over 20 years of shooting digital, used P mode.

Grahame Loc: Fiji

For info, if you want real time blown highlights to be shown in the EVF prior to taking the picture there is a very simple way to achieve it on a Nikon Z series.

It entails loading a 'Picture Control' for which the curve has been modified to put values above 253/254 down to 0. This picture control is placed within the other options such as Std, Vivid, Portrait e.t.c. It's magic, far easier, faster and more accurate than using the histogram.

jcboy3

I made one and installed it, and use it. It works, but it corrupts your JPG files (including the preview file embedded in the RAW file). The blown highlights are black, so not as visible as zebras or color. But it is usable.

Blows my mind that 6 generations into mirrorless (Nikon 1, 4 versions plus Nikon Z, 2 versions) Nikon still hasn't added live view highlight display to their cameras.

Grahame Loc: Fiji

Once I got used to the 'black' indication it was matter of always looking at what you knew would be the brightest area in the image, skies with clouds were the easiest.

Sadly way behind. Maybe they will be the first to bring in the RGB traffic light warning system derived from the raw data in the EVF

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

My cameras do not have EC dials. Since I learned basic photography I have used the Manual Mode often and whatever compensation to the exposure I need I do it manually. I know it takes time but I do that mainly with my landscape photography.
Relying on the EC button the shutter speeds will be affected and to me that is not desirable because the change in exposure could not precisely be what I want. After so many years using film cameras where all controls were manual I got the habit of changing aperture or shutter speed to compensate the exposure according to my needs.

It is my understanding that EC only works with Auto modes although I know there are a few cameras that allow EC in the Manual Mode. Simply use the EC dial if you feel comfortable with it.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

"succinct" Still laughing.

Juy Loc: Delaware

The way Iook at it EC is an exposure meter offset. As another stated, if shooting subject against a bright or dark background which the meter is reading your subject will be out of exposure. By using EC you effectively adjust the meters readings ,positive or negative. In this way since your use to having the meter centered it will be but the exposure will be ÷ or -, depending on the compensation you dialed in. It helps ,but don't forget to keep an eye on where the setting is. Just another tool to use for getting the exposure you want.

tcthome Loc: NJ

It works for me with the D810 in Manual using Auto ISO used for BIF or wildlife with changing light conditions. Mostly I use it for controlling the whites when photographing larger wading birds, Egrets, etc. I find it easier to slide my finger over from the Shutter to the EC button just behind the Shutter. In this case it seems to adjust the ISO keeping my shutter speed & aperture the same as I have chosen.

Bayou

EC adjusts the meter's sense of how bright or dark a scene should be, regardless of mode(s). If your shots are consistently too bright, or too dark, a semi permanent change of EC can adjust your meter to where you'd like it to be. I once had a camera that needed +2/3 permanently dialed in.

The only time I use it while shooting is in a snowy scene, or any scene that averages much brighter than 18% grey, or a backlit scene. A white scene will fool any meter into underexposing, resulting in 18% grey snow. An extra stop or more is needed to compensate for those scenes.

billt1970 Loc: Gambrills, Maryland

Good question, quenepas; not naïve at all.

I'm a real estate photographer with almost 1,200 paid shoots over the past 4 years. I shoot with a Nikon D750 DSLR on a tripod in Aperture priority mode with multiple High Dynamic Range (HDR) exposures of 3 or 5, depending on the client's specifications. I shoot with all lights on and window treatments adjusted to allow the maximum possible exterior light in to the room. I compose with the viewfinder and then check exposure with the histogram turned on in live view. This is where exposure compensation comes in to play.

When shooting HDR I produce 3 or 5 images with underexposed and overexposed images bracketing a "normal" exposure. In live view I look at the histogram and use exposure compensation (EC) to show a balanced histogram. I rarely go negative in EC; it's almost always in the + direction. Then when I shoot the scene, I review the results to ensure that the "normal" exposure histogram is in fact balanced. If it is not, then I make an appropriate + or - adjustment and expose again, until I am satisfied that the histogram for the "normal" image is balanced.

The bottom line in MY real estate photography is that I check the histogram and use EC as appropriate for each and every exposure.

Thanks for asking a good question.

Best Regards,

Bill Taylor
Gambrills, MD

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Funny you should mention that because I've never used that dial. I should.