EXPOSURE VALUE what number for various subjects: Looking for advice on selecting EV values to use for different subjects, and is there a good middle of the road value for acceptable...

Tedcritch Loc: Lexington, KY

Looking for advice on selecting EV values to use for different subjects, and is there a good middle of the road value for acceptable brightness when in doubt

User ID

Tedcritch wrote:

Looking for advice on selecting EV values to use for different subjects, and is there a good middle of the road value for acceptable brightness when in doubt

No.

Google "ISO rating".

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Your question exhibits confusion. Are there absolute EV numbers to assign? No. That depends on how well lit they are. Should you compensate, using relative differences in EV numbers based on subject's color and reflectivity? Sure. To see the difference color makes I suggest you obtain a book of color paint chips, meter them and note the variances.

BebuLamar

Tedcritch wrote:

Looking for advice on selecting EV values to use for different subjects, and is there a good middle of the road value for acceptable brightness when in doubt

Do you have a meter (or your camera has a built in meter)? If so use the meter to determine the EV values of the subjects. You will notice that some subject the EV values obtained with the meter isn't quite right so take a note of that. After doing it a long time you will know which EV should be used for which subjects without having to use the meter if that is your goal. Otherwise keep using the meter, it doesn't hurt in any way.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Tedcritch wrote:

Looking for advice on selecting EV values to use for different subjects, and is there a good middle of the road value for acceptable brightness when in doubt

Lets start at the beginning.
In photography, exposure value (EV) is a number that represents a combination of a camera's shutter speed and f-number, such that all combinations that yield the same exposure have the same EV (for any fixed scene luminance).

So, lets say you meter a scene at say 1/250 sec. at f 11. So 1/125 sec. at f16 would have the same exposure value, and 1/500 sec. at f8 would have the same exposure value, and 1/1000 sec. at f5.6 and so on and so on.
So, it depends on what you are shooting, If I was shooting wildlife, I would use the 1/1000 sec at f5.6, on the other hand, if I was shooting landscape, I might want to use 1/250 sec. at f 11 especially if I wanted the foreground and background to be in focus.
So, EV is a good thing to practice but I would say there is no middle of the road setting for all scenes. Just like there is no one lens that does everything, you pick the the best EV or lens for the situation at hand.
Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.

BebuLamar

I think I misunderstood the OP. I thought he asked about the exposure value for the scene like subject under full sun is EV14.7 @ ISO100. But now I realize that the OP is asking for the EV of exposure compensation. And in this case the middle of the road is 0 and it works for the majority of the time.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

BebuLamar wrote:

I think I misunderstood the OP. I thought he asked about the exposure value for the scene like subject under full sun is EV14.7 @ ISO100. But now I realize that the OP is asking for the EV of exposure compensation. And in this case the middle of the road is 0 and it works for the majority of the time.

Sorry. The OP is referring to EV, exposure value.
EV are a combination of shutter speed and f stop that give the same exposure.
Example, if the scene reads say 1/250 sec. at f8, an EV would be 1/500 sec. at f5.6 or 1/125 sec. at f 11 and so on and so on

BebuLamar

billnikon wrote:

Sorry. The OP is referring to EV, exposure value.
EV are a combination of shutter speed and f stop that give the same exposure.
Example, if the scene reads say 1/250 sec. at f8, an EV would be 1/500 sec. at f5.6 or 1/125 sec. at f 11 and so on and so on

I thought so too but then thinking about it I believe the OP asked about the EV setting in the Exposure Compensation.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

BebuLamar wrote:

I thought so too but then thinking about it I believe the OP asked about the EV setting in the Exposure Compensation.

I agree and my answer for me, it depends on available light and where it comes from relative to the subject.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

Tedcritch wrote:

Looking for advice on selecting EV values to use for different subjects, and is there a good middle of the road value for acceptable brightness when in doubt

Do you really have any concept of the variability of lighting conditions or subject reflectivity. This truly is an inane and unanswerable question!

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

We now know that OP uses a Kowa medium format film camera. My hunch is that he uses a handheld meter which reads output in EVs (think Pentax digital spotmeter). OP, in their confusion, might be asking, where in the scales should I be setting the various reading numbers?

First, notice the difference between setting and selecting, it makes a huge difference. The classic answer is to use a middle toned subject to set on the center of the indicator dial. Ultimately you will want to learn about the effect color has on these readings, my answer above remains on point. You are embarking on a journey that could span the range from just use the reading to learn the zone system. You will need to invest considerable time, energy and attention to figure this out. This forum will not provide a single, zippy correct answer.

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

Tedcritch wrote:

Looking for advice on selecting EV values to use for different subjects, and is there a good middle of the road value for acceptable brightness when in doubt

--------
Simple answer, "No". The brightness adjustments needed varies with the subject and what the lighting conditions are at that time and at that specific location.

BebuLamar

Using the Kodak daylight exposure table for ISO 400
* Bright or hazy sun on bright sand o snow EV18
* Bright or hazy sun (distinct shadows) EV17, EV16 for backlighted subject
* Cloudy bright (no shadows) EV15
* Heavy overcast EV14
* Open shade EV14
Good middle of the road would be an imitation of the instamatic camera with no exposure control EV16.

If you use ISO100 film subtract 2 from the ISO400 EV.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

F8, 1/250s and be there.

BebuLamar

JD750 wrote:

F8, 1/250s and be there.

EV14