Let's talk exposure

[ssanders79]

If you haven't already done so, read your camera's instruction manual. Not only will it help you learn how to use your specific camera it will also teach you some of the terminology.

 

[jann1033]

If you haven't already done so, read your camera's instruction manual. Not only will it help you learn how to use your specific camera it will also teach you some of the terminology.

and do it with your camera in hand so you can play with each setting as you read about it

 

[Groucho]

Definitely dump Auto mode ASAP and switch to Program mode; it's virtually identical except that your darn flash won't keep popping up when you don't want it to!

 

[littlelaura]

If you haven't already done so, read your camera's instruction manual. Not only will it help you learn how to use your specific camera it will also teach you some of the terminology.

and do it with your camera in hand so you can play with each setting as you read about it

i've been doing that today, thanks. and am slowly beginning to understand more. i think its the terminology more than anything that confuses me slightly.
i've been reading the sticky with marks hints.
one more thing, am i better using night mode or M mode with BULB setting for fireworks? is there a noticable effect in the results they achieve?

 

[VVFF]

i've been doing that today, thanks. and am slowly beginning to understand more. i think its the terminology more than anything that confuses me slightly.
i've been reading the sticky with marks hints.
one more thing, am i better using night mode or M mode with BULB setting for fireworks? is there a noticable effect in the results they achieve?

For fireworks I would use Manual mode and force the aperture wide open or at least to the ideal point for the lens I was using. I would then set the shutter speed for an appropriate length of speed to properly expose the fireworks against the night(shouldn't have to be that long depending on ISO and aperture settings). If I wanted more fireworks to appear in the picture I would step down the aperture and increase the length of the exposure.

 

[My2Girls66]

I was just playing with Capture NX2 and some RAW files and noticed that I can change exposure comp on the RAW photos(but not jpeg). Is that something I should change in camera while taking pictures in lowlight? Say DD's cheer or other DD's ballroom dance(which is even lower light than cheer)? If so, what is a safe amount? +1 seems ok on my laptop monitor but with laptops it look different depending on the angle.

 

[seashoreCM]

The main purpose of changing (minusing) exposure comp in the camera in low light is to make the shutter speed faster and thereby reduce blur from moving subjects or from less than steady camera holding. This is done at the expense of darkening the picture overall.

The usual everyday purposes of exposure comp still apply, for example to tone down a washed out bright subject on a dark background or bring out a dark subject on a light background.

If exposure compensation was needed, it was better to do it in the camera. To turn it from hindsight (afterthought) to foresight (planning) experience with histograms is a great help. If the preponderance of the histogram content is on the dark (left) side that suggests a desire to plus the exposure comp to lighten the picture.

Looking right on your monitor takes getting used to. You just have to work with your monitor and your camera and your printer and remember what monitor appearance translates into what print appearance. There is a whole science called calibration that can help make the printer appearnce more predictable given the monitor appearance. For laptop screens, calibration also includes always looking at the screen at the same angle.

Digital camera hints: http://www.cockam.com/digicam.htm

 

[boBQuincy]

Most of these show a large portion of exposures from 1/15 and faster. This one shows I used a tripod a lot in February 2009, with most of my exposures 1/8 and longer. It also shows I used f/8 a lot to get maximum sharpness.

What is still the same is much use of the extremes of my lenses: 10 and 22; 24 and 105; and 70 and 200. It looks like much of the time I was too lazy to switch to the 10-22 and just made do with 24. Shameful...

Anyway, these plots are still useful for predicting future purchases or what to carry. It looks like most of the time I get little use out of the 70-200 and maybe I could get by with a 200 prime or a small/light 55-250.

 

[YesDear]

You are such a geek! The engineer in you is showing!!! lol

 

[Groucho]

Anyway, these plots are still useful for predicting future purchases or what to carry. It looks like most of the time I get little use out of the 70-200 and maybe I could get by with a 200 prime or a small/light 55-250

I'll still keep banging the drum for the 50-135mm F2.8 and 50-150mm F2.8 lenses. How this focal length is ignored by most continues to amaze me, it's the same as a 70-200 on a film camera (or full-frame DSLR) but about half the size and weight. Then again, it looks like you're not into fast lenses, so maybe even those are overkill for you!

And Eudora? They're still around?

 

[boBQuincy]

You are such a geek! The engineer in you is showing!!! lol

It's sad, isn't it?! But this is a great tool to help convince DW that I *need* a new lens!

 

[Groucho]

Sorry for the longish title, but after years of "show me" threads, you have to get pretty specific.

Inspired by Ann's thread - how about some night shots where you specifically chose to use a large aperture to create a short depth-of-field? I'm thinking less about handheld high-ISO shots where you needed to use it, but ones where you were using a tripod or holding very still, could have used a small aperture, but chose the larger one.

Some examples... 31mm, F2.4, ISO 200, 3 secs:

31mm, F4, ISO 200, 3 secs:

31mm, F2.8, ISO 200, 6 secs (also used wireless flash for this one):

31mm, F2.0, ISO 140, 6 secs:

10mm, F3.5, ISO 200, 1.5 secs:

Got the idea? Got some shots like this? Then let's see 'em!

 

[WDWFigment]

EXIF is on each image's Flickr page (which can be accessed by clicking each image).

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Amazing pictures guys!

 

[kaffinito]

Too cool! Love these shots!

 

[RBennett]

...

I gotta tell ya man, I have always loved this shot of yours but especially the white balance/lighting there. It looks so bright (kind of how I remember walking down there at night.)

 

[NostalgicDad]

Well, I might as well move my examples along with this thread and add a couple of others.


140mm
f/4
1 second
ISO 200



70mm
f/2.8
1.4 seconds
ISO 200


22mm
f/2.8
1/5
ISO 3200 (a high ISO handheld example)


38mm
f/2.8
3 seconds
ISO 100


18mm
f/5.6
1.8 seconds
ISO 200

 

[Groucho]

I gotta tell ya man, I have always loved this shot of yours but especially the white balance/lighting there. It looks so bright (kind of how I remember walking down there at night.)

Thanks! I have almost the same shot taken at Disneyland but higher up, smaller aperture, and with a warmer white balance... I like both shots for different reasons.

Danny - nice stuff especially the castle shots. I take it shot #3 was taken near Storybook Canal Ride (or whatever it's called)? It's hard to get a sense of prospective in it.

 

[NostalgicDad]

Thanks! I have almost the same shot taken at Disneyland but higher up, smaller aperture, and with a warmer white balance... I like both shots for different reasons.

Danny - nice stuff especially the castle shots. I take it shot #3 was taken near Storybook Canal Ride (or whatever it's called)? It's hard to get a sense of prospective in it.

Yep, #3 was taken as I was riding on one of the canal boats. Hard to get any shots on that ride at night. Not so much because of the boat movement but, at least for me, all the interesting stuff typically winds up behind me on the side that I am on seemingly every time I ride it. Not to mention, they usually pack you in like sardines!

 

[pxlbarrel]

Groucho, how late do you stay in the parks after they close? It looks like you're one of the last people out. I try...oh, I try to stay as long as I can but my long suffering Disney companions always want to leave (or I feel guilty about keeping them there).