Re: Exposure Compensation
Quote:
Originally Posted by Romphotog
Exposure Compensation increases or decreases light. However, why is it necessary
I agree with John, but to answer this part of it:
In-camera light meters are set to give accurate results in "average" scenes and "average" light conditions. If you're shooting around a lot of show (or what you're shooting has a lot of white in it), you'll end up with an underexposed shot because the camera is trying to turn it into an "average" color so it ends up grey. Same with black - it will overexpose it and turn it grey too. Very light colors will be darker; dark colors will be lighter.
Even the latest/greatest in-camera metering systems aren't flawless, but it will take a fair amount of snow in the frame (for example) to confuse the meter - just a little bit at the bottom of your shot shouldn't do it (again, for example). When you do have mostly snow, then you'll use exposure compensation to put in somewhere between +1 and +2 to keep the snow white (or whatever color the way you see it). Takes practice to know what you're looking at and how to set the camera for it, but this is the basis for Ansel Adams' Zone System. It works! :)