Help on Manual Mode

[lvstenys]

I am trying to learn how to shoot manual but after i pick the shutter speed and the aperture then press the shuttter half way, my meter reading keep on moving even when its get to the middle and it doesn't stay. I focus on the subject press the button hallway then try to adjust the shutter or aperture so my meter reading will be in the middle but it will stay there then it will move again. i tried spot metering and evaluative metering. its driving me crazy!! I need help.

[mike_d]

The point of manual metering is to set the correct exposure once, then ignore the light meter until the light actually changes. Set your exposure by metering off a grey card, your hand, green grass, subject's face, etc, then shoot away. Your camera's light meter will bounce all over the place every time what's in frame changes even slightly but since the light isn't actually changing, you don't need to keep adjusting anything.

[JeffreyG]

Many people using M mode ignore the meter altogether or they use it only for a starting point to take a shot and then adjust according to the histogram.

If your plan is to twirl the dial to chase the needle around then just put the mode on Av and Tv. That's a lot faster and gives the same result.

[jra]

It helps to understand how your camera meter works when it comes to metering. It only measures reflective light, so as it senses lighter and darker objects it will move up and down respectively even though the lighting doesn't change. By centering the meter, the camera is basically assuming a neutral gray shade. Therefore, if you centered the needle while metering a white object (like snow), it will come out underexposed and a dungy gray. Centering the needle on a black object in the exact same lighting will overexpose the black and turn it gray. This is important to remember as you choose the object you want to meter from....for instance, if metering a bright white object, to gain the proper exposure, you wouldn't want to center the needle....you would want the needle 1 2/3 or 2 stops towards the positive. If metering off of caucasion skin, maybe +2/3's.
Thats it, maybe a bit oversimplified, but hopefully helps you understand why the meter needle will move as you move your camera but the light isn't changing.

[gooble]

Many people using M mode ignore the meter altogether or they use it only for a starting point to take a shot and then adjust according to the histogram.

If your plan is to twirl the dial to chase the needle around then just put the mode on Av and Tv. That's a lot faster and gives the same result.

+1

In M point your camera at something, set exposure either by experience or check the histogram. If the histogram shows one stop off, adjust exposure by one stop, shoot and check histogram again. If it's ok, now shoot away until the light on your scene changes.

Like has been mentioned, if you're trying to lock the needle at one spot you might as well shoot in Av or Tv.

[lvstenys]

The way I understand it, once I pick the shutter speed, exposure and iso can I also adjust the exposure compensation then shoot away. Look at the histogram then adjust accordingly.

[JeffreyG]

The way I understand it, once I pick the shutter speed, exposure and iso can I also adjust the exposure compensation then shoot away. Look at the histogram then adjust accordingly.

There is no exposure compensation as Canon defines it in M mode. E.C. is an offset to the meter in the auto exposure modes (Av, Tv and P) that tells the camera to differ from the base exposure.

Since the camera is not automatically deciding on the exposure in M, there is nothing to offset.

What you see the needle doing while shooting in M mode is telling you how the camera reads the scene. If you take a shot while the needle is exactly cenered, you get the same shot the camera would have given you in Av, Tv or P mode with zero E.C. dialed in.

[lvstenys]

I think I understand now. I don't have to worry about the needle moving around, just shoot away and look at the histogram. I just have to keep practicing and not to be frustrated.

[SkipD]

I work mostly with my 20D set to the "M" exposure mode (manual). Most often, I don't even use the camera's meter. Instead, I choose to use my Sekonic L-358 handheld light meter - usually in "incident" mode (with the white hemisphere over the sensor and measuring the light falling on the subject instead of light reflected from the subject).

Using this method, my workflow is much faster and more exposures are more accurate/uniform throughout a series of images than when using any automated exposure mode such as Av or Tv.

[lvstenys]

Skipd do you use the sekonic metering on landscape using some degree for spot metering?

[SkipD]

Skipd do you use the sekonic metering on landscape using some degree for spot metering?I have the 1° spot meter attachment for my L-358 but, to be honest, I seldom use it.

I depend on incident readings far more than reflected readings. Usually, when outdoors, reading the light falling on where I am is roughly equivalent to reading the light falling on more distant elements of the scenery.

An example, though, of where I have used a 1° spot meter reflected reading is shooting a castle in the distance poking up from a fairly dense forest surrounding the castle. I wanted the detail of the castle walls to be captured, so I used the spot meter to read the light reflected from the walls. This was many years ago when I was stationed in Germany and shooting mostly black & white film and doing all of my own darkroom work. I would still use the same technique if I were to get into the same sort of situation today, though.

[yogestee]

+1

In M point your camera at something, set exposure either by experience or check the histogram. If the histogram shows one stop off, adjust exposure by one stop, shoot and check histogram again. If it's ok, now shoot away until the light on your scene changes.

Like has been mentioned, if you're trying to lock the needle at one spot you might as well shoot in Av or Tv.

A silly way to meter especially if your subject is elusive.. You've finally got the Loch Ness Monster in your sights.. You crack off any exposure then tell Nessy to hold it there while you chimp and view your histogram :rolleyes:

You have to learn how to pre-visualise your subject for both exposure and composition.. Look where the light is falling, look past your subject at the background.. Is the subject backlit?? Is the background darker than the subject?? Learn to adjust for these..

[PhotosGuy]

I think I understand now. I don't have to worry about the needle moving around, just shoot away and look at the histogram. Look at your hand first. If it's in the same light as your subject, you're 99% there:
Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)

[gooble]

A silly way to meter especially if your subject is elusive.. You've finally got the Loch Ness Monster in your sights.. You crack off any exposure then tell Nessy to hold it there while you chimp and view your histogram :rolleyes:

You have to learn how to pre-visualise your subject for both exposure and composition.. Look where the light is falling, look past your subject at the background.. Is the subject backlit?? Is the background darker than the subject?? Learn to adjust for these..

What on earth are you talking about? I was giving someone with little experience some tips on how to shoot in M. How do you know what the heck I meter off of? You make it sound as if you know I meter off irrelevant parts of the scene. I never said any such thing. I meter for the subject.

For instance, I often shoot Gila Woodpeckers flying in and out of their nest. I know that if I spot meter off of a Saguaro cactus and the needle is 2/3rds of a stop on the right of center everything in direct sun is well exposed until the sun gets lower. Every 15 minutes or so I open up a 1/3rd stop or so (this is in the last hour before sunset). I check the histogram every few shots while I'm watiting for the bird to return just to see that everything is ok. So do you wanna rip this technique apart?

[yogestee]

What on earth are you talking about? I was giving someone with little experience some tips on how to shoot in M. How do you know what the heck I meter off of? You make it sound as if you know I meter off irrelevant parts of the scene. I never said any such thing. I meter for the subject.

For instance, I often shoot Gila Woodpeckers flying in and out of their nest. I know that if I spot meter off of a Saguaro cactus and the needle is 2/3rds of a stop on the right of center everything in direct sun is well exposed until the sun gets lower. Every 15 minutes or so I open up a 1/3rd stop or so (this is in the last hour before sunset). I check the histogram every few shots while I'm watiting for the bird to return just to see that everything is ok. So do you wanna rip this technique apart?

OK,, granted,,but try this.. Set up your camera's menu, then tape a piece of black cardboard over your LCD screen and shoot without chimping.. Rely on your meter, experience and see how many keepers you have.. Also try this with a subject you don't shoot very often,,something that's new to you..

What I'm trying to tell the OP is learn how to judge the exposure by using the camera's meter and a bit of pre-visualising, but don't rely on chimping..

When I got my first job in photography my boss and mentor would take the battery out of my camera.. In those days of mechanical cameras batteries only operated the camera's meter.. Loaded with a roll of Tri-X and no meter I had to shoot the roll and he would only accept 75% keepers..I learned very quickly how to judge exposure by using the organ between my ears.. I also discovered Tri-X had a good exposure latitude..

[gooble]

OK,, granted,,but try this.. Set up your camera's menu, then tape a piece of black cardboard over your LCD screen and shoot without chimping.. Rely on your meter, experience and see how many keepers you have.. Also try this with a subject you don't shoot very often,,something that's new to you..

What I'm trying to tell the OP is learn how to judge the exposure by using the camera's meter and a bit of pre-visualising, but don't rely on chimping..

When I got my first job in photography my boss and mentor would take the battery out of my camera.. In those days of mechanical cameras batteries only operated the camera's meter.. Loaded with a roll of Tri-X and no meter I had to shoot the roll and he would only accept 75% keepers..I learned very quickly how to judge exposure by using the organ between my ears.. I also discovered Tri-X had a good exposure latitude..

So why do you even use a meter now since you know how to get by without one? The meter is a tool I use and so is the histogram. Are you saying you don't ever use the histogram?

[SkipD]

So why do you even use a meter now since you know how to get by without one? The meter is a tool I use and so is the histogram. Are you saying you don't ever use the histogram?I almost never use the histogram while shooting. I don't find it necessary. Like Jurgen is suggesting, my handheld meter and experience tells me all I need to know when setting up the exposure.

[yogestee]

So why do you even use a meter now since you know how to get by without one? The meter is a tool I use and so is the histogram. Are you saying you don't ever use the histogram?

Very, very rarely..

I use my camera's meter because I can.. With experience I know what to expose for and where my meter should lie.. I know if my subject is backlit to up my exposure..

For example a highkey subject the meter should read towards the + side and a lowkey towards the - side..