A Little Help with AEB Please

[Jared867]

Hello all,

new to the world of DSLR.

Been reading everything I can get my hands on...

I have an EOS 50D. I have been reading the manual and the Magic Lantern guide for it. Also read The Digital Photography Book Vol 1 by Scott Kelby. Am now reading The Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography by Ferrell McCullough. (something I desperately want to learn because I have had a love affair with Photoshop since version 2)

I started to play around with AEB tonight and I noticed one thing. My images looked pretty similiar and I think the reason why is because my aperature is changing. could this be?

I was trying to read and see how to keep the same aperature for all 3 bracketed shots but I dont see the solution.. though my eyes are blurring because its getting late here ;)

I was think Exposure Lock but that would defeat my AEB right?

Do I have to shoot in Av? The exposure time has been ending up so long. I am shooting in my room with no special lighting and I set ISO on 500 I'm guessing I will need to increase the light source so the shutter speed will increase?

I could really use any help please. Truthfully, I am starting to confuse myself. However my desire to become a better than average photographer and make my 50D do what I know it can is highly motivated. :)

Thank you all, Jared

[krb]

I've never tried AEB in any modes except M, and in M it leaves the aperture the same and just changes the shutter. I guess if you are in Tv mode it would keep the shutter speed you chose and change the aperture?

[Jared867]

dont i want the aperature to remain constant so that it doesnt change the exposure of the images so I have a normal one, a dark one and a light one?

I figured M would be the best mode to use but I couldnt figure out how to set the aperature in M.

[krb]

On the 50D when you put it in M the small wheel by the shutter button controls shutter speed and the large wheel on teh back controls aperture. make sure you have the power button in teh correct position. There are two "on" positions to the power switch, one that enables the large wheel and one that disables it.

As for AEB, the idea is that you are taking one that is normal/medium, and then one that is more exposed and one that is less. If you are planning to do an HDR shot then you will want the aperture to stay the same so that the depth of field matches in all three shots. Before HDR became popular people used exposure bracketing for times when they weren't 100% sure of teh correct exposure and wanted to make sure they'd get at least one keeper.

[Jared867]

oh ok great. thank you Ken. I will play around with M mode then. Think I will set my tripod up this evening and see what I can set up to shoot for some practice :)

[Wilt]

Not sure what your issue is. I have a 40D, I have NEVER used AEB before now...

I went to the menu and set AEB to + 1EV, put the camera into Av mode. I focused on an object and the exposure scale showed marks at -1EV, 0EV, and +1EV. I took shot one at 0EV, the camera moved to -1EV and I took the second shot, the camera moved to +1EV and I took the third shot. Shutter speed changed while in Av mode. Aperture was constant.

I then put the camera into Tv mode. I focused on an object and the exposure scale showed marks at -1EV, 0EV, and +1EV. I took shot one at 0EV, the camera moved to -1EV and I took the second shot, the camera moved to +1EV and I took the third shot. Aperture changed while in Tv mode. Shutter speed was constant.

I put the camera into M mode. I focused on an object and the exposure scale showed marks at -1EV, 0EV, and +1EV. I took shot one at 0EV, the camera moved to -1EV and I took the second shot, the camera moved to +1EV and I took the third shot. Shutter speed changed while in Av mode. Aperture was constant.

I put the camera into P mode. I focused on an object and the exposure scale showed marks at -1EV, 0EV, and +1EV. I took shot one at 0EV, the camera moved to -1EV and I took the second shot, the camera moved to +1EV and I took the third shot. Shutter speed changed while in P mode. Aperture was constant.

Use of exposure lock did not alter behavior.

[Jared867]

thank you Wilt :D

[Jared867]

ok,

just came in from outside with my cam.

Was playing around tryin to learn more about shooting in M and using AEB.

Im very confused about a couple things.

the top dial adjusts shutter speed. right?

the large dial on the back adjusts aperature

how do I adjust exposure compenation? In Av Tv and P the large dial on the back adjusts exposure...


also, another thing I am confused about is in Av, Tv and P when playing with AEB I ams able to go to the menu and adjust where along the exposure line between -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 the 3 bracketed exposures would be set. this is done by turning the large dial on the back of my cam... but in M mode... I dont have that open.. I can only adjust how many stops (is that the right term? ) are between the each of the three shots.
Why is this?

Thank you in advance for the help.

[krb]

ok,

just came in from outside with my cam.

Was playing around tryin to learn more about shooting in M and using AEB.

Im very confused about a couple things.

the top dial adjusts shutter speed. right?

the large dial on the back adjusts aperature

how do I adjust exposure compenation? In Av Tv and P the large dial on the back adjusts exposure...

Take a moment to think about it:

- In P mode you are letting the camera select whatever it thinks is the correct exposure.

- In Av and Tv you are still letting the camera choose the correct exposure but you are telling it that you want a specific aperture or shutter to be used.

- If the camera is selecting the wrong exposure then you can use exposure compensation to correct the error. For example, if the camera is over-exposing by a stop then you can use exposure comp. to tell the camera to under expose the scene, giving you the look you want.

- If you are in M mode then you're not letting the camera decide anything. You are deciding exactly what shutter speed and aperture to use. Since the camera isn't making any decisions, how can you tell it to compensate? The decisions about exposure settings are coming from your brain so any exposure compensation has to be right there in your brain too.

[PhotosGuy]

I went to the menu and set AEB to + 1EV, put the camera into Av mode. I focused on an object and the exposure scale showed marks at -1EV, 0EV, and +1EV. I took shot one at 0EV, the camera moved to -1EV and I took the second shot, the camera moved to +1EV and I took the third shot. Shutter speed changed while in Av mode. Aperture was constant.

I then put the camera into Tv mode. I focused on an object and the exposure scale showed marks at -1EV, 0EV, and +1EV. I took shot one at 0EV, the camera moved to -1EV and I took the second shot, the camera moved to +1EV and I took the third shot. Aperture changed while in Tv mode. Shutter speed was constant.

I put the camera into M mode. I focused on an object and the exposure scale showed marks at -1EV, 0EV, and +1EV. I took shot one at 0EV, the camera moved to -1EV and I took the second shot, the camera moved to +1EV and I took the third shot. Shutter speed changed while in Av mode. Aperture was constant.

I put the camera into P mode. I focused on an object and the exposure scale showed marks at -1EV, 0EV, and +1EV. I took shot one at 0EV, the camera moved to -1EV and I took the second shot, the camera moved to +1EV and I took the third shot. Shutter speed changed while in P mode. Aperture was constant.

Use of exposure lock did not alter behavior. It's nice to see that some people still know how to test to see what's really happening. ;)

[Wilt]

It's nice to see that some people still know how to test to see what's really happening. ;)


When you don't know what you're doing (like I don't, about AEB), you have to rely upon observations to answer questions. :D But then, even more detestibly ;), I will even read the owner's manual to read that AEB indeed works with EC! And when really pressed, I will then (after reading the book) again redeem myself by experimenting to observe that if you press the shutter button and immediately dial in +1/3EV in EC, the 1EV intervals become -2/3 EV, 1/3 EV and 1-1/3 EV, and the camera behaves just like it did when EC=0 ! :D

[krb]

When you don't know what you're doing (like I don't, about AEB), you have to rely upon observations to answer questions. :D But then, even more detestibly ;), I will even read the owner's manual to read that AEB indeed works with EC! And when really pressed, I will then (after reading the book) again redeem myself by experimenting to observe that if you press the shutter button and immediately dial in +1/3EV in EC, the 1EV intervals become -2/3 EV, 1/3 EV and 1-1/3 EV, and the camera behaves just like it did when EC=0 ! :D
Did you read the part about how if you put the shutter in burst mode and have AEB turned on, it will take the 3 shots then stop? And if you put the shutter in self timer mode then it will take all three shots when the timer runs out?

[Wilt]

Did you read the part about how if you put the shutter in burst mode and have AEB turned on, it will take the 3 shots then stop? And if you put the shutter in self timer mode then it will take all three shots when the timer runs out?


Yes, but the OP didn't ask about those uses.:)