Exposure indicator

[rtk]

I'm a beginner when ever I take pic in M mode throgh view finder I will always adjust and make the exposure indicator to 0. is it the right approch to get the correct exposure.

[Colin Southern]

I'm a beginner when ever I take pic in M mode throgh view finder I will always adjust and make the exposure indicator to 0. is it the right approch to get the correct exposure.

The easy answer is "kinda". Probably more accurate to say that "if you do that then the exposure you'll get will be the same one the camera would have given you if you were to have used one of the automatic metering modes without any exposure compensation".

If you're doing that though, you may just as well use one of the automatic metering modes like Av.

Manual is most useful for situations like where you're shooting in a studio with studio strobes -- the strobes only fired when triggered so the camera metering doesn't know that they're there (so if you used an automatic metering mode for that you'd probably get a ridiculously slow shutterspeed).

For what it's worth, I shoot manual mode in the studio all the time (typically 1/125th @ F11 @ ISO 100), whereas outside, I stick mostly to Av mode unless it's a loooooong exposure, in which case I'll be in bulb mode.

Hope this helps.

PS: With regards to "correct" exposures" ... what's "technically" correct may not be visually what the photographer is after - eg this shot was taken at F32 @ 1/8000th - no way the camera metering would have given me that exposure.

[Shadowman]

Also, if you ever change your exposure compensation during a previous shoot, most times it's best to reset to zero for another day.

[Harpo]

Some people say they find their particular cameras metering to be a little off, so they typically shoot underexposed maybe 1/3rd of a stop lower… and they find that gives them the exposure they like. Ive heard that from quite a few that have the 5D3, but on my 5D3, Im finding the exposure perfectly fine at 0 without having to adjust. Not sure if some cameras came out of the manufacturer or dealer adjusted a little differently?

Wonder if other cameras have the same issue?

[Shadowman]

Some people say they find their particular cameras metering to be a little off, so they typically shoot underexposed maybe 1/3rd of a stop lower… and they find that gives them the exposure they like. Ive heard that from quite a few that have the 5D3, but on my 5D3, Im finding the exposure perfectly fine at 0 without having to adjust. Not sure if some cameras came out of the manufacturer or dealer adjusted a little differently?

Wonder if other cameras have the same issue?

Just shoot in AUTO mode then check the viewfinder and histogram. Highlights are typically blinking, minor amount mind you, while the histogram is usually spot on.

[Colin Southern]

Some people say they find their particular cameras metering to be a little off, so they typically shoot underexposed maybe 1/3rd of a stop lower… and they find that gives them the exposure they like. Ive heard that from quite a few that have the 5D3, but on my 5D3, Im finding the exposure perfectly fine at 0 without having to adjust. Not sure if some cameras came out of the manufacturer or dealer adjusted a little differently?

Wonder if other cameras have the same issue?

Correct and "what looks best" are often different. If I'm shooting outside with flash as augmentation I'll usually start with an EV at -1 to saturate the sky a lot more. Technically it's not "correct", but it sure makes things look better!

[xpatUSA]

I'm a beginner when ever I take pic in M mode throgh view finder I will always adjust and make the exposure indicator to 0. is it the right approch to get the correct exposure.

I'm going to stick my neck out and say that is not the correct approach. In manual mode you, as a beginning photographer, have to be aware of the scene content and adjust accordingly. Check out tutorials on correct exposure here and on other sites.

For example, shooting birds or aircraft against the sky will reward you with black blobs unless you "over-expose" perhaps by several stops. The opposite being true of a bride's white dress against a dull background where you would under-expose.

What metering type do use in manual? Auto, center-weighted, spot?

In manual, your approach might work OK if you set your metering to "spot" and meter the subject and then move the camera to compose your shot without letting go of the button before pushing it all the way down.