Bracketing Exposure - What range?

[TheBigE]

This seemed like it should be a simple question but I really cannot seem to find an simple answer...thereby I think it maybe one of those Gelatinous Answers

If you are bracketing exposure what range do you bracket +/-1 EV? +/-1/3 EV?

I suppose part of the answer would be why are you bracketing

1. To have a better choice of exposures after the fact?

2 Process as HDR?

I am sure there are other reasons - I have been playing around with this a bit and have found that a 3 shote AEB is to wide a range at +/- 1 EV. I think it should be smaller based on my results, but I am still experimenting.

[Shadowman]

This seemed like it should be a simple question but I really cannot seem to find an simple answer...thereby I think it maybe one of those Gelatinous Answers

If you are bracketing exposure what range do you bracket +/-1 EV? +/-1/3 EV?

I suppose part of the answer would be why are you bracketing

1. To have a better choice of exposures after the fact?

2 Process as HDR?

I am sure there are other reasons - I have been playing around with this a bit and have found that a 3 shote AEB is to wide a range at +/- 1 EV. I think it should be smaller based on my results, but I am still experimenting.

It would depend on how much compensation would be needed to recover details and the lighting conditions you are shooting in, most cameras can cover a decent range but if you feel some detail is lost in shadows or highlights; how much EV do you need to recover. I think if it's less than 1/3 then you can do it in camera and wouldn't need multiple shots for one decent exposure.

[Manfred M]

Erik - there is no simple answer because bracketing is done for all kinds of reasons, and this is of course the reason that the camera manufacturer gives us the wide bracketing ranges for us to choose from. I think you have identified the main reasons quite well in your question.

Your choice is going to be dependent on the model and its end use. Two of my cameras have a dynamic range of just over 12 eV and my other body is over 14 eV. I would tend to use a wider bracket with the 14 eV camera because I would need less overlap to capture the full dynamic range of an image,as the data is already in the raw file.

You might want some images just at the very shadow details or just at the highlights blended with a mid-range image. You can also push the top and bottom ends of a single image and create three individual range images to feed into your HDR software.

I have been shooting some time-blended images recently and because I am looking for very specific features out of an individual image, I will shoot a one stop over, normal exposure and one stop under bracket, "just in case". I will come back from a shoot with 50 to over 100 shots of the the same place (taken with a tripod) and will select at least 3 images to blend from that set. When you spend over 2 hours shooting the same subject, bracketing is cheap insurance to ensure you don't miss a critical lighting situation.

I posted this image here a few weeks ago and this is one where I did exactly what I described. The final image is a blend of three images where I selected natural light on the town, lighting of the sky and artificial light. I only had that one evening of shooting, so bracketing was my insurance.





I generally look at a bracketed shot as insurance when I face strange lighting conditions. Experience, knowledge of your equipment, risks involved and the final intent of your images will drive the bracketing approach. No, there is no simple straight forward answer.

[mikesan]

Manfred has given us some very useful advice. However he leaves me with this question: If one shot at 'normal' exposure plus one each at +1ev and -1ev will cover the range needed, how/where do you meter for the 'normal' exposure?

[Mike Buckley]

how/where do you meter for the 'normal' exposure?

For me, it really doesn't matter how or where you meter so long as you meter correctly. I check the histogram and adjust, if needed, to obtain the normal exposure. Once I've nailed that, I then make the other bracketed exposures.

If the light is changing rapidly, you don't have time to check and readjust. In that situation, I would do my best to get the normal exposure and then bracket the other exposures.

[William W]

"Bracketing Exposure - What range?"

Good question. My answer is: it depends, (as you've mentioned) on the outcomes and the reasons for bracketing. And as Manfred notes - the camera and the lighting conditions

If we're doing a survey:
> I mainly use Canon 5D Series Cameras (read ‘reasonable Dynamic Range’).
> I have a good concept and understanding of HOW the metering modes work and what each is telling me.
> I generally employ an Exposure Bracket for a choice of exposure later on for PP - and that's typically ±⅔ Stop
> I usually do an EB when I am in an hurry (typically on holiday) and more concerned about framing/composition; detailed capture; detailed and comprehensive record making - than ‘accurate’ exposure.
> I don’t do much HRDI.
> I always use an exposure bracket for any IR work (using an X00s Fujifilm) – typically that's ±3Stops in 1 stop increments.

***

A question to also consider:

What TYPE of Exposure Bracket to employ:

i.e Bracket Exposure on: Shutter Speed; Aperture; ISO; or a combination?

That choice can make a difference.

WW

[Manfred M]

Manfred has given us some very useful advice. However he leaves me with this question: If one shot at 'normal' exposure plus one each at +1ev and -1ev will cover the range needed, how/where do you meter for the 'normal' exposure?

I generally use matrix metering as I find it works well for most subjects. If the light is strange (back lighting, harsh side lighting, snow) and / or I use spot metering, I'll automatically bracket at least +/- 1 stop, regardless of what the histogram says. Even though my camera has a third metering mode "center weighted metering), I don't think I've ever used it.

[NorthernFocus]

Erik, I think part of your question dictates the answer. What is one bracketing for?

Frankly with modern, high dynamic range sensors and ever improving PP software, bracketing and multiple exposure HDR processing are going the way of the dodo. I do still shoot bracketed sequences in HDR situations. But inevitably during PP I select ONE of the set with the best starting point depending on whether my desire is to lift shadows or protect highlights and use pseudo HDR presets/filters in PP. Due to that being my goal, I typically shoot three frames at -1, 0, +1EV around whatever base exposure I've determined to serve my purpose (i.e.protect highlights, expose detail in shadows, etc.).

For the same reason as above, I no longer bracket at all simply to optimize exposure. I'm too lazy and it simply wastes card space. When shooting in RAW format, close enough is good enough and it can be fixed in PP. But I have no intent nor desire for images that are publication ready SOOC. That's just me. I used to hate sitting at the computer doing PP. As I age (and get better at it) I don't mind it so much

[xpatUSA]

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If you are bracketing exposure what range do you bracket +/-1 EV? +/-1/3 EV?

I suppose part of the answer would be why are you bracketing

1. To have a better choice of exposures after the fact?

2 Process as HDR?

I am sure there are other reasons - I have been playing around with this a bit and have found that a 3-shot AEB is too wide a range at +/- 1 EV. I think it should be smaller based on my results, but I am still experimenting.

"other reasons" . . .

The only time I use auto-bracketing is for a fusion program I use. For that, I currently have it set to 5 shots separated by 2/3 EV.

Otherwise one or two, sometimes three, shots in manual mode and manual focus does it for me.

[russellsnr]

Hi, If you are a Canon shooter then I would give up on the hastle of +1 0 -1 or 2 or 3
Load up MagicLantern onto the card and use the Dual ISO option or the auto bracket option. Also allows for Canon to shoot 5,6,7,8,9 bracket shots and not just the three from the Canon menu. Yes you could take 7 shots 1 stop apart but you don't have to use them all and film is cheap nowadays
I use the Dual ISO at 100/800 that gives me plenty of range (on a 600D that gives about 2 stops extra DR)
Russ

[William W]

Hi, If you are a Canon shooter then I would give up on the hastle of +1 0 -1 or 2 or 3
Load up MagicLantern onto the card and use the Dual ISO option or the auto bracket option. . . etc

Note that Magic Lantern Software is NOT applicable predicated on being a "Canon Shooter".

I understand that Magic Lantern Software can only be adapted to SOME SELECTED Canon DSLR Cameras and EOS-M Camera.

WW

[rpcrowe]

The Canon system of AEB, in which you select AEB and the amount of AEB and then select burst exposure is really simple. Three bracketed shots with each press of the shutter button. That makes it totally easy to bracket exposures in any situation in which you are you sure of your exposure. I usually select one stop bracketing when I feel the desire to bracket.

[russellsnr]

Supported Cameras:
5D2, 5D3, 6D, 7D, 50D, 60D, 500D/T1i, 550D/T2i, 600D/T3i, 650D/T4i, 700D/T5i, 1100D/T3, EOS M
In progress:
70D, 100D/SL1

Note that Magic Lantern Software is NOT applicable predicated on being a "Canon Shooter".

I understand that Magic Lantern Software can only be adapted to SOME SELECTED Canon DSLR Cameras and EOS-M Camera.

WW

[dennybeall]

I use spot metering and take a reading at the darkest area and a reading at the brightest area then shift to average metering and establish my center shot. The data from the three readings tells me how many up and down may be needed. Usually it's 2 up and 2 down, each two stops. Your eyes can not tell you but if there is not time for multiple readings I'll simply go 1 up and 1 down with 2 stops each and hope for the best.