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Easy compensation

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 3:52 pm
by Larry Shuman
I read something the other day on easy compensation. So I turned it on and nothing happens. Both command & subcommand dials continue to function correctly as I have set up the camera. I'm running manual exposure with auto iso. Does any one have some info they can pass along?

Cheers
Larry

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 5:11 pm
by Kim
Larry you will need to detail what camera you are using so that we can respond with some degree of knowledge.

With manual exposure I find I do not often use exposure compensation and when I do on my Nikon gear it is a matter of holding down the exposure comp button on the top of my camera and turning the back wheel to get it even with easy comp turned on. Easy comp works well in Aperture Priority mode by just turning the back wheel.

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 6:01 pm
by Larry Shuman
I'm using D800, D600. I see it is for only using a auto mode (A or S). I have always used exposure comp every time I look above 20 deg. I open up 1.3 to 1.7.
At times I've been 4.0 open. I shoot small warblers and I shoot manual with auto ISO.

Thanks
Larry

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:15 pm
by Kim
I too shoot manual exposure with auto ISO on my Nikon gear for my small birds but I adjust my shutter speed to get the exposure I want to stay under my ISO limit.

Happy shooting.
Kim

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:26 am
by E.J. Peiker
The difference is that with Easy Comp off you need to first hit the +/- button before you can turn a dial to compensate. With Easy Comp on you don't have to hit that button but you run the risk of accidentally changing compensation with an inadvertent turn of the dial.

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 8:14 am
by Larry Shuman
I've turned easy comp on, turned the sub command dials one at a time and all that happens is my shutter speed or aperture changes. Has no effect on comp.So does easy comp work only with manual modes? I shoot manual with auto ISO.

Re:

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 12:47 pm
by Bill Chambers
Larry Shuman wrote:I've turned easy comp on, turned the sub command dials one at a time and all that happens is my shutter speed or aperture changes. Has no effect on comp.So does easy comp work only with manual modes? I shoot manual with auto ISO.
Larry,

I've noticed the same thing on my D810.  It's been a while since I've played with it but I "BELIEVE" the easy comp only works in a certain mode, not in all shooting modes.  If I get a chance I'll check my book this weekend and see if I can find out for you.  I could never get it to work correctly either. 

Bill

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 1:00 pm
by E.J. Peiker
It's working the way it is supposed to.  If you are in manual mode, your dials are consumed by shutter speed and aperture so it has to work that way.  If the camera had a third dial then you wouldn't need to.  The easy exposure comp is for P, A, and S modes, not M.

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 1:29 pm
by John Labrenz
It is my understanding that exp compensation in manual mode on the D810 only biases the meter.  In other words if you dial in a negative 1.0 EC in manual mode, the center meter point will actually be negative 1.0.
Page 316 of the manual shows that use of the command dials in easy comp is NA for manual mode.

Re:

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 2:46 pm
by DChan
E.J. Peiker wrote:The difference is that with Easy Comp off you need to first hit the +/- button before you can turn a dial to compensate.  With Easy Comp on you don't have to hit that button but you run the risk of accidentally changing compensation with an inadvertent turn of the dial.

Does it really have any advantage of using Easy Comp then? I mean, I shoot manual mode all the time when using Nikon. If I want to increase or decrease the exposure (that's what exposure compensation does in case anyone does not know), I turn the dial to change the shutter speed (or the aperture if I choose to). Easy Comp or not, I still have to turn a dial or press a button. I don't really see any advantage here or am I missing something??

Re:

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:21 pm
by Chas
John Labrenz wrote:It is my understanding that exp compensation in manual mode on the D810 only biases the meter.  In other words if you dial in a negative 1.0 EC in manual mode, the center meter point will actually be negative 1.0.
Page 316 of the manual shows that use of the command dials in easy comp is NA for manual mode.
John, Correct. 

Also, something to remember with Nikon...if you have compensation set in any of the Auto Priority Modes it will carry over to Manual Mode biasing the meters null point, as you have described above. The comp will also effect the ambient exposure when using flash.

I know of a few Nikon shooters when photographing off snow with Spot Metering... set the compensation to +2 in Manual Mode, thereafter, they set the meter to the center point (0) instead of having to go to +2. It works perfectly, but you must keep in mind the bias, particulary if you meter a different tonality.

Chas

Re:

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 4:13 pm
by Bill Chambers
E.J. Peiker wrote:It's working the way it is supposed to.  If you are in manual mode, your dials are consumed by shutter speed and aperture so it has to work that way.  If the camera had a third dial then you wouldn't need to.  The easy exposure comp is for P, A, and S modes, not M.
Ahhh, that explains it.  Thanks E.J.