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What is Exposure Compensation

What is Exposure Compensation? How do I use it?

Q.

I am having a terrible time finding out just what Exposure Compensation does electronically and/or mechanically when I use it.

A.

Exposure compensation is simply having the ability to override your camera's meter reading by +/- 1, 2 or 3 stops.

Say for example your camera (on auto, aperture priority etc) says you should shoot at 250th/sec at F8 but you think it best to add more light, you can "up" the exposure compensation by +1 stop which means more light is added.

Your camera will normally adjust the shutter speed by one stop giving you a new reading of 125th at F8. 2 stops compensation would give you 60th at F8 and 3 stops would give you 30th at F8.

Going the other way, underexposing by one stop would give you 500th at F8, 2 stops gives you 1000th at F8 and three stops gives you 2000th at F8.

It is almost like using manual but with the advantage of keeping the camera in auto mode. Remember to change it back after the shot though otherwise all of your next shots will be overexposed by one stop also.

What is Exposure Compensation