how to meter in manual mod e

Use the exposure scale in the viewfinder as a visual guide

al though the camera doesn’t make any exposure adjustments when you’re working manually, it

doesn’t leave you all on your own. Its exposure meter continues to be active, and you’ll see the indicator in the viewfinder flit up and down the scale as you point the camera at different parts of a scene. If the indicator is in the middle of the scale, then the subject covered by the meter will be rendered as a midtone in the image. To make this area brighter than midtone, and shift the indicator to the right (bright) side of the scale, use a larger aperture, longer shutter speed or higher ISO. To make this area darker, use a smaller aperture, shorter shutter speed or lower ISO. Use spot-metering to take pin-point exposure readings from specific areas.

keep an eye on the light. If conditions get brighter or darker, then you’ll need to change the aperture, shutter speed or ISO in order to avoid the picture being incorrectly exposed.

So where do you start with setting an exposure manually? The first thing to consider is what the most important aspect of your picture is. If you’re shooting a portrait or a landscape, depth of field is likely to be the priority. This is controlled by the aperture, so set this first. If you’re

The drawback is that it’s down to you to keep an eye on the light in order to avoid the picture being incorrectly exposed

shooting sports and action, choosing the right shutter speed is key, so adjust this setting first. You can then set the two other exposure controls – shutter speed or aperture and ISO – to get the right level of exposure for the conditions. ISO is often the key to success, as it can enable you use a specific combination of aperture and shutter speed that would otherwise be impossible for the given lighting conditions. See our infographic summary on the opposite page for more details.