Do you use exposure bracketing?

[Splutter]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone really uses the exposure bracketing feature. Would it actually impair the exposure judgement skill of a photographer?

[Flare]

Well, I guess I'm too reliant on the digital format, electronic view finders and instant preview. Thus i lack the skill in exposure judgement, thus, I do bracket when I can, but usually it's more like shoot, see, reshoot and reshoot.

[Sion]

Originally Posted by Splutter Hi, I was wondering if anyone really uses the exposure bracketing feature.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Both with film camera before and dslr now.

Originally Posted by Splutter Would it actually impair the exposure judgement skill of a photographer?

Why would you want to acquire "exposure judgement skill" when you could have something like 12-zone exposure evaluation these days? You're not using a prewar camera with no built-in light meter are you
:-)

I rather concentrate on looking for the right subject, getting the right light on it, composing it creatively and conceptualizing it in a meaningul way.

[linse]

You need to add another option

"I shoot RAW so I don't need to do exposure bracketing."

[clive]

only when the shot is deemed 2b rather important

[TME]

U should include another option - "No bec I dun use slides"

Coz if using negative film, the bracketing effects are not obvious due to the wide latitude of negative film. I tried before doing a +/-1-stop 3-shot bracket and didn't see any difference when the shot was finally developed. I suppose the photo studio might have compensated for it but if it were anything as obvious as in slides (where no compnesation at the studio will be done), I would have seen it..... and I never used slides before anyway.....

[djork]

Originally Posted by linse You need to add another option "I shoot RAW so I don't need to do exposure bracketing."

really? wow i didn't know that

[Kit]

I seldom do bracketing but I do shoot contrasting scenes using various exposures to do "multiple exposure" in post editing.

[TME]

Originally Posted by Kit I seldom do bracketing but I do shoot contrasting scenes using various exposures to do "multiple exposure" in post editing.

Won't that be easier to bracket?

[Kit]

They're essentially the same but for bracketing, you usually do 1 under and 1 over and the exposure differences is fixed. Sometimes I need 1 stop over, 2 stops under, etc or at times I don't even need both, just either under or over will do depending on the situation. More freedom not to use auto bracketing.

[linse]

Originally Posted by djork really? wow i didn't know that

You have about 2 stops of latitude either way with Nikon's NEF raw format. That's provided you don't blow out the highlights.

[TME]

Originally Posted by Kit They're essentially the same but for bracketing, you usually do 1 under and 1 over and the exposure differences is fixed. Sometimes I need 1 stop over, 2 stops under, etc or at times I don't even need both, just either under or over will do depending on the situation. More freedom not to use auto bracketing.

Hmm..... I dun think any camera has these features.... kekeke....... might be a good idea to pitch to the camera companies...

[mpenza]

I "burst" more often than doing exposure bracketing when the lighting conditions are not good. this helps increase the chances of getting sharp pics when I don't have a tripod with me.

[TME]

Originally Posted by mpenza I "burst" more often than doing exposure bracketing when the lighting conditions are not good. this helps increase the chances of getting sharp pics when I don't have a tripod with me.

Hmm... if I got DSLR will also burst mode lor.......... but on film very expensive to do so... thanks anyway!

[MooEy]

usually i bracket only when the camera is on the tripod and i cannot be sure of the exposure. still figuring out how to use the camera auto-bracket, now just change shutter time manually.

anyway hor, negative sometimes oso need bracketing. when u shooting from behind a piece of glass(eg window) at night and u wan capture the reflection from the glass as well as the light from outside, need bracket alot, then slowly choose the one u like.

~MooEy~

[TME]

Originally Posted by MooEy usually i bracket only when the camera is on the tripod and i cannot be sure of the exposure. still figuring out how to use the camera auto-bracket, now just change shutter time manually. anyway hor, negative sometimes oso need bracketing. when u shooting from behind a piece of glass(eg window) at night and u wan capture the reflection from the glass as well as the light from outside, need bracket alot, then slowly choose the one u like. ~MooEy~

Your cam should have an exposure mode that is dedicated for bracketing... look in the manual. The lower end cams have a fixed step for the bracketing e.g. +/-0.5EV, whereas the higher end ones u can set the bracketign value - +/-0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0EV etc...

[coke21]

Think exposure bracketing is good when you first start off with the camera. It will allow you to figure out how the camera exposes etc and for you to learn how much to compensate intially.

After that, guess when you figure out how the camera responses, you can focus your attention on just taking the shot you want.

Bracketing will be expensive for film, for DSLRs, guess all you need is a bigger or more CF cards....

[ST1100]

i rarely bracket, but am beginning to think it might be a good idea.

1) Backlit subjects. Moving, event-type candids. There isn't time to spot-meter, and and the degree of backlighting is constantly changing (bcoz everyone is moving around). i get around this by 'guessing' how much to over-expose. Or take a risk by taking one grey exposure and set the camera to manual.

2) Focus and recompose. Not sure about your cameras, but for mine, i'm quite sure the exposure is locked together when focus is acquired. If recomposition changes the degree of backlighting substantially, the exposure is usually out, by a lot.

Shooting RAW doesn't help much. You gain maybe 1/2 stop of detail in the highlights, but it's usually the shadows that are giving problems when backlit.

[smallaperture]

These days, the metering of the camera is so good that we hardly need bracketing, except for extreme contrasty situations, where some exp comp would do nicely. Often, centre-weighted or sport metering would do the trick.

In today's context, for film, you will have to change film in no time and somewhat costly. Those who do bracketing should go digital rightaway. Same thing goes for those who fires off continuously, also known as machine-gun style shooting.

[di0nysus]

IMO, tripod is a must.

else it'll be very difficult to merge the pictures later.