Automatic Exposure bracketing is the process of automatically bracketing the exposure values by using a setting on the camera and taking several bracketed shots (in contrast to the photographer altering the settings by hand between each shot).
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| Automatic Exposure Bracketing |
How Automatic Exposure Bracketing / A.E.B Works?
When a frame is exposed, the camera’s built in light meter will automatically select an aperture / shutter speed combination as per the settings that it thinks will properly expose the picture.
Automatic Exposure Bracketing / aeb works by taking 3 or more pictures (3 is the most common setting found in most modern digital cameras some advanced cameras have the functionality to take up to 7 shots in aeb mode which is particularly useful if one intents to shoot HDR images). The AEB values of the camera can be set to increase / decrease by either half stop, one stop or by two stops. The camera will shoot the first picture with its correct metering values; will take the next picture underexposed and the next one overexposed depending on the number of f stops selected.
Why Use Automatic Exposure Bracketing / AEB?
Photographers generally go for AEB when faced with tricky lighting situations, or when faced with subjects not evenly lit i.e. when there is a huge gap between the lighter and darker areas in a shot, or when he is faced with a time constraint for example in case of setting sun.
How to Use AEB / Automatic Exposure Bracketing?
First step to successfully use the aeb feature in your camera is to get to know your equipment well by thoroughly going through the manual. This will tell you what buttons or menu functions you will need to use in order to activate the feature.
Next review the scenario and decide by how much exposure you want to space the bracketed shots by. If you decide that you only want a slight variation choose the half stop gap, for moderately bracketed shots choose 1stop gap and if you decide on getting a big variation choose the 2 stop gap.
Now you are all set up and the only thing you need to do is compose your shot well and press the trigger. Note if your camera is set to one shot mode you will have to press your shutter release button three times, if the camera is set to burst / continuous shooting mode you could keep the shutter release pressed long enough and the camera will fire three bracketed shots, and if the camera is on timer you only need press once and all the three images will be taken taken in this sequence: standard, decreased, and increased exposures. One thing to keep in mind while experimenting with AEB is that neither flash nor bulb exposures will work in AEB mode.
When using AEB in Program mode the camera brackets the two elements on which it has control on namely the aperture and shutter speed. Given below is a set of shots fired using the AEB in Program mode. Usually when you have you AEB mode set and you press the shutter release button half way, the AEB values will be displayed on your LCD monitor.
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| Shot in Program mode first shot normal exposure Aperture 4.5 , Shutter Speed 250 |
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| Shot in Program mode second shot Under exposed Aperture 5.00 , Shutter Speed 400 |
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| Shot in Program mode third shot Over exposed image Aperture 3.5 , Shutter Speed 200 |
For more control over your shots you could use the AEB while setting the camera in either the ether in Aperture Priority Mode or Shutter Priority Mode. AEB when used in Aperture Priority mode will allow you to choose the aperture you decide for the shot and let the camera make variations in shots by varying shutter speed.
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| Shot in Aperture Priority mode first shot normal exposure Aperture 5.6 , Shutter Speed 100 |
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| Shot in Aperture Priority mode second shot Under exposed Aperture 5.6 , Shutter Speed 400 |
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| Shot in Aperture Priority mode third shot Over exposed Aperture 5.6 , Shutter Speed 50 |
Alternatively AEB when used in shutter priority mode will keep the shutter speed constant at the speed you select and let the camera to vary the exposure by changing the aperture in your shots.
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| Shot in shutter priority mode first shot normal exposure Aperture 5.0 , Shutter Speed 200 |
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| Shot in shutter priority mode second shot Under exposed Aperture 7.00 , Shutter Speed 200 |
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| Shot in shutter priority mode third shot Over exposed Aperture 3.5 , Shutter Speed 200 |
In the examples given above we could see that because the shots were taken in bright sunlight the second ones in the series that is the underexposed shots came out better than the one's the camera's meter judged as the correct exposure.
In the next article we will discuss about Photography - Tips For Beginners - Long Term Care For Your Camera
In the next article we will discuss about Photography - Tips For Beginners - Long Term Care For Your Camera
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