Hello again Sam,

I have another question about Focus.

Sometimes my lens wouldn’t focus properly. Instead, it would constantly move in and out, not stopping to focus on any particular object. When it happens I switch my camera to manual focus. What is the reason that the camera lens fail to autofocus? Thanks again.

Usually you are focused on something to close (your lens has a minimun focusing distance), or your focusing mechanism has nothing to focus on (blank wall, cloudless/overcast sky,etc.) or you focusing mechanism has conflicting things to focus on (photographing through the bars on a cage at a zoo for example). Your camera manual should give you examples of situations that could throw your auto-focus off.

Hello Sam,
Please confirm if my understanding about exposure is correct. Metering, bracketing and exposure compensation are tools to measure and obtain a correct exposure of a photo.

Yes.

You sugessted it is best to use Spot Metering.

Only because the spot meter pattern is most precise/accurate. When you are learning about metering and exposure, I think it is best to be able to accurately identify what your metering pattern is reacting to.

When we are faced with a scene that challenges our normal metering method, then we should use bracketing. “when the subject is light-toned (a snowy landscape), the camera tends to underexpose. The image may be too dark. Conversely, if the subject is very dark-toned (a black cat) the camera is likely to overexpose. The image will be too bright. These problems occur because the camera’s light metering system is “fooled” by an unusually light-toned or dark-toned subject.”

I’ve always viewed bracketing as a learning/teaching tool and as a limited technique for photographers who are unsure of their exposures.

Your premise is correct however the camera can’t be “fooled”. The camera light metering system is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do; measuring light. You, as the photographer start to get a “correct” exposure by getting your meter to the mid point. Understanding what that mid point means in relation to the snowy landscape or black cat and how you want that snowy landscape or black back reproduced tonally is what getting the “correct exposure” is really about. We will cover this thoroughly during out third meeting.

We use the bracketing indicator on the viewfinder or the LCD Screen in full stop increments with either one of the three different settings: aperture, shutter speed or ISO.

For your homework, yes.

Exposure compensation is usually accessed with a [+/-] button; a + level to make a brighter image OR a – (minus) level to make a darker image.

Yes

Is there a difference between exposure compensation and bracketing?

With exposure compensation I’m not sure of how the the “compensation” is happening (aperture, shutter speed or ISO). With manual bracketing, I’m aware of what I’m doing in terms of bracketing with shutter speed, aperture or ISO. Being aware of these thing make you aware of the visual outcome and helps you visualize your photograph before you create it. We’ll talk about this more in meeting #2.

Thanks, Nurit.

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