Do you use (on-camera) Exposure Compensation?

[Kirks518]

In all my years, I don't think I've ever used the 'Exposure Compensation' feature on any camera. I think it goes back to when I first started shoot at 12 years old, using dad's B+H FD35 (Canon TX). I always lined up the lollipop with the line, and took the shot. At some point I started to understand that if the subject is backlit, or it's likely to over-expose, I needed to adjust the lollipop either above or below the line by some amount in hopes of getting a proper (or close) exposure.

Ever since, no matter what camera, I shoot manual, and make my adjustments directly to the SS or aperture. I have never used the EC control, possibly because I thought I would forget to reset it.

So, do you use your camera's EC control, or do you do like I do?

 

[MattKing]

Regularly. In combination with Aperture Preferred automatic it gives me the best of both worlds - automatic adjustment to changing light conditions, and manual over-ride in response to judgment and experience.

 

[spijker]

Yes, I use it since I use the in-camera TTL metering 99% of the time. Always have. I only use a separate meter for studio flashes.

 

[sepiareverb]

Often, when shooting a camera that has aperture priority. I quite like the feature.

 

[dpurdy]

Seems like the meter in my F100, using matrix and program auto, knows better than me, I let it be boss. However with my digital Nikon I have to use EC because the meter is nearly always wrong.

 

[ic-racer]

I used it once in the 1980s. I was doing a series of self-portraits, using multiple film backs with different ISO. I metered the scene and checked the auto-exposure reading. I adjusted the exposure compensation so the auto exposure read the same as my hand-held reading.
That way, when I changed film backs with different ISO, I would not need to re-set the exposure. I just left it on 'Auto' with the exposure compensation.

Other than that, I have not used it.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Routinely, both with on-board cameras and handheld multispot meter.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I do exposure compensation when I do not have an incident meter with me and the exposure is either mostly dark or mostly light. When the exposure is back lit I can usually get a good reading by moving in for the reading and then moving out for the exposure.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

To me, exposure compensation makes sense only with an automated mode like aperture or shutter priority, where, for example, I've chosen the aperture I want to keep the camera at and use compensation to tweak the selected shutter speeds. Otherwise, like you, I'll just choose the manual settings I want.

 

[canvassy]

I can't recall ever using exposure compensation, I very rarely use anything other than manual mode.