# How Exposure Compensation work with auto ISO?



## duydaniel (Sep 15, 2013)

Exposure compensation bias doesn't work with auto ISO in manual mode.
For example, I want a certain speed and aperture

so I left the camera on auto iso.
But it doesn't seem like there is a way to influence this iso bias 
via compensation. 

I think Canon should do something about this.
Do you have trick to get around?

Canon 5D3


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## Marsu42 (Sep 15, 2013)

duydaniel said:


> Exposure compensation bias doesn't work with auto ISO in manual mode.



Canon cameras don't have EC on M, with Auto ISO you're 100% depending on Canon's metering, a known annoyance. Solutions: Either buy Nikon  or use Magic Lantern, their autoexpo module has it (though it is basically a custom P mode), or you can do a feature request in the ml forum...


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## LSV (Sep 15, 2013)

Wouldn't the "feature" that the OP is asking for defeat the purpose of Manual mode? Why not set the ISO himself, bumping it up or down to obtain the level of exposure according to taste.


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## rpt (Sep 15, 2013)

LSV said:


> Wouldn't the "feature" that the OP is asking for defeat the purpose of Manual mode? Why not set the ISO himself, bumping it up or down to obtain the level of exposure according to taste.


He is probably shooting in changing light conditions (bird flying). Probably more or less against the light so he wants M with Auto ISO and EC to be applied on top of that. Cant be done on a 5D3. You can do exposure bracketing but no EC


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## LSV (Sep 15, 2013)

rpt said:


> LSV said:
> 
> 
> > Wouldn't the "feature" that the OP is asking for defeat the purpose of Manual mode? Why not set the ISO himself, bumping it up or down to obtain the level of exposure according to taste.
> ...



Thanks for a very good explanation and example.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 15, 2013)

You have to set the ISO manually, auto iso and exposure compensation don't work except on 1 series bodies.

Its usually not a big deal, but if you need it, you have to shoot manually while in manual.


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## duydaniel (Sep 16, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> You have to set the ISO manually, auto iso and exposure compensation don't work except on 1 series bodies.
> 
> Its usually not a big deal, but if you need it, you have to shoot manually while in manual.



wow so 1DX has auto iso with EC bias work in manual?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 16, 2013)

duydaniel said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > You have to set the ISO manually, auto iso and exposure compensation don't work except on 1 series bodies.
> ...


 
I was wrong, I checked the manual. No EC in manual mode, but it is available in live view.


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## duydaniel (Sep 16, 2013)

Yes the live view simulation I believe is available on all Canon DSLR


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 16, 2013)

With the 1D X, you can get EC in 'manual mode' with a trick involving Av mode and a restricted shutter speed. Not as convenient as the real thing would be, though.


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## duydaniel (Sep 16, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> With the 1D X, you can get EC in 'manual mode' with a trick involving Av mode and a restricted shutter speed. Not as convenient as the real thing would be, though.



very cleaver!!!
but Canon only gives me
1/250
1/125
1/60
...

in the min shutter speed
kinda limited but may help to control the behavior of the camera.

edit: I found the restricted shutter speed was overwritten when the iso was maxed out and it still doesn't have enough light. It looks like no way to "restrict" this even when the safety shift was turn off


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## Marsu42 (Sep 16, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> With the 1D X, you can get EC in 'manual mode' with a trick involving Av mode and a restricted shutter speed. Not as convenient as the real thing would be, though.



With the 60d, you can do the same thing, but only with flash on and X-Sync pinned to 1/250s. Yay  ... but I'm sure Magic Lantern will add this sooner or later for all cameras, they just always better things to do yet, but it's on the list.


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## CarlTN (Sep 16, 2013)

duydaniel said:


> Exposure compensation bias doesn't work with auto ISO in manual mode.
> For example, I want a certain speed and aperture
> 
> so I left the camera on auto iso.
> ...



Try different metering modes, sometimes it helps to set to center weighted average. If the target is brighter than the background, or darker than the background, it will get the exposure on the target closer to correct.

Or else set ISO to a manual level...Or else do one of the other solutions mentioned already.


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 16, 2013)

duydaniel said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > With the 1D X, you can get EC in 'manual mode' with a trick involving Av mode and a restricted shutter speed. Not as convenient as the real thing would be, though.
> ...



You're referring to the 'Min shutter speed in Av' setting. The 1-series bodies have additional settings to specify a restricted range for both shutter speed and aperture, so on the 1D X, it's possible to set a higher minimum shutter (or a maximum aperture of f/2.8, for example, to maintain sufficient DoF in Tv with fast prime), etc. You do have to specify a range, so the highest possible minimum shutter speed is 1/4000 s.


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## duydaniel (Sep 16, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> duydaniel said:
> 
> 
> > neuroanatomist said:
> ...



Have you tried to shoot in complete darkness to see if the camera overwrite those restrictions?
I tried it on my 5D3 and the camera overwrote restricted shutter speed to go slower


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