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      09-09-2011, 12:28 PM   #4432
dcstep
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Quote:
Originally Posted by remmib View Post
I agree with you in the expose to right, but shooting white, like snow, I'd use +EV and black, like a black cat or dog, I'd use - EV.
Well, yes, IF it's all white, like snow, you need +EV because the sensor is trying to make the white snow grey, but if you have a white bird in a medium to dark scene, particularly with sunlight, then you need -EV or the bird will be blown out.

With a black subject, the size of the subject in the frame will determine what you need to do. If you have frame filling black, then the sensor is adding EV trying to get the scene to a medium grey, so you'll either need 0EV or -EV. In most of my shooting of dark subjects, they're not frame filling.

Still, this does indeed point up another complexity of shooting digital. For some strange reason that I don't fully understand, white balance and EV levels are set based on a medium-grey card; therefore, if the scene is all white, the sensor underexposes, trying to get the scene to grey and the opposite happens if the scene is darker than medium grey.

Dave
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