Help exposure please

[idontknow97]

Hi all this site is always so good to me so please I need your help. I have liked shooting in apeture mode but recently started using manual mode as I can set the apeture and the shutter speed (i have a canon rebel xs) and I know how to set all the items but I dont know if its a camera issue or a user issue but in manual mode you are not able to change the exposure where it goes to -2 0 2 and it is stuck at -2 the book says as you adjust the shutter speed and apeture it will change but it doesnt change no matter what. I did buy an opened boxed but was assured it was checked and it has worked fine for a while now, but now all my shots are under exposed and comming out dark help please .....

[Murtasma]

Please post a sample image with EXIF data.

[dcclark]

Are you sure you have reasonable settings? For example, if you're taking a shot indoors, you may need an aperture of f/3.5 and a shutter speed of 0.5 seconds just to get to "0" on the bar.

To me, it sounds like you really are shooting in a dim setting, and you haven't got the experience yet to realize just how extreme the settings need to be.

You can test this by going to aperture mode and seeing what settings the camera chooses -- then dial in the exact same settings in manual (both aperture and shutter) and see if that fixes things.

[sk66]

I'm guessing that ISO is not set to auto (or to high enough max) and you are not changing the ISO to suit.

It is possible to get to situations where the exposure time required just gets to be too long for the subject...

[Jim Poor]

You could potentially have settings that are super low or you have dialed in exposure compensation. Exposure compensation won't have any effect in manual mode (unless you are using auto ISO or TTL flash) but will still show up on the scale.

[idontknow97]

I was using an iso of 200 because I was having some problems before with a high iso changing the picture like to much noise...Ok I walked out side because I was inside and the light was not the best and it went all the way to plus 2 so I did what someone who posted above said and put it in apeture mode to see what the camera settings came up with lol. And then switched back and put those settings in manual mode and it worked closer to zero like I like it to be or closer than -2 or +2 here is another thing now, what I like is the fast shutter speed how can I be inside with not as much light and keep the faster shutter speed (would be shooting more on a TV mode be ideal) I am shooting a birthday party soon and it will be mostly indoors so I am wondering how the lighting will be, it will be early evening so some light will come in the doors and windows but as it gets darker obviouslly going to have to start adjusting settings. Ok thanks guys I am gonna play around a few more times and see what happens. Just trying to find a good setting that works well in a lot of different areas.

[idontknow97]

I also adjusted the settings extremly with an apeture of 5.0 and shutter speed of "3 and the exposure is close to zero but now it comes out blurry as a result of the longer shutter speed, oh no

[dcclark]

To get a fast shutter speed while indoors (or in any other dim light), you need a lens capable of a very large aperture. For example, f/1.8 or f/1.4. Your kit lens can't do that -- your best bet is a prime lens (35mm or 50mm, for example). But even that can't take care of EVERYTHING... sometimes you just need more light!

[idontknow97]

I have a 18-55mm lens and a 75-300mm lens I dont know if either one of those is better than the other thanks, and yeah I guess your right about needing more light. I will prob eventually have to get an external light but for now I will just keep my eye on it thanks for everyones help.

[inkista]

You may want to read up on maximum aperture and what those f-numbers on the lens actually mean, now that the f-numbers are starting to make more sense as aperture settings.

If you're on a budget, you may want to consider dropping $100 to get an EF 50mm f/1.8 II.

Its maximum aperture is f/1.8.
The maximum aperture on your 18-55 at the 55mm end of the lens is f/5.6.

That's a 3.3 stop difference, or 2^3.3 ≅ 10x the amount of light.

So, with the 50mm set to f/1.8, vs. the 18-55 set to f/5.6, you could use a shutter speed that's 10x faster, or 1/10th the ISO setting you need with the 18-55 to get a good exposure.

Lots more elbow room when shooting in the dark.

One more small note (although you probably already figured this out for yourself), the meter in the viewfinder only goes from +2EV to -2EV. You can be past the end of the scale. That's why the needle will stay "stuck" at ±2EV if your settings are off by more than that.