Metering / Exposure Compensation

[wingflapp]

I have a question on something I read today. The book was explaining how, when taking pictures of snow, your camera can meter the photo incorrectly because it thinks the subject is overexposed. ( I guess I'm assuming my camera is using matrix metering for this question.) This causes the camera to underexpose the subject (snow) and this results in a gray color to the snow, instead of white. The book suggested that you might consider bringing the exposure compensation up one stop to compensate.

I was considering this and thinking about how I would manage this in Manual mode. Since there is no exposure compensation in manual mode, would I simply use the meter and add one EV to the left of center, or does taking the photo in Manual mode with a relatively centered meter provide a correct exposure for the snow.

Alas, I have no snow with which to learn the answer myself so I have to ask my friends here at DPS.

Hope my question makes sense... .Keep the answers dumbed down a bit, if you would. I'm still just wetting my feet.

[IABoomer]

Yes, you could go up one stop on the meter. It's my understanding that if you use exposure compensation in manual mode, then you could add +1EV of exposure compensation, then set the meter to the center and you'd have the same result.

I suppose exposure compensation would be helpful if you needed to really heavily adjust your exposure and might run off the meter if you tried to adjust by more stops than the meter shows.

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by wingflapp

I was considering this and thinking about how I would manage this in Manual mode. Since there is no exposure compensation in manual mode, would I simply use the meter and add one EV to the left of center, or does taking the photo in Manual mode with a relatively centered meter provide a correct exposure for the snow.

The meter only knows what you tell it so shooting in manual the camera will not provide a correct exposure for the snow.

Think about what the ExpComp is doing - it is taking the settings from the meter says and making an overriding adjustment. What happens when you change from your metered settings in manual? you make an overriding adjustment.
Same Same - Bob's your uncle.

[RLucas]

Originally Posted by wingflapp

I was considering this and thinking about how I would manage this in Manual mode. Since there is no exposure compensation in manual mode, .

Just to clarify. This is a little bit of a misnomer. In manual mode, compensation does affect the way the meter reads. If you dial in +1ev exposure compensation in manual and 0 the meter, because the EC is set in such a way, you have to manually dial in the settings instead of the camera making the neccesary adjustments.
Try it in manual. Set the compensation however you want, and watch the meter go up and down.