Digital Cameras for Teachers
Taking Photos - Auto Exposure and Shutter Lag
Autoexposure and Shutter LagExposure refers to the amount of light captured by the camera. Most popular digital cameras feature autoexposure, also known as programmed autoexposure, in which the camera reads the amount of light in the scene and then sets the exposure automatically for you. This takes time for the camera to do, and in the split second of "shutter lag," the moment may have passed and instead of an action shot you may see an empty frame.
In order for your camera's autoexposure to work as it was meant to, try these steps:1. Frame your subject through the LCD screen or viewfinder.
2. Press the shutter button halfway down and hold it there until you're ready to shoot.
3. Press the shutter button the rest of the way down to capture the image.The camera analyzes the scene and sets the focus and exposure. After the camera makes its decisions, it signals you in some fashion — usually with a blinking light near the viewfinder or with a beeping noise. This beeping noise may be different from the noise the camera uses when the actual shot is taken, so don't assume you've taken the picture yet!
You can continue to hold the shutter button halfway down as you reframe the image in your viewfinder, but be aware that the camera is no longer adjusting to changing conditions.
This can be helpful if the background is too bright, for example a sky in the afternoon, framing the picture against the sky and pressing the shutter half-way down will lock in the brighter exposure setting, thus bringing your subject into the light with less chance of overexposure.
But the result may not be what you expected, so you may want to experiment with exposure settings.
On lower-end cameras, two autoexposure settings are common — one for shooting in bright light and another for normal lighting. Many cameras display a warning light if the picture is overexposed, or may tell you to turn your flash on. Higher-priced cameras give you more control over autoexposure.
Digital Cameras for Teachers
EOU Malheur County Center (541) 889-7468 or (541) 889-6222
