Exposure compensation warning in shooting display? (Z9)

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Manual mode, auto ISO, -2 exposure compensation, the meter reads 0, not -2. The exposure IS -2 from what the camera thinks it 18% grey. The meter does NOT read say what the ACTUAL exposure is because the actual exposure is -2
 
Manual mode, auto ISO, -2 exposure compensation, the meter reads 0, not -2. The exposure IS -2 from what the camera thinks it 18% grey. The meter does NOT read say what the ACTUAL exposure is because the actual exposure is -2
Yes... Because you're telling the camera 18% gray is actually 2 stops under what it thinks it is. So the camera uses that as it's 0 point in manual mode.

Then auto iso tries to keep it there.

I'm not sure what else I can try to explain this as to help you understand, or accept it. That's just how nikon does it.
 
The meter should ALWAYS match the exposure..... thats kinda its job.
If you turn off Auto ISO and all other Auto exposure modes it will.

This has been Nikon's metering philosophy for a very long time. Yeah, it may differ from other vendor approaches but it's perfectly logical if you understand what that meter is displaying which in any Auto mode including Manual with Auto ISO is final exposure solution relative to set reference (exposure comp setting). So really in an auto mode it shows when you've hit a limit and the camera's auto adjustment can no longer keep up.

If you want it to work as a general purpose light meter, turn all auto exposure modes off and make sure exposure comp is zero'd out.
 
What purpose does a meter make if its always gonna read zero? lol
Youre acting like its perfectly logical and a meter reading something other than the exposure value is NOT logical at all.

The logical thing would be for the meter to read true just as it does in any other auto or manual exposure mode.

I dont want it to work as a general purpose light meter.... I want it to show that the camera is exposing 2 stops under when its set to expose 2 stops under.

Its simple.
 
What purpose does a meter make if its always gonna read zero? lol
Youre acting like its perfectly logical and a meter reading something other than the exposure value is NOT logical at all.

The logical thing would be for the meter to read true just as it does in any other auto or manual exposure mode.

I dont want it to work as a general purpose light meter.... I want it to show that the camera is exposing 2 stops under when its set to expose 2 stops under.

Its simple.
To be clear it DOES work the same as any Nikon camera in any other auto exposure mode including Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority. They both show a zero'd exposure meter when the auto exposure solution is achieved and within the floating parameter's range. [edit] nope, off base on this one and shouldn't have posted it.

Well it's how Nikons work and have always worked from the film days through DSLRs and into Mirrorless. Some don't buy into that approach but there are other brands that handle this differently if it's too difficult to work with.
 
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To be clear it DOES work the same as any Nikon camera in any other auto exposure mode including Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority. They both show a zero'd exposure meter when the auto exposure solution is achieved and within the floating parameter's range.

Well it's how Nikons work and have always worked from the film days through DSLRs and into Mirrorless. Some don't buy into that approach but there are other brands that handle this differently if it's too difficult to work with.
No it does not. In aperture priority when I dial in -2 stops of EC it shows -2 on the meter
 
The old way may have made sense on SLR and DSLR cameras but it makes NO sense when we have EVFs with WYSIWYG.
Which is why you don't need the meter at all now, since you can see your actual exposure...

I dunno man. You can fight it, or you can accept it and work with it. The latter is going to be much easier than the former. Nikon isn't likely to change that any time soon.
 
Im not dumb enough to think Im going to change it I dont even shoot in auto modes, but you guys are acting like its perfectly logical for the meter to read differently across the different auto modes. Its not.
 
You are correct and my apologies for posting from memory as my memory was clearly off on this one. I just pulled out a couple of my cameras and it does not behave as I described, sorry for that.

So how does it work in the different modes, with or without EC? Time for a summary after all the back and forth discussion.
 
So how does it work in the different modes, with or without EC? Time for a summary after all the back and forth discussion.
Basically what's posted above, but to break it down further:

- In Aperture or Shutter Priority mode there really isn't an Exposure Meter shown in the viewfinder, as in no meter that measures incoming light. If there's any exposure compensation dialed in there's a control indicator that shows how much positive or negative comp is dialed in and when exposure comp is set to zero it disappears. The viewfinder LCD elements used for that indicator are the same as what's used in full manual mode as the exposure meter but in Aperture or Shutter Priority modes those LCD segments serve as an indicator of how exposure comp is currently set. Basically in those modes the visual indicator serves the role of the circular dial that sat up top on many film cameras from different brands where you'd adjust exposure compensation and change the auto exposure zero point reference.

-In Manual Exposure Mode with fixed ISO those same viewfinder display elements act as an exposure meter and change as the amount of light reaching the camera's light meter taking into account lens and camera settings changes, IOW it's a real exposure meter in this mode. But it is also dual tasked, when you hold down the exposure comp button up near the shutter release it takes on its other role of control indicator and while the button is held down you see how much positive or negative exposure comp is dialed in. While the exposure comp button is depressed it no longer functions as a meter of incoming light, it just tells you how much exposure comp if any is dialed in. You get additional visual indicators while that button is held down that vary by camera, on the Z6II the 0 above the LCD 'meter' graphic blinks while you're making adjustments and in the D6 the 0 next to that graphic disappears while adjustments are being made and in both cameras a small +/- graphic pops up while the display element is indicating a control change instead of acting as an active meter of incoming light. Also in both cameras a numeric value for the amount of exposure comp is shown while the adjustment is being made in addition to the graphic. If there is any non-zero comp dialed in the small +/- graphic remains after the exposure comp button is released and you resume shooting.

-Where it gets unusual to Wes's point is in Manual Exposure with Auto ISO. In that mode Nikon choses to display the meter graphic but it stays at zero unless you hit an auto exposure limit and then starts showing how much the exposure is out of range. But when you hold down the exposure comp button to make a comp adjustment it switches to its other mode as a control indicator just like it does in full manual, fixed ISO mode above so you see how much comp is dialed in only as you're making comp adjustments.

So it took me a while but I get Wes's point, Nikon could have chosen to program that graphic in the viewfinder to behave exactly like Aperture and Shutter Priority mode and only act as a control setting indicator and disappear when exposure comp was set to zero when operating in Manual with Auto ISO mode. And then when shooting Manual with fixed ISO go to the dual mode, exposure meter while shooting and exposure comp control indicator while adjusting. But that's not what they chose to do.

Yeah I get the point, it's an unusual user interface choice that doesn't add value and uses up a useful LCD element to show basically nothing unless you hit an auto exposure limit. But I guess I've been shooting with this philosophy so long now it just doesn't bug me. But sure from a consistency from mode to mode and making the most out of valuable viewfinder graphic space keeping it the same as what happens in aperture or shutter priority modes when shooting manual with auto ISO would make sense.

I didn't go through all the permutations of hitting auto exposure limits or running Nikon's Easy ISO adjustment method which I don't use but those are the basics.
 
Basically what's posted above, but to break it down further:

- In Aperture or Shutter Priority mode there really isn't an Exposure Meter shown in the viewfinder, as in no meter that measures incoming light. If there's any exposure compensation dialed in there's a control indicator that shows how much positive or negative comp is dialed in and when exposure comp is set to zero it disappears. The viewfinder LCD elements used for that indicator are the same as what's used in full manual mode as the exposure meter but in Aperture or Shutter Priority modes those LCD segments serve as an indicator of how exposure comp is currently set. Basically in those modes the visual indicator serves the role of the circular dial that sat up top on many film cameras from different brands where you'd adjust exposure compensation and change the auto exposure zero point reference.

-In Manual Exposure Mode with fixed ISO those same viewfinder display elements act as an exposure meter and change as the amount of light reaching the camera's light meter taking into account lens and camera settings changes, IOW it's a real exposure meter in this mode. But it is also dual tasked, when you hold down the exposure comp button up near the shutter release it takes on its other role of control indicator and while the button is held down you see how much positive or negative exposure comp is dialed in. While the exposure comp button is depressed it no longer functions as a meter of incoming light, it just tells you how much exposure comp if any is dialed in. You get additional visual indicators while that button is held down that vary by camera, on the Z6II the 0 above the LCD 'meter' graphic blinks while you're making adjustments and in the D6 the 0 above that graphic disappears while adjustments are being made and in both cameras a small +/- graphic pops up while the display element is indicating a control change instead of acting as an active meter of incoming light. Also in both cameras a numeric value for the amount of exposure comp is shown while the adjustment is being made in addition to the graphic. If there is any non-zero comp dialed in the small +/- graphic remains after the exposure comp button is released and you resume shooting.

-Where it gets unusual to Wes's point is in Manual Exposure with Auto ISO. In that mode Nikon choses to display the meter graphic but it stays at zero unless you hit an auto exposure limit and then starts showing how much the exposure is out of range. But when you hold down the exposure comp button to make a comp adjustment it switches to its other mode as a control indicator just like it does in full manual, fixed ISO mode above so you see how much comp is dialed in only as you're making comp adjustments.

So it took me a while but I get Wes's point, Nikon could have chosen to program that graphic in the viewfinder to behave exactly like Aperture and Shutter Priority mode and only act as a control setting indicator and disappear when exposure comp was set to zero when operating in Manual with Auto ISO mode. And then when shooting Manual with fixed ISO go to the dual mode, exposure meter while shooting and exposure comp control indicator while adjusting. But that's not what they chose to do.

Yeah I get the point, it's an unusual user interface choice that doesn't add value and uses up a useful LCD element to show basically nothing unless you hit an auto exposure limit. But I guess I've been shooting with this philosophy so long now it just doesn't bug me. But sure from a consistency from mode to mode and making the most out of valuable viewfinder graphic space keeping it the same as what happens in aperture or shutter priority modes when shooting manual with auto ISO would make sense.

I didn't go through all the permutations of hitting auto exposure limits or running Nikon's Easy ISO adjustment method which I don't use but those are the basics.

It's interesting how different brands approach it.
 
on those lenses with a control ring, they're all set to "none" except the z24-120 were the ring is quite firm and harder to tap accidentally.
Yeah…me too as on the BR sling while walking they got twisted a lot. Don’t have the 24-120 yet but the former ring might change it for that lens…at least until it screw me gain😀.
 
Not that I have found. I find I bump controls all too often so I tend to "lock" them so I can not accidentally make adjustments. Makes setting adjustments more of PIA, but saves me from suddenly finding my my aperture is set to F/45 !
Rich, is it possible to lock exposure compensation settings on the Z9? I have accidentally changed exposure compensation on the Z9 many times. Never has happened to me on any other Nikon bodies and I’m sure it’s all my fault.
 
Rich, is it possible to lock exposure compensation settings on the Z9? I have accidentally changed exposure compensation on the Z9 many times. Never has happened to me on any other Nikon bodies and I’m sure it’s all my fault.
Hi Dr Hawk

In Manual mode, you need to press the +/- button on the top of the camera to adjust exposure compensation. AFAIK there is now way to lock this (but it is button and turn the rear dial to adjust exp compensation). B3 Easy exposure compensation does not seem to impact this. W/ both Aperture and shutter speed locked, exposure compensation still works (button press and turn a dial).

In Av, you have easy exposure compensation on, the turning the rear dial adjusts exposure comp. I could not find a way to lock the rear dial. However if you turn easy exposure compensation off (B3) then you need to press the +/- button and turn a dial. Not a lock, but more unlikely to happen accidentally.

Hope this helps. Personally I shot in manual mode so exposure comp requires I press the +/- button and turn a dial. I don't think I have every accidentally adjusted exp comp.
 
Thanks, Rich. I shoot almost exclusively in manual, most often with auto iso. But although I do try to pay attention and frequently use exposure compensation, I often find that the exposure compensation has been seemingly self-adjusted. This occurs most often in the heat of wildlife /sports sequences and appears to be related to attempts to alter f stop settings. Very frustrating as it has never been an issue on any of my other Nikon cameras and I’ve used them all. I’m sure its all my fault and probably something simple but I’m at a loss to explain my own ineptitude.
 
Thanks, Rich. I shoot almost exclusively in manual, most often with auto iso. But although I do try to pay attention and frequently use exposure compensation, I often find that the exposure compensation has been seemingly self-adjusted. This occurs most often in the heat of wildlife /sports sequences and appears to be related to attempts to alter f stop settings. Very frustrating as it has never been an issue on any of my other Nikon cameras and I’ve used them all. I’m sure its all my fault and probably something simple but I’m at a loss to explain my own ineptitude.
I'd double check that you don't have either Easy Exposure Compensation (menu item b3) enabled. Unless you have Easy Exposure Compensation enabled the camera will require both a press of the exposure comp button and a turn of the command dial to change compensation. That's not something that should happen by accident unless you're regularly pressing buttons near the shutter release and spinning dials at the same time.

I suppose one possibility is that your hand is hitting the unlabeled function button next to the vertical shutter release and you have it programmed to Exposure Compensation. That could lead to accidental exposure comp adjustments especially if you have Release Button to Use Dial (menu f6) enabled as then a simple bump of either the normal exposure comp button or the button down by the vertical shutter release will cause a command dial move to make the comp adjustment until you hit the button again or half press the shutter release. I like the f6 option but if you have that set and perhaps accidentally brushing one of those buttons you might turn that option off.

If you are accidentally toggling one of the programmed exposure comp buttons you'll be able to see it in the viewfinder as the exposure comp setting shows numerically in amber while the controls to change it are active.
 
Thank you, Dave. I rechecked my custom settings and discovered I had programmed a custom function to the focus ring for quick exposure compensation changes. And then forgot I had done so. Sheesh! If only my brain could be programmed to remember all of my custom settings ... :unsure:
 
I recently finished setting up my Z9 as recommended by Steve’s guide. I am predominately using manual mode with auto iso. I set the control ring on my 800mm pf for exposure compensation adjustments. I find that I occasionally bump it resulting in unwanted or unnoticed adjustments. Whether using the control ring or the command dial I noticed bright yellow indicators in the shooting display while making exposure adjustments but they are only shown in the display during the adjustments. Is there a way to make the yellow exposure adjustments always display? This way if you bump the control ring or forget that you made an exposure compensation for your last series of photos you are warned? Is there another warning that I am missing?
Much as I like the concept of using the 800 PF lens rings for various adjustments, especially exposure compensation, I've refrained because of the high potential to accidentally bump them while handholding the lens during action.
 
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