With my SLR, why does it warn me that the exposure will be off in manual, when it chooses the same settings?

For example, in Program mode, it will choose 1/60 and 5.4 and than I will switch to manual or one of the other modes, such as shutter priority, in the same room and the same lighting only seconds later and will choose 1/60 and 5.4 and the camera will blink at me telling me that the picture will be highly underexposed. I put it back to Program mode and it chooses the same settings.

The picture turns out the same, but why does it blink that it will be underexposed when that is the settings the camera chooses?

Most will. There should be some kind of indicator inside the viewer that would warn you if you were going to under/over expose the picture.

Answer by bradster1200 on 03 Jan 2010 05:06:41

You are in serious need to taking at least a basic class in photography so you can learn to use your camera.

SLR cameras are NOT something you just pick up and start shooting. A basic understanding of how to expose film or a sensor correctly is mandatory.

Using the program mode is essentially using a fully adjustable camera as a point and shoot camera. Not why fully adjustable cameras were actually designed.

Controlling the exposure using the shutter speed and aperture is the true value of owning such a camera. The is a light meter in the camera, so using the camera in its fully manual mode is the fastest way to learn to make perfect exposures.

Answer by fhotoace on 03 Jan 2010 05:39:19

Best Answer

Kitty, I understand your question, it makes sense.

I'm not 100% sure if this is the correct answer, but here is my guess.

Let's say you have the camera set to ISO100, and the 1/60 at f/5.4 tells you will be underexposed.

Set it to P, where suddenly the 1/60 and 5.4 is fine, because the camera (which is now in control) chooses a much higher ISO.

Answer by selina_555 on 03 Jan 2010 08:29:58