Bracketing

[jacob]

I'm JUST learning the power of bracketing and wanted to ask.
If I'm setting my camera to bracket 3F (frames)...does it do so automatically?
I was playin around with it earlier and whenever 1 frame, only 1 picture would be found on the CF card. I thought (assumed) it would pop off 2 more pictures automatically after.
Or am I way off here...?

[the foto fanatic]

Hi jacob
Take a look at our bracketing tutorial here .
I suspect that you may be in Single Frame, and that you would have to press the shutter each time in that mode.

[jacob]

actually i'm not...always leave it on multi-frame exposure.
hmmm...will check out the tutorial thanks.

[jacob]

Just realized my error...you can only do it in JPEG format
Not NEF.
I'm assuming it's because NEF files can be adjusted in Nikon Editor after the fact.

[KerryPierce]

Just realized my error...you can only do it in JPEG format
Not NEF.
I'm assuming it's because NEF files can be adjusted in Nikon Editor after the fact.

If you have Bracketing set in the menu, for 2 or 3 shots and you then set the camera to bracket, by pushing the BKT button and rotating the rear dial to set bracketing on, it will work just fine with either JPG or NEF. If you don't have continuous shooting mode selected and on in the camera, you must push the shutter release for each bracketed exposure, 2 or 3, as is set in the menu or by holding down BKT and rotating the front dial. If you do have continuous shooting mode on, hold down the shutter and the camera will take the 2 or 3 bracketed shots and stop.

[jacob]

tinkering with it now and you're right...so much to learn from this camera...
haven't even cracked thom hogan's book...well a little.
In menu #12 i had the BKT set to white balance...where it won't work...why is that?
I guess I should just leave it on AE for now anyways.
Thanks Kerry.

[the foto fanatic]

Just realized my error...you can only do it in JPEG format
Not NEF.
I'm assuming it's because NEF files can be adjusted in Nikon Editor after the fact.

This is true if you are talking about White Balance Bracketing.
Exposure bracketing can be performed in both NEF and JPEG.

[Matt. K]

Not a lot of reasons to bracket on the D70 unless you're after a special effect or trying to extend the tonal range of an image shot from a tripod. The camera exposes so accurately that I can't think of another reason to bracket.

[jacob]

Matt, true it's fairly accurate, but I'm just re-learning exposure and metering all over again as recently I just confused the hell out of myself with too much reading and really just delving back into photography again...as I have a small project for a friend of mine coming up, it's portraiture related, and I do prefer incident versusu reflective metering.
Did some test shots last week in the backyard with my black dog in direct sunlight and the incident reader was off...so I'm testing my TTL metering and incident in one, just brushing up.
Out of curiosity, what did you guys use, spot?centered?matrix?
Thanks...for the reply guys

[the foto fanatic]

Not a lot of reasons to bracket on the D70 unless you're after a special effect or trying to extend the tonal range of an image shot from a tripod. The camera exposes so accurately that I can't think of another reason to bracket.

I agree that the D70's meter is very, very good.
However, like all meters, it can be "fooled" with large areas of black or white in the image, even in Matrix. I guess that's when you could use Spot metering, but if you have the time to set it up, bracketing can be useful to ensure the best exposure is captured when the subject or lighting is difficult.

[sirhc55]

Whenever I am shooting wines/beers/spirits etc for clients I always bracket +/- and pick the best. What I pick varies on, for example, wine colour (white/red/rose). Also the label plays a part in which exposure I pick.

When I am shooting for pleasure I seldom use bracketing.

[leek]

What do you bracket Chris? WB or exposure? and are you using the automatic bracketing or not?

I might be missing something, but I can't see any point in auto-bracketing exposures if shooting RAW, given the ability to adjust it +/- 2 stops in PP...

[sirhc55]

What do you bracket Chris? WB or exposure? and are you using the automatic bracketing or not?

I might be missing something, but I can't see any point in auto-bracketing exposures if shooting RAW, given the ability to adjust it +/- 2 stops in PP...

I have a pre-set WB for cocoon/trilite shooting so I use manual bracketing - it’s a thing from the past in doing something manually rather than automatically. There have been times when I combine shots on layers to get the best of both worlds. With the new HDR in PSCS2 this may be a thing of the past.

[KerryPierce]

What do you bracket Chris? WB or exposure? and are you using the automatic bracketing or not?

I might be missing something, but I can't see any point in auto-bracketing exposures if shooting RAW, given the ability to adjust it +/- 2 stops in PP...

Wow, that's adding 4 stops to the exposure. I've never been able to get anywhere near that much and retain an exposure that I liked. Usually, the colors start changing and artifacts show up between 1 & 2 stops for me.

Perhaps it's simply a matter of not knowing what I'm doing, but I prefer to bracket and blend tough exposures. Even then, going more than about 3 stops seems to make the image look fake, losing the natural look of the overall lighting and colors.

[sirhc55]

Kerry - if you look into PSCS2 and the new HDR 32 bit imaging you will find that it relies on large exposure shifts to obtain high dynamic range. It will open up a lot of new possibilities in digital photography IMO

[KerryPierce]

Kerry - if you look into PSCS2 and the new HDR 32 bit imaging you will find that it relies on large exposure shifts to obtain high dynamic range. It will open up a lot of new possibilities in digital photography IMO

Yes, I've been watching some of the posts on CS2, but haven't done any real research into it. What I've read so far seems to indicate that the jury is still out on the HDR tool. Some guys love it, others think it's a sham.

My experiences lead me to believe that the success of such tools rely heavily on the image content. Some images respond better to these techniques than others. To me, it seems the same as interpolating an image for making large prints, making something out of nothing.

I'd be interested to see some comparisons to real bracketing vs these software techniques. I'd do the comparisons myself, but I suspect that operator skill has a great deal of influence on the software techniques.

[Matt. K]

jacob
Providing the image is not predominantly black or white tonally, or back-lighted, then I use matrix. I rarely have to discard an image because of faulty exposure. It works for me.

[jacob]

wow matt, matrix metering really?...you really believe it (the TTL) to be THAT good?...most people (not comparing them to you on a personal level use centered/centred or even more so spot...what do you shoot mostly?
thanks =)

[Matt. K]

jacob
Mainly street photography. If the image is not backlighted then matrix is brilliant. I have a lot of faith in it.