Bracketing

[Bruno]

Hello all
a bit of a newbie question here, but what is bracketing?
why would you use it?
when would you use it?

I have read the manual, i kind of understand what it does, but i don't really see how its useful

thanks guys
Bruno

[gstark]

Bruno,

The idea of bracketing is to try to help you ensure that you get that shot. You're most likely familiar with the situation where you take one photo of a subject, and decide to take a second, just to be sure, just in case they blinked ... it's a more scientific extension of that principal.

The concept is that you take a series of similar photos (say 3 or 5), but each using different parameters (typically exposure) to give you a range of images from which you can choose the one you think is best.

Consider for a moment a difficult exposure situation - you're shooting a portrait of someone important, but the lighting isn't right. It might be heavily backlit, or perhaps in bright sunlight, and from the wrong angle, giving you a very high contrast scenario.

The photo shoot is important - there's no room for you to stuff it up. What do you do?

You start by determining what you think the optimal exposure settings should be. Let's say 1/125, f8

Next, you decide you want to bracket, to be sure. Working with your exposure settings, you decide that you will bracket on the basis of one stop either side. You might therefore make three exposures, at 1/60, 1/125, and 1/250, each at f8. That's one stop over exposed, one correctly exposed, and one that's one stop under exposed.

The theory is that one of those three should be perfect.

The practise is that might bracket 5 exposures, with an interval of 2/3 stop. Slightly more subtle variations, and a greater range of exposures from which to choose.

Does this help you understand a little better?

[Matt. K]

Well put Gary. I don't bracket very often with a digital camera because of the ability to review the shot straight after capture. Are there any members who regularly use the bracketing features on the D70?

[Miliux]

Hello all
a bit of a newbie question here, but what is bracketing?
why would you use it?
when would you use it?

I have read the manual, i kind of understand what it does, but i don't really see how its useful

thanks guys
Bruno

Hey! Another Chatswood member.

Yeah, I sometimes use bracketing. Just to discourage over-exposures such as sky.

[gstark]

Well put Gary. I don't bracket very often with a digital camera because of the ability to review the shot straight after capture. Are there any members who regularly use the bracketing features on the D70?

Thanx, Matt.

Same here; can't remember the last time I needed to.

[Greg B]

Well put Gary. I don't bracket very often with a digital camera because of the ability to review the shot straight after capture. Are there any members who regularly use the bracketing features on the D70?

I will embarrassingly report that, somehow, I must have activated bracketing early on in my d70 ownership, and it took a little while to figure out:-

a. why the +/- thing was flashing in the viewfinder - despite reference to the manual, and
b. why some shots were + 0.3 ev or -0.3 ev, and oh yeah, there seemed to be a pattern.

OK, looks simple now, but there was a (mercifully) brief period where it had me going.

So, yes, I have used bracketing.

[JordanP]

A little extension on the theme....

I personally find reviewing the image on the back of the camera a little misleading as alot depends on the brightness of the screen and the light you have around you and reflecting off the back of the camera.

So I still bracket manually - rather than use the facility on camera. That is more my problem with getting familiar with the technology.

While I bracket for the same reasons Gary mentioned, I also bracket to better learn and develop my skills as a photographer. Lets take a sunset for instance. I may bracket in 1/2 steps over 3 or 4 stops. Then after I can look at the different outcomes - the colour changes etc. and compare that to the different settings I was using. Thanks to having the Exif data I don't need to write things down anymore.

At the end of the day I can then learn that under certain lighting situations the settings necessary to get different outcomes. Do this with some repition and get familiar with common lighting situations and you will find yourself dialing in the exposure you know works - even when the light meter is telling you it is over or under exposed.

[Matt. K]

Jordan P
When I review the image I always have the histogram displayed. I find the histogram invaluable for checking exposure, though it does take a little practice to read it in relationship to the tones in the captured image.

[Matt. K]

Greg B
I must confess that in relationship to bracketing I too have......no, I can't do it!

[phillipb]

I have my lcd set to the flashing highlights, so I don't bracket as such but when there's too much flashing in the lcd I dial in some under exposure which is effectively the same as bracketing.
By the way Greg B, congratulations on becoming a senior member. Are you by any chance related to Wilson? you know the guy in home improvements with Tim Allen, the one whose face is always half hidden?

[gstark]

Jordan,

Sunsets ... in terms of bracketing, yes, absobloodylutely.

But with sunsets it's a whole different ballgame. Different colours can come to the fore as the event progresses.

Even better.

[Bruno]

Thankyou Gary

I just had a mess around, with flash and exposure bracketing, i can see how it's useful especially in a situation where you absolutely need to get a good shot. I'll keep it in mind and give it a go in a 'real' situation. I guess i have been manually bracketing so i just never really thought there was a setting that could do it automatically.

So with digital it doesnt really get used? professionals?
I can understand that with the instant review etc

And hello nexxus will have to go for a shoot sometime

[gstark]

Bruno,

So with digital it doesnt really get used? professionals?
I can understand that with the instant review etc

I would say that there's less of a need for it these days then there was when film was the primary medium.

Also, as you become more familiar with your equipment, with exposure, with shooting in particular situations, etc, you will become more au fait with those situations and find less of a need to bracket.

[JordanP]

Yes sunsets are alot of fun. I also find that I do the same with any suject for morning and afternoon light - also during the day I have also used bracketing as a self teaching method in terms of backlit, frontlit, sidelit, hight contrast, low contrast etc. Actually I find that the typical meter reading is only what i want to use maybe less than half the time - and only that much because I often spot meter an aspect of the image I'm creating.

Matt, I also love and use the histogram - it almost feels like cheating. I just get a bit lazy inturpreting unususal situations (eg a man in a black suite with a back background generally looks like a horrid histogram all piled up on the left hand side with a little bump towards the middle for their exposed face).

[Matt. K]

Gary
Bracketing sunsets in order to capture the best colours? I have just learnt something new! A new trick for an old dog! Not big on sunsets but do snap the occasional one because they are kinda irresistable. Have never thought to bracket them though.
Thanks.

[Matt. K]

Greg B
Congratulations on becoming a senior member. I absolutely look foreward to your posts. You have a finely honed, refined sense of humour that lifts me up and makes my day. This forum is enriched by your observations and comments.

[Greg B]

By the way Greg B, congratulations on becoming a senior member. Are you by any chance related to Wilson? you know the guy in home improvements with Tim Allen, the one whose face is always half hidden?

Thanks phillipb, I guess all the rest of me is senior, so I might as well be a ... well anyway, I will admit to being pleased, even though I suspect the honour is numerically driven, and reward for a great deal of drivel (in my case)

No relation to wilson, although I am occasionally guilty of waxing philosophical, but I don't usually have the cat in front of my face (see how I resisted the obvious there?)

[Greg B]

Greg B
Congratulations on becoming a senior member. I absolutely look foreward to your posts. You have a finely honed, refined sense of humour that lifts me up and makes my day. This forum is enriched by your observations and comments.

Thanks Matt, greatly appreciated. You are no slouch with an observation yourself!

It is a pleasure to be part of such a diverse and interesting community, with some very knowledgable and talented photographers.

[Onyx]

Are there any members who regularly use the bracketing features on the D70?

It's my most disused button on, in fact I was just looking at it the other day kinda wishing it was remapped to function as something else. Like changing AF modes for instance (eg. single to continuous - instead of relying on button presses navigating the menus).

I do unconsciously manually bracket - I guess you could call it that, compared to the similar ways in which others have mentioned using ev comp, which I find to be faster than pressing the button, rotating a dial, setting it all right and flicking three shots off.

[gstark]

Onyx,

Are there any members who regularly use the bracketing features on the D70?

It's my most disused button on, in fact I was just looking at it the other day kinda wishing it was remapped to function as something else. Like changing AF modes for instance (eg. single to continuous - instead of relying on button presses navigating the menus).

Looking at the camera from the back ... to the left of the viewfinder there are two buttons. The leftmost button is your bracketing button.

Use the one to its righ - three stacked rectangles - and rotate the rear command dial at the same time.

Your wish has now been granted!

[gstark]

Matt,

A new trick for an old dog!

Sit!

Stay!

Roll over!

No, I won't tickle your tummy.

Not big on sunsets but do snap the occasional one because they are kinda irresistable. Have never thought to bracket them though..

Glad you can find something useful in my posts; we are all capable of learning from each other. Isn't that great?

[dooda]

Don't a lot of people bracket certain high contract situations so that they can expose the highlight properly and then replace the underexposed with the proper shot (kind of like a ND split filter)?

[dooda]

Mine doesn't even say "member" on it. I guess that means I'm nothing and that's all I'll ever be. (excuse me now while I go eat worms)

[gstark]

Don't a lot of people bracket certain high contract situations so that they can expose the highlight properly and then replace the underexposed with the proper shot (kind of like a ND split filter)?

If you're going to do that, then the two (or more) images will need to be identical, otherwise the masking won't be able to be registered against each of the images.

Not a problem - you just need to shoot the images from a tripod.

[Onyx]

Onyx,
Looking at the camera from the back ... to the left of the viewfinder there are two buttons. The leftmost button is your bracketing button.

Use the one to its righ - three stacked rectangles - and rotate the rear command dial at the same time.

Your wish has now been granted!

Sorry gary, I meant to imply changing of focus modes, not shooting modes. aka AF-S to AF-C. Yes, the three rectangles button has been pushed quite a number of times... and sometimes in frustration for those familiar with using the self timer. (it just won't stay in timer mode!)

[sirhc55]

Freeform photos I never bracket - but in the studio I bracket every single shot both ways. I am using Bowens Trilites with a cocoon so it helps to bracket as the lighting is critical.

Cheers

Chris

[gstark]

Mine doesn't even say "member" on it. I guess that means I'm nothing and that's all I'll ever be. (excuse me now while I go eat worms)

Is that better?

[gstark]

Sorry gary, I meant to imply changing of focus modes, not shooting modes. aka AF-S to AF-C.

Oops ...

[Greg B]

Mine doesn't even say "member" on it. I guess that means I'm nothing and that's all I'll ever be. (excuse me now while I go eat worms)

Is that better?

dooda - a worm eating Party Animal, woohoo!!

[mudder]

G'day,
I use bracketing mainly for achieving two differently exposed shots, usually for things like sunsets... Expose for the highlights in the sky, then have an exposue of +EV to get a good shot of the landscape foreground (with the blown out sky) and them blend them in either photoShop or PaintShopPro... Needs a tripod though...

I've even used blending multiple images with a waterfall, but the bracketing was done on NC, not with the camera... Have a nice bright scene and erase the blown highlights in the water to the under exposed shot in the layer underneath... An example on an overcast but otherwise bright day:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v491/falc ... limage.jpg

I think the only thing with increasing exposure afterwards in software (rather than when originally shot with camera) is an increase in noise...

Works a charm and can also be used for some interesting effects, although you could achieve a similar thing in the photo... programs I spose...

Never thought of using it as the "failsafe" of ensuring I get one good one if I stuff up... Hmmm, I'll have to remember that, but bear in mind it'll eat CF memory...

Sorry for the long-winded post... I just got home from the Zoo and I'm waiting for the CF card to finish writing to disk so I can check out what I got...

Cheers,
Mudder

[dooda]

Mine doesn't even say "member" on it. I guess that means I'm nothing and that's all I'll ever be. (excuse me now while I go eat worms)

Is that better?

dooda - a worm eating Party Animal, woohoo!!

'Sniff', its the greatest present anyone's ever given me. 'Sniff'

I'm just gushing over here. I feel like the little brother that was finally initiated in his older brother's gang (I'll leave to your imagination the issues I have with admiring my older "cooler" brother.) I promise I won't let you down. I'll be the best worm eating party animal ever!!!