This post today was just the kick in the butt I needed. I have been very unhappy with my images lately. I am finding too much noise.
My D80 almost always under exposes my images and I would just fix them in Photoshop. But now I am seeing the mess I am getting from those under exposed images.

Read this!!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/

Besides the great info the images are neat!

Thanks, Kimi. Something I can use that is for sure.

Hi Kimi,

I don't pretend to "nail it" every time, but this is what works for me:

Take the first shot - my Nikon is usually set on "A" because I want to control depth of field.

Look at the screen image of that shot. Not the actual "picture", that doesn't tell you anything. Use the up/down arrow to switch the view back and forth between "highlights" and "histogram". If I have flashing highlights I know that parts of the image are overexposed; if the "wave peak" is way over to the right and clipped, I know the whole image is overexposed. If I have no flashing highlights and the wave peak is way over to the left, it's underexposed.

I then delete that image and make EV adjustments using the top-right button and rear wheel to either increase or decrease the exposure. I have my camera set to make EV adjustments in 1/2 stop increments (the default is 1/3). My first adjustment is usually a full stop (two clicks). Shot again and check highlights/histogram. If still not right, delete image, make some more EV adjustments and shoot again. What I am after is to get the peak of the main histogram wave as far to the right as I can without any clipping.

I could probably do the same thing in "M" but I find it a lot easier and faster to leave the camera in "A" and just use the EV buttons. I usually get what I want in two or at most three adjustments. Once I have one "looking right", I just shoot away until I move on to another view or lighting situation.

And, I usually shoot in Raw.

Rusty

Thanks Rusty!

Like you I shoot in A mode 99% of the time. My problem lies in the fact that my eyes can't see close. So I have been relying on the fact that I have the creative control of the aperture and of course the camera would choose the correct exposure. But my images are always under exposed. I never thought anything about it since I could fix them but....

I feel like I have reached a new level with my expectations for how I want my images to look. Just that small under exposure is giving me an image that no matter what I do to fix the exposure, I am missing the perfect sharpness I am searching for. (hence the noise)

I took some practice shots this morning. I used my regular setting of A and letting the camera choose. Then I used my exposure compensation, one stop, then two. Now I need to upload them and see what I am looking at.

My biggest problem is.... I can't check my screen or histogram during shooting because I can't see something that small. I shoot and hope for the best. Thankfully my camera beeps to let me know I am focused.

Kimi, Here's a trick I use(in manual,but would work for A as well). Find something in the scene or near you in the same light and that is large enough to meter off that you know how much would need to change the exposure for. Summer grass right on, yellow +1/2/+1, Snow +11/2, black -1. Once you've learned how to tweak for those can extrapolate to trickier things. For instance if I want to photograph a white mushroom with moss around that is medium tone. I could meter the moss and dial back -1&1/2 to get the mushroom properly exposed. In A would need to use exposure lock so doesn't shift when framing the mushroom.

Blown out highlights are such a big problem on digital cameras that manufactures of prosumer DSLR cameras have set them to underexpose a little bit. At least that is the case with my Canon 40D. In order to correct this I set my exposure compensation to +1/3--2/3 of a stop depending on the amount of shadows or brightness in a subject. If I'm not sure I bracket exposures. Another thing to consider is what type of metering you are using for a given subject. If I am shooting a landscape in most instances I will use evaluative metering, ( I think Nikon calls this Matrix metering ) but if I am shooting in a theatre situation I will use spot or partial metering and try to meter off the skin of the subject because spotlights used in the theatre can throw the exposure way off. That being said, there are no exacts in metering for a correct exposure. The meter wil try to make everything grey. Blacks will look washed out and whites will tend to look grey unless you compensate with your camera adjustments. Most important is to observe what your camera tends to do in various lighting situations and compensate with the cameras adjustments. If you are not sure then just bracket around the exposure. I hope this helps.

ok... can someone explain bracketing?

I think I get it.
the shot you want and then one up and one down?

but I have NO idea how to set this in my camera? (I know, read the manual. yuck)
So does that mean when you take an image, the camera takes 3 separate images?

can someone turn on the lights because I am in the dark.

That's exactly what it means. Bracketing is another tool to use, especially in tricky lighting situations, when you aren't sure if the camera is feeding you completely accurate information. Light metering in the camera is pretty good, but its still dumb because its always looking to turn everything gray. Learning where to meter from, and how to "see the light", is one of the most challenging aspects of photography.

Kimi,

Look at page 56-57 of your D80 Nikon manual. Use the little button ("BKT") on the front of your camera (right next to the "D80" branding), the rear wheel to set # of exposures (choices limited to either 2 or 3), and the front wheel to set bracketing exposure increments.

It's pretty easy because you don't have to dive into menu or sub-menu settings. This assumes you can see well enough to view the top right display.

Rusty

Thanks Rusty!

I am going to give it a try. I just have to put on my glasses that I hate to carry around.