The life of a South African Wildlife Photographer – Tim Driman

[William Walker]

 "I will also set +3 EV compensation in low light conditions, and even continue the +3 EV compensation in brighter conditions as it can give me four stops of faster shutter speed."

Can someone explain this to me please? I would have thought the shutter would have to slow down... What am I missing?

William

[stamper]

William you are correct!

[Mark D Segal]

Tim Driman is correct. Adding compensation is signal amplification increasing brightness, therefore the shutter speed needs to increase in order to prevent over-exposure. The technique is useful for fast-motion stopping, as would be useful in wildlife photography of fast-moving animals.

[Ray]

It needs to be mentioned that Tim has stated that he shoots in manual mode. If he were using 'automatic exposure' then setting +3 EV would result in the camera automatically reducing shutter speed in relation to the specified aperture.

[Mark D Segal]

The confusion may arise also from using the term EV which as Ray correctly points out usually means equal offsets of aperture versus shutter such that total light entering the camera remains the same. However, in this case, quite clearly, a manual technique is being used to amplify signal so that shutter speed can be increased for motion-stopping.

[Rob C]

It needs to be mentioned that Tim has stated that he shoots in manual mode. If he were using 'automatic exposure' then setting +3 EV would result in the camera automatically reducing shutter speed in relation to the specified aperture.

It's what people get for trying to outsmart nature: confusion. All my Hasselblad 500C lenses had EV possibilty - Compur shutters if I remember correctly. I wonder what all those shutter companies are doing today?

;-)

[William Walker]

However, in this case, quite clearly, a manual technique is being used to amplify signal so that shutter speed can be increased for motion-stopping.

Hi Mark, thanks for the reply, I am, however, still in the dark!

What is this "manual technique...to amplify signal"? The only way I know of is to increase ISO...I have never seen or heard of this technique before. I use a Canon 5DSr and when I am in "Manual" the only exposure compensation I have does one of two things: i.e. decrease shutter speed or opens the aperture.

Thanks
William

[fdisilvestro]

The only way to "amplify" the signal is by increasing ISO. Increasing shutter speed by 3 stops without changing ISO just underexposed the image. This could be fine with modern digital cameras shoting raw as you can adjust in post, like the "ISOLess" approach

[Mark D Segal]

Hi Mark, thanks for the reply, I am, however, still in the dark!

What is this "manual technique...to amplify signal"? The only way I know of is to increase ISO...I have never seen or heard of this technique before. I use a Canon 5DSr and when I am in "Manual" the only exposure compensation I have does one of two things: i.e. decrease shutter speed or opens the aperture.

Thanks
William

You're right. You increase ISO and increase the shutter speed so the exposure remains correct at motion-stopping shutter speeds. As I mentioned above the use of the term "EV" in this context may be causing some confusion. As you mention, EV offsets wider aperture against higher shutter speed or narrower aperture versus lower shutter speed to maintain equivalent exposure value. EV means "Exposure Value" and normally involves only f/stops and shutter speeds, not ISO.

[Ray]

The only purpose of using a +3 EV setting that I can think of in these circumstances, is to ensure that you are getting the maximum exposure at the chosen ISO and aperture settings without blowing the highlights of the relevant parts of the composition.

For example, if you are photographing animals in deep shade under a tree, then an auto exposure setting will tend to result in an underexposure, especially if there are a few streaks of light coming through the leaves at the edges of the composition, which you would probably want to crop out during processing.

Since shutter speed is often critical in order to get a sharp image of a moving animal, a technique to get the lowest noise as well as the appropriate shutter speed, would be to set ISO on auto mode, set the exposure at +2 EV or +3 EV, depending on the brand and model of camera, and manually adjust the shutter speed using a single focusing square and the camera's meter which is visible through the viewfinder.

In those circumstances, the camera will automatically raise the ISO (amplify the signal) to produce what appears to be an overexposure, but which really isn't when the RAW image is processed in ACR or similar program.

Those who shoot in RAW mode will probably frequently encounter an image which, when first viewed in ACR, looks very much overexposed, with grey clouds looking completely white. However, after moving the exposure slider back about 1/2 a stop or more, and after moving the 'highlights' and 'whites' sliders fully to the left, the image suddenly looks correctly exposed in a full ETTR fashion.

This is a technique to get the lowest noise in the shadows, which is particularly relevant when using Canon cameras. 

[William Walker]

The only way to "amplify" the signal is by increasing ISO. Increasing shutter speed by 3 stops without changing ISO just underexposed the image. This could be fine with modern digital cameras shoting raw as you can adjust in post, like the "ISOLess" approach

I agree Francisco, perhaps that is what he is saying without mentioning the need to rectify the resultant "underexposure" in post processing.

And, it appears that we all seem to agree that the only way to "amplify the signal" is by increasing the ISO?

Thanks

William

[TimmotDri_3]

Hi Guys: Thanks for all the input, but let me explain....

I usually shoot two rigs at a time in the bush...One A9 / SONY 100mm - 400mm GM +1.4xTC ; another A9 / 400mm f2.8 GM +2xTC because we have a very dusty environment and it is convenient to have a choice of focal reach at short notice. I never change lenses in the field.

I need to add that I only shoot in MANUAL mode; RAW (Compressed); AWB; AUTO ISO - Capped at ISO 1,600; Usually fully open, unless I am fairly close to the subject, so I stop down 2/3rd's to get decent over-all sharpness.

In 2018 I discovered this +3EV compensation by mistake, when I was squeezed for light early one morning. The EVF / Live View / Live histogram is really great to see what you are actually shooting, and will be what result you will get...... 

In desperation, to get a higher shutter speed, I tried adding light to the live view by turning the EV compensation dial... As I would it up, so the image in the live view got lighter. To get decent exposure I simply increased the shutter speed until the histogram moved back into the middle of it's frame...

I use the histogram all the time, and have set the viewfinder / rear screen to show the live histogram, so I can change shutter speed while looking through the viewfinder and on the fly.....

I absolutely don't profess to be a photographically, technically adept, "rocket scientist", but all I can say that, like a few of you readers have suggested, it seemed to fly in the face of all conventional photographic wisdom..... But in simple terms, it worked for me! Who am I to argue with that?

In the bush, we don't always have the time to think, and have to shoot "from the hip" as it were..... Every now and again, I check my histogram by pointing the camera at the surrounding area, maybe adjust the shutter speed to get the histogram right, so if I do see action, its a case of picking up the camera , pointing it at the subject, pushing my thumb down on the AF - ON button and holding it there, while I shoot in short bursts, even though I can shoot 20 frames per second... Invariably I end up with 30 - 40 frames in a sequence, so I can choose the best at my leisure.

 I shot Canon 1DX MKii / 5D MKiv / 7D MKii until 2017 when I switched to mirrorless.....  The SONY FF Mirrorless Alpha bodies certainly are different from anything in the DSLR world. The advantages ( For me..) far outweigh what I had with DSLR.  When people start using the EVF / Live View / Live Histogram only then, will they understand how different and special, this new technology really is for photographers who shoot action sports and wildlife.

I am always happy to answer any questions about wildlife photography in the Africa bush, and if Luminous Landscape would find value in an article about the appropriate equipment, planning trips, where to go, seasonality etc, I am sure that Josh will let me know...

[William Walker]

Hi Guys: Thanks for all the input, but let me explain....

In 2018 I discovered this +3EV compensation by mistake, when I was squeezed for light early one morning. The EVF / Live View / Live histogram is really great to see what you are actually shooting, and will be what result you will get...... 

In desperation, to get a higher shutter speed, I tried adding light to the live view by turning the EV compensation dial... As I would it up, so the image in the live view got lighter. To get decent exposure I simply increased the shutter speed until the histogram moved back into the middle of it's frame...

Which surely means, with the aperture wide open, that your ISO is automatically compensating/increasing? Another (easier?)way of achieving the same thing is setting Aperture and Shutter Speed Priority with Automatic ISO.

Or am I still missing something? 

[TimmotDri_3]

Hi William:  As I said, I am shooting SONY A9 and A7Riii FF mirrorless bodies.... They have EVF / Live View / Electronic shutters.

When I dialled in +3EV,  the live view got brighter which enabled me to manually increase the shutter speed to where I was satisfied that there were no over-exposed elements in the images.....

I also set AUTO  ISO but cap the ISO usually at ISO 800, but sometimes purposely over-ride manually to ISO 1,600...

As far as I am aware the aperture and ISO remained as I had set them, and there was no indication that the ISO had changed above the capped limitation....

The reason why I shoot fully manual is so I can control all the settings....

Suffice to say, it works for me... All those images of the crocodiles were shot in this manner... I have also used this method to shoot surfing in the early mornings when there isn't much light around.

Tim Driman

[fdisilvestro]

Hi Tim,

Great pictures!

From your explanation this is what I guess is happening: When you dial +3EV compensation, the ISO increases (since you are in Manual mode and auto ISO) and you see a brighter image in the EVF, then you increase shutter speed, for which autoISO will try to increase ISO even more, until you reach the ISO limit you set. At that point the image in the EVF start to reduce brightness and moves the histogram to the left until you are satisfied (The effective exposure compensation is lower than +3 EV).

In any case, all that matters is that it works for your.

The issue is that for the OCD photographer like me, when you say you dial positive exposure compensation to increase shutter speed, it sounds like a contradiction

[LesPalenik]

As far as I am aware the aperture and ISO remained as I had set them, and there was no indication that the ISO had changed above the capped limitation....

Tim,

It might be useful and interesting to look at the RAW image file and see what aperture and ISO settings were applied and recorded in the EXIF data section after you set your 3+ EV compensation.

Les

[Rand47]

Hi Tim,

Great pictures!

From your explanation this is what I guess is happening: When you dial +3EV compensation, the ISO increases (since you are in Manual mode and auto ISO) and you see a brighter image in the EVF, then you increase shutter speed, for which autoISO will try to increase ISO even more, until you reach the ISO limit you set. At that point the image in the EVF start to reduce brightness and moves the histogram to the left until you are satisfied (The effective exposure compensation is lower than +3 EV).

In any case, all that matters is that it works for your.

The issue is that for the OCD photographer like me, when you say you dial positive exposure compensation to increase shutter speed, it sounds like a contradiction

LOL, Yeah... the technical terminology is “jack up the ISO so you can get the needed/desired shutter speed.”   🤡

Funny how “common misunderstanding” of what we think is “common terminology” can have us all doing mental donuts.

Rand