Why ND filters vs exposure compensation?

10 years 7 months ago #292270 by Steve Kemp
If ND filters are used just to stop down light and exposure compensation can do that or go the other direction. Why should you spend money on ND filters if the camera can do that already?

Meaning if I put a 2 stop ND filter on my camera and take a photo the photo would look like "ABC"

If I take the same shot with no ND filter, but I have 2 stops of negative exposure compensation wouldn't the photo look like "ABC" ?

See where I'm going with this?


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10 years 7 months ago #292315 by garyrhook
Exposure compensation doesn't stop down light. It doesn't change the amount of light hitting the sensor. An ND filter does. Two completely different things.

Here's a nice article to read:

digital-photography-school.com/ev-compensation-explained


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10 years 7 months ago #292361 by Shadowfixer1

Steve Kemp wrote: If ND filters are used just to stop down light and exposure compensation can do that or go the other direction. Why should you spend money on ND filters if the camera can do that already?

Meaning if I put a 2 stop ND filter on my camera and take a photo the photo would look like "ABC"

If I take the same shot with no ND filter, but I have 2 stops of negative exposure compensation wouldn't the photo look like "ABC" ?

See where I'm going with this?

With exposure compensation, you are changing the exposure. The ND filters reduce the light, but the camera still figures the "supposed" correct exposure. Exposure compensation is changing the "supposed" correct exposure by two stops. These are two totally different things. I hope this helps clear it up because some people have a hard time grasping the concept and it's not real easy to explain in simple terms.
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