Exposure compensation.

Altering an exposure setting of the camera to be more or less than the camera’s internal program thinks the exposure should be.

For example, let’s say you’re taking a photograph of a white dog sitting on the snow. Most camera auto-exposure systems will try to get everything looking 18% grey and will thus under-expose the picture. You could apply a stop or two additional exposure compensation above the camera’s program to correctly expose the dog. Commonly indicated on cameras by an exposure compensation icon.

Exposure compensation is also used in electronic flash units - increasing or decreasing the flash unit’s light output away from the flash program’s settings. Commonly indicated on cameras by a flash exposure compensation icon.

cf. automatic exposure (AE).

Entry last updated 2002-04-06. Term 435 of 1487.

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