In Reply to: Photo question posted by seahunt on August 01, 2008 at 15:00:45:

So with digital cameras you have basically 5 settings available to you in shooting:

ISO/ASA
WB
EV
Aperture
Shutter Speed

I would do things in this order and just look at the results on the LCD and compensate. This assumes you are HAND HOLDING the camera. If you have a tripod I'll offer a second set of suggestions.

1) Set he ISO/ASA to its LOWEST SETTNG. Set shutter speed to 1/60 and open the aperture to fully-open. On most of my "professional" above water camera gear F1.4 and F2.8 are the most common wide apertures. On consumer, F3.5- f5 seems common.

2) Take a Picture, look in the LCD. If it worked, be happy. If it did not and is too light stop the aperture down 1 and repeat. If it did not and is too dark, move to Step 3.

3) Crank the EV comp on your camera up 1 full stop. Take a picture review. If still too dark, repeat. if too light, back off in -1/3EV stops, rinse & repeat.

If you have maxed EV (usually +3) and it is still too dark. Reset EV to 0 and then step the ISO/ASA up one level. Rinse, repeat.

Do not go above ISO/ASA 400 unless you want grain. I never shoot over ISO 200 on my Nikon D3 and never over ISO 80 on my Canon G9.

IF YOU HAVE A TRIPOD and for dark shots, I suggest one... feel free to stop the shutter speed down a lot lower than 1/60 and take long exposures.

Hope this makes sense.