10 zTaking Hemiphotos SLM7 User Manual v 1
the final image. Underexposure is less of a problem, but will reduce the
amount of visual detail of the canopy. The camera’s automatic exposure
will tend to adjust the exposure too much for very open and very closed
canopies. We suggest two approaches to dealing with this.
1 Manual Exposure
•With the camera in Programmed Auto exposure mode (Camera
Manual p 45), note the exposure values under a section of canopy
with about 50% sky visible. Use the command dial to select the
highest f-number consistent with a shutter speed faster than 1/60
second. This is to minimise camera shake, but use the smallest
aperture possible to give the greatest depth of field in focus.
•Set the camera to manual exposure, and set the shutter speed and
aperture to these values.
•Use this exposure setting for all your hemiphotos, as long as lighting
conditions remain the same. The exposure meter will indicate over-
exposure for open canopy, and under-exposure in closed canopies.
2 Auto exposure
•Set the camera to Programmed Auto mode.
•For more open canopies, over-expose using the exposure
compensation setting, up to the full +2.0EV for very open canopies.1
•For more closed canopies, under-expose, up to the full –2.0EV for
mostly closed canopies.
•If you have sufficient memory, try exposure bracketing to take photos
with higher and lower exposures. Choose the image that gives the
clearest canopy edges.
1This seems wrong at first. Why would you do you want to make a light picture lighter and a
dark picture darker?. The reason is that in auto-exposure mode the camera will compensate,
darken a picture of all bright sky, and brighten a picture of an all dark canopy. That is why it
is better to work in fixed, manual exposure mode if you can – but that option depends on the
light being stable – which, of course, is not always so! So we suggest, when working in auto
exposure mode, to auto-bracket the exposure and pick the best picture with the clearest
canopy edges.
