Non-manual Exposure Settings

Let's say that your camera doesn't have a manual mode or exposure lock setting. Although your options in exposure compensation are severely constrained, you still have ways to compensate for your meter's poor assumptions. If it's available on your camera, use the exposure compensation feature to increase or decrease the exposure settings. This feature usually allows 1/3 or 1/2 stop adjustments up or down to a maximum of +/- 2 stops. Exposure compensation is not available on many consumer camera models, but if you have it, it's the best non-manual exposure adjustment.

You can also adjust exposure by dialing the ASA/ISO setting up or down to make the image lighter or darker. If you don't have that option, check whether your camera has exposure presets for things such as close-ups, landscapes, and portraits. These settings can anticipate and adjust the exposure for the corresponding scenarios, but these settings are something of a last resort when you want to compensate for unusual lighting conditions.

 Galgano Textures
Nikon D2H
1/160 sec, f/9.5
Focal length 24mm