Another thing you might want to consider is using multi-shot mode instead of single-shot mode. In multi-shot mode with AEB on, the camera will take all three bracketed images with one button press. This helps to reduce the overall time between all 9 exposures so that a changing scene will not affect your image merge later on. If you memorize how many clicks it takes of the wheel to go from 30 to 250 to 2000 you can reduce that time further… click the shutter, spin the wheel, click the shutter, spin the wheel, click the shutter. This way your darkest and lightest exposure are only about 3 to 6 seconds apart instead of 30 to 60 seconds apart. It will make a big difference later on in the merge if you have things in the frame that are moving.

If you have things in the frame that are moving a lot (flags, rocking boats, a model trying to sit really still) then you will want to stick to just 3 shots in multi-shot mode. Set the camera to do a +/- 2EV spread and multi-shot mode and you’ll be good to go. You can also increase your ISO slightly so that you can get a faster shutter speed in all three bracketed images so that artifacts created from movement is decreased further. But you will have to sacrifice some noise with each step in ISO so you have to weight the trade off for yourself. But if you’re using something like NoiseNinja or other noise plugin for Photoshop then you can get away with shooting at ISO400 or even higher without degrading your final composition.

Hope this all helps!

If you are in Tv:

Set ISO to 100 and shutter to 250 and see where the camera puts the aperture value for metering purposes. Then switch to manual mode and match the ISO, T, and A settings. Then adjust your T down per the chart to the setting for 1/60th – that way when the bracketing occurs in the 2nd and third exposure, it will be over and under by one stop from the initial value. Then move your shutter up to 1/250th and repeat the bracket sequence. Then move your shutter up to 1/2000 and repeat bracket sequence to get a full 9-shot bracketed range.

If you are in Av:

Set ISO to 100 and aperture to f8 and see where the camera puts the shutter value for metering purposes. Then switch to manual mode and match the ISO, T, and A settings. Then adjust your A down per the chart to the setting for f4.0 – that way when the bracketing occurs in the 2nd and third exposure, it will be over and under by one stop from the initial value. Then move your aperture up to f8 and repeat the bracket sequence. Then move your aperture up to f22 and repeat bracket sequence to get a full 9-shot bracketed range.

I have the original Digital Rebel, so I don’t have the mirror lockup function. Oh well.

Shutter priority is usually indicated by a T or Tv on your dial, and Aperture Priority with an A or an Av. As far as I know, there is no setting for exposure priority.

Mirror lockup is usually a setting within your custom functions. If you are using an SLR grade camera, you more than likely have it. There are some Point-and-Shoot models that have it, but the odds are less likely.The best bet would be to check your Owner’s manual. What model camera are you using?

Thanks for stopping by the blog though, I appreciate your visiting and taking the time to ask a few questions. Have a great weekend!