Nikon 5400 Manuel D’Utilisation

To cancel exposure compensation, choose a value of ±0.  In 

 and 

 

modes, exposure compensation will be reset to ±0 when the camera is 
turned off or the mode dial is turned to another setting.

To obtain the desired results with certain compositions (for example, when 
large areas of the frame are very bright, very dark, or contain areas of high 
contrast), it may be necessary to alter exposure from the value suggested by 
the camera.  This can be done using exposure compensation.

Exposure compensation can be set to values between –2.0 EV (underexpo-
sure) and +2.0 EV (overexposure) in increments of 

1 3

 EV.  To choose a value for 

exposure compensation, press the    button and rotate the command dial:

Compensation displayed in moni-
tor at values other than ±0.  Check 
image in monitor before shoot-
ing.

As a rule of thumb, select positive values when large areas of the frame are very bright-
ly lit (for example, when photographing an expanse of sunlit water, sand, or snow) 
or when the background is much brighter than the main subject.  Choose negative 
values when large areas of the frame are very dark (for example, when photographing 
a forest of dark green leaves) or when the background is much darker than the main 
subject.  This is because the camera, in order to avoid extreme under- or over-exposure, 
tends to lower exposure when the frame is very bright and raise exposure when the 
frame is very dark, which can make naturally bright subjects look dim and naturally 
dark subjects appear over-bright, or “washed out.”