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The original author didn't have the time or desire to cleanup the code to the point where it would be acceptable to the main devs and for them to merge it. Instead he sort of just got mad and took all his code down.

There are some work arounds though. If you use back button AF, you can "meter and recompose" which works well with spot metering. You can also try different metering modes (you didn't specify which metering mode you were using that was giving you consistent underexposure). Also if you don't mind sacrificing a little vertical resolution, you can use dual ISO to go "ISO-LESS"

Personally I don't find much of a use case for EC on M because either:

I have plenty of time to set up the shot on a static scene and I'm just in full manual mode OR

I don't have time to be trying to adjust 2 different exposure parameters at the same time on a dynamic and quickly changing scene and I need to use Av or Tv.

In the second situation I am forced to rely on Canon's automatic choice for the other exposure parameters which I agree is not always ideal or what I would have chosen had I had all the time to setup the shot, but it's often better than what I can do in a split second. It's also less to think about so I can spend more time thinking about the more artistic aspects of the shot like framing, lighting, timing, etc.

Also it's important to note that we are only talking about ISO here. 2/3s of a stop of ISO under exposure is hardly going to make much difference in SNR, if any at all (only full stop "analog" ISOs will make an improvement in SNR, so it's possible increasing ISO by 2/3 stop will actually use the same base analog ISO). Also, increasing ISO only reduces noise from the electronics, because ISO does not effect the number of photons collected, so photon noise (aka 'shot noise') will remain unaffected.

That's a bummer about the code. Each metering mode behaves very similar in underexposing. What I've been doing occasionally, as needed, is spot metering something that looks slightly darker than 50% brightness (for lack of better terminology). Of course this works only as well as my own estimation and does add an extra step into the process. I'll admit that Manual with Auto ISO and EC isn't something that I would need very frequently, but certainly enough occasions that led me to notice it was missing.

I hadn't thought about base ISO's...I guess 2/3stop in-camera is no better/worse than 2/3stop in post, assuming you were starting at a base ISO. That does actually make me feel a bit less short-changed. Still, it truly seems like a careless oversight by Canon considering it was eventually a standard feature in the 7D2 and 1DX.

It was implemented here.  But the original author decided to remove public access to the code.

A single request thread is sufficient (this thread).  We don't need the forums cluttered by people who create duplicate threads.

Apologies. The issue is was a bit confusing since the request is was marked "Done" while the feature is not actually available in the latest build. I never came across any post that explained this. Was there a specific reason why public access was revoked? Is there potential for the feature to be offered again?

Well none of that is really true. I think you have a misunderstanding about what ETTR does and how to use it. ETTR does not meter the same way the other modes do, so "camera tendencies" do not apply to ETTR. You can set an exposure target (so in that sense there really is EC). And you can also set SNR limits, so that ETTR will expose such that the noisiest part of the image will be no noisier than a limit you set. In your example of a child playing in the snow, if you set an SNR limit, ETTR will overexpose the bright snow if need be to achieve the desired SNR for the darker parts of the image (i.e. the snow). You can also set the highlight ignore percentage.

I don't think I'm communicating my point effectively. Let me try to rephrase. My camera body typically underexposes by approx 2/3 stop, even when metering a neutral colored blank wall or gray card. In Av, Tv, and P modes I can proactively correct for this by dialing in +2/3 EC and not have to resort to pushing the exposure in post (leading to increased shadow noise). Unfortunately, when I want to be in control of my aperture and shutter simultaneously in Manual Mode, I am no longer able to proactively correct for the 2/3 stop underexposure that I know will occur when using Auto ISO. The time required for the camera to calculate the correct ETTR renders the ETTR feature useless for dynamic situations with varying lighting. (ie. soccer player running from a sunny to shaded portion of the field, school play with changing backdrops and spot-lighting, outdoor shooting with intermittent and varying degrees of cloud cover).

With that in mind, for those types of situations, there is simply no way to do the following concurrently and in rapid fashion:
1) Control aperture
2) Control shutter
3) Maintain a fixed +/- EC

Check out ETTR that i think should do what you want.

ETTR does not allow for the user to manually adjust the exposure compensation up or down. One very simple example of when/why this might need to be done is the camera's tendency to underexpose the image in bright scenes (think of a child playing in the snow). P, Av, and Tv modes allow you to set EC as desired to expose for the dark child rather than the bright snow.

Before I attempt to clarify my request, I need to point out that "Manual Mode" should not be interpreted literally as it is not limited to 100% manual operation; in reality, it should be called "Av/ Tv Priority Mode" since the Auto ISO option is still available. This mode allows the user to manipulate both the shutter and aperture to achieve a desired effect on the image while still retaining the automated exposure calculation via Auto ISO...

Now, while in this "Av/Tv Priority Mode" there is no way to set a +/-EC and still take advantage of the Auto ISO function. Instead, if you want to dial EC up/down, you have to stop between each shot and manually adjust the ISO setting until the histogram shifts to wherever you want it. Obviously, this is totally impractical for any type of moving subject or dynamic scene.



I made a request for this feature yesterday, but it was moved to the "Duplicate Question" forum. I have a feeling the moderator didn't fully understand the request. Either that, or I'm missing the thread where the request was either fulfilled, deemed impossible, or denied.

I'm reviving this thread because I'm having some issues either finding, or correctly using this feature. Or perhaps, I'm thinking this feature is something that it isn't. Let's clarify that first:

My goal is to put the camera in Manual mode, leave ISO set to Auto, and be able to manipulate both the shutter and aperture all while the camera adjusts the ISO to keep me at +2/3 EC. Is that something that could be accomplished with this current feature?

Would it be possible to add the estimated DOF value into the viewfinder for a given focal length, aperture, and subject distance? This is assuming the lens is able to determine the estimated subject distance. I know that I've seen distances in some of my EXIF data, but I don't know if all lenses record this info. I think the feature would be most useful in assuring adequate DOF when using lenses with large apertures such as the 85 f/1.2, 50 f/1.2, 135 f/2, etc.

Referring to the Canon Rebel, XXXD, XXD and 5DX bodies...There is a significant issue in not being able to dial in EC in Manual mode while using Auto ISO.

The name "Manual Mode" is a misnomer. It is not only used when the photographer wants to control each individual setting. It is the only mode that allows the user to determine the shutter speed and aperture while still taking advantage of the automation that modern DSLR's have to offer, via Auto ISO. Unfortunately, it seems Canon has overlooked the fact that their users aren't allowed to fine-tune exposure in this "Manual" mode, which is ironic in and of itself.

While using Av, Tv, and P modes, the photographer can dial in EC and the camera will subsequently adjust the non-user defined settings to expose for the desired EC. However, there is currently no way to achieve this unless the photographer wants to manually adjust shutter, aperture, and ISO simultaneously for each individual shot. Under consistent, constant lighting this is not much of an issue. Unfortunately, any situation with varying lighting renders Manual Mode essentially useless. For example, let's say you are shooting a school play with varying stage lighting; adjusting aperture, shutter, and ISO as quickly as the light or scene changes is not feasible. Some may argue that Av or Tv mode would be suitable in this situation, however, these modes can be just as restrictive when trying to achieve a desired effect.

Is this something that could be fixed on a software level?