M: Manual Exposure

In this mode, you set both the shutter speed and aperture value as desired. To determine the exposure, refer to the exposure level indicator or use a commercially available exposure meter.

Manual exposure stands for Manual.

  1. Set the Mode dial to Manual exposure.

  2. Set the ISO speed ().

    • Press the ISO button to set it.
    • With ISO Auto, you can set exposure compensation ().

  3. Set the shutter speed and aperture value.

    • To set the shutter speed, turn the Main dial dial, and to set the aperture value, turn the Quick control dial dial.

  4. Focus on the subject.

    • Press the shutter button halfway.
    • Check the exposure level mark [Exposure level] to see how far the current exposure level is from the standard exposure level.

    (1) Standard exposure index

    (2) Exposure level mark

  5. Set the exposure and take the picture.

    • Check the exposure level indicator and set the desired shutter speed and aperture value.

Exposure Compensation with ISO Auto

If the ISO speed is set to [AUTO] for manual exposure shooting, you can set exposure compensation () as follows:

  • Tap the exposure level indicator
  • [Shooting: Expo.comp./AEB]
  • Turn the control ring while pressing the shutter button halfway

Caution

  • Exposure may not be as expected when ISO Auto is set, because the ISO speed is adjusted to ensure standard exposure for your specified shutter speed and aperture value. In this case, set the exposure compensation.
  • Exposure compensation is not applied in flash photography with ISO Auto, even if you have set an exposure compensation amount.

Note

  • ISO speed is locked when you hold down the shutter button halfway after subjects are in focus with One-Shot AF in Manual exposure mode with ISO Auto, Evaluative metering (Evaluative metering), and [Custom Functions: AE lock meter. mode after focus] set to the default setting ().
  • When ISO Auto is set, you can press the AE lock button to lock the ISO speed.
  • If you press the AE lock button and recompose the shot, you can see the exposure level difference on the exposure level indicator compared to when the AE lock button was pressed.
  • Any existing exposure compensation amount is maintained if you switch to Manual exposure mode with ISO Auto after using exposure compensation in Program AE, Shutter-priority AE, or Aperture-priority AE mode ().
  • To coordinate exposure compensation in ½-stop increments with ISO speed set in ⅓-stop increments when [Custom Functions: Exposure level increments] is set to [1/2-stop] and used with ISO Auto, exposure compensation is further adjusted by adjusting shutter speed. However, the shutter speed displayed will not change.