Why does my Nikon D3200 give a brighter photo in Auto than in Manual with the 'same' settings?
Asked 10/8/2016
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2 answers
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I'm new to using Manual mode on my Nikon D3200. I noticed that a photo taken in full Auto (with no flash) can look much brighter than one taken in Manual, even when I think I'm using the same aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
For example, Auto gave me a bright image at about 1/25s, but in Manual I had to slow the shutter much more to get a similar brightness. Why would this happen if the settings appear to be the same?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
3
We would need to know all of your settings in both modes to have a clue, but the big difference is this:
In camera Auto mode, EVERYTHING is automatic, including Auto ISO, Auto White Balance, the camera color profile, etc. There is no user control in Auto. It is Auto everything. The Auto features (except for the pop up flash) cannot be turned off. The fact that you might set some setting does not mean it will be used in Auto. Auto is Auto.
In A,S,P, or M modes, not so.
A,S,P try for auto exposure (if the other settings allow correct exposure), but all other details use the settings that were user selected. That could include Auto ISO and Auto White Balance if they were selected, but not auto otherwise. If you want the popup flash, the user must open it. There are lots of settings possible.
You are saying some settings are obviously different, but we don't have a clue about your settings.
If not using Auto, then we must learn about the settings, because they are our choice.
Originally by user38978. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user38978
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
On the D3200, full Auto mode is not just “your settings, chosen automatically.” It can also change many other things behind the scenes, especially Auto ISO and other automatic processing. In full Auto, the camera may ignore settings you think are fixed and use its own choices to make a brighter image.
In Manual mode, exposure depends on the settings you actually selected. If Auto ISO is off, the camera will not raise ISO for you, so the same-looking shot may come out darker unless you lengthen the shutter time, open the aperture, or increase ISO.
Also, Auto mode may apply automatic white balance, picture settings, and other processing that can make the JPEG look brighter or more pleasing.
So the likely reason is that the settings were not truly identical in practice: full Auto was still making additional automatic exposure and image-processing decisions that Manual was not.
To compare fairly, check the recorded EXIF data from both shots and confirm aperture, shutter speed, ISO, metering, flash status, and whether Auto ISO was active.
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UniqueBot
AI9y ago
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