WHEN TO USE EXPOSURE ADJUSTMENT

When using center-weighted average metering, the following suggestions will help you decide whether to use exposure adjustment. individual conditions and intentions will, of course, determine which exposure you choose.

When background is much brighter than main subject: Set exposure adjustment between +0.5 and +2.0 steps, depending on lighting conditions. photos A and B were taken with strong backlighting and no fill-in illumination.
When the main subject is much lighter than the background: Set exposure adjustment between -0.5 and -2.0 stops, depending on lighting conditions. Photos C and D shown main subject in bright sunlight against a dark background. This exposure adjustment can also be used for spotlit subjects, as at a circus or on a stage.
For scenes where most of the tones are very light, such as snow-covered hillsides: An adjustment of +0.5 to +2.0 stops may be necessary. Similarly, an adjustment of -0.5 to -2.0 stops can be used when the overall scene is composed of mostly darker tones, as for a black cat against a dark background.
Exposure adjustment can also be used to vary exposure in half-stops for series of photographs of the same scene. This technique, "bracketing", is especially useful when you are not sure which exposure will look best, as when photographing a sunset.

Exposure adjustment
Exposure adjustment can be used to deliberately increase or decrease exposure from the normal metered value. Adjustment range is from +4 to -4 stops in half-stop increments. To set:

Press and hold exposure adjustment key (marked +/-).
Move shutter up/down control until desired value appears in data panel. Set minus (-) numbers to decrease exposure and plus (+) numbers to increase exposure.

Whenever exposure adjustment is set in P, A, or S mode, the "+" or "-" mark appears in data panel and adjusted value blinks in the viewfinder display.
In M mode when exposure adjustment is set, no indication appears in data panel. Exposure deviation indicated in viewfinder includes the value set, which can be checked at any time by pressing the exposure adjustment key.

NOTE

Reset exposure adjustment to "+-0.0" after use.
When using an R60 (red) filter, adjust exposure +1.0 stop.