I shoot in AV or TV and use EC as follows: (courtesy of Arthur Morris)
Exposure Simplified
Here are the basics.
Get in the habit of working in Av Mode and adjusting the exposure suggested by your camera’s evaluative or matrix meter reading by dialing in exposure compensation.
When the sun is out at full strength, that is, on a clear day at least an hour after sunrise or at least an hour before sunset, your camera’s evaluative or matrix meter is smart. It is rare in these conditions that you will need to compensate more than 1/3 stop in either direction.
When you are working in the shade, or when it is cloudy or overcast, or when the sun is out at less than full strength, then your camera’s evaluative or matrix meter is dumb. You will need to help it out in order to get the exposure that you want. The closer your scene is to white, the more you will need to help the meter.
1: If the sun is out at full strength and what you see in your viewfinder averages to a middle-tone or lighter and there are no white or bright highlights, you can use the metered exposure.
2: If the sun is out at full strength and what you see in your viewfinder averages to darker than a middle-tone and there are no white or bright highlights, you can use the metered exposure less 1/3 stop.
3: If there bright or white highlights in #1 or # 2, use 1/3 stop less light than recommended above.
4: If you are working in the shade, if it is cloudy or overcast, or if the sun is out at less than full strength and what you see in the viewfinder averages to a middle-tone, the best exposure will always be either the metered exposure or the metered exposure + 1/3 stop.
5- If you are working in the shade, if it is cloudy or overcast, or if the sun is out at less than full strength and what you see in the viewfinder averages to lighter than a middle-tone, you will need to add light to the metered exposure to come up with a pleasing exposure. The lighter the scene, the more light you need to add.
For scenes a bit lighter than a middle tone, add 2/3 stop of light.
For images well brighter than a middle tone, add 1 full stop of light.
For images that average to white, add 1 1/3 stops of light.
In white-out conditions add 2 full stops of light.
6- If you are working in the shade, if it is cloudy or overcast, or if the sun is out at less than full strength and what you see in the viewfinder averages to darker than a middle-tone and their are no bright or white highlights, you can use the metered exposure.
Because of the wordy qualifications that needed to be included above, the principles may seem more complex than they really are. To simplify things even further, consider the following:
Situation #1- Sun out, middle tone or brighter = 0.
Situation #2- Sun out, darker than a middle tone = -1/3.
Situation #3- Sun out, bright highlights against middle tone = -1/3; against dark = -2/3.
Situation #4- Sun in, middle tone = 0 or +1/3.
Situation #5- Sun in. Lighter than a middle tone = +2/3.
Well brighter than a middle tone = +1.
White: +1 1/3.
White-out conditions: +2.
Situation #6-Sun in, darker than a middle-tone = 0.
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