Autobracketing

Autobracketing is a feature of some more advanced cameras, whether film or digital cameras, particularly single-lens reflex cameras, where the camera will take several successive shots (often three) with slightly different settings. The images may be automatically combined, for example into one high-dynamic-range image, or they may be stored separately so the best-looking pictures can be picked later from the batch. When the photographer achieves the same result by changing the camera settings between each shot, this is simply called bracketing.

Parameter altered

The bracketing is typically for one specific parameter:

Exposure

Exposure autobracketing (often abbreviated to AEB for automatic exposure bracketing or BR for Bracketing) is the most common form. In this, the camera is set to capture the same image several times with different exposure settings, both over-exposed and under-exposed (lighter and darker) compared to the current setting on the camera, which may already include exposure compensation.

Depending on the camera, the difference between each of the autobracketed shots could be anywhere from one-quarter up to three full stops in each direction, in full, half, third or quarter stop increments, ranging from two up to nine shots in series. Sometimes it is possible to either define the order, in which the shots will be taken, or to give an offset as a start-point of the bracketing series. More sophisticated equipment allows auto-exposure bracketing to be combined with timer and intervalometer functions as well.

Cameras can perform autobracketing by adjusting either the shutter speed (typically in aperture priority mode, sometimes also in manual or program mode) or the aperture setting (typically in shutter priority mode). In programmed exposure mode, many cameras will alter both parameters at the same time.