Cadenza
20th of August 2004 (Fri), 17:53
Add to the list of missing features in the 20D that of
a live histogram -- I guess the same reason why it
can't have a swivel LCD screen.
So in practical terms, how do you personally apply
the "shoot to the right" technique, when you can't
have a live histogram like in the better rangefinder
type prosumers? Don't ask me to carry a spotmeter,
it's just not gonna happen.
I guess the ideal is when you're able to take the
picture twice, once to check on the histogram, and
then retake the picture with informed adjustments.
(Or else, two exposures for digital blending!)
Obviously, that is not always possible -- you would
miss "the decisive moment" many times that way.
So what I was doing was eyeballing it, and when
I felt a scene had harsher contrast yet the highlit
part was difficult to isolate, I'd underexpose the
camera's reading by 1/2-1 f-stop. Sometimes it
worked, and sometimes my shadows were too dark.
Same thing using partial metering, sometimes
I'd use partial to expose for highlights, and it seemed
as if I was loosing too much data in the shadows.
It's a give an take compromise, anyone's figured
out a sure fire, on the moment way of pushing the
highlights to the max without blowing over?
a live histogram -- I guess the same reason why it
can't have a swivel LCD screen.
So in practical terms, how do you personally apply
the "shoot to the right" technique, when you can't
have a live histogram like in the better rangefinder
type prosumers? Don't ask me to carry a spotmeter,
it's just not gonna happen.
I guess the ideal is when you're able to take the
picture twice, once to check on the histogram, and
then retake the picture with informed adjustments.
(Or else, two exposures for digital blending!)
Obviously, that is not always possible -- you would
miss "the decisive moment" many times that way.
So what I was doing was eyeballing it, and when
I felt a scene had harsher contrast yet the highlit
part was difficult to isolate, I'd underexpose the
camera's reading by 1/2-1 f-stop. Sometimes it
worked, and sometimes my shadows were too dark.
Same thing using partial metering, sometimes
I'd use partial to expose for highlights, and it seemed
as if I was loosing too much data in the shadows.
It's a give an take compromise, anyone's figured
out a sure fire, on the moment way of pushing the
highlights to the max without blowing over?