S3 IS (or similar camera) metering modes

[kathy1]

Hi,
What metering modes do you use for your Canon S3 IS camera (or other similar camera)? I have mine set on "Center-Weighted Average Metering," but I am not sure this is the best setting...or if I should be using different metering methods for different types of pictures (what's best for landscapes,etc). I tried to see what has been already posted, but didn't run into anything I thought answered this question. I read page 73 in Advanced Camera User Guide, but it didn't seem very helpful to me. Can someone help? Thanks.
Kathy

[NOsquid]

It just depends on the situation and the subject.

If you have a white object in the middle of a bunch of darker objects, and the camera is set to evaluative, it will overexpose the white, because it decides it needs more light to expose all the dark objects properly (they make up most of the scene so they get priority). If on the other hand you spot metered the white object, it would be exposed properly and all the dark stuff would be underexposed. You're telling the camera whatever is spot metered gets priority. Evaluative and center take everything into account to get what the camera believes is a happy medium.

[kathy1]

Thanks for your reply.
For landscapes, would evaluative most often be the best choice? better than center?
Which metering mode would you use, if you had a row of about 8 people in a single line (with no one in white)about 12 feet from camera? how about if you have two rows of people. In each case, I would say about 10-12 feet from the camera? evaluative for both?
I guess "Center-weighted average" and "Center" (under Spot AE Point) are confusing to me. Considering the color white...If I take a picture of a bride in her white gown with "Center" (under Spot AE Point) will that picture turn out clear of the bride, but make the rest of the people in the picture out of focus? If I take a picture of a bride in her white gown with "Center-weighted average" will that picture turn out clear of the bride...and also of the rest of the people in the picture? Thanks in advance, for your reply.
Kathy

[NOsquid]

I don't really think much about center weighted to be honest. It's an old school thing, and I'm young. As far as I'm concerned the choice is usually between evaluative and spot.

Center weighted average is a metering mode, center under Spot AE point is where in the viewfinder the camera would take its reference in spot metering mode.

You're making this more complicated than it is, I can't give you a rule of thumb because you just have to understand how it works. Sometimes all the metering modes will be wrong and you'll have to override (ie shoot in Manual, or use exposure compensation) the camera for the best result. Metering is just a fancy way to describe how the camera decides exposure--exposure is basically how much light it allows to hit the sensor. If it doesn't let enough in, the picture is dark, and too much light and everything is blown out. Duh right? The metering modes is just how the camera takes its reference. Evaluative means it takes everything in your viewfinder into account. Spot just takes one spot. If that one spot is a candle flame in a dark room, it will completely ignore the dark around the candle, and the rest of the picture will be pitch black. The candle will look perfect. If you used evaluative, the candle light would be blown out completely, but the rest of the picture would look closer to right.

The best way to understand this would be to take out your camera and play. If you don't understand the basics of ISO/shutter speed/aperture you need to start there with a book like Understanding Exposure.

If in doubt, use Evaluative metering :) And use exposure bracketing if it's an important shot.

[kathy1]

Thank you for all your help. For a better understanding, I will take your advice and get the book "Understanding Exposure."