Need an exposure crutch?

The white still looks a bit gray. It looks to me like you need to add at least one more click? (1/3 stop).

Metering influenced exposure differences.

This was a bright, sunny day with no clouds, so the light didn't change while I took these shots. I used the pre-set Sunny WB, but I could have used the first (gray) image for a Custom White Balance (CWB). That gray is just what the camera needs. If I had intended to do that, I'd have zoomed in on the paper more.

Tv: You can see in this post that where you point the camera influences the meter reading, from 1/250 sec. to 1/2000 sec., and from f/13 to f/16.

Av: f/11, 28mm, center weighted metering. These were all shot in jpg. The only PP was resizing & sharpening.

More by Curtis: Comparisons of metering modes - an eye opener!

Wilt metered white/gray/black: If you point a spotmeter at very dark skin of the example OR the light skin of an Irish lass or a Nordic lady, EACH will be rendered GREY! Examples here.

More in the next post, or <Return to post #1>
.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

This should help explain the palm of your hand illustration in the first post.

While I used center weighted metering, I don't see where it would matter what metering mode you were in if you set your exposure this way.

It was cold & I took no special pains to get the exposure exactly right, but it illustrates the concept & I think this is well within the bounds of tweaking a RAW or jpg image.
Notice at the bottom right of the first & last histogram, there is a tiny peak that extends farther than you might see in a LCD.

<Return to post #1>
.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

The "crutch" exposure above still looks a little underexposed (perhaps you need 5 clicks to the right?). As you say though, this would still be an easy fix when using RAW though. I think you've convinced me to stop using that Av setting that I so often rely on. I'll have to dig out that incident light meter of mine and start using it more.

It is. I should have put a coat on before I went out & took more time with it.

I'm not against Tv/Av for people who know what to expect & have learned how to compensate. I think the hand is a much more reliable starting method for people who are confused with metering methods & EC, though.
More on this in post #39 in case you missed it.

Mines been gathering dust since I went digital & my hand is always with me.

Maybe someone is thinking that my method is too complicated & Av or Tv is better & faster? If you want info on how to make EC & metering modes work, & you have a lot of time on your hands, read TMR Design's excellent thread: Understanding your camera’s built-in metering system
It's over 360+ posts!

Hey Frank - is +5 your normal adjustment for the 'palm meter'?

+4 is "normal" for me for cars where I want to keep some detail in the chrome & I just used that & ran back to keep the berries from freezing. +5 would have been a better choice but I usually don't do landscapes & didn't think of it.

I ran you palm photo past a gypsy.

You will have a long life and many children.

I hope you can get a partial refund on the last part of that?

PhotosGuy wrote in post #5199011
+4 is "normal" for me for cars where I want to keep some detail in the chrome & I just used that & ran back to keep the berries from freezing. +5 would have been a better choice but I usually don't do landscapes & didn't think of it.

Yes..freezing berries makes for "rushed decisions" and not good photos

PhotosGuy wrote in post #5191658
Metering influenced exposure differences.

This was a bright, sunny day with no clouds, so the light didn't change while I took these shots. I used the pre-set Sunny WB.
You can see in this post that where you point the camera influences the meter reading, from 1/250 sec. to 1/2000 sec., and from f/13 to f/16.

Av, f/11, 28mm, center weighted metering. These were all shot in jpg. The only PP was resizing & sharpening.

More in the next post.
.

Great comparison !! PS - looks like you need to do some sensor cleaning Frank ..

I noticed that, too. Most of the time I'm under f/11 though.
Some personal views on Sensor cleaning.

Ok, I've been trying to wrap my mind around this concept...so I expose off of my palm and add 4-5 clicks to get correct exposure for my shots? I know I have to have my hand in the same light as the subject and all that mess but I usually use Av mode when I'm not shooting cars/sports...things like that. For my outside people/candids I use Av w/fill flash and usually -1 or -1 1/3 EC on the flash and the exposure usually turns out well. I have to tweak things from time to time but you get the idea, right?

Chris, if I understand all of this correctly, 4-5 clicks might not be the right spot for your hand. Next time you go out, take a grey card with you to meter from. Set your exposure with the grey card, and then meter off of your hand and see where it puts you. If the same settings from the grey card put you +4 clicks on your hand, then that is where you need to be. From then on, you can just meter off of your hand, go +4 clicks, and your there.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

That makes sense to me. Thanks. I'll give that a try next time the sun is actually out. It's been overcast for the past 3 days with no end of the clouds in sight.