(Metering) Modes

Anyone know of a link that describes situations in which the other exposure (metering) modes on the 10D (DRebel, etc.) might be considered? I've always just used the default (evaluative?).

-dave-

Ok, well then does anyone use any exposure modes other than evaluative?

-dave-

Are you asking about a metering mode, like partial metering?

---Bob Gross---

The main modes of metering are:
1.Evaluative
2.Center Weighted
3. Partial
4. Spot

Evaluative metering relies on proprietary algorithms of the camera manufacturer, that try to take into account the different levels of lighting in the picture and decides for you what to give most weight to.
The other three are all variations on the same theme, that being a narrowing of the area that the camera meter uses to guage an exposure. Center Weighted>Partial>Spot. They are most often used when the lighting in a scene isn't even, or when a scene is backlit, or when you want to properly expose something that takes up a small portion of the picture. On my 10D, I usually use Partial Metering, or a handheld spot meter.
Scott

Let me see if I can describe a good example.

Suppose that you were shooting a person's face that is behind a candle, and it is all in a dark room.

With a spot meter, you might put the meter spot just on the candle flame, which would be very bright. Or, you could put the meter spot just on the person's face, which would be medium. Or, you probably would not put the spot on the dark background.

If you did partial metering, you might center it around the candle and face, so some of the candle brightness is added to some of the facial brightness.

If you did a full evaluative metering, then more of the dark background will be added to what you got from partial metering.

Which one is best? There is no perfect answer. Each mode might be best for what the photographer has in mind. Better yet, shoot the same scene with each mode and see which metering provides the best result.

---Bob Gross---

Scott:
Which handheld spotmeter do you use? I have a couple Pentax Spotmeter Vs, but I get the impression that these are considered dinosaurs alongside some of the newer units.

Tom

I used to use the Sekonic L358 with 1 degree spot meter attachment. A couple of months ago I bought the new Sekonic L558. It's sweet. It has a digital read out in the spot finder.
Regards,
Scott

Hey guys! these were necessary & worked great when shooting 8X10 film, but my hand held meters have been gathering dust for the last several months.
My working mode now is, 'take the pic'. Look at the Info/histogram. Adjust/reshoot, or move on to what's next on the agenda. No more 'Meterbating'. I'm having a lot more fun, too!
IMNSHO, so would you!

There are many ways to accomplish the same task. With regards to metering, some people prefer to use the in camera meter and adjust based on the histogram. Some, like myself, prefer to get a more accurate reading first for difficult to meter situations and then adjust using the histogram. Bryan Peterson, uses his in camera meter like a spot meter by filling his viewfinder with the area he wants to meter off of, taking a reading and then recomposing.
PhotosGuy, you act like you just discovered the Holy Grail of exposure, and the rest of us who do it differently are stupid and living in the dark ages! If what you do works for you then that's fine. You want to share it with others, that's fine too. Just leave out the "If you only knew" bs.
Back at ya,
Scott
(Yeah, I'm in a pissy mood today, worked all night. Deal with it! )

Cowman,

I rarely use evaluative, because I am most often interested in a aparticular subject (like a bird,. or just it's head) than I am interested in the whole scene.

I use Evaluative for landscapes and sunsets etc...

But I find I am in "partial" whch is the 10D/Rebel's closest thing to a spot meter. This way I can be more likely to expose the bird than the sky or back ground..

It's a bit give and take.

The review and histogram instant gratification for adjustment is great,. when you have time for a second shot to make corrections.. but that is not allways the case when your shooting say a falcon in a dive

Hey Scott!
I hope you’re feeling better now?

Agreed!

No problem with that, either. But Belmondo, who already “I have a couple Pentax Spotmeter Vs…� was wondering if his meters were “dinosaurs�, and the basis for my answer is that spot meters aren’t as relevant as they used to be. Having fun with photography is. We all have a ‘spot meter’ (+ telephoto) built into the cam. Why not use that, check with the histogram, and forget about carrying extra bits of equipment around?

True, after using film, I guess I think I have. Digital sure beats metering, exposing, processing after the fact & agonizing ‘till I get to see the results!

I don’t have a clue where that came from. Just so you know for future reference, if I think something’s stupid, I’ll say so & there won’t be any doubt in anyone’s mind.

Not my intent. Sorry you took it that way. My point was that things we had to have in the past, may not be necessary for everyone in the world of digital. People come here to get advice, hopefully on having fun taking pics, and the world doesn’t revolve around “L�s & hand held spotmeters all the time. So I suggested an alternative.

CDS,

The review and histogram instant gratification for adjustment is great,. when you have time for a second shot to make corrections.. but that is not allways the case when your shooting say a falcon in a dive!

Too true! Here’s a suggestion from a dinosaur (NOT to imply that everyone should take this as Gospel):
I tend to shoot on M, so I take a few ‘pre-readings’ to get a relevant average exposure. I’d take a few ‘pre-pics’ & check the histogram to refine the ‘relevant average exposure’. Then I’d delete them. The exposure for the diving falcon would already be dialed into my brain since it’s something that might happen quickly. If I had been shooting something else that required compensation, then I’d know how many clicks I went away for that pic &, as I raised the cam for the falcon, I’d be dialing back to the exposure for the falcon diving pic. After a while, it gets to be second nature, but as I said, it’s “a suggestion�.

OK, who wants to pick on me next?

Nice come back! 8)
Have a nice weekend,
scott

Scott,
(I'm the amateur that will be shooting a wedding for free and the couple did not hire a pro.) For bridal shots, if you had a choice between 10D metering and a gray card OR an incident meter (your Sekonic), which would you use (assuming this is the correct application for incidental metering)? How easy is it to use the Sekonics?

I think they discontinued the Sekonic 408's...they are selling them at a reasonable discount at Central-Camera.com (closeouts).

thanks,
Ken

P.S. Congrats on getting the Mark II...have fun!

I don't do weddings much. Robert Gross and G3 would be much better people to answer this question, just don't let on that I told you. Weddings can be tricky what with the black tuxes and white gowns together. The meters are fairly easy to use if you know what to meter. The bright whites and dark blacks, will need some correction to the meter readings or they'll both wind up looking grey. White requires 1-2 stops overexposure and black 1-2 stops underexposure to what the spot or partial meter says.

There have been a number of threads on this issue, "weddings". I believe if you check the prior threads on wedding photography, you find alot of useful information. Here is one such thread:
https://photography-on-the.net …=27060&highligh​t=weddings
Regards,
Scott