Does Histogram replace Light Meter job?

With advent of digital SLR do you guys think that light meter function can be replaced by the camera histogram?

danielyamseng wrote in post #5972149
With advent of digital SLR do you guys think that light meter function can be replaced by the camera histogram?

Absolutely not. The histogram doesn't tell the whole story and histogram representation in the camera is not the most accurate one.

That's not to say that people are not able to shoot and adjust exposure based on the histogram but the perfect histogram is not always a perfect exposure. An example of that would be a black background, dark clothing, and the face of your subject. The histogram for that image would have you thinking the image was underexposed, whereas the exposure on the face is perfect but it's a very small part of the image and most of the frame is filled with black.

It depends. You really have to get used to what the histogram means. Most flash histograms bear little resemblance to a daylight histogram. Often they will look seriously under exposed, but if you check the right hand side of the histogram, you can usually see some meat in it even if it isn't a whole lot. Histograms only show you the relative amount of various tones in the picture. If there are a lot of dark tones in the picture, the histogram will resemble a seriously under exposed picture. If there are a lot of very light tones in the picture, the histogram will look like an over exposed picture. If you want to try not using a meter, practice a whole bunch and look at the results on a real computer screen or print them out. Don't trust the camera's LCD monitor - everything looks too good on it.

If that's the case, is it correct to say if the photograher has experience on how to read the histogram and knowhow to compensate the extreme color(away from 18% gray scale), he still able to get a correct exposure?

In other word, does light meter is for the beginners ?

danielyamseng wrote in post #5972464
In other word, does light meter is for the beginners ?

Definitely not!

danielyamseng wrote in post #5972464
light meter is for the beginners ?

Actually, it seems the more experienced photographers are the ones who use meters.

So even with DSLR cam ability to preview and reshoot, light meter still quite important in getting correct exposure.

Any attemp to correct exposure using photoshop will result lost of detail/hightlight, right?

With light metere this never happen. Just that when first time we use it we need to calibrate the light meter for once,right?

Is it possible to measure flash output without using sync cord?Say if I set it to manual flash output and set it say 1/2.

If I use the light meter to measure the fade under shades, I dont need to use fill in flash right?

If you are trying to shoot someone in the shade and not blow out the bright background, I fail to grasp how a light meter could POSSIBLY/REMOTELY alleviate the need for fill flash.....
The light meter will only spit out an exposure value (EV, basically ISO, shutter speed, f-stop) and possibly flash power to use, but you'd just plug them into your camera/flash and then take the picture like you always would. It basically tells you HOW to set the camera up, it doesn't magically increase the dynamic range of the sensor and/or change the intensity of the sun....

egordon99 wrote in post #5974633
it doesn't magically increase the dynamic range of the sensor and/or change the intensity of the sun....

It doesn't? Uh oh

Replaced by? No. BUT it's a great starting point & my meterS have been gathering dust since I went to digital & RAW.

Need an exposure crutch?

My 1-cent flash "meter" in images 5S & 6S.
Simple 2 Light Portrait Set-up

danielyamseng wrote in post #5972464
If that's the case, is it correct to say if the photograher has experience on how to read the histogram and knowhow to compensate the extreme color(away from 18% gray scale), he still able to get a correct exposure?

In other word, does light meter is for the beginners ?

Beginners are the ones who take a picture, look at the histogram and reshoot. Professionals are the ones who use a light meter, grey card, etc. to get the shot right the first time.

danielyamseng wrote in post #5974113
So even with DSLR cam ability to preview and reshoot, light meter still quite important in getting correct exposure.

Preview and reshoot only works when you -can- reshoot.

I've been in the studio business for almost 30 years with two full time operating studios. My wife and I are the main photogs. When we shot film, we always carried a minimum of 2 meters with us, plus the basic flash meters in the camera room. Since going digital in 2003, I haven't used the meters at all, if fact, I sold all but 1 to KEH.com in Atlanta. I still have s high end Gossen gathering dust in my field case. Guess I'll save it to put on display some day as an example of the "old stuff". The one thing I do use, especially in the studio is the white/black/grey target for setting exposure and white balance.

Hi Bob,

I've noticed that there is quite a bit of variation between all the so called 18% gray cards for exposure and targets specifically for white balance.

May I ask which brand and model targets you're using?

TMR Design wrote in post #5972205
An example of that would be a black background, dark clothing, and the face of your subject. The histogram for that image would have you thinking the image was underexposed, whereas the exposure on the face is perfect but it's a very small part of the image and most of the frame is filled with black.

I agree with this completely (when the face is the main subject).

My experience with flower closeups differs somewhat from this; I use a black velvet backdrop for some flowers (either to set them off better or get rid of a messy bg), and the light meter is hopeless in this situation.

In this case, much of the histogram will be bunched to the far left (the black area dominates), but there are small "tails" (for lack of a better word) that I adjust and ETTR.

These small tails are critical in getting the plant parts exposed properly without blowing the highlights (if I overexpose the highlights, the critics at NSN will immediately point it out - as well they should).

So for the black bg, I don't use the meter at all; the histogram takes over.

Glenn NK wrote in post #5975447
My experience with flower closeups differs somewhat from this; I use a black velvet backdrop for some flowers (either to set them off better or get rid of a messy bg), and the light meter is hopeless in this situation.

I don't understand why a light meter would be hopeless in this situation. Now let me first say that I do not have a light meter (although one is on the way from B&H as I type), and I have never shot under those specific conditions. But, if I understand correctly, the black background or white highlights of the flower will not "fool" the light meter (as it can your in-camera meter) and the meter is reading the actual light falling on your subject. Therefore the given exposure should be correct.
You obviously have a system that works for you, and that's great. I am just trying to gather information to improve my photography skills.