Resources

[soapysuds626]

Can anyone point me in the direction where I can find more resources explaining metering? For some reason I am having a difficult time understanding this concept. Any help or tips I would greatly appreciate!

[i speak in math]

Its easy -- think of every color as greyscale. Now, the camera meter will always try to make what it sees 18% grey. That is considered the optimal "correct" exposure setting.

So when you use matrix metering, it averages the whole scene and sets the exposure so that its 18% grey. This can sometimes mean that your subject is underexposed. In situations where the subject is in front of a bright background, the camera will take that into account when it meters. So, its looking at the bright background and the dark foreground and setting the exposure for somewhere in the middle.

When you use center weighted, its averages the whole scene, but makes the center more important than the outsides. This is a little better for a backlit subject because now its giving that subject a little more priority. It will meter for the darker subject and ignore the brighter surroundings. But the sky/background will probably blow out and be white.

And spot metering only looks at the little spot in the middle and tries to make that 18% grey. You have to know what you are doing here. If you point it willy-nilly, you will likely not have the exposure you think you should have. From eye to cheek to hair, you will get all different exposures.

This 18% grey standard can pose a problem in certain situations, through. If you are taking a picture of something black (person in a black shirt) that takes up the majority of the image, the camera will make it 18% grey. You might have to manually input some exposure compensation (-1.5 EV or so) to make it black.

Similarly with white (pictures of snow), the camera will try to make it 18% grey, so it will look underexposed and muddy. You might have to put in +1.5 EV exposure compensation to make it look white again.

[soapysuds626]

Thank you for breaking it down for me. I am new at this and there is so much to learn and it is a little overwhelming at times. Not exactly sure what direction to go in. I want to make sure that I understand the basic stuff first and am familiar with my camera before trying to get fancy.

I was reading a book and it mentioned "exposing for the sky and the foreground being dark, or meter for the foreground and the sky appearing burnt out." I was trying to understand what that meant (still am) and how the heck to do that, while taking into consideration the other things that would affect the outcome of the picture. So I became really confused. I apologize if this seems like a stupid question, how do you know what metering mode to use for each situation (outdoors vs indoors, bright light vs none/poor lighting)?

[i speak in math]

Originally Posted by soapysuds626

Thank you for breaking it down for me. I am new at this and there is so much to learn and it is a little overwhelming at times. Not exactly sure what direction to go in. I want to make sure that I understand the basic stuff first and am familiar with my camera before trying to get fancy.

I was reading a book and it mentioned "exposing for the sky and the foreground being dark, or meter for the foreground and the sky appearing burnt out." I was trying to understand what that meant (still am) and how the heck to do that, while taking into consideration the other things that would affect the outcome of the picture. So I became really confused. I apologize if this seems like a stupid question, how do you know what metering mode to use for each situation (outdoors vs indoors, bright light vs none/poor lighting)?

I prefer matrix for landscape/documenting a scene. Center weighted for portraits (although I'm usually in manual mode and don't use the meter) and spot is reserved for tricky situations.

exposing for the sky and the foreground being dark, or meter for the foreground and the sky appearing burnt out. -- this is a choice. Point the camera at the sky and lock in the exposure. Your sky will look nice but your subject might be a silhouette. Point the camera at the ground and lock in the exposure and the subject might be nice, but the sky totally blown out. Its not how you meter, its just the nature of the sensor -- it only has so much dynamic range.

[faeriegodess612]

As well as the above mentioned things,..don't over complicate it by focusing on it too hard. It's pretty simple once you understand it. You know, kind of like, your looking for your sunglasses everywhere, and then pass a mirror and realize theyre on the top of your head. ( I can't tell you how many times I've done that. ) Usually what your looking for, is right in front of your face. Stop looking so hard, and you'll find it.

Maybe the best way to understand it, is to play with those settings in your camera. Change the metering modes, and take various shots with it. It wont cost you anything but time. For the sky vs subject thing,..there are are things that can aide in that. You can use filters like a Polarizer or Neutral Density. Or,..when shooting in broad daylight, shoot at a 90 degree angle from the sun. It'll give you blue skies, and a better exposed foreground/subject.