Camera Reading

[Graemey]

Hello All,

I've just joined this brill forum so this is my first thread.

Can I ask this question. My friend passed onto me what I thought was a good tip but I'm having a little bother understanding it!

He was telling me how to get a reading by pointing the camera to say grass, as this is neutral, half pressing the shutter button then making a ote of the F reading. In what situation would I do this?

Can anyone explain?

Thank you,

Best wishes
GRaeme

[kencaleno]

Any outdoor situation. Greengrass is average tone.-here's my modified zone system:

1 -2 exposure compensation Pure Black, no detail

2 -1 " " Dark foliage,dark animal fur

3 0-0 " " Green grass, Dry tarmac

4 +1 " " Dry grass,bright flowers

5 +2 " " Pure white, no detail


What you do is point camera at green grass,etc.,press shutter button halfway to set exposure,compose your shot, then press shutter button all the way down to make the shot.

Regards, Ken

[Graemey]

Hello,

Thanks for that.

So do I say point at the grass and make a note of the reading then set it and take the shot or just point then take the shot?

Also could you explain the numbers?

Thank you so much.

Best wishes
Graeme

[lputman]

This is referenced in the book Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. A good book to read.

[kencaleno]

Originally Posted by Graemey

Hello,

Thanks for that.

So do I say point at the grass and make a note of the reading then set it and take the shot or just point then take the shot?

Also could you explain the numbers?

Thank you so much.

Best wishes
Graeme

When Edward Weston and Ansel Adams developed the "Zone System" in the 1940's they numbered tones from white to black as 1 to 10,so zone 5 would be the ideal exposure; the average grey tone, (13/18% according to what you believe) I have shortened the list(cutting out the 1/2 tones) to numbers 1-5,so #3 would be the mid-tone.The minus and plus numbers are adjustments made by using the exposure compensation function, usually a button marked (+/-) and a turn of the command dial. 0-0 is the basic setting,tone #3.

As I explained earlier,point at grass,holding button halfway-you now have exposure set to average tone.-now bring camera up to level,compose your elements in the viewfinder,then press button rest of the way down to capture the image.


Ken

[OsmosisStudios]

... or use Matrix metering, take a shot, see the results and chimp.

[Graemey]

What is Matrix metering chimp?

[OsmosisStudios]

Matrix Metering is a metering mode on your camera that uses the entire scene it is presented with to judge metering (aperture/shutter speed/iso combo).

"Chimping" is taking a shot, seeing how it looks and adjusting. If the shot is over exposed, stop down or raise the shutter speed. If it's under exposed, do the opposite. Only really possible with digital, but very handy.