What is wrong with the metering?

[Clock]

Please see the attached photograph.


It would seem the camera (S5 with SB600) metered for the white cloth covering the table in front of the couple.


What metering system SHOULD be used in a situation like this. I'm not after critique of the image, merely trying to find a solution to an exasperating problem.


This was shot using Shutter priority, F4.2 with a speed of 1/160 with ISO400

Point I am really after is what metering system should be used ie. Centre Weighted, Spot or 3D Matrix?

Any advice appreciated

[zona5101]

Without you doing any overrides, 3d matrix metering. But that may not give you exactly what you want either, because you have all this bright area camera left and a lot of dark area camera right... so maybe it's be ok...or maybe not. You would probably want to bracket the shot to be sure. You could also center or spot meter it and add + exposure compensation. The meter will see the white dress and try and make it gray which is why you'd have to add additional exposure.

[Benji]

I always shoot in Raw so unless my exposure is off by four stops (which has never happened to me) I can easily adjust the exposure post capture. I'm a firm believer in the KISS method.

Benji