Metering Mode : I have 3 settings : Center-Weighed, Spot and Multi-Segment?

Question

FROM MY NOTES:
Center-Weighed would be good for portraits because it pays more attention to the center of the frame. (ok)
Spot Metering seems the best because it says: use when adjusting exposure without the cameras help. (I have my camera on manual so I control the apeture and shutter speed)...
Multi-Segment: divides the scene into several segments to deliver the correct exposure (camera will do all the work)...
Im still having trouble trying to figure out which setting to use for what kind of pictures...I think I have center-weighed pretty good because I do take a lot of portrait pics (outside) so this setting makes sense for these pictures...
As for the other two, Im still a little shady on when I should change settings from Center-Weighed in order to get a better picture for something else I make take pics of instead of portraits outside. *sigh* I hope you can follow me ! lol

Answer 1

The QUICK answer - not to take away from any of the pro's above me but only to add one more point - is that you can use spot metering when the lighting is very tricky and uneven. Suppose you have a relatively small main subject that is surrounded by light coming from behind the subject. If you use Matrix/Averaging metering, the main subject will come out dark because most of the reading is based on the bright background. If you use center weighted, you might get a better result, because the background would have less influence. If your spot is small enough, you can get only the main subject in your meter area and the main subject will come out okay. Of course, your background will be totally blown out by over exposure.

This is where you might consider using your flash in the daytime, though, to "fill" things in with the light.

But yes - practice, practice, practice. Digital is free now that you own the camera, so just do it and pay attention to your results so you learn from your trial and error process.

Answer 2

Congrats, it sounds like you are on your way to learning exposure control and metering.

I recommend multi-segment mode for beginners or anyone in a rush.

The manufacturers have programmed standard light/dark patterns into the multi-segment exposure system so it can get pretty close to 'correct' exposure in many settings. For example a near-center object with near medium gray tones with either lighter or darker surroundings is interpreted as a portrait. Sometimes a very light background is interpreted as a silhouette setting, so if you get underexposed portraits in multi mode that is likely why. Sunsets have a different pattern, as do landscapes, and the camera program adjusts exposure biases accordingly.

As you have discovered, center-weighted is good for portraits. It's also good for scenics if the important tones are all present in the center of the scene. Center-weighted was the most advanced exposure mode available in quite a few older film cameras.

Spot mode is best for anyone who understands basic exposure control and wants to analyze the full range of light and dark tones in a scene. It's best to avoid spot mode until you are ready to map scene tones and decide for yourself which tone you want to place as medium gray instead of letting the exposure system decide for you.

Read Ansel Adam's Basic Photography series, especially 'The Negative' and 'The Print' to get a good technical understanding of exposure theory. Note that, in spite of the title of the series, these are advanced photography books.

When you think you fully understand exposure and are ready to move on to a real challenge contact me. I teach workshops where I teach photographers to shoot outdoors using no light meter, judging the ambient light and estimating exposure to no more than 1/2 stop away from 'correct' exposure, like photographers did before light meters were invented. It's really fun.

Answer 3

if you are really really really serious about getting perfect exposure all the time read my answer if not choose what you like of the rest - thanks stop here if you want


ok your using camera on manual - first brilliant move!!!

use tripod always, manual focus always (cant always but try)

ok now the secret to professional photography - do it in the camera by getting perfect exposure


so here it comes - use a grey card to read exposure, you will get perfect skin tones, whites will be white, blacks will be black

18% reflection is perfect, (mid grey, green grass ok to)

i do a "hand reading" i read the light reflecting back off my palm (they are all the same a black mans or yellow mans or white womans, dont believe me look!), its close to 36% reflection which is a stop less than mid grey,


so read your palm (takes practice) then add a stop off light.

eg meter says F16 @ 250 , then add a stop so F11 @ 250 or F16 @125 et cetera

put palm where the persons face will be and read your palm, shooting in the shade out to the not shade walk to the non shade do the hand reading go back to shade take shot- it always works

if your are serious and you got this far you do want it!
easy way buy a light meter! but why carry one they break and are expensive - you got two palms everywhere you go

email me and I will help if poss


go manual

EDIT

can the thumb downer email me and explain whats wrong with offering someone the secret to Photography - or are you to stupid to understand?

wow two idiots dont tell me you think you can make great images in photoshop out of crap - good one