What TTL metering mode do you use???

03/13/2008 02:31:14 AM · #1

I have been playing a lot with the 3 settings for my meter, evaluative, partial, and center weighted average, I am just curios as to how some of you all use it, and in what situations. I think I prefer to keep it on center weighted average and meter the brightest thing in the picture, but that won't work all of the time. Anyone?

03/13/2008 11:08:42 AM · #2

bump

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

03/13/2008 11:15:46 AM · #3

I use CW most of the time, rotating 9 point for shooting while on the move in a car or truck, and spot for sunsets. About 1/2 or more of my shooting is done with older Nikkor lenses, which do not meter with my Fuji, so I use the "blinkies" on the LCD screen to see what's blown out, and adjust from there.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/13/2008 11:23:00 AM · #4

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

I use CW most of the time, rotating 9 point for shooting while on the move in a car or truck,

what do you mean with 9 point?

Message edited by author 2008-03-13 11:23:11.

ben4345

Nikon D700

03/13/2008 11:48:42 AM · #5

I used spot metering with my old D50 but now use matrix metering 98% of the time with the D300.

03/13/2008 12:10:41 PM · #6

Originally posted by ben4345:

I used spot metering with my old D50 but now use matrix metering 98% of the time with the D300.

Matrix metering? That sounds cool, I'm going to look that up rather than ask what it is.

03/13/2008 12:31:54 PM · #7

Centre-weighted spot metering. Since I hardly ever use anything else, I'm beginning to feel quite at home in this mode.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/13/2008 12:55:19 PM · #8

Originally posted by zeuszen:

Centre-weighted spot metering. Since I hardly ever use anything else, I'm beginning to feel quite at home in this mode.

So when you use that are you actually using the center of the frame or are you metering a specific subject in the frame? I hate to ask annoying questions, but this is one of the things I really don't understand.

Message edited by author 2008-03-13 12:56:06.

citymars

Nikon D700

03/13/2008 01:53:33 PM · #9

Originally posted by AndyMac24:

Matrix metering? That sounds cool, I'm going to look that up rather than ask what it is.

I think it's the same thing you call "evaluative" -- it takes the full frame into account.

03/13/2008 01:58:16 PM · #10

Originally posted by AndyMac24:

Originally posted by zeuszen:
Centre-weighted spot metering. Since I hardly ever use anything else, I'm beginning to feel quite at home in this mode.

So when you use that are you actually using the center of the frame or are you metering a specific subject in the frame? I hate to ask annoying questions, but this is one of the things I really don't understand.

I select a) the spot in the image I want/need to expose correctly (or very deliberately 'incorrectly' to suit my intent) or b) any spot whose value I take to be representative of the intended overall exposure (a bit of sky, say, when shooting a sunset). Depending on the light-sense I get considering conditions/time of day/scene etc., I may decide to over- or underexpose the spot-value by up to 1.5 - 2 stops.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

03/13/2008 02:05:07 PM · #11

Originally posted by zeuszen:

Originally posted by AndyMac24:

Originally posted by zeuszen:
Centre-weighted spot metering. Since I hardly ever use anything else, I'm beginning to feel quite at home in this mode.

So when you use that are you actually using the center of the frame or are you metering a specific subject in the frame? I hate to ask annoying questions, but this is one of the things I really don't understand.

I select a) the spot in the image I want/need to expose correctly (or very deliberately 'incorrectly' to suit my intent) or b) any spot whose value I take to be representative of the intended overall exposure (a bit of sky, say, when shooting a sunset). Depending on the light-sense I get considering conditions/time of day/scene etc., I may decide to over- or underexpose the spot-value by up to 1.5 - 2 stops.

Thank you that was the best way I have heard it described. I've been playing with the meter peices of white, black, and gray paper and I think I get it now, thanks!!!!

Anti-Martyr

Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro

03/13/2008 02:06:00 PM · #12

Matrix metering 99.5% of the time.

Prof_Fate

03/13/2008 03:11:42 PM · #13

Evaluative. I've heard that other modes work better with flash indoors, but I get more consistent, predictable results with eval, so I stick with that as I know what I'll get, or what it's thinking so I can adjust accordingly.

_eug

Nikon D50

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

03/13/2008 04:25:16 PM · #14

/me needs to go read his manual on metering modes.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

03/13/2008 09:04:47 PM · #15

Originally posted by AndyMac24:

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:
I use CW most of the time, rotating 9 point for shooting while on the move in a car or truck,

what do you mean with 9 point?

Just got back on line. To answer your question, it's matrix. I looked it up in the manual, and it uses 10 points, selecting exposure to not "blow out" the highlights in any area of the exposure, and adjusts dynamic range/contrast to get the shot with detail in the shadow areas if possible.

inshaala

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM for Canon

03/13/2008 09:07:24 PM · #16

completely manual... i dropped my 30D and the meter doesnt work... it has done wonders for my photography having to manually set the thing... although dont bet on quickfire shots. I'm not in a rush to fix it either i suppose, love the fact i am forced to think about my photography :)

Phil

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon

03/14/2008 09:40:58 AM · #17

Originally posted by zeuszen:

If you are choosing a particular spot why use center weighted spot metering over plain spot metering?

03/14/2008 11:32:28 AM · #18

Originally posted by Phil:

...If you are choosing a particular spot why use center weighted spot metering over plain spot metering?

We may just talking about the same thing. By 'centre-weighted', I was talking about the single selected focus point, as opposed to 'centre-weighted average', which would take that value and, then, average it out against the values as distributed over the whole matrix. The whole point of spot-metering (the way I mostly use it) is to override the algorithms the camera provides and make a very deliberate choice.

So, in a way, yes, I do use 'plain spot-metering', to go with your phrase.

Message edited by author 2008-03-14 11:33:51.

Phil

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon

03/14/2008 01:54:04 PM · #19

Originally posted by zeuszen:

Originally posted by Phil:
...If you are choosing a particular spot why use center weighted spot metering over plain spot metering?

We may just talking about the same thing. By 'centre-weighted', I was talking about the single selected focus point, as opposed to 'centre-weighted average', which would take that value and, then, average it out against the values as distributed over the whole matrix. The whole point of spot-metering (the way I mostly use it) is to override the algorithms the camera provides and make a very deliberate choice.

So, in a way, yes, I do use 'plain spot-metering', to go with your phrase.

I started to call it "simple spot metering" but I thought plain sounded more hick-like.

Yes, you do use spot metering then. As far as I know there is no "centre weighted spot metering" so I figured you used center weighted metering to attempt spot metering and it didn't make sense.

03/14/2008 02:06:41 PM · #20

Originally posted by Phil:

... I figured you used center weighted metering to attempt spot metering and it didn't make sense.

Well, you could select an off-centre focus point to meter with. You could meter in a number different points in the image area and average those... etc.

Phil