Spot Metering Techniques - Correct Exposure

02/11/2009 08:35:52 PM · #1

Besides practicing more and using the AEB function:

What technique do you use to find the correct exposure of a scene when using the Spot metering function?
How do you find middle gray or do you?

I seem to be over/under exposing my pics often. I want to learn how to use the M, TV, & AV modes more effectively.

Rookie looking for some advice and tips.

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

02/11/2009 08:38:49 PM · #2

I spot off the brightest part of the scene.

bradshaw

Spypen QX-O

02/11/2009 08:45:20 PM · #3

Originally posted by violinist123:

I spot off the brightest part of the scene.

wouldn't that underexpose the entire image?

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

02/11/2009 08:47:44 PM · #4

Here's an article that may help you. It's part II (part I deals mostly with film cameras though the concept is the same). The link to part I is on this page.

//www.vividlight.com/Articles/2615.htm

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/11/2009 08:48:36 PM · #5

Originally posted by bradshaw:

Originally posted by violinist123:
I spot off the brightest part of the scene.

wouldn't that underexpose the entire image?

I spot off the brightest part of the scene and adjust aperture/shutter/iso so this is the top end of the histogram (dancing on the right side of the meter in the viewfinder).

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

02/11/2009 10:32:14 PM · #6

Whatever your meter is reading, that will be middle (zone 5) gray. If you want it pale gray (zone 6) give it plus one stop EV compensation, if you want almost-white with detail (zone 7), give it plus two stops EV compensation.

If you're more concerned with the dark areas, meter those and give minus compensation. Rich, darkish gray (zone 4) is minus one EV, almost black with trace detail (zone 3) is minus two EV.

That's zone system exposure in a nutshell.

R.

chromeydome

Nikon D7000

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

02/11/2009 10:37:50 PM · #7

setting your post shot image preview to a view that displays the histogram can help you quickly assess the exposure. Doing this can help to make sure you don't block the shadows or the highlights inadvertently,

zeuszen

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/11/2009 11:19:35 PM · #8

[quote=Carlo21]...What technique do you use to find the correct exposure of a scene when using the Spot metering function?
How do you find middle gray or do you?...

I do as

violinist123 does -to start with anyway.

The "correct" exposure, of course, doesn't exist anywhere but in your head until you nail it. And when you do, it may well be the furthest thing from what someone else would consider "correct".
If you meter the brightest spot (easier to identify than middle grey) often enough, you get a good sense of the results. Now you can "zone" it down a bit or by much to suit your intent. I like to meter off the exposure-critical area, and most of the time, this serves my purpose well.

When it doesn't, I "hunt" for it by metering down from the brightest area, which is, of course, the zone I know best. This way I can "feel" my way to middle grey when needed without having to get all heady and divorced from what I'm looking at.

It is, really, very rare that we want a "correct" exposure, in the literal sense of the word. Usually it's the creative exposure we seek.

Message edited by author 2009-02-11 23:36:54.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/11/2009 11:48:56 PM · #9

Great feedback so far from everyone. Is there a way to demonstrate your technique with a pic attached. This way I can visualize what part of the scene you metered (Example - lightest area or middle of the frame) and what you adjusted on your camera to correct the exposure. Hope this makes sense.

Originally posted by zeuszen:

[quote=Carlo21]...What technique do you use to find the correct exposure of a scene when using the Spot metering function?
How do you find middle gray or do you?...

I do as violinist123 does -to start with anyway.

The "correct" exposure, of course, doesn't exist anywhere but in your head until you nail it. And when you do, it may well be the furthest thing from what someone else would consider "correct".
If you meter the brightest spot (easier to identify than middle grey) often enough, you get a good sense of the results. Now you can "zone" it down a bit or by much to suit your intent. I like to meter off the exposure-critical area, and most of the time, this serves my purpose well.

When it doesn't, I "hunt" for it by metering down from the brightest area, which is, of course, the zone I know best. This way I can "feel" my way to middle grey when needed without having to get all heady and divorced from what I'm looking at.

It is, really, very rare that we want a "correct" exposure, in the literal sense of the word. Usually it's the creative exposure we seek.

zeuszen

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

02/12/2009 12:03:50 AM · #10

Hm, thing is I spot-meter just about every pic I take. I post (1st one left/below) a simple example for metering on the brightest area. It's midday, very bright and sunny with strong shadows, Aperture: f/5, ISO: 100, Shutter: 1/800 (long lens with extender):

Caveat: I'm sure I made some sort of exposure adjustment in CameraRAW and, probably, again in post-processing.
In the second one (cityscape) I metered off the large double door (on the right) of the boat shed. You can see the whites are already difficult to contain because of it. (EXIF available beneath image).

Message edited by author 2009-02-12 00:09:52.

02/12/2009 12:12:39 AM · #11

Bright spot on egg. Blew it out slightly in post, but you get the idea.

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

02/12/2009 12:57:39 AM · #12

Here's my dilemma. I spot metered a bright spot and it shows 0 on my exposure meter. Let's take the egg pic below. After metering in Manual mode it shows AP/ISO/SH suggestions but when I move the camera to center the scene (center of egg pic now is in the dark which changes the AP/ISO/SH numbers. Perhaps I have the wrong setting in my camera which isn't allowing for AE lock to work properly? I have my camera set to (AE lock/Metering + AF start) selected in my menu options. When I try to lock the exposure it does NOT lock. AE lock is enabled in the menu. Not sure where I'm going wrong.

Originally posted by violinist123:

Bright spot on egg. Blew it out slightly in post, but you get the idea.

Citadel

Nikon D7500

02/12/2009 01:20:23 AM · #13

A really good book to read on the topic (in general): "Understanding Exposure"

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/16/2009 01:38:54 AM · #14

Originally posted by Carlo21:

If it's in Manual mode it shouldn't be changing anything. Are you sure you are shooting in manual mode?

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

02/16/2009 02:32:17 AM · #15

Originally posted by violinist123:

Originally posted by Carlo21:
Here's my dilemma. I spot metered a bright spot and it shows 0 on my exposure meter. Let's take the egg pic below. After metering in Manual mode it shows AP/ISO/SH suggestions but when I move the camera to center the scene (center of egg pic now is in the dark which changes the AP/ISO/SH numbers.

If it's in Manual mode it shouldn't be changing anything. Are you sure you are shooting in manual mode?

There's no such thing as AE lock in manual mode, that's the problem. Manual mode is just that, "manual", there's no "automatic" involved, so there's nothing TO lock. Whatever the spot is pointed at, the camera gives the reading you should use to get a zone 5 exposure.

R.