Metering questions.

[AG74683]

So I am reading Understanding Exposure, and I have been trying to understand metering.

I have a D3000, and I am trying to understand how you meter for other objects than the one you are interested in photographing (blue skies, etc.)

I am reading the manual for my camera, and I am still fuzzy on a few things.

Id guess if I am metering for a blue sky, I would set my meter to spot, meter for the sky, press the AE-L (Autoexposure lock) button, then go back to the original object intended for the picture?

Question is, in order to focus with AE-L pressed down, you have to focus before you press the button. So at what point to I press the shutter button to focus the camera?

[Dominantly]

I have a link in my signature talking about it.

[Dominantly]

Does the D3000 have a AE-L/AF-L button on the back?

Edit, I just went and looked it up, and you do have the button on the back. GO into your menu and set that button for focus lock while pressed. This will take away focusing from your shutter button.

What you will have now is the ability to set your exposure via the shutter button half pressed, then select your focal point with the AF-L button.


Or you could just shoot in manual mode and point the camera at whatever you want to meter off of, then set it manually, recompose, and shoot away not having to worry about it.

[AG74683]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dominantly

Or you could just shoot in manual mode and point the camera at whatever you want to meter off of, then set it manually, recompose, and shoot away not having to worry about it.

Do'h, totally didnt think about this...I have been shooting in Manual mode.

So basically I just point the camera at whatever source I would like to meter, adjust the shutter speed to the right exposure level, and then move it back to my main focus?

[PhotoXopher]

Yep. Shutter speed or aperture...

[Dominantly]

Yup, the benefit of manual mode is when you recompose, your settings stay the same. For example, if you were to try and take a pano shot in an automatic mode you would probably notice a slight difference in the exposures.
With manual, it stays consistent.

Your metering mode will play a big art in it as well. If you are trying to meter off a small portion of your scene, I wouldnt recommend Matrix, if you meter off a large space like the sky, matrix would probably be fine.

[PhotoXopher]

You can also use exposure compensation in Aperture priority mode.

[Dominantly]

TO be honest, I never have. If I feel like I need to make adjustments to the automatic mode, then it isn't doing what I feel it should (be automatic), so I'll do my adjustments in Manual mode.

[AG74683]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dominantly

Yup, the benefit of manual mode is when you recompose, your settings stay the same. For example, if you were to try and take a pano shot in an automatic mode you would probably notice a slight difference in the exposures.
With manual, it stays consistent.

Your metering mode will play a big art in it as well. If you are trying to meter off a small portion of your scene, I wouldnt recommend Matrix, if you meter off a large space like the sky, matrix would probably be fine.

So what would you recommend for sky? I figured matrix wasnt the best, but center weight doesnt sound right either, nor does spot...

[Dominantly]

If it's a clear blue sky, then matrix would work.

You just have to know how the metering modes work and how much of the scene they are factoring, and apply that to your desired results.
Spot will always be the most specific/isolated.


You could also take along a couple white coffee filters and a rubber band. Put the coffee filter over your camera lens with the rubber band holding it stretched out (no folds/wrinkles). Then go into your cameras custom white balance setting and set your white balance for the scene you are shooting. Make sure you are pointing your camera at the same scene you want to shoot when doing it.