ETTR Metering Option in-camera?

[rexbobcat]

This isn't really meant to be a super serious discussion, but, like, why hasn't there been an ETTR metering mode yet?

What I mean is that the camera would meter the scene and determine the shutter speed and aperture that would expose the scene as brightly as possible without clipping highlights, even if that means underexposing or overexposing the photo.

It would be like highlight tone priority, only with metering.

Seeing how advanced metering system are now, you'd think that there would be a possible algorithm to make this possible.

 

[unpopular]

I have likewise wondered this. Why not sample the entire frame, select the brightest region and bias the meter just below clipping? Compensation then would simply shift the exposure to stops under/over maximum exposure.

 

[petrochemist]

It certainly makes a lot of sence!
The only issue I can see is hot pixels, as long as the implementation makes allowance for that perhaps just ensuring no clipped areas greater than 3 pixels in any dirrection would be enough.
There are situations where limited clipping is preferable to get exposure right in more important areas, using the exposure compensation to adjust how much is clipped could make an ETTR mode even more useful.

Can I have this on my next camera please? Or better still enabled via a firmware update

 

[KmH]

This isn't really meant to be a super serious discussion, but, like, why hasn't there been an ETTR metering mode yet?

What I mean is that the camera would meter the scene and determine the shutter speed and aperture that would expose the scene as brightly as possible without clipping highlights, even if that means underexposing or overexposing the photo.

It would be like highlight tone priority, only with metering.

Seeing how advanced metering system are now, you'd think that there would be a possible algorithm to make this possible.

How would you let the camera algorithm know what highlights you want, and don't want, unclipped?

Will humans eventually become so dependent on computers that they lose their ability to think for themselves?

 

[JacaRanda]

Well, there goes the "This isn't really meant to be a super serious discussion" part.

Sheesh

 

[table1349]

For the exact same reason you mother gave you when you were a little sprout.....................Because I said no!!!!

 

[Braineack]

Using the Highlight-Weighted Metering Mode from Nikon

Highlight-weighted metering is a new metering mode that is offered in select Nikon DSLR cameras including the D810 and D750, in which the camera meters the highlights to ensure that they are properly exposed and not blown out or overexposed. Use highlight-weighted metering to meter highlights when your subject is in motion, and to meter subjects lit by spotlights or colored lighting.

Highlight-weighted metering is the go-to choice when you’re photographing a spot lit bride in her wedding dress, a dancer or singer on stage, or whenever you’re faced with uneven lighting and a background that is much darker than the subject.

To select highlight-weighted metering, press the metering button on the far left dial on the camera body, and while holding it down, rotate the main command dial until the highlight weighted metering icon is displayed.

 

[dennybeall]

Lots of folks will disagree but if you take a close look at the Auto mode in some of the newer cameras they come very close to doing what you want. I took some shots today documenting a construction site with bright blue sky, bright sand level area with workers and dark trees all around. AUTO did as well or better than I could using manual mode. Blue sky with clouds was good, dark trees and underbrush had detail and the workers looked good. Hard to fault it.

 

[unpopular]

How would you let the camera algorithm know what highlights you want, and don't want, unclipped?

Will humans eventually become so dependent on computers that they lose their ability to think for themselves?

As I said before, the EC control could still work. You could even have a display of the highest to darkest metered values. So if the camera places the highest value at +2.6 it could then display the shadows at, say, -3. You would then EC +1.6, retaining shadow detail in exchange for blown highlight.

Kind of like the Gossen Starlite, but automated with a matrix meter. I often feel that matrix metering is under-utilized from a GUI pov. It'd be nice to have statistical information off the matrix.

 

[unpopular]

Lots of folks will disagree but if you take a close look at the Auto mode in some of the newer cameras they come very close to doing what you want. I took some shots today documenting a construction site with bright blue sky, bright sand level area with workers and dark trees all around. AUTO did as well or better than I could using manual mode. Blue sky with clouds was good, dark trees and underbrush had detail and the workers looked good. Hard to fault it.

Yeah. I disagree with you not because I hate AUTO, but rather because you don't seem to know in principle what we're talking about.

The goal of ETTR isn't to "look good" SOOC, but to maximize the capture to promote good SNR and improve editing options later on.

You can ETTR in auto modes provided that you use spot metering and exposure compensation, and I do all the time.

 

[rexbobcat]

This isn't really meant to be a super serious discussion, but, like, why hasn't there been an ETTR metering mode yet?

What I mean is that the camera would meter the scene and determine the shutter speed and aperture that would expose the scene as brightly as possible without clipping highlights, even if that means underexposing or overexposing the photo.

It would be like highlight tone priority, only with metering.

Seeing how advanced metering system are now, you'd think that there would be a possible algorithm to make this possible.

How would you let the camera algorithm know what highlights you want, and don't want, unclipped?

Will humans eventually become so dependent on computers that they lose their ability to think for themselves?

The mode wouldn't discriminate. It would just expose the histogram so that it would be balanced toward the highlights without any clipping, or maybe it could be set to allow for clipping of certain upper zones or a certain amount of pixels so it wouldn't try to save specular highlights from cars or the sun.

It wouldn't be useful in every situation....just like evaluative metering isn't useful in every situation....just like center-weighted metering isn't useful in every situation...just like spot metering isn't useful in every situation.

Will humans eventually quit setting up slippery slope arguments for the devolution of humanity?

 

[dennybeall]

Not even worth response