JamesD
Between darkrooms
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2005
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- Living in Snapshot reality.
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos NOT OK to edit
Thanks guys! I can't figure out how to use my meter on my camera. I know how to do the exposuer comp and the DOF preview (Which I use to find the right aperture for my shot).
For an EOS camera, press the shutter button half way. You'll see a little scale in the viewfinder (and also on the LCD display on top), looking something like this:
-2.1.v.1.2+
With a pointer underneath it. When the bar/arrow on the bottom is centered, you've got the exposure settings which will yield a frame that averages out to 18% gray. Note that if you're using a mode other than M, the pointer will not move by itself if you point the camera at different light levels, because it is automatically adjusting your exposure.
In general, if you adjust aperture/shutter-speed for less exposure, the scene will render darker, and vice versa. The key is to meter off the subject. If the subject is standing against a white wall, for instance, open up your exposure until the bar is more to the right (the + side), else your wall will be gray and your subject will be dark. If your subject is standing in a darkened room, with light on his or her face, stop down (to the - side), else your room will look brighter and the subject will be "blown out" or too light. This is more important with slide film than with negative film because you can adjust print exposure with negative film, but with slide film, what you see is what you get.
For most scenes, though, you'll probably want to adjust the pointer so that it's under the center mark or close to it. Half a stop either way won't make too much difference, but it will be noticeable.
-JamesD