What is your fav metering mode???

[ksmattfish]

So how do all you spot meter fans use it? Do you use the zone system or just pick something you want to expose to and meter off that?

When I'm not worrying about being precise I use the incident meter. Usually I'll meter in the light, and turn around and meter in my own shadow, and think about where the happy spot is for a particular scene or subject. If I think the contrast range is too great, or I want to increase it I'll stick a piece of tape with "over develop" or "under develop" on the roll or film holder. If I have a tricky lighting situation I sometimes use the spot meter to see where certain tones are falling on the zone scale.

When I am using the zone system precisely I use my spot meter/ I'll meter shadows where I want full detail, and put that in Zone 3. I check how far away my important high lights are, and where other tones fall, and write down a plan for the shot or roll.

 

[ksmattfish]

It's just a very poor marketing decision. Spot metering is something that they consider as a 'Pro function' and Pros are supposed to buy the 1ds.

Spot metering usually covers something like 2% of the viewfinder, partial covers 9-10%, so it's not quite the same, but still better than nothing. Usually I zoom in as far as I can and then take the partial reading.

Of course with my cynical nature about popular camera companies I totally agree with the idea that they leave cheap, easy features off entry level gear in order to provide an incentive to upgrade.

On the other hand a zoom lens does sort of turn a modern in camera reflective meter into a spot meter.

 

[Eric K.K.]

Spot metering is my favour.... However, handheld meter (1 degree spot metering) will be used when i am taking photos with my 45 camera.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

It all depends on what I am doing and why - I even have a selection of handheld meters, God help me!
The important thing is to understand how light behaves and what your meter is trying to do.
(At this point I reveal that when I was working professionally we used to play a game called 'Guess the Exposure' when we were bored - we were all so good at it that it had to be to the nearest 1/5th of a stop! I was even accurate to 1/2 a stop guestimating flash exposure in the studio - it was an impressive party trick ;-) )

 

[Soulreaver]

I usually meter the shadow I wanted some detail and put it in Zone 3, as Matt says.The I look around for the highlights and chck if they are not blown.
Its kind of difficult to make Zone system in 35mm, some shots might be high contrast and others low contrast.I try to make them all normal density.
If I shoot the entire roll in low contrast I do a N+ develop, if its all high contrast I do a N-.

 

[walter23]

I change my metering for the circumstances. If I'm drunk at a party, I use evaluative / matrix metering. Otherwise I switch between spot/partial and center-weighted depending on the situation, though I usually use spot/partial. Sometimes I've been known to use sunny-16 / guesswork (e.g. with my unmetered medium format boxes).