Metering modes

[RockstarPhotography]

Just wondering what mode everybody usually uses for specific lighting conditions. I've been playing around with different modes in various conditions lately and curious as to what other ppl prefer.

 

[ghache]

i use Center weighted when i do need meetering. i use my hand light meeter alot.

 

[dxqcanada]

Matrix in auto exposure (when I am lazy) ... spot when I shoot manual exposure.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Spot only

 

[Josh66]

Spot only

Same for me.

If it's a very complicated scene, light-wise, I'll spot meter various parts and decide my settings from there.

Hasn't failed me yet!

 

[Patrice]

Nikon matrix metering is really very good and I use it a lot. When it does not do the job I go to spot and expose for the feature of interest in the image. The decision to go 'P', or 'A' or 'S" or 'M' is another process entirely.

 

[Garbz]

Matrix and revert to spot when things get hairy.

 

[RockstarPhotography]

So for those of you using matrix, and switching to spot on occasion, why not just use spot all the time?

 

[Patrice]

So for those of you using matrix, and switching to spot on occasion, why not just use spot all the time?

Because matrix gets it right so damed often. Spot and average are used when needed.

 

[KmH]

The camera has 3 metering modes so the photographer can choose the metering mode that best suits the shooting situation.

In some situations Matrix/Evaluative metering is the preferred choice.
In some situations Center-weighted metering is the preferred choice.
In some situations Spot metering is the preferred choice.

However, Spot metering is the most accurate of the 3 metering modes. So many of us use Spot mode almost exclusively, metering various parts of a scene to guage our exposure settings.

In many Nikon cameras the size of the spot can be selected in the camera menus. I usually have mine set to the smallest spot possible.

 

[dxqcanada]

Spot metering must be used in conjunction with the human brain ... otherwise it is wasted and you might as well shoot with the Matrix or Average metering.

The scene can be measured in small areas using Spot Metering ... then the human will analyze the readings and then utilize an exposure setting that best fits their visualization of image.

 

[RockstarPhotography]

See, I use spot metering pretty much exclusively. About the only time I would switch it, is if I don't have a lot of time to get the shot, such as snapshots, animals, Kids playing, etc. Then I will use a different metering mode. But for everything else, its spot.

 

[Drake]

As my Rebel XS doesn't feature a spot mode, I usually use the partial mode, which is basically the same thing, only covering about 10% of the frame instead of 2-3% in case of spot. I use it in combination with AE lock and exposure comp in Av mode. I don't really trust the matrix mode under difficult lighting, and if the lighting is simple, then it's faster to just shoot in the partial mode anyway.

 

[Garbz]

if I don't have a lot of time to get the shot, such as snapshots, animals, Kids playing, etc.

That is exactly why I go the opposite way. I use matrix metering, full scene autofocus, and aperture priority because they speed up my work. I know at any moment I can pickup my camera point and click to get that one fleeting moment and in 90% of the cases get a perfectly exposed, focused, and sharp picture out of it.

If I have time to spot meter, I have time to change to the spot meter. If I don't have time to spot meter, I don't have time to switch back to matrix, and the moment is likely gone.

All these things are tools and everyone will use them differently. No doubt your photos are more consistent than mine if you're always in Spot mode since I switch to spot if the camera has an electronic brainfart and stuffs up my photos.

/ Personal preference.