Metering question

[Fox Paw]

One of the metering options on my Canon is center-weighted averaging. I understand what it does. But although I use spot-metering with some frequency, I've never seen a situation that made me think of using center-weighted averaging. I've experimented with it and that hasn't suggested any applications, either. Can those of you who use it tell me what kinds of shots you use it for, if there's a general answer?

(And I did a search before I asked. Could have missed something, of course.)

 

[EOS_JD]

Wiki states

Centre Weighted
One advantage of this method is that it is less influenced by small areas that vary greatly in brightness at the edges of the viewfinder; as many subjects are in the central part of the frame, consistent results can be obtained.

A good link

http://www.shutterbug.com/newsletter/032707howto/

 

[Phranquey]

I use center-weighted mostly outdoors for portraits or scenics, where I want the emphasis on the subject, but it still takes some of the entire scene into account.
In these situations, spot metering tends to blow out the background, and matrix tends to take too much of the background into effect, underexposing the subject.

 

[Fox Paw]

Good answers. Thanks for the help and the link.

 

[Josh66]

I almost always use spot metering. If it is a scene with both light and dark areas, I'll meter both then decide what I want my exposure to be.

 

[LarryD]

Center weighted is great for landscape or nature shots where you have a main subject. If it's an important shot, then you can also bracket either side by a stop or two and you're bound to have it nailed with one of the shots..

 

[Eldrich]

One tip I've heard is that while your learning, stick with one metering mode. Learn to expect what that particular mode will do for most situations, when you finally have that, move on to trying other modes. I think it pretty much depends on how your eye interprets a particular scene. If you understand what your camera is doing, and stick to one metering mode, I think it is easier to train your eyes to find what to meter off of. In other words if you are constantly switching modes trying to find the best metering mode, you may not be focusing on the more important thing, which is what to meter off of.