Thoughts - Manual vs Av

[kirbym2]

Makes sense so far - can any of you identify common scenes or scenarios when +/- exposure comp would be necessary? My understanding is that A/S Mode will automatically give a correct exposure for a given aperture/shutter speed.

 

[Compaq]

One comment on spot metering on back lit subjects: I think it works better to simply move real close and fill the frame with your subject, set the exposure and then back off and take the shot. Not always possible, though.


Snowy scenes: overexpose by a stop or two
Black scenes (with lots of black): under expose a bit.

Seems opposite of what you'd think? See here

 

[cgipson1]

One comment on spot metering on back lit subjects: I think it works better to simply move real close and fill the frame with your subject, set the exposure and then back off and take the shot. Not always possible, though.

Yes.. that works also.. possibly better if not as convenient! I miss my OM4's.... you could do multiple spot metering with them and they would average it out for the exposure.

 

[The_Traveler]

Also understand using the histogram and read about 'exposing to the right'. Here is an http://chromasoft.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-expose-to-right-is-just-plain-wrong.htmlexcellent article that brings up pros and cons (the author is con)

 

[D-B-J]

If you constantly moving, AV is as good as manual (if you understand how metering works exactly). If you are in one area all the time where the lighting is identical OR you shoot in low light condition and use flash, manual is the answer. Manual will give you consistency. I use both.

This is how i operate. The other day i was shooting sports, and the clouds were changing the lighting every five minutes. But when i'm in a controlled area, using flash, everything is manual so i can get the exact lighting and exposure i want.

 

[The_Traveler]

Makes sense so far - can any of you identify common scenes or scenarios when +/- exposure comp would be necessary? My understanding is that A/S Mode will automatically give a correct exposure for a given aperture/shutter speed.

When shooting close the sun's zenith, I routinely over-expose because I'm interested in getting good face detail and I'm willing to let the sky go where it will.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Personally I think the worst thing you can do is use spot with AV. Remember, your spot metering will always be in the middle, it is not the focus point. Using spot with AV will give you shutterspeed that fluctuate too much. You have to really use exposure lock if you want to use spot metering. I suggest using spot only for Manual and you understand zoning system b

 

[clanthar]

Personally I think the worst thing you can do is use spot with AV. Remember, your spot metering will always be in the middle, it is not the focus point. Using spot with AV will give you shutterspeed that fluctuate too much. You have to really use exposure lock if you want to use spot metering. I suggest using spot only for Manual and you understand zoning system b

zoning system?

If you mean the Zone System, that methodology doesn't apply to digital photo.

Joe

 

[Robin Usagani]

Modified zone system. Grass is 0, olive skin is 0, pale skin is +1, dark skin is -2/3, blu sky is +1, bright sky +2, etc.

 

[KmH]

The in-camera light meter can only measure reflected light. It can't measure incident light, nor strobed light.

The in-camera light meter's most accurate exposure step is 1/3 of a stop. Many professionals measure reflected, incident, and strobed light in 1/10 stop steps using a hand held meter.

Matrix/Evaluative merering is the least accurate of the metering choices.
Next most accurate would be Center-weighted. Canon has both Partial and Center-weighted.
The most accurate metering mode is Spot metering.

 

[analog.universe]

Personally I think the worst thing you can do is use spot with AV. Remember, your spot metering will always be in the middle, it is not the focus point. Using spot with AV will give you shutterspeed that fluctuate too much. You have to really use exposure lock if you want to use spot metering. I suggest using spot only for Manual and you understand zoning system b

zoning system?

If you mean the Zone System, that methodology doesn't apply to digital photo.

Joe

It's not an exact translation to digital, but it most certainly applies. It's the method I use most when I have the proper time to set up a shot. For me it's the most effective way to spot meter, and one of the most accurate ways to meter in general.

Sweet article: DPanswers: Digital Zone System Tutorial

 

[clanthar]

Personally I think the worst thing you can do is use spot with AV. Remember, your spot metering will always be in the middle, it is not the focus point. Using spot with AV will give you shutterspeed that fluctuate too much. You have to really use exposure lock if you want to use spot metering. I suggest using spot only for Manual and you understand zoning system b

zoning system?

If you mean the Zone System, that methodology doesn't apply to digital photo.

Joe

It's not an exact translation to digital, but it most certainly applies. It's the method I use most when I have the proper time to set up a shot. For me it's the most effective way to spot meter, and one of the most accurate ways to meter in general.

Sweet article: DPanswers: Digital Zone System Tutorial

It's not even a remotely crude translation to digital. Photographers had learned how to expose film before the Zone System. Studio photographers had learned before it was invented that they didn't need it. The beating heart of the Zone System is this: when you can't fix the lighting (e.g. natural landscape) to maximize film response you can at least fall back on the fact that film density increase during development is non-proportional over time. Carefully applied this won't give you as good a photo as fixing the lighting would have but it might give you a good enough photo to get by. Digital sensors do not respond non-proportionately to development -- the key fact that makes the Zone System the Zone System. Developing some kind of software kludge (referenced article) to mimic a process that was developed in the first place as a second best alternative is just silly.

Joe

EDIT: Sorry for the too forceful comment; "remotely crude" was over the top. However you don't need the Zone System to understand how to expose a digital sensor and since there is no digital corollary to the behavior of film in a developing solution, there's no reason to try and bend and twist the Zone System to fit a process it wasn't developed for.

 

[KmH]

Makes sense so far - can any of you identify common scenes or scenarios when +/- exposure comp would be necessary? My understanding is that A/S Mode will automatically give a correct exposure for a given aperture/shutter speed.

Only if there is sufficient light.

Look! In any auto, or semi-auto mode the camera is just a stupid machine. It can't think. The photographer has to do the thinking.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Joe, I really dont understand your argument. How do you expect people to use spot metering correctly. Please explain. Where do they point it?

 

[Augphoto]

Lots of good info here.

When I shot my birds I almost always use Av and spot metering. No, the camera does not simply then get it right. I know from experience to dial in some compensation and this is always backed up by the histogram.

Each shooting situation will be different, however.