Does it matter if i use spot or centre metering in M mode

[ExplorerZ]

I am only a student.

As a student, I learnt the importance of reading and understanding a question. And I am sorry, there are no differing points of view. There simply was no answer to the original question at all before my first post here.

After my post, Nathan gave some partial answers.

The question was

[I]Does it matter if I use spot or centre metering in M mode?[/I]

Essentially, the TS wanted to know the difference between spot metering and centre (weighted) metering, and he wanted to do the metering manually. He wanted to decide the exposure. He does not want the camera to determine the exposure for him, whether spot or centre (weighted) metering.

Now let your gurus answer that.

it does matter like i said in my 1st post, most people tend to look at the EV meter before they change anything, and since they used it so indirectly he have used either of the metering rule. unless you telling me he/she just shoot with random exposure values

 

[Hexlord]

Thank you for your comments so far, student.

Hope astroman will find the posts so far to be helpful.

 

[Zenten]

Spot metering will concentrate the particular spot only without considering other area. e,g taking bird on flight .only the bird is well expose the sky will be super bright. where else center metering is bias toward center but give consideration to other area.
all the above will effect the meter, thus in manual mode you have to adjust your shutter or aperture according to the meter reading.

Bingo ....I think this is simple enough to undersatand .......

 

[StanGetz]

In M mode, you are right in that user controls the apeture/shutter which would determine the final exposure REGARDLESS of metering mode.

IF you intend to use the camera to suggest the appropriate exposure, than the metering mode DOES matter. And as some have mentioned, the spot would take a smaller portion of the scene to meter vs the center which take a larger area.

That said, the camera's metering is NOT full proof and can be tricked. When you meter an area, you will try to meter an area that is 18% grey, so that the exposure would be correct. If the area is MORE than 18% and say like snow of sand, the camera will meter that WHITE to be 18% grey.....white--->grey, so all your shots will be underexposed. Thats why, when metering snow/sand or bright stuff, meter the scene and add +1-1.5EV to compensate.

For the above scenario, the good thing about M mode for FZ10 (not sure the rest) is that when you adjust the setting, you can see the effect immediately. So if the snow appears dull, than open the shutter or larger apeture till snow looks white. Just ignore the camera's suggestion.

Thus, thats the reason I shoot M mode most of the time, as I choose the exposure I want, and not the camera.

But if depending on camera, than do bear the above in mind.
General rule:
Meter bright stuff +ev
Meter dark stuff -ev
18% grey 0 ev

thanks bro, and all for the explanations, u do provide some new knowledge for me tooo. thanks!

student, hope u learn something too. If still dunno or dun understand, like how u were taught in school -> Juz Ask

 

[student]

student, hope u learn something too. If still dunno or dun understand, like how u were taught in school -> Juz Ask

Oh, I did learn a lot from this thread.

But not about metering though.

I learnt a lot about people. About "gurus" and their "gurus"'s mentality. Much much better to be a student than a guru.

BTW, do you now know when and how to use spotmetering? I hope the "gurus" had enlightened you.

 

[dominator]

Oh, I did learn a lot from this thread.

But not about metering though.

I learnt a lot about people. About "gurus" and their "gurus"'s mentality. Much much better to be a student than a guru.

BTW, do you now know when and how to use spotmetering? I hope the "gurus" had enlightened you.

Since you learnt alot about people.
Care to share what you learnt about "gurus" and their "gurus"'s mentality?
Your explaination is appreaciated.

 

[student]

Since you learnt alot about people.
Care to share what you learnt about "gurus" and their "gurus"'s mentality?
Your explaination is appreaciated.

The answers are all there in this thread.

Just read them. If you cannot understand what you read, what is the point of me explaining?

 

[unseen]

Was thinking if we are in Manual Mode, since the user is the one controlling the exposure does it matter if we use Spot or centre metering?? Thanks....

My personal answer to you would be: it depends
Reason: I'm not a walking light meter, and I don't carry a light meter around.

When I point my camera at a subject in M mode, I can more or less estimate the exposure to + - 1ev for what I want to be exposed correctly. I'll use the light meter to shift my settings accordingly. To get the image I want.

Can you get a accurate exposure without a lightmeter? Can you estimate your exposure to +- 2ev? or even +- 1 ev? Even if you can estimate your exposure to +- 2 ev, are you going to be satisfied with your image? Does going M mode = F8 8seconds ISO100 all the time for you?
If yes to any of the above, than the metering mode does not matter at all.

In the end, if you are actually going to use the meter, you gotta know the difference between the modes. you'll need to know how to use them to help you judge exposure. The two modes will give you significantly different values for certain scenes and certain things you point at.

 

[dominator]

The answers are all there in this thread.

Just read them. If you cannot understand what you read, what is the point of me explaining?

Nevermind then. You don't understand what I am asking.
Carry on learning...student.

 

[student]

Nevermind then. You don't understand what I am asking.
Carry on learning...student.

I don't. And that is why I am a student.

I am hoping gurus will clear everything.

 

[StanGetz]

Gurus can give and teach whatever they can, be it correct or wrong.
But, if being a student that never or bothers to learn what is important and only focusing on trival matters, i guess this kind of student is no gurus/teachers ever wants.
Try harder?

 

[Hexlord]

Was dominator's remark about 'gurus' that made student comment here in the first place?

Dominator didn't imply that some of the people here are god-like experts, and his remark is definitely not meant to boost people's ego.

Let's not try to find an issue where there is none, okay?

 

[dominator]

Agreed Hexlord.

As we all knows the forum is a place to share and also for anyone to help anyone if possible.
Just look at all those other threads, in pana forum is also a place where PLUG is organise by non-lumixer or ex-lumixer and outing among lumixer + non-lumixer are welcome greatly. (you seldom see that in other forum, right?)

Most of us enjoys being here......of cos there will be some odd one out there. Nevermind that!
CHEERS TO ALL GURUS, including myself

 

[Wisp]

Hwrm, in uni now...so

*erase* blackboard. Enough of that guru or self righteous or senate crap.
Let me give it a try..*rub hands*

Center weighted metering on the whole concentrates a meter sensitivity at the center of the image, usually designated by a small circle in the SLRs. Unlike spot metering, consideration is also given to the outer area of the images, and the metering areas are relatively large. They are often given as ratios, such as 60/40 and 80/20, which means 60% of the meter reading is concentrated from the metering circle and 40% from the overall corners of the image.

This is the predominant early metering before matrix metering in the early SLRs. The most common one too.

This a relatively simple meter pattern to use, ideal for hand held photography. All you have to do is search for a large part of the photograph which is of an even tone, meter that, and meter another part of the photograph with a different tone, and count the number of stops between the 2 tones (usually the darkest and brightest). From there you can either select the middle value (the easiest but not always 100% reliable way to get what you want) or apply the Zone system in the most elementry form.

Spot metering on the other hand concentrates the meters sensitivity in a tiny area, or spot, usually 3% of the picture area. What it gives is precise measurement of any small or multiple area of the photography, enabling you to get a very clear idea on what the exposure field of the photograph is going to be like. You can determine whether the scene effectively fits into the dynamic range of your film or sensor (Read this up on the net.) compared to the center weighted system. The Zone system was developed with this metering in mind (Very commonly used in LF cameras), and offers unlimited amount of control at the expense of time. No snap and go like Henri Cartier Bresson with this mode =).

All in all, different metering modes gives you essentially a proper exposed photograph if you learn how to use it, it's just some of them are more suitable for certain situations than others. Like the center weighted metering is good enough on a cloudy day (and alot quicker too), but on a contrasty high noon situation, a spot meter would tell you enough of the scene to allow you to choose the best exposure value to take that photograph.

Depends how you use it.

(To the thread starter: Read about the zone system and you'd understand alot more what is exposure...you could skip the technicalities but at least have a know how to apply it.)

(And as for all the ppl here...all this information is available on the net or in books or in libraries. Don't plop into clubsnap and expect ppl to cater to you for spoon feeding session. Research!! You have all the worlds expert's opinion on your fingertips or paper for over a 100 years of photography, make use of that. Only when you don't understand, pop a question in here..)

 

[astroman]

Hwrm, in uni now...so

*erase* blackboard. Enough of that guru or self righteous or senate crap.
Let me give it a try..*rub hands*

Center weighted metering on the whole concentrates a meter sensitivity at the center of the image, usually designated by a small circle in the SLRs. Unlike spot metering, consideration is also given to the outer area of the images, and the metering areas are relatively large. They are often given as ratios, such as 60/40 and 80/20, which means 60% of the meter reading is concentrated from the metering circle and 40% from the overall corners of the image.

This is the predominant early metering before matrix metering in the early SLRs. The most common one too.

This a relatively simple meter pattern to use, ideal for hand held photography. All you have to do is search for a large part of the photograph which is of an even tone, meter that, and meter another part of the photograph with a different tone, and count the number of stops between the 2 tones (usually the darkest and brightest). From there you can either select the middle value (the easiest but not always 100% reliable way to get what you want) or apply the Zone system in the most elementry form.

Spot metering on the other hand concentrates the meters sensitivity in a tiny area, or spot, usually 3% of the picture area. What it gives is precise measurement of any small or multiple area of the photography, enabling you to get a very clear idea on what the exposure field of the photograph is going to be like. You can determine whether the scene effectively fits into the dynamic range of your film or sensor (Read this up on the net.) compared to the center weighted system. The Zone system was developed with this metering in mind (Very commonly used in LF cameras), and offers unlimited amount of control at the expense of time. No snap and go like Henri Cartier Bresson with this mode =).

All in all, different metering modes gives you essentially a proper exposed photograph if you learn how to use it, it's just some of them are more suitable for certain situations than others. Like the center weighted metering is good enough on a cloudy day (and alot quicker too), but on a contrasty high noon situation, a spot meter would tell you enough of the scene to allow you to choose the best exposure value to take that photograph.

Depends how you use it.

(To the thread starter: Read about the zone system and you'd understand alot more what is exposure...you could skip the technicalities but at least have a know how to apply it.)

(And as for all the ppl here...all this information is available on the net or in books or in libraries. Don't plop into clubsnap and expect ppl to cater to you for spoon feeding session. Research!! You have all the worlds expert's opinion on your fingertips or paper for over a 100 years of photography, make use of that. Only when you don't understand, pop a question in here..)

I guess my question wasn't really clear enough in the first place... but that is always the problem in the internet world where different people have different idea of what the question is about.

I guess all the post here has definitely made me learn a lot more about the techniques..... Thanks to all who have helped!!!

 

[catchlights]

I guess my question wasn't really clear enough in the first place... but that is always the problem in the internet world where different people have different idea of what the question is about.

I guess all the post here has definitely made me learn a lot more about the techniques..... Thanks to all who have helped!!!

Yes, your question is not clear enough,

First, you need to understand what is exposure. ISO, shutter speed, f stop ....
second, you need to understand what is metering and metering methods, what is mid tone, spot, centre weighted, martrix....
third, is the exposure mode, manual, programme, auto etc...

if you don't understand the what is metering and meter methods, regardless what exposure mode you use will not give you the result you want.

Hope this help.