Can I use Matrix/Evaluative metering for scenery/landscape photo?
u know, those skyline, mountains, etc....
not advisable to use spot metering right?
u know, those skyline, mountains, etc....
not advisable to use spot metering right?
What metering shld I use for taking landscape / scenery pic?
- Thread starter Paul_Yeo
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Paul_Yeo said:
I usually use matrix.
Need to be careful with metering when the scene comprises of light and dark elements (eg bright blue sky with a green pasture). If you take your meter reading off the sky, the grass gets underexposed. If you take a reading off the grass, then your sky gets overexposed. In these cases, you prob need a grad ND filter.
Actually spot is the most accurate once you know how to use the meter. Matrix /evaluative is the lazy man's way out - it works some of the time , it does ok some times and there are times when it screws up. Most times u have no idea where and what for its metering for.
If you really have a grave doubt about metering use average - measure the brightest and darkest - use the average of these values - if u shoot in extreme lighting.
If u do landscapes at the golden hours I think there is no major contrast problem.
If you really have a grave doubt about metering use average - measure the brightest and darkest - use the average of these values - if u shoot in extreme lighting.
If u do landscapes at the golden hours I think there is no major contrast problem.
Yes, i know Spot Metering is the best. But the problem is: i sometimes dunno where to meter.
Eg, if i am taking photo of a wedding couple, shld I meter the face? or her white gown?
scenario being, the couple is on a beach.
Eg, if i am taking photo of a wedding couple, shld I meter the face? or her white gown?
scenario being, the couple is on a beach.
Paul_Yeo said:
Actually this thread illustrates one of the problems with using all singing and all dancing cameras from the start, either film or digital.
One becomes so dependent on the computer chip to do the work that the mind becomes lazy, and as a result, the knowledge of light becomes stunted. And what is photography? Photo=light
Madmax said:
Should not be if you know where to "place" the white gown, and adjust the exposure readings from the spot-meter.
I think face is more direct........
thought he can spot meter an area on the landscape that is around 12/18% grey and/or play with abit of exposure compensation around that... or am i wrong?
benedium said:
Can.....just that most of the time....quite hard to really find this 18% gray portion of the scene.
I really wish I am wrong.....
any metering can take nice scenery and landscape shots if you know how to apply it
read these links
http://www.photozone.de/4Technique/metering.htm
http://spotmetering.com/
http://www.digicaminfo.btinternet.co.uk/camerametering.htm
important thing is to get the correct exposure and learn how to compensate accordingly ...
read these links
http://www.photozone.de/4Technique/metering.htm
http://spotmetering.com/
http://www.digicaminfo.btinternet.co.uk/camerametering.htm
important thing is to get the correct exposure and learn how to compensate accordingly ...
student said:
i always use incident and light meter interchangably - although that's obviously not correct
. For mountain ranges and far away objects, gotta use the spot meter on the light meter lor. Get highlights and shadows and use your "computer" to calc. I normally use matrix because I believe in leveraging on technology. However, if I know that the exposure is obviously wrong cos the chip is screwing up, then I can compensate accordingly or take manual readings lor...
That in no way detracts from the fact that one still needs to understand and master exposure. :thumbsup:
bracket bracket bracket, shoot one picture and get that shot right
It is better to shoot just one composition and get it right
that shooting 10 shots that are not keepers.
BTW sunrise/sunset the light changes so rapidly that you cannot spot meter and calulate fast enough, the matrix meter is really good for standard scenes like sunrise/sunsets. Get to know your camera and what it can and cannot do
It is better to shoot just one composition and get it right
that shooting 10 shots that are not keepers.
BTW sunrise/sunset the light changes so rapidly that you cannot spot meter and calulate fast enough, the matrix meter is really good for standard scenes like sunrise/sunsets. Get to know your camera and what it can and cannot do
knoxknocks said:i always use incident and light meter interchangably - although that's obviously not correct
I normally use matrix because I believe in leveraging on technology. However, if I know that the exposure is obviously wrong cos the chip is screwing up, then I can compensate accordingly or take manual readings lor...
That in no way detracts from the fact that one still needs to understand and master exposure. :thumbsup:
I hope you don't mind me making a small correction.
A light meter measures light. This can be a separate hand held meter, or a camera in-built meter.
There are essentially two forms of light meters in terms of function.
Reflex meter which measures light coming from the scene. All forms of camera meters are variations of reflex metering, with more sophistication in evaluative and matrix metering. Spot meter is a reflex meter which measures light from a very small area. More accurate spotmeter are usually hand-held.
Another is incident metering which measures light falling on the scene.
This includes most flash meters.
To use the term incident meter and lightmeter interchangeably is therefore not correct.
In my limited landscape experience, I always use spotmetering. And 95% of the time, the metering is correct. I don't need evaluative or matrix metering. No evaluative or matrix metering is as accurate as my handheld spot meter for my photography.
I feel that much too often, technology is used as a crutch for laziness.
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