Metering modes and back lighting

[Ollie]

Hi all.

Been experimenting today with a couple of the metering modes on my 40D with back lit or at the best side lit subjects. Centre weighted average metering which I normally use and evaluative metering. According to the handbook evaluative is the best mode for back lit subjects

Personally I couldn't tell any difference. All the photos were taken in my garden. I under exposed on them all by -1/3rd of a stop as all except the Dunnock had white on them that I didn't want to blow. F7.1 aperture used for them all and ISO 640 as although they were either back or side lit the sun was relatively weak and light was not that great and ISO 400 was to slow for decent shutter speeds.

I was going to try the other metering modes partial and spot but that will have to wait for another day as I ran out of daylight.

Comments and advice appreciated.

As per usual you may have to click the photos a second time to see the best quality image.

Roger

Blue Tit, Centre weighted average metering


Blue Tit, Centre weighted average metering


Coal Tit, Centre weighted average metering


Coal Tit, Centre weighted average metering


Great Tit, Evaluative metering


Goldfinch, Evaluative metering


Dunnock, Evaluative metering

[Lancashire Lad]

Can't quite put my finger on the reason why, but for me, the evaluative metering shots just seem to have the edge. - Although I might be influenced by the fact that those three shots possibly had the best of the sunshine - particularly the last two.

Nonetheless, another great set of shots.

Regards
Mike.

[squishy]

pssshh... hmm.... they're all very, very good, and its hard to see much of a difference, but like LL said, i think the evaluative ones just have something. i think they are just ever so slightly more colourful, bringing out to brilliance of the birds in the photo.

very good!

[willing to learn]

Evaluative metering on my screen for sure (Great tit being No: 1), but all great shots.
Regards
Colin

[Ollie]

Thanks for the replies.

With hindsight I don't suppose this was a very fair test of the metering modes because the photos with the evaluative metering were taken a while after the centre weighted average metered ones.

What I should have done was taken a couple on one metering mode and then switched to the other while the light levels were more or less the same. Even then though I suppose it would depend on the position of the bird for each shot.

Never mind I enjoyed doing it.
Roger

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Ollie

Thanks for the replies.

With hindsight I don't suppose this was a very fair test of the metering modes because the photos with the evaluative metering were taken a while after the centre weighted average metered ones.

What I should have done was taken a couple on one metering mode and then switched to the other while the light levels were more or less the same. Even then though I suppose it would depend on the position of the bird for each shot.

Never mind I enjoyed doing it.
Roger

I don't think it made much difference Roger. The difference people are seeing is surely down to the changing circumstances. None of them are blown an I imagine the levels look much the same.
I've been trying different modes when out and about and the only one that to me makes any real difference is spot metering, which works well with birds with white and in bright sunlight, providing you get the spot in the white area of course! At the moment I'm using centre weighted, (for no particular reason) but I do swap around often according to the shooting conditions.

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by glsammy

I don't think it made much difference Roger. The difference people are seeing is surely down to the changing circumstances. None of them are blown an I imagine the levels look much the same.
I've been trying different modes when out and about and the only one that to me makes any real difference is spot metering, which works well with birds with white and in bright sunlight, providing you get the spot in the white area of course! At the moment I'm using centre weighted, (for no particular reason) but I do swap around often according to the shooting conditions.

I think you are right on that Graham, it's was the changing conditions rather than the metering modes that made the difference.

I will give the spot metering a go when I next get chance. It's all good experience though. The one thing I am finding is the 40D is much easier to alter settings on the fly than the 400D was therefore it encourages me to experiment which is no bad thing.
Roger