Metering

[FUDGEY]

I am a Nikon D80 user and I am always set to matrix metering (not that clued up on the technical side) I am going to be trying to photograph Red Squirrels in the snow this week and I heard or read some where before that its better to spot meter in this situation. Well I know how to change my settings from Matrix to Spot, but I am not sure about anything else :-s I have been messing about with my camera today when set to "spot metering" and I have a few questions for the experts. Firstly I shoot in A mode (Aperture priority) and on Jpeg fine. Lets say I have the Squirrel in the frame with snow all around it. I am set to spot metering. Does my camera take the reading from my focusing point? I am also not sure what spot metering actually is and what other situations that it can be used in. I have tried googling it, but most of the stuff I have found goes way over my head. Can any one explain it in simple terms? ie to a thicko

[nightshade]

I take a reading off the back of my hand which seems to work well, difference between back and front of the hand is about 1-f stop
Nikon D80 Spot Metering: Cheat Sheet

[FUDGEY]

That was quick nightshade Ill have a look at the link later as I am at work. Here are some snow pics I took on matrix the other day. Can someone explain what difference it would have made to these pics if I was set to spot metering? I am happy enough with them as they are and cant see what improvement it would make. Thanks guys

[nightshade]

I would be proud of them as well, particularly the Dunnock, it looks just like the one watching me at the moment well done. I think that spot metering would give a little more detail to the subject but I am not much of a Photographer

[Wizmatt]

Matrix/evaluative metering merters for the whole frame, so everything in the frame will be exposed to a mid tone so there isn't over or under exposure. The problem with using this mode in the snow, is that the camera sees the snow which pushes the average tone up so the camera will underexpose to make sure the snow isn't blown. This means the subject that is often darker will be underexposed. Spot metering will only meter off the centre point (not sure about focus point) this means the subject will be exposed correctly to a mid tone and the surroundings for example snow will be overexposed. Although if you check the histogram you can use exposure compensation to the same effect.

Hope this helps.

[FUDGEY]

Thats brilliant Wizmatt, explained perfectly and I thank you for it. Top man

[Stephen Raff]

For those shots I would of stuck in average/multi and added +1.5 exposure compensation, that should of brought me close. Used the histogram to tune if needed. I tend to think of the zone system in these circumstances.

I am slightly confused that your examples are pretty close to the mark without any exposure compensation, as with that much snow in the scene I would of expected it to be under exposed rather than slightly (very) over exposed as it looks to me.

Stephen

[Stephen Raff]

Oh and forgot to say, love the Dunnock shot

[Jim Ford]

I also like the dunnock shot. It's nice the way reflection off the snow has illuminated the underside of the bird, showing up the detail.

Jim

[bob.phillips]

Explanations of Spot and Martix metering and there effects suggested on previous posts are good. So, if you used martix metering for your shots in the snow, then the birds should have been underexposed.

I also have a Nikon D80 and in my experience it tends to overexpose all the time. Others have said that theirs also does this. So if yours does the same then, it may have obtained a reasonable exposure for the birds, by this overexposure.

If this is the case, then using spot metering for your shots would have produced overexposed birds. ( That almost sounds rude )

I didn't explain that too well but I hope you can understand what I mean.

I would suggest that you take a few bracketed shot and see if you find that the best shots are with the camera selected settings or with the underexposed (or even the overexposed ) settings.

I've assumed here that the pictures you posted have not been post processed, particularly with regard to exposure.

Hope this helps,

Bob P.