Metering Modes Explained

[Desmond]

Originally Posted by Mar1970

What type of metering would you use for a concert?

I'm personally always in matrix/pattern metering and use EV compensation rather than manual mode . For constantly changing lighting have a look at my blog on dance photography .

[Maxi]

Looking forward to checking out your tutorials. Just not enough time in the day right now! But thanks for posting that link.

[Desmond]

Originally Posted by Maxi

Looking forward to checking out your tutorials. Just not enough time in the day right now! But thanks for posting that link.

No problem - I once heard the statement " Only busy people can make time "
But we all have different circumstances I suppose .

[Glendower]

Originally Posted by Desmond

No problem - I once heard the statement " Only busy people can make time "
But we all have different circumstances I suppose .

Good one, Desmond. Here's another: "If you need something done right away, give it to a busy person."

Question on the concert metering: if you're in the cheap seats and can't fill the frame with your subject, should you switch to center-weighted, or perhaps spot? Never actually tried to photograph a concert, myself.

[Glendower]

Good tut, Jason. Thanks for including all the diagrams. Everything's understandable even at a quick glance.

[Desmond]

Originally Posted by Glendower

Good one, Desmond. Here's another: "If you need something done right away, give it to a busy person."

Question on the concert metering: if you're in the cheap seats and can't fill the frame with your subject, should you switch to center-weighted, or perhaps spot? Never actually tried to photograph a concert, myself.

I've found that for constantly changing lighting matrix or pattern metering gives a reasonable constant output - if it over-exposes by two stops it does it fairly regularly and dialing in "-2" in matrix metering means very few adjustments and many keepers .
Spot metering is used by many shooting manual but I wouldn't dare try it with the rapidly changing lighting I've had to work with - it's hard enough trying to follow the subject without trying to change settings every two seconds .


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[Glendower]

Good point. Spot metering could certainly be off in the situation you describe. I've always been skeptical of spot metering anyway. Started shooting in the 70s and got very used to evaluating the center-weighted reading and making manual adjustments as needed. Nowadays, I just spin the EC wheel a bit. Great to have all the options, though.

[Jason Hermann]

Yeah, I pretty much us the exposure comp these days with either evaluate, or partial. Then I can chimp the histogram to make sure I hit my mark

best,
Jay

[Maxi]

I like exposure comp these days.

[Desmond]

I also use exposure compensation most of the time - if you're getting the results you want who cares how you got them as long as you know what you're doing