What metering do you use (and how does it work anyway)?

[Marsu42]

Currently, I'm not 100% happy with my 6d's metering, it seems to be a bit more dodgy than my old 60d... *but* that's because I don't use it properly as there's no metering mode I'd like. So please, no 6d vs. 5d3, dynamic range or Nikon vs. Canon discussion in this thread.

* What I *would* like is a dumb matrix metering, ignoring the af points and preventing clipping to an extent of my choice. Actually exactly what Magic Lantern's auto-ettr does, but that works only in live view

* What I *do* use is eval with center & recompose, but I am mostly too much in a wildlife-hurry or too lazy to use ae lock. The result is that in high contrast scenes (like with the sky in the picture) the exposure is kind of hit-and-miss, and my only way out is either press the ae lock on every metering or use full m.

So I'm really wondering about switching to another "bread and butter" metering mode, thus the question: How do you do it? What do you use?

 

[AmselAdans]

For people, who shoot RAW and intend to post-process their photos, the actual question is:
Is (exact) metering important at all?

For myself (only a half-baked amateur), I shoot, check the histogram and preview for blown highlights and then basically rely on a manual ETTR, which I fix (or at least try...) in post.

Without getting into a sensor debate (which will come inevitably), I think minor exposure compensation in post (let's say up to -1 EV) won't hurt image quality too much, nevermind which sensor is used. So for myself, metering or the metering chip or its accuarcy are negligible.
Journalists with short amounts of time, however, will heavily rely on exact metering.

 

[Eldar]

If you want to utilize available DR, you have to expose correctly. I always thought the histogram on the camera was for RAW, so I used that a lot, but learned that it is the jpeg histogram they show. Very dissapointing, so I rely a bit less on that now, even though it is a lot better than nothing.

When possible, on my 1DX and the newly arrived 7DII, I link it to AF. On my 5DIII, which does not support this, I use AE-lock and recompose. But I also use a separate light meter (Sekonic L-478D), when time permits, especially in my newly ramped up artificial light shooting. I find that by using the Sekonic quite a bit, I am much better at assessing available light and how it tricks the in-camera meter, in order to make the proper exposure compensation by myself.

 

[JoFT]

May favorite: classic handheld incident metering. put the camera on M like Master Mode ;-)

I use TTL only for fast changing light conditions....

Checkout the webinars from sekonic.com.... very inspiring....

 

[Marsu42]

I always thought the histogram on the camera was for RAW, so I used that a lot, but learned that it is the jpeg histogram they show. Very dissapointing, so I rely a bit less on that now, even though it is a lot better than nothing.

Simply use Magic Lantern, it has a raw histogram - but that doesn't help you in changing lighting if you only have one shot in some split seconds. Usually I resort to center composition and partial metering, but this cuts away a lot of resolution (my 6d doesn't have af-linked spot).

Is (exact) metering important at all? For myself (only a half-baked amateur), I shoot, check the histogram and preview for blown highlights and then basically rely on a manual ETTR, which I fix (or at least try...) in post.

Problem with wildlife the subject/scnene will be long gone. Plus with your "shoot first, expose later" method, you're burning through your shutter cycles in no time, and my old 60d just broke down with 160k.

Without getting into a sensor debate (which will come inevitably), I think minor exposure compensation in post (let's say up to -1 EV) won't hurt image quality too much

Unfortunately it does if you're operating at your sensor's high iso dr limit (which is a wash w/ all brands). If you're shooting movement in high contrast and the exposure is hit for six, the only way out of clipping is to "go dreamy" or dump the shot.

 

[drmikeinpdx]

Good discussion, I like the "go dreamy" comment! LOL

Add me to the list of photographers who doesn't much like the in-camera light metering. I had a spot meter back in my Ansel Adams period about 30 years ago, which was fun, but the photography I do now does not allow time for that.

I gave up on the histogram a long time ago. Thanks for the tip about Magic Lantern using a RAW histogram.

For my professional work, where I can take a few seconds to compose and expose, I usually shoot on manual and just look at the LCD screen. I've done it so much that I've developed a pretty good eye.

When doing scenic or travel shots, I often use a three shot exposure bracket burst. When I get the images into Lightroom, I can choose the best exposure or combine them using Photomatix Pro for HDR.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

May favorite: classic handheld incident metering. put the camera on M like Master Mode ;-)

I use TTL only for fast changing light conditions....

Checkout the webinars from sekonic.com.... very inspiring....

I still have my Sekonic. Don't use it as often as I used to, but still have not thrown it away either.

 

[Dylan777]

On my 1DX, I only have spot and eval on. Eval is what I use most of the time.

Q: you always put shooting info(text) on your photos? Why?

 

[Marsu42]

Q: you always put shooting info(text) on your photos? Why?

Someone requested that people posting shots share the shot information so we can learn from each other, so being Mr. Nice Guy print it onto the side. Vice versa, if someone thinks my settings are off and I could do better for this scene, he can comment it.

The caption & copyright line are simply there in case the metadata gets lost.

 

[c.d.embrey]

I do several things, and none of them are listed in your poll.

1. I use a hand-held incident meter.

2. I use an Expo Disc http://www.expoimaging.com/ This turns your camera into an incident meter and does color balance too.

3. I set the camera to "P" for professional. You'd be amazed at how smart your camera is at setting exposure (and fill flash) I do this for walk-around and even some paid work.

 

[Marsu42]

I do several things, and none of them are listed in your poll.
1. I use a hand-held incident meter.
2. I use an Expo Disc

Both result in you shooting in m mode, that doesn't mean you need to use the in-camera metering (I admit this was not a poll item open to interpretation). Otherwise further options might include... :->

4. I call upon the holy trinity to send me a divine message what expo to use
5. I shoot only with the lens cap on, defaulting to 1 second at f1.0, then raise the shadows in post

For wildlife photography with my 7D, I use evaluative metering and use the quick control dial to compensate based on the conditions/scene. I find that to be a fairly quick way to adjust.

Me too, it's just that the 6d is more erratic than my 60d so it's difficult to predict an ec :-\

In your survey, I didn't see a simple "Evaluative" option. Doesn't the 7D use all the focus points (the scene) in evaluative metering unless you hit the AE lock?

That's 4c - eval with af point(s). I don't know how 7d-type af systems go on figuring out which af point is more important.

 

[c.d.embrey]

I do several things, and none of them are listed in your poll.
1. I use a hand-held incident meter.
2. I use an Expo Disc

Both result in you shooting in m mode, that doesn't mean you need to use the in-camera metering (I admit this was not a poll item open to interpretation). Otherwise further options might include... :->

4. I call upon the holy trinity to send me a divine message what expo to use
5. I shoot only with the lens cap on, defaulting to 1 second at f1.0, then raise the shadows in post

The question was "What metering do you use (and how does it work anyway)?" Not What in-camera-metering-only...

BTW using "P" for Professional is a lot like your #4. "I call upon the holy trinity to send me a divine message what expo to use"

 

[surapon]

Currently, I'm not 100% happy with my 6d's metering, it seems to be a bit more dodgy than my old 60d... *but* that's because I don't use it properly as there's no metering mode I'd like. So please, no 6d vs. 5d3, dynamic range or Nikon vs. Canon discussion in this thread.

* What I *would* like is a dumb matrix metering, ignoring the af points and preventing clipping to an extent of my choice. Actually exactly what Magic Lantern's auto-ettr does, but that works only in live view

* What I *do* use is eval with center & recompose, but I am mostly too much in a wildlife-hurry or too lazy to use ae lock. The result is that in high contrast scenes (like with the sky in the picture) the exposure is kind of hit-and-miss, and my only way out is either press the ae lock on every metering or use full m.

So I'm really wondering about switching to another "bread and butter" metering mode, thus the question: How do you do it? What do you use?

Dear Friend, Mr. Marsu 42.
Well, I am happy about all of my Canon, Olympus and P&S Nikon cameras of the great ability of in the camera Light Meter ( So many Type of Light Meters in the Camera Body , Start from Best Spot Meter ---To Average Type Meter = Some time the Eyes and Brain of Camera still in High school Level, Not Graduated School in The University YET ), Past two months, I go to the local Community Collage night school for " The Advance Studio Lights Class for the PRO", Yes, I must buy the Sekonic Light Meter to use in this Class too. Yes, I love this Light Meter in junction with Studio Lights, and Save a lot of times to get the corrected Exposure of a great Portraoit Photos. BUT, It waste my time to use in out door shooting---I just use The Camera Brain to do the right Expusure for me = 98% of all times, But 2 % of my Shooting, I must under exposure or Over Exposure , Just for my Taste.
Hear the Link that We already talk about my need for Light Meter in the Class :

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=23261.0

Enjoy.
Surapon

 

[Besisika]

For people, who shoot RAW and intend to post-process their photos, the actual question is:
Is (exact) metering important at all?

For myself (only a half-baked amateur), I shoot, check the histogram and preview for blown highlights and then basically rely on a manual ETTR, which I fix (or at least try...) in post.

Without getting into a sensor debate (which will come inevitably), I think minor exposure compensation in post (let's say up to -1 EV) won't hurt image quality too much, nevermind which sensor is used. So for myself, metering or the metering chip or its accuarcy are negligible.
Journalists with short amounts of time, however, will heavily rely on exact metering.

+1: Same here!

 

[DominoDude]

Spot and evaluative metering plus some degree of exposure compensation are the ones I use most. There are days that I am perfectly happy with how my 7D meter a scene, and there are days when it just leaves me confuzzled.
Certain scenes - like sunsets - I want to do fully manual.
Experimented some with ML's ETTR module, but I'm not sure I get what I expect from it all the time. Most likely that is due to a lack of understanding/experience of ML's mysterious ways on my side of the viewfinder...

 

[rfdesigner]

In bright lights I either use evaluative or spot and over-expose by two stops to simulate ETTR.

In dark conditions I go manual, stop at around ISO800, widest aperture, slowest I can go yet still stop subject movement. (readout noise in electrons at ISO800 is much the same as at 1600 or 3200, but I get much more headroom for bright spots of light)

And for astro I use a CCD!

 

[mackguyver]

Evaluative with exposure compensation unless I'm shooting people or high DR photos. Then I use spot most often. Sometimes I ignore metering altogether and just use M mode and the histogram until I'm happy

 

[tdrive]

I have to agree with Marsu42. I just sold my 6D because of the sheer frustration of the metering system having also come from a 60D which seemed to be fine. Having that AF point so strongly linked to the metering makes it too unpredictable for quick shots. For landscape shots where you have time to play with exposure, it' not a problem, but for say a wedding or something with high contrast, all i can say is thank god for raw files. I have tried the Magic Lantern software and it is awesome for things like bracketed shots, but too slow for the metering part because it utilizes live view.

 

[Tinky]

none of the above.

I shoot manually, usually with a bias on 1 over focal length or faster for shutter (unless doing something specific that requires very shallow dof or a dragged shutter for deliberate blur) trying to keep my iso as low as I can for intended dof.

If i have an effect in mind I would sooner add optical filtration than change aperture or iso..

The camera is always set to evaluative mode, not linked to any af points, I might refer to the ev scale, but compensate by subject matter... that is let dark subjects be under, let bright subjects be over...

The way I work theres always time for a test shot

 

[e17paul]

My Olympus OM-10 meters better than my 6D. That's fortunate because there are no second chances with film.