New FZ50 owner, light meter question

I have been reading "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson, great book (so great, I guess I accidentally bought 2 copies instead of one ).

He talks a lot about using a light meter. Try as I may, both from the user guide and reading around in the forum here, I can't tell if this thing has a bonafide light meter, or if its silly of me to think a camera would even have one. Never had a camera with this level of sophistication, just begun to explore all its possibilities.

Do I need to buy a light meter ?

Thanks,
Scott

Scott Whitehead said:

I have been reading "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson, great
book (so great, I guess I accidentally bought 2 copies instead of one
).

He talks a lot about using a light meter. Try as I may, both from
the user guide and reading around in the forum here, I can't tell if
this thing has a bonafide light meter, or if its silly of me to think
a camera would even have one. Never had a camera with this level of
sophistication, just begun to explore all its possibilities.

Do I need to buy a light meter ?

Thanks,
Scott

Click to expand...

No you don't need a light meter. It has a meter and in my view it is pretty good if used properly.
--
Oll an gwella,
Jim

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50073525@N00/

[FX07]
[LX1]

[FZ30] * IS/L B-300 * IS/L B-Macro * Minolta No. 0, No. 1 & No. 2 * Sunpak 383 * Benbo Trekker

Hi Scott,

Gosh, your book must be old...or your getting a bit confused....most cameras from the last 40 years have had "built in" light metering systems....

And your FZ50 has a very modern and sophisticated Automatic in "built one"...that even the user cannot turn off.....so read the manual, page 88 for usage of the different light metering modes....

Get back to us if you have further issues...
--
Cheers

Rik

Thanks much, book was copyright 2004. Author makes the point that the meaning and interaction of aperture, shutter speed and ISO are the same whether for film or digital. I think he is trying to address both audiences by referring to a light meter. Guess its up to me to figure out I actually have one :-(.

Scott

"or your getting a bit confused...."

Yes, I started out that way and slowly crawling my way out

I have the same book and it is a good one for sure but he is a pro photographer and I certainly thought that he was referring to using a hand held lightmeter in some of his discussions. Loaned the book out so can't give you concrete examples.
--
Bob Corson
Some of my photos:
http://bcorson.zenfolio.com/

Bob Corson said:

I have the same book and it is a good one for sure but he is a pro
photographer and I certainly thought that he was referring to using a
hand held lightmeter in some of his discussions. Loaned the book out
so can't give you concrete examples.
--
Bob Corson
Some of my photos:
http://bcorson.zenfolio.com/

Click to expand...

Sure many pros use light meters, but it also depends on what they are using, and often they use them for studio shots. Perhaps he is talking about large format. I still have a Sekonic and a Gossen, my built in one in my Rollei gave up the ghost a few decades ago, so the Gossen gets used on occasion..
--
Oll an gwella,
Jim

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50073525@N00/

By way of introduction, I have been a hobbyist photographer for over 45 years, so my early cameras did not have light meters. My Pentax Spotmatic 35mm film SLR bought in 1967 was ,y first with on-board metering. The FZ50 has a built in meter as the previous posters have mentioned, but it is so flexible a camera that you should read and understand the relationship of shutter, ISO and aperture as the FZ50 will allow you to select any of the above to create correct exposures, or when you want to deliberatley change from the 'norm' value.

If you start in P mode you can see the camera's suggested f stop/shutter speed and then select comparable combinations by turning the adjustment wheel. This may be to select a depth of filed or shutter speed to best suit your image. You can lock the camera in A or S mode at either shutter or aperture and allow the light meter to select the correct parameter, or go into M mode and select both yourself. You can change ISO to move the entire range of exposure to a more or less light sensitive range. So all the theory in the training you're reading can be put to good use. I have learned the FZ50 is a great deal more flexible than any P&S camera - it truly handles like my old SLR except easier to use, more capable and instant gratification!!
--
Rich
Take many pictures - a few are keepers, the rest are are lessons.

A light meter could help you position multiple light sources for studio shots. Think of a picture of a model in front of a backdrop. One light for the background. One fill light from a softbox or umbrella. One off from the side as a key. One backlighting the models hair. Using the meter to adjust the intensity and color of each can create a different style when the complete look is developed. If you don't control a lot of light sources the camera is a completely adequate meter because you can quickly review your choice and make changes. The histogram is also a good source for light info.

Thank you everyone - very helpful.

Scott