D200 analog light meter

[wwiifanatic]

Having learned photography on an Olympus OM-2, and having relearned it on my D70, I always loved having the analog lightmeter that registered how over or underexposed a picture was in the viewfinder. With my new D200, which I literally got today, I've noticed that the light meter is absent on the aperture priority mode, and present on the shutter priority and manual modes. Yes I read the manual.

I suppose it's not 100% necessary to have, but as I shoot aperture priority most of the time, it was very easy to tell what the camera was doing or having trouble doing with regards to shutter speed and available light. So the question is, is there a way to get the meter to display in this mode? I tried setting "easy exposure compensation" to on, and though it did bring up the meter, it didn't behave as I expected.

--
Nikon Coolpix 4500
D70 no-more
D200 baby

 

[Mark53]

Neither my D70 nor D200 show the analog meter in A or S modes. It does show up when the flash is on. Are you sure you're seeing the meter in S mode on your D200 (or D70) when the flash is off?

 

[Mark53]

no text

 

[Mark53]

In A or S modes, the meter does not appear on my D70 or D200 unless the following conditions are met:

1) "Lo" or "Hi" warning is present because current settings won't meet ambient light requirements
2) Exposure compensation dialed in
3) Flash turned on and ambient scene will be over- or underexposed

Otherwise, the meter is not visible.

 

[wwiifanatic]

I think your summary got it correct. Perhaps it was the same in the D70, I don't recall offhand as I no longer have that camera, but I coulda sworn it was always displayed. On the D200, you are correct that it doesn't appear unless it is an over/underexposure warning. Thanks, I think I just needed someone to bounce the question off of.

--
Nikon Coolpix 4500
D70 no-more
D200 baby