How do you meter

[jamest26]

I've got then 30D. I'm just curious on how people meter. If your using CFn 4-1, do you focus at your object with the * button and point somewhere else and press the shutter half way to meter? If so, where do you point? I'm a bit confused by metering.

Do you point at the bright object in the room or some gray scale color to meter?

Need help... I'm a newbie at metering.

Thanks.

 

[Alvin Nunley]

For instance. I'm indoors and someone is sitting on the couch with a window, (it's daytime) right behind them. I point the camera at their feet, with no window in the frame, lock the exposure and then reframe. The window may be blowen out, but the person is exposed just right.

 

[jamest26]

I'm curious why at the feet. Is it because oof the lighting or skin tone. I'm sorry to be asking these crazy questions.

Does anyone have any other insights? Any recommendations on books or websites to read? I appreciate the help.

Thanks

 

[Rz_350XT]

I'm a newbie myself. The reason why you'd meter off the feet or any area not affected by darks or lights is because the camera tries to expose the picture at 18% grey which would give you an even exposure. Metering off a dark are would overexpose the image and metering off a bright area would underexpose the image. Therefore metering on a neutral lit area would give you a correct exposure. Or something to that effect. There's a very good book called Photographic Exposure and the Simplified Zone System by Bahman Farzad. It explains all this in detail. Hope this helps.

 

[evan]

When focusing with * do you need to keep holding it as using the normal shutter to focus CF-4-1 ...?

Thanks .
--
*******************
Canon 1D Mark II N
30D (18-55mm) Kit Lens
Canon 24-70 2.8L USM
canon 70-200 F2.8 IS
Canon 16-35L 2.8
50mm F1.4
Canon 580 EX
*******************

 

[3x3cution3r]

I do the exact opposite. If I have someone sitting in front of a bright window, I meter for the window, record that reading and set my camera to the same reading, usually in Manual Mode. Then I use Fill flash and shoot. THat was the window behind the person is nicely exposed, especially if there is some nice scenery behind it, and the person is properly exposed as well.

Good Luck!!
M
--
'I tried using the rule of thirds and ended up with 1/9th of the picture'
http://www.pbase.com/marekw

 

[woffles]

I'd do it the same way. Outside is the same basic scenario. Put the bright scene behind your subject and meter for it and use fill flash to light up your subject. External flash is nice here also if you don't already have one. High speed sync will let you shoot faster then 1/250 as compared to the on camera flash. This will let you get those nice blue skies without peoples faces being dark.

Understanding Exposure Revised Edition by Bryan Peterson is a good book to get also. Deals a lot with film, but exposure is exposure. Only real difference between film and digital is film is more forgiving.

Don't forget about white balance also. Flash is similar to sunlight.

Then you get to get into ambient light mixed with flash fill. Then dragging the shutter. Soon you'll be in the lighting forum asking if Alien Bees are any good and which set to get. You're doomed!!!

--
My Pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56596551@N00/
Pics on Image Vortex
http://www.imagevortex.com/stock/users/woffles/
Personal Home Page using Simple Viewer
http://home.earthlink.net/~woffles

 

[ssab]

I've got then 30D. I'm just curious on how people meter. If your
using CFn 4-1, do you focus at your object with the * button and
point somewhere else and press the shutter half way to meter? If
so, where do you point? I'm a bit confused by metering.

Do you point at the bright object in the room or some gray scale
color to meter?

Need help... I'm a newbie at metering.

Thanks.

Most of the time the evalualtive does a pretty decent job but you need to learn when it won't or when the choice it's likely to make isn't the choice you want.

With spot metering you are doing what the evaluative does but you are taking control rather than having the camera make the choice for you.

Look up the Zone system, you only need the simple metering part of it, the complex full blown zone system is only for B&W film.

It makes no difference whether you have the focus on the * button or not for metering. I have them seperate but not for metering reasons.

 

[Alvin Nunley]

Most likely. You want to get an exposure of the inside, not the outside bright sunshine.

The other answers, using fill flash, will also work, but may take a little more practice.

In all situatiojns, there's going to be more than one, "correct way", to get the picture right.

I try my best to get "natural" lighting, and this means no flash. You can't always do that, but I try.

 

[camerashy]

Hi - do you use a standard FEC say +2/3 for your fill flash when you have a bright background or do you test via the histigram.
Thanks
Dave

--
pbase supporter at http://www.pbase.com/dav4184
for equipment see profile

 

[jamest26]

You mentioned that you record that reading. Where exactly does the reading show up on the LCD? I only see the basic stuff.