[nathanm]

So what's the quick and dirty explanation for spot metering?  Do you aim it at what you want to be middle grey and take one reading or do you take multiple readings which are averaged together?  I need to get a meter for my new camera and can't decide what will be the easiest without breaking the bank. I know, I know...I need to get "The Negative" book and all but the gist of it would do in a pinch.  Thanks!

[Levi]

I used spot metering simply to precisely measure the light in the middle of the field.

[Audiovista]

Yes, measuring the middle gray is good use of spot metering. One reading is sufficient. If you want averaging you can use center weighted metering, or different camera built-in algorithms (Nikon's Matrix system comes to mind). Then, if not absolutely sure, you bracket around the reading.

I use spot metering to measure light off of people's faces and then adjust (if needed) for darker subjects. For most everything else center weighted does a good job.

[nathanm]

Is it like a telescope that you look through to pick the area you want to measure?  They usually say 1 or 5 degree and I'm having a hard time imagining how you can see anything in that extreme of telephoto.  What am I missing?

[SET Man]

So what's the quick and dirty explanation for spot metering?...

Hey!

   True spot meter will be those with 1* degree angle. Most handheld spot meter are 1*.

   Spot meter is useful if you want to precisely measure only a section of the scene. Also useful if you are far from the subject and can't get close to take reading with ambient meter. But like all reflective meter it will read the spot that you are measuring as 18% gray. So let's say if you spot measuring a pure white than you have to open 2+ stops more than the meter reading to keep it pure white. Yes, you could use the spot meter to measure difference parts of the scene and average it out.

    If you are thinking of getting into Zone System that was created by Ansel Adams than you will definitely need a good spot meter. Well, that was something I've never got into with my large format photography.

   But for me I don't have spot meter. I get by with my handheld ambient meter, even when I go shooting with 4X5 cam. Although there were some situations that a true spot meter would made things easier. If I know in advance that I would need a spot meter when shooting 4x5 I would bring my 35mm cam along with long zoom and use it built-in spot meter... not true spot meter but with a long zoom 80-200mm it is still useful. The down side? Well, more stuff and weight to carry in the bag

    For first meter I think a good digital ambient meter would be more useful. Sekonic have lots of model to choose, I think they even have one that combine ambient and spot in one unit .... sadly Minolta got out of photography and thus they no long make light meter, their meters were excellent

Take care,
Buddy

[nathanm]

I have used my 35mm cam's built-in meter to fudge things and it works okay, but I assume a real meter would work better.  Also, my camera cuts off at 2 seconds and f\22.  I'm not SO bad at math that I couldn't extrapolate from there, but...I'd rather not have to!

So do you use it to measure incident or reflected light?  Like say I'm shooting a landscape of distant objects, do I stand at the camera and point it at the subject or do I stand out a ways from the camera and point the meter towards the camera?

[Bob in St. Louis]

Hey Nathan, is this the photo circle, or are we still chatting/polling about names for an up and coming circle?

Bob

[SET Man]

So do you use it to measure incident or reflected light?  Like say I'm shooting a landscape of distant objects, do I stand at the camera and point it at the subject or do I stand out a ways from the camera and point the meter towards the camera?

Hey!

For spot meter.

    You would look through the meter's viewfinder and aim it at the spot you want to measure.

For ambient meter.

   There will be a white dome. Always point to the white dome to the camera. But with the ambient meter you need to get close to the subject, hold it near the subject and point the dome to the camera.



 Above is an example of using ambient light meter. Get the meter near the subject and point the dome facing the camera. The meter in on Moby's Play album cover is the Minolta Meter. I have the newer version of it of which I still like to carry it around even with with my digi-SLR. Pretty good example eh? Fit both photography and music/audio subject.

   But you don't have to always do that. For example.... you came across a nice scenic view. You set up camera and the sun is behind you and the sunlight fall on the scene is also fall on your back, you could just hold the meter up right in front of you have our of your shadow let the same  light fall on it take measure and this will be pretty much the same reading as if you have got to close to the tree far away in the scene.

   Ambient is more accurate than reflective metering but you need to get close to the subject or if you are lucky and have the same light falling on the subject and you than you could just stand at the camera position and take measure.

Take care,
Buddy

[nathanm]

Hey Nathan, is this the photo circle, or are we still chatting/polling about names for an up and coming circle?

Bob

Nope, this is an official off-topic tangent we're on now!  I bet a savvy operator could split off the photoy stuff to the Eye-Fidelity circle whenst created.  I could nag Johnr about making the thing I s'pose, but who likes being nagged?

Thanks for the info SET Man, that helps!  Looks like the reading must've worked too, cause the guy's shiny head isn't blown out!

[Bob in St. Louis]

Nope, this is an official off-topic tangent we're on now!  I bet a savvy operator could split off the photoy stuff to the Eye-Fidelity circle whenst created.  I could nag Johnr about making the thing I s'pose, but who likes being nagged?

OK, just curious. I've got a pic or two I'd like to submit for approval. 

Bob

[JohnR]

Sorry, I'll do it just a bit later today... 

[JohnR]

OK, done. (You're in it  )

[JohnR]

BTW, any pictures on this site will be limited.

Well, only because I set them that way on Coppermine... CPG isn't the best tool for photographic display, though... I would be willing to use (install) something different, as long as it didn't end up with me having to do custom modifications to it. Let's give it a whirl for a couple of weeks and then see how folks feel about getting some better image support onto our server.

BTW I have a 1024x768 screen at home...

[Bob in St. Louis]

Thanks for the new name John!

1280 X 1024 at home

Bob