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Author Topic: Light metering  (Read 602 times)

TiborB

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Light metering
« on: August 02, 2015, 12:46:30 pm »

Hi guys,
Just a quick question here.
I've been using my camera's built in light meter (mainly evaluate metering) for quite a while now. I have bought a Sekonic light meter ages ago when started to do some studio shots and it worked well with strobes. However, I find that what the built in meter shows different results, especially when it comes to long exposure photos.

Recently I bought a Canon AV-1 as I'd like to do more film photography. Although the camera has a built in light meter I'd like to be able to use my Sekonic correctly before moving in to medium format.
Any suggestion where I could find related info is highly appreciated.

I can experiment with my dslr and I get good results normally but I'd like to reduce the 'guess' factor to the minimum.

Thanks
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luxborealis

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Re: Light metering
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2015, 08:45:12 pm »

The only "correct" exposure reading is the one that provides the most accurate exposure for the medium being used - typically the camera will provide it. Typically, yo want the brightest exposure that will not burn out your highlights. That being said, an external meter can be more "accurate", but that will be trial and error on your part as the meter is not reading the light coming through the lens as a TTL system does.

When I shot film (medium and large format), I used an external spotmeter, carefully metering the highest value in the frame and placing it at Zone VIII (three stops brighter than middle grey. One can also read and place the Zone II exposure value (three stops below middle grey). But both of these settings cannot be arrived at except through testing with the film and development you are using.

For colour work (specifically transparencies), I was careful to place the brightest value 2-1/2 stops above middle so as not to blow out the highlights - but, again, this is with a spot meter. However, for 35mm work, I relied on the very accurate camera meter (not evaluative, but still predicatable when use correctly with exposure compensation).

Flash and studio photography was generally done with an incident reading (light falling on the subject).

I can't imagine that a general purpose meter would give superior results to what you are reading through the lens once you have calibrated the camera settings with the film being used. I would suggest a good tutorial on basic light metering...

Good luck!
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Terry McDonald - luxBorealis.com

Alan Klein

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Re: Light metering
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2015, 10:41:13 pm »

Use you hand held meter at the same time you use the DSLR and make notes and compare your results.  Keep in mind that DSLR's act more like chrome film rather than negative film, so you don't want to clip the highlights. 
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