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Author Topic: Nikon D90: ADL and how do you meter?  (Read 2809 times)

BertramPaul

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Nikon D90: ADL and how do you meter?
« on: December 28, 2009, 04:02:54 pm »

Hi,

I have been using ADL on low for a long time now, but I start wondering if that is a good idea. After all, I can turn it off in NX Capture, but if I don't use it on the camera, you can't turn it on in NX.

Are there situations when and how you use ADL?

Another thing that I'm wondering about, is how to meter. Matrix seems very inconsistent, because some photos have clipped skies and most are over exposed. But not all.

When it's a nice "blue sky" day, I usually frame, look at the speed (Aperture mode) and then wonder around the picture area to find the highest speed. I then move the camera until I find a spot that's just under the highest speed and mostly it comes out OK.

But I'm not sure if this is the best way. Is there a better alternative?

Thanks.
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jasonrandolph

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Nikon D90: ADL and how do you meter?
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2009, 10:55:27 am »

I use Lightroom to process my RAW images, so my workflow varies from yours somewhat.  Because of that, I usually turn ADL off.  However, I used it when I worked in Capture NX, and I found it to be a very useful feature.  As for metering, I find that Matrix metering tends to underexpose between 1/3 and 1 full stop (on my D300 at least).  When I'm in Aperture Priority, I usually set Exposure Compensation to +0.7.  In the end though, I will shoot until I get a nice histogram that's biased to the right.  That is the final judgment call for me.  As long as I have a histogram that is as far to the right as possible without clipping highlights, I'm satisfied.  Everything else can be fixed in post-processing.

Tony Beach

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Nikon D90: ADL and how do you meter?
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2009, 02:14:56 pm »

Quote from: BetramPaul
I have been using ADL on low for a long time now, but I start wondering if that is a good idea. After all, I can turn it off in NX Capture, but if I don't use it on the camera, you can't turn it on in NX.

Are there situations when and how you use ADL?
Personally I do not use ADL, but I can only speak for myself in that regard.  I thought the look of it was fairly decent using NX, and setting it to Low does minimize (somewhat) the effect on exposure while still allowing you to increase it or turn it off in NX.

Quote
Another thing that I'm wondering about, is how to meter. Matrix seems very inconsistent, because some photos have clipped skies and most are over exposed. But not all.
You can further reduce the effect of ADL on metering by not using Matrix metering.  Even without ADL (or perhaps more so without ADL) Matrix metering is inconsistent.

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Is there a better alternative?
Center-weighted metering.
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