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Author Topic: An idea regarding exposure metering  (Read 14914 times)

Jack Flesher

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An idea regarding exposure metering
« Reply #20 on: March 21, 2005, 11:22:13 pm »

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especially if she had the courage to make the move from needlepoint to a digicam (sorry - I couldn't help it - we need a few laughs at ourselves from time to time, don't we?)    
ROTFLMAO!

Good one!

 :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:
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61Dynamic

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An idea regarding exposure metering
« Reply #21 on: March 22, 2005, 01:57:21 pm »

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Is there no way that the sensor can tell if it is looking at a brighter or darker scene?

Yes, if it could use incadecent metering but as Mark stated, it could be combersome. The problem still remains of what it is photographing. It just ain't smart enough for that. Also as pointed out, if the camera could compare incandecent metering with it's TTL metering, it could possably much more accuratly measure exposure, but agian cumbersome unless something lie idea 2 comes about:

Some ideas:

1) Digital cameras have the time and date. If GPS was added to that mix, the camera could figure out when the sun (and moon) rises and sets wherever it is. This info could be used as a basis for how much light (and what general WB temp) is available at any given moment given a clear sky. The photographer would still need to compensate as needed given the artistic intent, indoors/outdoors, and things like clouds/fog, etc.

2) Also, I'd like to see incandecent light meters that could transfer readings wirelessly to the camera. Perhaps over something like Bluetooth just so there is a transmission standard and no compatability issues. The camera could also transmit back to the metter and in effect, the metter could double as a remote controll for the camera.

3) The camera could have a means of selecting the general brightness meteringt. Simply press a button and scroll the wheel to select from a range of say five or six general luminosity presets. The camera would then meter for that 7% or 24% grey instead of the typical 18%. Combine that info with the area in the frame the AF locked on to. For example, if the subject is white (say a bird at mid-day) the camera would automatically try to keep highlights from blowing out in the portion of the image that the camera has focused on. Conversly, if the subject is black, the photog could select that setting and the camera would prevent the subject from being exposed too much.

These items wouldn't be too far of a streach to implement I would think. The debate lies with the practicality...
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61Dynamic

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An idea regarding exposure metering
« Reply #22 on: March 22, 2005, 06:30:20 pm »

Johnathan,

I completely agree. I can't imagine much use for #3 but as a gearhead/gadget freek it sure would have the cool factor going for it. #2 is most practical IMHO.

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We are a long way passed the dumb metering system.

They're still pretty stupid. Just very sophisticated. The cameras still can't guage what it is you are shooting but using those sophisticated meering systems it can come close to nailing exposure in many "typical" situations. As fancy as it is though they still tend to miss the mark more than they nail it. That's why they are still dumb. They are still trying to make the scene 18% grey. It's just that evaluative systems average the light out in a way that tends to work from time to time.

As fancy as it all is the "M" and a handheld meter still work best in most situations...
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Jonathan Wienke

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An idea regarding exposure metering
« Reply #23 on: March 22, 2005, 09:10:51 pm »

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However, if you read the marketing blurb from Nikon they put a lot of effort and emphasis on their 1005 point metering system and the database of lighting situations which it uses to determine accurate exposure. Comparing the snow versus coal analogue, there is no reason that an evaluative system can't automatically build in exposure compensation depending upon the EV measured for the scene. Canon, and many other digital manufacturers use similar techniques to accurately nail exposure for the user. We are a long way passed the dumb metering system.
That's all well and good in theory, but the reality is that even using the "smart" evaluative metering system in the Canon 1Ds and 1D-MkII, I have to dial in a non-zero exposure compensation factor for the majority of the shots I take, and there are situations where using a "dumb" metering method like center-weighted average gives more consistent results than evaluative. Evaluative metering may be "smart", but it is certainly severely lacking in common sense.
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