Spot Metering, Yes Or No?
Discussion
I am currently considering buying my first DSLR. I have noticed that most entry level cameras don't have spot metering. My old Canon T90 did have spot metering, a facility I used. Would it be better to get a camera with spot, or is there another way to achieve the same results with a digital camera?
I hope I have made myself understood.
Alan
I hope I have made myself understood.
Alan
Personally I never use it because it's apparent as soon as you've taken a photo whether the evaluative metering has got it right, and if it hasn't it's just as easy to set the exposure manually or use exposure compensation as it is to switch to spot metering. I suppose it depends on whether you're photographing something that you have a second chance at getting right or whether you have to get it correctly exposed first time.
Horses for Courses really.
Are you expecting subject matter that would benefit from spot metering - i.e. "difficult" lighting conditions with critical output?
For most purposes, I find the quickest results are centre-weighted for most ambient, 3D matrix metering if using speedlights and, for anything that looks a bit more challenging, hit the bracket option and fire off a range! Crude, but effective!
I find spot metering useful when you switch to manual and want a particular result, so would suggest that if you'll be using the [M] setting a lot it could be essential (unless you're going for a separate meter altogether, of course.......)
Are you expecting subject matter that would benefit from spot metering - i.e. "difficult" lighting conditions with critical output?
For most purposes, I find the quickest results are centre-weighted for most ambient, 3D matrix metering if using speedlights and, for anything that looks a bit more challenging, hit the bracket option and fire off a range! Crude, but effective!
I find spot metering useful when you switch to manual and want a particular result, so would suggest that if you'll be using the [M] setting a lot it could be essential (unless you're going for a separate meter altogether, of course.......)
Thanks to everyone for your replies. I have done a side-by-side comparison between Canon's 450D and 1000D, apart from 2 million pixels and spot metering, there is very little difference that would be of interest to me, except of course the 1000 is £120 cheaper, (body only) than the 450.
Having said that I haven't handled either, that will be my next step.
Alan.
Having said that I haven't handled either, that will be my next step.
Alan.
You can also get round the need for spot metering by bracketting the exposure - taking 3, 5 or 7 shots - then looking (and checking the histogram) to see which of them was correctly exposed. The beauty of the 'D'SLR is that you can then either just erase all unwated over/underexposed shots, or keep them to 'digitally blend' - either manually or by using an HDR programme.
GetCarter said:
You can also get round the need for spot metering by bracketting the exposure - taking 3, 5 or 7 shots - then looking (and checking the histogram) to see which of them was correctly exposed. The beauty of the 'D'SLR is that you can then either just erase all unwated over/underexposed shots, or keep them to 'digitally blend' - either manually or by using an HDR programme.
Unless you dont have time to get get multiple shots... Spot meetering is just another tool but one that can be handy to have, if you know its uses, it can also mess things up fairly well.RobDickinson said:
GetCarter said:
You can also get round the need for spot metering by bracketting the exposure - taking 3, 5 or 7 shots - then looking (and checking the histogram) to see which of them was correctly exposed. The beauty of the 'D'SLR is that you can then either just erase all unwated over/underexposed shots, or keep them to 'digitally blend' - either manually or by using an HDR programme.
Unless you dont have time to get get multiple shots...
GetCarter said:
RobDickinson said:
GetCarter said:
You can also get round the need for spot metering by bracketting the exposure - taking 3, 5 or 7 shots - then looking (and checking the histogram) to see which of them was correctly exposed. The beauty of the 'D'SLR is that you can then either just erase all unwated over/underexposed shots, or keep them to 'digitally blend' - either manually or by using an HDR programme.
Unless you dont have time to get get multiple shots...Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff