Metering and exposure

[Siddhartha Jain]

Ok, lets say I know nothing about using partial, centre-weighted or
spot meter and I still want to get the correct exposure. Also, I know
nothing about the zone system.

Would you say, I can achieve the same results by bracketing? Take five
instead of one shot with one at the camera recommended exposure, 2 at
plus the recommended at 1/3rd EV stops and 2 at minus the recommended
at 1/3rd EV stops.

Or, can the difference between the correct exposure and camera
recommended exposure swing more than that?


Thanks,

Siddhartha

[stator]

On 4 Jan 2005 04:50:52 -0800, "Siddhartha Jain"
<losttoy2000@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>Ok, lets say I know nothing about using partial, centre-weighted or
>spot meter and I still want to get the correct exposure. Also, I know
>nothing about the zone system.
>
>Would you say, I can achieve the same results by bracketing? Take five
>instead of one shot with one at the camera recommended exposure, 2 at
>plus the recommended at 1/3rd EV stops and 2 at minus the recommended
>at 1/3rd EV stops.
>
>Or, can the difference between the correct exposure and camera
>recommended exposure swing more than that?

bracketing, also known as "the shotgun method", will work in many
cases as long as you are not shooting in extreme light or extreme dark
situations. You will use alot of film with that method.
You are probably best off getting yourself a decent light meter such
as the Sekonic L-508 and learning to use it. I also suggest a book by
Jim Zuckerman entitled Perfect Exposure.

Good luck,

Joe

[stator]

On 4 Jan 2005 04:50:52 -0800, "Siddhartha Jain"
<losttoy2000@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>Ok, lets say I know nothing about using partial, centre-weighted or
>spot meter and I still want to get the correct exposure. Also, I know
>nothing about the zone system.
>
>Would you say, I can achieve the same results by bracketing? Take five
>instead of one shot with one at the camera recommended exposure, 2 at
>plus the recommended at 1/3rd EV stops and 2 at minus the recommended
>at 1/3rd EV stops.
>
>Or, can the difference between the correct exposure and camera
>recommended exposure swing more than that?

I usually try to find the mid-tone area in the shot and use a zoom
lense, if necessary, to get an exposure reading and use that reading
for the entire shot.

Hope that helps a bit.

Joe

[url]http://mikmaq.cjb.net[/url]

[John Bean]

On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 16:12:10 -0500, stator wrote:

> On 4 Jan 2005 04:50:52 -0800, "Siddhartha Jain"
> <losttoy2000@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>

>>Ok, lets say I know nothing about using partial, centre-weighted or
>>spot meter and I still want to get the correct exposure. Also, I know
>>nothing about the zone system.
>>
>>Would you say, I can achieve the same results by bracketing? Take five
>>instead of one shot with one at the camera recommended exposure, 2 at
>>plus the recommended at 1/3rd EV stops and 2 at minus the recommended
>>at 1/3rd EV stops.
>>
>>Or, can the difference between the correct exposure and camera
>>recommended exposure swing more than that?

>
> bracketing, also known as "the shotgun method", will work in many
> cases as long as you are not shooting in extreme light or extreme dark
> situations. You will use alot of film with that method.

Use a lot of *film*? I think you're in the wrong newsgroup.

> You are probably best off getting yourself a decent light meter such
> as the Sekonic L-508 and learning to use it. I also suggest a book by
> Jim Zuckerman entitled Perfect Exposure.

And why not. Won't save on film though ;-)

--
John Bean

A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin
(H. L. Mencken)

[Alan Browne_]

stator wrote:

> bracketing, also known as "the shotgun method", will work in many
> cases as long as you are not shooting in extreme light or extreme dark
> situations.

There is no need to bracket in most situations, but rather understand where
the metered part of the scene sits in the film latitude. Bracketing is
more legitimate in unusual lighting such as strong back light with poorly
lit subjects.

> You will use alot of film with that method.

OTOH, with a digital camera (group topic), one can find the range of
acceptable exposures quite quickly.

Cheers,
Alan.


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[stator]

My bad!
:-)

old habits die hard.

Regards,
Joe

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 21:38:59 +0000, John Bean <waterfoot@gmail.com>
wrote:

>On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 16:12:10 -0500, stator wrote:
>

>> On 4 Jan 2005 04:50:52 -0800, "Siddhartha Jain"
>> <losttoy2000@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>

>>>Ok, lets say I know nothing about using partial, centre-weighted or
>>>spot meter and I still want to get the correct exposure. Also, I know
>>>nothing about the zone system.
>>>
>>>Would you say, I can achieve the same results by bracketing? Take five
>>>instead of one shot with one at the camera recommended exposure, 2 at
>>>plus the recommended at 1/3rd EV stops and 2 at minus the recommended
>>>at 1/3rd EV stops.
>>>
>>>Or, can the difference between the correct exposure and camera
>>>recommended exposure swing more than that?

>>
>> bracketing, also known as "the shotgun method", will work in many
>> cases as long as you are not shooting in extreme light or extreme dark
>> situations. You will use alot of film with that method.

>
>Use a lot of *film*? I think you're in the wrong newsgroup.
>

>> You are probably best off getting yourself a decent light meter such
>> as the Sekonic L-508 and learning to use it. I also suggest a book by
>> Jim Zuckerman entitled Perfect Exposure.

>
>And why not. Won't save on film though ;-)

[John Francis]

In article <1104843052.165750.305790@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups .com>,
Siddhartha Jain <losttoy2000@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>Ok, lets say I know nothing about using partial, centre-weighted or
>spot meter and I still want to get the correct exposure. Also, I know
>nothing about the zone system.
>
>Would you say, I can achieve the same results by bracketing? Take five
>instead of one shot with one at the camera recommended exposure, 2 at
>plus the recommended at 1/3rd EV stops and 2 at minus the recommended
>at 1/3rd EV stops.
>
>Or, can the difference between the correct exposure and camera
>recommended exposure swing more than that?

Yes - easily. +/- 2/3 EV is a fairly small range. It's possible for
the meter on the camera to read as much as two stops away from ideal.

But with most DSLRs you have a far better evaluative tool available;
the histogram display (plus, on many models, highlighting of burned
out or grossly underexposed areas)

Take the shot, look at the histogram, and decide what adjustment
to make. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Alternatively, if you think you've got the exposure right to within
half a stop or so (i.e. within the rage that bracketing would cover)
just use RAW image capture mode, if available. It will use up less
storage than five high-quality JPEGs, and in most of the DSLRs that
I have used you get maybe as much as 1.5 stops of extra latitude.

[Musty]

"Siddhartha Jain" <losttoy2000@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1104843052.165750.305790@c13g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...

> Ok, lets say I know nothing about using partial, centre-weighted or
> spot meter and I still want to get the correct exposure. Also, I know
> nothing about the zone system.
>
> Would you say, I can achieve the same results by bracketing? Take five
> instead of one shot with one at the camera recommended exposure, 2 at
> plus the recommended at 1/3rd EV stops and 2 at minus the recommended
> at 1/3rd EV stops.
>
> Or, can the difference between the correct exposure and camera
> recommended exposure swing more than that?
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Siddhartha
>

Read this book:

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or
Digital Camera (Updated Edition) by Bryan Peterson

You will find that bracketing is unnecessary for most situations once you
understand some metering concepts. It would not hurt to understand your
metering modes and metering in general (eg how to meter green etc). The
problem with AEB is that you dont know how the camera is adjusting A/T since
for example depth of field may be more important that capturing a moving
object with a fast shutter.