Spot Metering Crash Course

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Steve

Steve

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Wanna get the most out of your spot meter? Did you know that most people think they're using it correctly but they really aren't? YIKES - could that be you???

In this video, we'll go over what spot metering is, where the camera spot meters in the viewfinder, how the spot meter thinks, where it works well and where it lets you down - and why. We'll also look at ways to outsmart the spot meter and get great exposures with it in ANY situation.

Just think - in less than 15 minutes, you'll know everything you need to spot meter like a pro!

 
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Another great video @Steve, a must watch for folks that reflexively go to spot metering and don't understand its limitations or for folks that always use Matrix or Center Weighted and have never considered how Spot Metering could add to their exposure tool kit. Great presentation!

FWIW I have spot metering assigned to my Fn1 button on my D5, D850 and D500 but basically only use it on very slow moving or static subjects and primarily use it when backgrounds are very dark or very bright relative to the main subject. I'll sometimes use it for landscapes as well but again only when I think Matrix metering will be easily fooled.

The segment with the grey, black and white cards is awesome and of course applies to a lot more than spot metering though the idea that camera's 'assume' the whole world has 18% reflectivity is really easy to demonstrate with spot metering.

Fantastic video!
 
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Hi @Steve, that's really great, thanks a lot. I got caught with underexposure and blown out white in a number of situations and despite having read your book already once, this was the perfect recall to hammer the guiding principle into my brain :p - and to remind me reading teh book again.

Looking back to the discussion about making resetting EC to 0 a habit, the only "downside" I can see is that now there are two things to be remember for being reset :rolleyes:.
After the postman just brought me the first pro body I own in my life (second hand D4S in perfect condition --> @Capturingtheunseen.com : Yes, it is here :cool:) there is no way around to get a tiny little bit more pro myself, even if it is just developping the discipline of resetting metering mode and EC every (!) single (!) time (!) after having changed the default.
 
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Question: I previously purchased the Secrets To The Nikon Autofocus System guide. I watched this Spot Metering video today and am wondering how different the guide mentioned, Secrets to Exposure and Metering for Nikon is. Does the guide I have cover what is in the other guide or most of it? Appreciate your help.
 
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Debbie said:
Question: I previously purchased the Secrets To The Nikon Autofocus System guide. I watched this Spot Metering video today and am wondering how different the guide mentioned, Secrets to Exposure and Metering for Nikon is. Does the guide I have cover what is in the other guide or most of it? Appreciate your help.
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The two books are completely different - like 99.5% different. :). There's a few pages where AF comes in (like how Matrix metering uses AF area and size as part of the metering calculation), but even that's not really identical between the two books.
 
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Steve said:
The two books are completely different - like 99.5% different. :). There's a few pages where AF comes in (like how Matrix metering uses AF area and size as part of the metering calculation), but even that's not really identical between the two books.
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Thanks for the quick reply Steve. I'll put it on my wish list!👍
 
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Capturingtheunseen.com said:
Question for you Steve--Regarding using spot metering on white birds like Egrets...if you raise exposure compensation to brighten the background, aren't you going to blow out the white bird?
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Depends where you're metering.

In that case, if possible, I'd spot meter off of the white bird (making sure I had all bird under the spot meter), add a stop or so, and let the background fall where it may. In fact, no matter what the metering mode, that would be the way to handle it (that's basically what happened with the kingfisher int eh video). You want to avoid clipped highlights. Any attempt to bring up a dark background in the field will always result in an overexposed bird in the foreground if the foreground bird is in brighter light or the background is a very dark tonality. You can probably pull the background up in post, but if you clip the highlights, they're gone.
 
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Steve said:
Depends where you're metering.

In that case, if possible, I'd spot meter off of the white bird (making sure I had all bird under the spot meter), add a stop or so, and let the background fall where it may. In fact, no matter what the metering mode, that would be the way to handle it (that's basically what happened with the kingfisher int eh video). You want to avoid clipped highlights. Any attempt to bring up a dark background in the field will always result in an overexposed bird in the foreground if the foreground bird is in brighter light or the background is a very dark tonality. You can probably pull the background up in post, but if you clip the highlights, they're gone.
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Right. I use spot metering all the time on Egrets and they come out perfect. I happen to like the darker background as it makes the bird really stand out. I only ask because you brought that up in the video, and it got me to thinking.
 
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I don't understand how I'm supposed to watch this video. I'm logged into the forum, but when I try to watch it I get a video with no sound. Is it a part of the forum, or is it a video that has to be paid for separately?
 
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fchretdet said:
I don't understand how I'm supposed to watch this video. I'm logged into the forum, but when I try to watch it I get a video with no sound. Is it a part of the forum, or is it a video that has to be paid for separately?
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That sounds either like an issue with your browser or the mute button on the video is enabled.

I have no problem clicking the video and hearing the audio. This video is actually hosted on YouTube and can be watched directly over there if you prefer (just Google Steve Perry Spot Metering and you should get straight to this video)

But there's no charge to watch the video or hear the audio.
 
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Steve said:
Wanna get the most out of your spot meter? Did you know that most people think they're using it correctly but they really aren't? YIKES - could that be you???

In this video, we'll go over what spot metering is, where the camera spot meters in the viewfinder, how the spot meter thinks, where it works well and where it lets you down - and why. We'll also look at ways to outsmart the spot meter and get great exposures with it in ANY situation.

Just think - in less than 15 minutes, you'll know everything you need to spot meter like a pro!

Click to expand...
Another informative vid Steve
To be honest, I have never used the spot meter, always had to use exposure compensation, even then, it is a scientific wild a*s guess on my part
...........Gary
 
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So let me see if I understand this correctly - so what Steve was saying is that if you are using spot metering on a fast moving subject lets say a Cheetah at full tilt Or a little house bird zipping about a breakneck speed then chances are when it moves you`re probably going to miss the target and in fact you`d be metering for something other than the subject ? is that correct ?

I almost never use Matrix metering and use "Spot" 100% of the time, so is it better to use "Matrix" on fast moving subjects like a footballer running or a race car or those tiny birds that zip all over the place etc BUT then if the subject is static or slower like an Elephant or Owl on a perch then you`d get a much better image if you used "Spot" on those occasions ,is that correct ?

This could be the reason why I miss loads if not hundreds of shots of small birds - i`d usually meter for the eye of a small bird with "Spot" and lots of times it would move as ive pressed the shutter - I use BBF always ....

looking forward to some interesting answers that will hopefully be a game changer for me


Harry.G
 
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Harry.G said:
So let me see if I understand this correctly - so what Steve was saying is that if you are using spot metering on a fast moving subject lets say a Cheetah at full tilt Or a little house bird zipping about a breakneck speed then chances are when it moves you`re probably going to miss the target and in fact you`d be metering for something other than the subject ? is that correct ?

I almost never use Matrix metering and use "Spot" 100% of the time, so is it better to use "Matrix" on fast moving subjects like a footballer running or a race car or those tiny birds that zip all over the place etc BUT then if the subject is static or slower like an Elephant or Owl on a perch then you`d get a much better image if you used "Spot" on those occasions ,is that correct ?

This could be the reason why I miss loads if not hundreds of shots of small birds - i`d usually meter for the eye of a small bird with "Spot" and lots of times it would move as ive pressed the shutter - I use BBF always ....

looking forward to some interesting answers that will hopefully be a game changer for me


Harry.G
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Keep in mind that no rule applies universally. For the cheetah example, if the cheetah is on a typical cheetah background, it wouldn't make much difference and you'd be completely fine if AF slipped off for a split second. However, if the little bird is against a dark background and the spot meter slips off - it would likely overexpose ay time you weren't perfectly on the bird. Heck, if the bird is too small and the spot meter saw a lot of background behind it, it would still be on the overexposed side.

In general, I tend to use Matrix and autoexposure (in the form of M + Auto ISO) for most action - however - I'm also 1000000% willing to switch to full manual exposure too. When the light is tricky, the meter can blow the exposure at exactly the wrong time. Full manual mode allows you to get in a proper exposure for the conditions at hand. Of course, if the subject is going in and out of the light (like flying through shadows), then I tend to favor matrix and auto exposure - maybe with a bit of negative exposure comp if I'm worried about blown highlights. (I can always bring the exposure back up in Lightroom if I keep my ISO under control).

How you focus doesn't really come into it, BBAF or shutter release won't affect the meter. The camera would make the same mistakes either way :D
 
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Steve said:
Wanna get the most out of your spot meter? Did you know that most people think they're using it correctly but they really aren't? YIKES - could that be you???

In this video, we'll go over what spot metering is, where the camera spot meters in the viewfinder, how the spot meter thinks, where it works well and where it lets you down - and why. We'll also look at ways to outsmart the spot meter and get great exposures with it in ANY situation.

Just think - in less than 15 minutes, you'll know everything you need to spot meter like a pro!

Click to expand...
Steve said:
Wanna get the most out of your spot meter? Did you know that most people think they're using it correctly but they really aren't? YIKES - could that be you???

In this video, we'll go over what spot metering is, where the camera spot meters in the viewfinder, how the spot meter thinks, where it works well and where it lets you down - and why. We'll also look at ways to outsmart the spot meter and get great exposures with it in ANY situation.

Just think - in less than 15 minutes, you'll know everything you need to spot meter like a pro!

Click to expand...
Steve, is the live histogram (Z6) on the money when looking to work with spot metering or matrix as you discuss here? If I spot meter and I adjust EV or matrix meter and adjust EV..theoretically to the 'same' histogram-- will the results be the same?
 
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jbk2forum said:
Steve, is the live histogram (Z6) on the money when looking to work with spot metering or matrix as you discuss here? If I spot meter and I adjust EV or matrix meter and adjust EV..theoretically to the 'same' histogram-- will the results be the same?
Click to expand...
The histogram is for the entire image, so it works the same as with any metering mode. In fact, the metering mode doesn't even matter if you're using the live histogram.
 
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Steve said:
The two books are completely different - like 99.5% different. :). There's a few pages where AF comes in (like how Matrix metering uses AF area and size as part of the metering calculation), but even that's not really identical between the two books.
Click to expand...
I hesitated after the first two books, but decided to go ahead and get the Metering/Exposure book and am so glad I did! I have 120 pages left. Go through chapters and then practice what I’ve read and go back and read it again if I don’t understand it. Have learned more in the last 3 months than I did in the prior 20 years (auto shooter). Having proper focus alone, without understanding and knowing how to utilize metering/exposure options prevent you from reaching your full potential. Take a look at Steve’s Corner)/Tips/Tricks two Metering videos and you will definitely know the book has a lot to offer. Those two electronic books are the best $40 I have ever spent, Even if you are pretty knowledgeable in those areas, you will pick up enough “Tips” to make it well worth your time. With COVID restraints, it has offered a great opportunity to do something productive and pick up some new skills!
 
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