Metering on K10D

Could someone please give me examples of when I should you use the 3 different types of metering on the K10D?

Thanks.

Quick reply...

1) Matrix metering - mostly
2) Centre weighted - like the old days You point the centre of the viewfinder at what you want exposed correctly and take a reading (use the exposure lock button, or the green button in M mode)
3) Spot metering - useful for complex lighting situations. Allows you to measure the contrast range in a scene and decide what you want exposed "correctly". Normally used with fully manual mode.

Don't forget that all three modes will meter at mid-grey. So you still have to compensate for whites and blacks.

Personally, I find that shooting RAW and using matrix metering works 99% of the time The RAW file gives a good couple of stops lee-way to play with. If it's not matrix, then I'd use spot-metering for landscapes etc.

There's some pretty helpful guides around the net if you just Google for them!
Matt

Me too. It felt like cheating to start with, but it's so easy to burn out the highlights with CW or spot, that even if the thing you're pointing at is correctly exposed, the rest of the picture is ruined, so overall the effect is rubbish.

Thanks, just needed the basics.
I use matrix but looking at pictures on flickr I noticed a lot of them seem to use spot metering and thought maybe I was missing something

Well, in a way, yes

Spot metering is very valuable... but (big but), you have to learn how to use it With spot metering you have to do a fair bit of brain work as well - you're using the camera's meter to measure the light levels on a tiny part of the image. Used correctly it gives excellent results, but takes a fair bit of time

If you're getting decent shots with matrix, then stick to that
Matt

It's horses for courses. Like Matt, I use matrix most of the time. My wife however, uses spot all the time along with centre point AF. She applies compensation as needed depending on the point metered from, locks AF and AE with a half press, recomposes the framing as required and takes the shot. It's all a question of your own particular style of photography and finding techniques that work for you.

We both shoot raw format to allow that bit more lattitude if needed.

Duncan

Matrix is suited to those who like to do everything as automatically as possible. Notice the green colour of the icon. Results can be rather bland.

Spot metering is going to the extreme, and requires some real skill, as well as a focusing screen without a split image in the middle.

I usually find Centre Weighted quite predictable and useful, and a good compromise between Matrix and Spot.

I generally use a flash meter. often a greycard, sometimes a spot meter, and on ocassion, matrix.

center weighted, is ok for some scenes, but to be honest I can't think of anywhere, that centerweighted will save a shot, that matrix will totally blow it... so out of habit, if I don't care enough about the subject, or have time, to meter on spot, I flip it to matrix.

Is it not the case that matrix pretty much guarantees that you won't lose the highlights, at the expense of shadow detail?

So a shot where your priority is the (possibly dark) thing in the middle, and you really don't mind losing everything else, will benefit from CW or spot.

This can often mean that the background is grossly burned out, and when this happens, you also tend to lose the edges of the subject. So it's not trivial, even in the cases where you absolutely must keep the centre.

that sounds like the kind of shot where Id meter for the background, then add flash or reflector to the subject.
so it'd be flashmeter, or matrix with p-ttl, or multiple spot meterings to come up with an exposure.

It really has more to do with habit than one type of meter being better than others. My way works pretty good for me. It doesn't matter how you get ther, just that you get the results you want.
the main issue is that you make the camera create the image you have in your head, not just point and hope.

here's an example of adding flash: I split the difference and got the background a little lighter (without blowing it out, by upping the iso) and used flash to bring out the detial in the subject.
link