Which Metering Method and When??

Most modern cameras come with three metering methods: spot, center weighted, and matrxi/evaluative. I am wondering what metering method has proved better than the others when photographing landscapes, scenics, waterfalls, sunsets, animals and so on. No doubt different metering methods work better or worse on different subjects. Perhaps we can share our collective wisdom on what works best for us when photographing different nature subjects.

For me, I use spot metering whenever I can, especially with slides and black and white. For color negatives, or for when I just don't have time to think, I rely on matrix metering.<P>Center-weighted metering seems like an anachronism to me. It isn't precise like spot metering or intelligent like matrix. I suppose if it's what you're used to, and you've built up a mental database of how to get good exposures with center-weighted then it makes sense, but it isn't for me.

I use spot metering almost exclusively. It gives reliable results and leaves little decision making to the camera. I rarely shoot sports or action photography [other than wildlife] where matrix metering would be most useful. If the choice is 'lose a shot' or 'use matrix metering', I take the latter.

 

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I'm not using cutting edge bodies, either, and I would assume that matrix metering has improved since then. When I buy a new body, I'll look into it more and see how intelligent it actually is...

I, too, primarily spot-meter in manual mode. The exception, and the main reason I'm posting a semi-redundant response, is when lighting changes rapidly. In the Great Basin, where I often shoot in the spring, it is common to have thunderheads or at least cumulous clouds build up in the afternoon, and lighting can change rapidly, moment to moment. When trying to shoot birds or other wildlife, and trying to compensate at the exact moment you get "a look" from the subject that you like is hard, at best. In such cases, I'll often switch to evaluative metering, perhaps autobracketing if I think the situation's one which will fool the meter.

 

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The other time I'll use evaluative metering is when I'm just running around snapshooting and feeling lazy. I'm mostly surprised by how often the resulting slides look good, but am so used to metering manually that it's second nature and just can't bring myself to entirely trust the camera's evaluative algorithm day-to-day. When I'm feeling insecure about a particular exposure I'll sometimes use evaluative metering to give me a second opinion, if you will, and am also surprised at how often I find myself arguing with the camera over a piddly third of a stop.

 

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The problem, though, in my experience (Canon 1N), is that when it gets fooled it can get fooled badly, while with my experience I usually only get fooled a little, if at all.

well let,s all hear it for spotmetering. evaluative and matrix

 

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have their place in a world of similiar tonalities but when that

 

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bright white flower contrasts with a neutral green background,then

 

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you really need a spotmeter.

 

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i never will understand why canon produced such a nice unit like

 

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the elan IIe with all of its features, and leave out a spotmeter.

 

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jeff hallett

I always use centerweighted metering + common sense. If I have the time I use spotmetering as control for my common sense. Usually I'm dead on. I don't use multipattern metering because it gives me a higher miss rate than centerweighted metering + common sense.

I think that the answer to this question can be found by considering how to use aligt meter in taking action and movement pictures (yes in nature there is action) I usualy relay on my matrix configuraation. using centerweighted or spot metering is another ball park. never forget meters are calibrated for "18 percent GRAY" therefore adjustments must be done according to the lights and shadow distribution and contrast of the subject. MATRIX is the "easiest" SPOT the most "difficult" to use. But this exactly is all THE FUN. I think your experience will tell when and how (by the way The "ZONE SYSTEM" of Ansel Adams is Verry Enlightning.

In response to Don Baccus' response to metering.......

 

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"I'll sometimes use evaluative metering to give me a second opinion, if you will, and am also surprised at how often I find myself arguing with the camera over a piddly third of a stop."

 

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If you are shooting Velvia or E100 and printing on Cibachrome (Ilfochrome) which is the internationally accepted high watermark for museum quality, archival (rated at 60 to 200 years)color prints, your exposure must often be within that critical 1/3 of a stop or you will not get an exposure that will produce the best possible print on Ciba. Fujichrome papers, on the other hand are much more forgiving.

Try the 'sunny 16' guesstimate tempered by experience & you will do just fine. Little to go wrong with electronics & it is another push to keep you out shooting rather than fiddling with an instruction book.

I strongly feel that it doesn't matter which metering method you use if you learn how to use it. I think that a photographer's best strategy is to pick one metering method, and learn compensation rules that work with that method. Master them so that they are second nature.

 

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If you are the curious type, once you've mastered one meter, you can move on to another type of meter and repeat the process.

 

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The other advice on this is to stick with one or two emulsions. If you do a bunch of trials with 8 different emulsions, and you mix your metering methods, subjects, lighting, etc., you will probably develop some opinions, but won't actually KNOW anything. Most people draw better conclusions when there are the fewest possible number of variables.

With my A2, I use the spot meter + my brain for slide film, and matrix metering for color neg film. With my Elan, I use 6.5% partial metering + my brain for slide film, and matrix metering for color neg film.<p>

 

There are exceptions, though. Strongly backlit situations tend to fool the Elan's matrix meter more easily than they fool the A2's, so I switch to 6.5% partial metering even with color neg film on the Elan if the subject is strongly backlit. Another exception is if I'm shooting on a bright, high overcast day, in which case I'll sometimes use matrix metering even with slide film, since I can work faster that way and the matrix meter is less likely to be fooled in relatively flat light.<p>

 

In reality, though, I tend to load neg film in the Elan and slide film in the A2, so the possible permutations are fewer. Then it simply boils down to spot metering + brain with the A2, and the Elan becomes a glorified point & shoot with matrix metering.<p>

 

As to your specific question about metering pattern vs. subject in nature photography, I'm afraid I won't be much of a help. Probably 75% of my pictures are informal portraits. In fact, the only time I've ever used center-weighted metering was when I shot some landscapes and the sky only covered about the top quarter or third of the picture (horizon high in the composition). For some reason, center-weighted metering seemed to do quite well in these situations, unless it was a sunset, and then I'm back to spot metering.