Nikon D700 spot metering problems

[sam_n3]

<p>Hello,<br>

I am new to this forum. The spot metering in my D700 is giving problems. The same subject spot is giving<br>

drastically different exposure readings with my spot meter under different AF focal points. Specifically,<br>

at the top end of the AF grid (with 51 points) I am getting severe overexposure. At the bottom end,<br>

I am getting correct exposure. Even if I focus on a bright source of light, the spot meter over exposes<br>

at AF points at the top of the grid, so much so, that I get hardly any detail. </p>

<p>I am shooting in aperture priority mode and auto ISO with ISO 200 as the default for shutter speed above 1/50s.<br>

I am using the Nikon 24-70 mm AF lens. I have tried other lenses and observe the same problem. I had sent<br>

my D700 to Nikon's NY service center in December 2009 for fixing a hot pixel<br>

problem and observed this problem the first time I took it out on a long trip. <br>

I am not implying any cause and effect but providing the history.</p>

<p> </p>

[umesh_bhayaraju]

<p>honestly, the question is a bit confusing.what do you mean by correct exposure. obviously, you could get different readings at different AF points, as the light could be different. there is no rule that at AF gird should see the same ev's.<br>

If you really have a doubt about exposure readings, you need to check with 50% gray paper and compare with different settings. Keep ISO 100 fixed for comparisons and focal length 50 mm.</p>

[akshun]

<p>Ok, so , get the heck out of auto iso, first off you have it limited to 200, so theres your answer, its compensating, i suggest going into your exposure menu and resetting to defaults, i know this will correct your problem.<br>

have fun!</p>

[rhaytana__tim_adams_]

<p>It looks like you're having trouble getting an answer to this one, Sam ... so I'll chime in, to provide what little feedback I can.<br /><br />For what it's worth, I've found spot metering with my D700 to be touchier/more sensitive than center weighted or matrix metering. Little things throw it off.<br /><br />Second, I'll refer you to this 2008 post by this forum's own Shun Cheung, in which he discusses the D700's cross type sensors. You might be interested in his opinion that 'there are no good AF points near the top of the frame.'<br /><a href="../nikon-camera-forum/00RWJC"><br />http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00RWJC</a><br /><br />Third, Nikon's very own online support has been better than I've expected. I suggest that you try your question with them. <br /><br /><a href="http://support.nikontech.com/app/answers/list/p/19">http://support.nikontech.com/app/answers/list/p/19</a></p>

[bebu_lamar]

<p>It means that you would want your camera to be calibrated period. If you're sure that the problem happened after you sent it to Nikon for fixing hot pixel then they messed up the calibration. I think they run the camera through the calibration procedure after service but they did a lousy job doing so. It's quite silly that meter calibration on modern camera like yours doesn't require any disassembly and is quite easy with the correct software and calibrated light source.<br>

In recent years Nikon service isn't all that good.</p>

[bebu_lamar]

<p>It means that you would want your camera to be calibrated period. If you're sure that the problem happened after you sent it to Nikon for fixing hot pixel then they messed up the calibration. I think they run the camera through the calibration procedure after service but they did a lousy job doing so. It's quite silly that meter calibration on modern camera like yours doesn't require any disassembly and is quite easy with the correct software and calibrated light source.<br>

In recent years Nikon service isn't all that good.</p>

[sam_n3]

<p>Tim and BeBu thanks for your suggestions. Tim your links were quite instructive. Bebu, since I live in Chicago, I will take the camera to the APS in Morten Grove and ask them to take a look at the calibration.<br>

Umesh and Steven, don't be thrown off by the auto ISO reference. I have shot these at ISO 800 or ISO 1000, it doesn't matter. What I mean by the same subject spot is this. Suppose I pick the subject as a lit incandescent light bulb from a table lamp and shoot the same light by focusing with different AF focus points (top left versus bottom right) with all other settings exactly the same then I get a severely overexposed shot with the top left and a more reasonable "correct" exposure with the bottom right. What do I mean by 'correct"? I mean that the surroundings are underexposed as you would expect since the meter is exposing the bright source to mid-grey which underexposes the surroundings.So you get a picture with the bright light spot in focus and surrounding areas darker. What do I mean by severely overexposed? The top left AF focal point is exposing as if the bright light spot is actually a very dark spot. In other words, the picture that comes out severely overexposes the bright spot and the surroundings so much so everything is blown out and you can hardly see any detail.</p>

<p> </p>