Canon T90 - sport metering with highlight/shadow control

[laurence_rochfort]

<p>Hello all,<br /><br />I've just bought my first ever electronic camera, a Canon T90. Up until now, I've been using a FED 2, Hasselbald 500cm, and a Travelwide. For metering, I've used with a Sekonic handheld meter for incident/reflective or a Pentax 1 degree spot meter as needed.<br /><br />I bought the T90 because I found a 50mm f/1.2 very cheaply and thought I'd try out an electronic automated SLR to see how I like it. There seems to be a hundred different ways of doing everything on this camera, all of which are completely obscured by marketing drivel and poor English in the manual. Coming from mechanical cameras I'm now very confused!<br /><br />I'd like some assistance with the spot metering, please.<br /><br /><br />I understand that you can take multiple spot readings and bias the camera to a particular area by giving more readings in that location. I believe I'm correct in saying the camera will then average those readings out. Then additionally, there are up and down spot metering exposure compensation buttons (which are different from the main exposure compensation settings), that let you increase or reduce exposure to render shadows or highlights as you'd like.<br /><br />I think I understand how exposure compensation works if I meter for just a shadow, or just a highlight, or maybe one shadow and one highlight. However, I don't understand what affect the compensation has if I've metered multiple times, perhaps with a bias.<br /><br /><br />So, some questions:<br /><br />1) If multiple spot readings are taken, how is the averaging done? Does the scale on the right indicate what decision has been made?<br /><br />2) What do the shadow/highlight up/down buttons actually do? Do they just drag the determined exposure up and down by so many stops?<br /><br />3) Do the up/down compensation buttons operate on each reading one at a time, or the overall average? For instance, if I meter 3 times and compensate after each, will this work out differently to just compensating once at the end of taking 3 readings?<br /><br /><br />I think I probably like the metering options on the T90, it's just I'm so used to doing this stuff in my head, I'm having a hard time understanding what the camera is doing for me, and whether I want it to or not!<br /><br /><br />Thanks all.<br /><br /><br />EDIT: There also seems to be three ways to take a meter reading. First, by half-pressing the shutter release. Second, by using the small button next to the shutter release. Third, by using the button under your thumb, next to the up/down buttons.<br /><br />I understand the second method locks multiple spot readings in for automatic averaging. What do the shutter release and thumb button do?</p>

[awahlster]

<p>yep welcome to the most complicated manual focus film camera ever made. I've had a couple for almost 10 years now I am still trying to figure them all out. BUT MAN are the PHOTOS great.</p>

[mwmcbroom]

<p>I bought my first T90 a couple years ago. I have yet to use the spot meter function. Instead, I set it to partial metering so that it emulates the way my old F-1 meters a scene. I got so used to that metering method that I could average a scene just by placing the metering area where I wanted, moving it around to see how exposure was affected, then chose the option I felt would give me the best exposure. With the T90, it's a little trickier, one because it doesn't have the rectangle in the viewfinder that tells you exactly where its borders are, and two because the T90's meter is not coupled to your aperture selections. So if you're shooting in manual mode you have to look away from the viewfinder to see the aperture you will select. Really, though, because of this partial pattern, I just shoot in aperture or shutter priority and just pay attention to the readout as I move the camera around, then use exposure lock when I find the exposure value I want. That's what I do these days, at least.</p>

<p> </p>

[dennis_kushner2]

The first thing I was taught 40 some years ago was to meter for the main subject. The T90 with spot

metering makes this easy. Usually only 3 points are needed for tricky lighting situations as shown in the

manual although you can do up to 8 which is overkill. The 127 page manual has a pix to make it easier to

understand. 103 page manual is missing this section. Remember to click TWICE on main reading before

taking the others. The computer does the rest. If you think the manual confusing, just wait to figuring out

the 300TL flash. One time I was playing around indoors with T90 tripod mounted. 100 ISO film & f22 & auto

settings. FL filter used for indoor lights.. It took around 30 seconds to fire. No way would I have thought it

would come out. Got film back & exposure perfect! That is why the T90 is the best body for metering film.

Mostly used auto settings & trusted the cameras brain. Less confusing that way.

[greg_campbell1]

<p>1) If multiple spot readings are taken, how is the averaging done? Does the scale on the right indicate what decision has been made?<br>

The scale at right shows the location of the individual spot locations you have metered, relative to the central fixed bar, which represents a Middle Grey / Zone 5 exposure level. One spot reading falls on Z5. Two are 'split' and the average becomes the exposure value. The two meter dots represent the location on the exposure scale where those subjects will fall. Beyond two, you get a weighted average that again shows where each metered subject will fall on the exposure scale.</p>

<p>2) What do the shadow/highlight up/down buttons actually do? Do they just drag the determined exposure up and down by so many stops?<br>

Yes. They are no different than 'standard' Exp Comp, except that adjusting them shows you where the constellation of individual spot metered subjects will fall on the exposure scale. This is very useful when you know the limits of the film you are shooting. For example, most E6 film will blow out at +2 to +2.5 stops (Zone 7 to 7.5) If you meter a fluffy white cloud, then press 'up' 4 times, you'll move that cloud to +2 on the scale, just shy of the point where it will start to lose texture. The cloud's 'pip' (metered reading) will wind up at the 7th location on the vertical scale. <br>

<br />3) Do the up/down compensation buttons operate on each reading one at a time, or the overall average? For instance, if I meter 3 times and compensate after each, will this work out differently to just compensating once at the end of taking 3 readings?<br>

They move whatever average the individual meter readings have produced. <br>

<br>

In practice, meter the brightest important subject, as well as the darkest. (Cloud / bark, skin / dark hair, etc.) You'll see two separated pips, centered around middle grey. If you want, use the H/S to move both of these subjects to a different place on the scale. If the spread is too great, you'll find that one or both subjects will 'fall' outside the film's response curve, becoming either white or useless med. If this is the case, you have too much contrast and will have to try something different.<br>

<br>

See Adams' excellent book, The Negative: <br>

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60092457/Photo/The_Negative_Ansel_Adams.pdf</p>

[chris_roberts10]

<p>From the manual:<strong> <br /></strong><br>

<strong>2.Multi-spot metering</strong><br />Several points can be measured in the scene in the viewfinder, taking your measuring reference point into account.<br /><br>

1) As shown in the photo above, when you want to obtain correct exposure on her face and also want<br />to obtain correct exposure on the background, press the spot metering button twice on her face and<br />once on the background.<br /><br>

2) The final exposure is made by averaging each exposure value of the three points. The emphasis of<br />the exposure is put on her face since it is metered twice and the correct exposure can be obtained,<br />while even the exposure on the background can be maintained since it is metered once.<br /></p>

<ul>

<li>The digital values of both the shutter speed and the aperture appearing at the bottom of the viewfinder are sequential weighted averages calculated each time a point is metered.</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>The triangle index in the centre of the right-hand LCD is also used as the centre point around which the other readings also marked by the "~" dot are divided.</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>When three points are measured, three fixed dots are displayed finally.</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>The exposure value stored into memory in the multi-spot metering mode is cleared under the following conditions:</li>

</ul>

<ol>

<li>When more than 30 secs have elapsed without releasing the shutter after the spot metering button has been pressed last.</li>

<li>When the metering mode selector is pressed.</li>

<li>When the finger is removed from the shutter button after exposure.</li>

</ol>

<p>Multi-spot metering is only possible by pressing the spot metering button unlike the one-point spot<br />metering. Up to eight points can be metered using the multi-spot metering. Subsequent attempts will be<br />disregarded.<br>

<strong>3. H/S Control</strong><br /></p>

<ul>

<li>"H" stands for "highlight" and is used when the subject is white, while "S" stands for "shadow" and is used when it is black.</li>

<li>The H/S control can be used with both the one-point spot metering and the multi-spot metering. Here is how to use the H/S control in the one-point spot metering explained in consideration of its application.</li>

</ul>

<p>< Highlight Control ><br /></p>

<ol>

<li>Press the spot metering button to indicate the fixed dot at the position of the triangle index.</li>

<li>When the highlight control button at the upper back of the camera is pressed and released, the dot starts moving upward to make compensation. </li>

<li>Set the desired amount of compensation with the arrow buttons according to how bright the subject is.</li>

</ol>

<p>< Shadow Control ><br /></p>

<ol>

<li>Press the spot metering button to indicate the fixed dot at the position of the triangle index.</li>

<li>When the shadow control button next to the highlight control button is pressed and released, the dot starts moving downward to make compensation. Set the desired amount of compensation according to how dark the subject is.<br /></li>

</ol>

<p> </p>

[laurence_rochfort]

<p>Thanks for the responses, all.<br>

It seems like the T90 does a really nice job of making spot metering intuitive, once you understand how it works! For somebody like me coming from the completely manual world of handheld meters and doing it all in your head, I think the real hurdle is understanding how much the camera does for you and how much of my old working method applies.<br>

The indicator on the right of the viewfinder seems very useful once you understand what it's telling you. In fact this approach seems quite unique the the T90.<br>

I'm looking forward to spending some time with the camera now!</p>