Spot Metering

[Digital]

I took a spot reading at the Lake today. I took +- 1.0 to 0.3. I watched the histogram very carefully, and merged the three best exposures. The histogram did not show any clipping.
Bruce
This is not to be construed as a work of art by any means. I did notice the water tower before I took the photos.

[DanK]

Looks like you've gotten the hang of it.

[Manfred M]

That is certainly one way of tackling this.

If your exposure is not clipped at either end, you actually don't need more than one image to manage the highlights and shadows; a modern camera is going to easily give you 12 - 14+ stops of dynamic range, so these areas can be managed through traditional dodging and burning.

[xpatUSA]

I took a spot reading at the Lake today. I took +- 1.0 to 0.3. I watched the histogram very carefully, and merged the three best exposures. The histogram did not show any clipping.
Bruce
This is not to be construed as a work of art by any means. I did notice the water tower before I took the photos.

Which part of the scene did you spot-meter, Bruce?

[Digital]

Ted, I spot metered the house.

This shot was in aperture priority mode. The next time I experiment with spot metering, I am going to use manual. In order to achieve 1/3 stop increments, I will vary the shutter and/or the aperture.


Bruce

[Polar01]

Just thinking Bruce, when you spot metered the house, were you using the same point as was used for the focus point?

Cheers: Allan

[xpatUSA]

Ted, I spot metered the house.

Thanks, Bruce. The house is smaller than the D300 spot size, so I guess you actually metered the average of the roof, side wall, end wall, the round bush, etc.

(D300 spot size: 2% of frame area. House: about 1%)

[xpatUSA]

Just thinking Bruce, when you spot metered the house, were you using the same point as was used for the focus point?

Cheers: Allan

Good question. I find that one of the bugbears of spot-metering is the necessity to spot and then push the AEL button and re-compose - because my DSLR only has center-spot metering.

[Polar01]

The reason I asked that question was, a few days ago Steve Perry (Backwoods Gallery) posted a excellent item just on the topic of spot metering. Most people believe that the area of the box of the focus point is the same area that is used to spot meter, it is not, actually the area that the camera uses it much larger.

https://backcountrygallery.com/spot-...-crash-course/

Cheers: Allan

[Manfred M]

My preferred solution for spot metering; a 1° spot metering head on my Sekonic L-358.

[Polar01]

The only way to get a true spot metering solution of 1deg of arc, as I understand a camera will be between 5 and 10 deg. and the farther away the larger the spot and less lightly to get a good reading.

Cheers: Allan

[xpatUSA]

The only way to get a true spot metering solution of 1deg of arc; -as I understand a camera will be between 5 and 10 deg. and the farther away the larger the spot and less likely to get a good reading.

Agreed, Allan, hence my earlier post to Bruce about spot-metering the house. I imagine though that his D300 at 1008 metering sensor segments is much better than my Sigma at 77 segs.

Not only that but the spot angle depends on the focal length. Even though I knew my fixed-lens Sigma DP2 was about 6 degrees, on my DSLR with zoom lenses, I have no idea!!

[Digital]

Just thinking Bruce, when you spot metered the house, were you using the same point as was used for the focus point?

Cheers: Allan

Yes

Bruce

[Digital]

Manfred, I recently purchased a 5 degree spot attachment for my Sekonic L-478D-U.
More experimentation.

Bruce

[Manfred M]

Manfred, I recently purchased a 5 degree spot attachment for my Sekonic L-478D-U.
More experimentation.

Bruce

I find 5° is too wide (similar to what I can get on my camera). That's why I went with a 1°; far tighter measuring range.

Regardless, it should provide you with another learning tool. As I mentioned before, I generally use my Sekonic only when shooting with flash. I use my camera's light meter for anything else. I find matrix metering works quite well and use it with exposure compensation, as required. The only time I will spot meter with my camera is when my subject is back-lit.

Absolutely correct metering was important in the film days when shooting slide film with its very limited dynamic range. These days with digital cameras with a very large dynamic range, I do the final tweaks in post.

[Digital]

I used my Sekonic spot meter attachment to determine how it would do. I metered on the roof (between the trees), and came up with 1/125 @ f16. I bracketed (+-) from there. I was in manual so I varied the shutter speed.
Previewing the photos in Lightroom indicated some clipping on the histogram. Took care of this in post.
The light was harsh; however I am experimenting with spot metering not trying to win any photographic accolades.
The shot below was taken at 1/125 @ f16. PP was applied.
I did not depend on the camera's meter whatsoever.
Comments welcomed.
Bruce

[Manfred M]

I used my Sekonic spot meter attachment to determine how it would do. I metered on the roof (between the trees), and came up with 1/125 @ f16. I bracketed (+-) from there. I was in manual so I varied the shutter speed.
Previewing the photos in Lightroom indicated some clipping on the histogram. Took care of this in post.
The light was harsh; however I am experimenting with spot metering not trying to win any photographic accolades.
The shot below was taken at 1/125 @ f16. PP was applied.
I did not depend on the camera's meter whatsoever.
Comments welcomed.
Bruce

What exposure did your camera's meter recommend? The moment you throw in post-processing, you have added another variable (your sensor's dynamic range).

I'm still not quits sure as to what you are trying to accomplish here with your approach of using a spot meter. Just about the only time that I find that using a spot meter can be an advantage is when you are looking at a strongly back-lit scene. This scene has some issues, but not something I would normally spot meter unless it were absolutely necessary to get a "correct" exposure of the front of the building.

[Digital]

What exposure did your camera's meter recommend? The moment you throw in post-processing, you have added another variable (your sensor's dynamic range).

I'm still not quits sure as to what you are trying to accomplish here with your approach of using a spot meter. Just about the only time that I find that using a spot meter can be an advantage is when you are looking at a strongly back-lit scene. This scene has some issues, but not something I would normally spot meter unless it were absolutely necessary to get a "correct" exposure of the front of the building.

Manfred, I believe it was approximately 1/125 @ f16.
This whole exercise was to see how my Sekonic spot attachment worked. It is simple as that. What I did find out is that while the roof was exposed properly, the logs were definitely underexposed. the histogram indicated that.
Bruce

[Manfred M]

Manfred, I believe it was approximately 1/125 @ f16.
This whole exercise was to see how my Sekonic spot attachment worked. It is simple as that. What I did find out is that while the roof was exposed properly, the logs were definitely underexposed. the histogram indicated that.
Bruce

So the spot meter gave you the same reading as your camera's meter.

That would make sense. The only "danger" I have run into (some thing Ted can confirm) is that your Sekonic light meter may not match the ISO settings of your camera. I have found that Canon cameras need about 1 stop more exposure than I get with my external meter, whereas Nikon and Sony cameras match up quite well.

[Digital]

Manfred, my experimentation with spot metering is over. After giving it some thought I have decided to primarily use Matrix metering. If I am unsure abut an exposure setting, I can always use EC.
I wanted to get a feel for spot metering since it was a "new" method to me, and I wanted to experiment with it.
Matrix metering has been my primary metering system, and I do not see an advantage in changing it now.
This does not mean that I will never use spot metering. This method, as you pointed out, is good for backlit subjects.
I want to thank all the CiC members who contributed to this thread, as well as the "Incident Metering" thread. You all know who you are.

Bruce