Which Metering Mode?

[Matt P]

Just wanted some info on what situations to use different metering modes. Thanks

[ulidder]

Hello, I am new to this forum and also interested in finding an answer to the same question. It's one thing to read the details in a book and something completely different to get opinions from people who practically deal with these situations.

[ShutterbugJohan]

I use Partial metering and AE lock for contrasty situations. Spot would be better, but my camera doesn't have that option (EOS 10D). The normal Evaluative metering is good for most situations. I never use the Center-weighted average Metering mode. Hope this helps.

[Bryan Carnathan]

I generally use Evaluative metering, but often only to get a base setting for a manual exposure. There are are good reasons to use all of them at certain times.

[David Selby]

I agree, the evaluative metering mode is excellent for everyday needs. However it is important to be very aware of what you are metering! The evaluative metering on a Canon Xsi will use 35 individually zoned metered areas that encompass the entire scene - so just realize how bright or dark spots creeping into a photo might actually alter your exposure drastically....


A great thing is to review your photo and see the histogram curve for the exposure. You may be able to dial in adjustments as needed to get excellent exposures - which can make all the difference in acquiring an amazing photo.

[Dallasphotog]

I agree with David's assessment. I'm completely addicted to the histogram for my exposure data. How did anyone take a good picture before the histogram? I almost always start with evaluative metering and then adjust manually to get the histogram where I want it.


I'm sure this is personal preference, but I'm alwayshappier on the left than I am on theright. Blown highlights are throw aways for me. A little underexposure just adds mystery and intrigue to portraits.


I also find I can save sports images shot with fast shutter speeds and a little underexposure. The opposite is never true. If the shutter is too slow to freeze the action, that perfectly exposed blur is of no use to me.

[Don Burkett]

I generally use Evaluative metering, but often only to get a base setting for a manual exposure. There are are good reasons to use all of them at certain times.
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I'm in the same camp. The histogram makes the ultimate decision once I get a baseline from the Evaluative Meter reading.

[jasonnoll]

I generally use Evaluative metering, but often only to get a base setting for a manual exposure. There are are good reasons to use all of them at certain times.
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I'm in the same camp. The histogram makes the ultimate decision once I get a baseline from the Evaluative Meter reading.



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Agreed. Best to practice with all the metering mode and learn what works best for you.

[alex]

But what do each of the metering modes do? I didn't feel that my manual was very clear on this point. It even mentioned that one of the modes was "for advanced users" but why is that the case? The four types are Evaluative, Partial, Spot, and Center-weighted average, but I guess I don't understand the difference between them and consequently (and more importantly), I don't understand how each mode's features are useful for which situations.

[dmckinny]

As a beginner/amateur I was asking the same questions not so long ago. In the end, I read many articles on various websites and a few books before I started to get an understanding of this subject. I started by running a google search on "camera metering" or something similar, and just read from there.


There is no "right" answer really, these modes are different versions of a tool you can use. For me, I needed to understand how metering works, from a technical perspective, before I started to understand how to use the different modes. YMMV


Most of the time I am in Evaluative metering. However, when the light is consistent I will use spot metering, measure a grey card, and set the exposure in M mode. Recently I was taking shots of my daughter playing in the middle school honor band. I could not get a grey card on the stage, and everything was either black or white. The kind of situation that fools the meter. Fortunately the platform that the conductor was standing on was grey. I went to spot metering, zoomed in on the platform, and got a reading. Then I set that exposure in M and took a test shot, checked the histogram, adjusted, repeated. I ended up with some pretty good shots.