How do you know if your camera metering is accurate?

[ninelives]

I ever read in a forum that a user camera metering was not accurate, his print/slide appeared over/under exposed very often. They were saying you can bring your camera back to the factory to check the metering.

Now my question is :

How do you know if your camera metering is accurate or rather it is user fault/mistake?


Tia.

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by ninelives
I ever read in a forum that a user camera metering was not accurate, his print/slide appeared over/under exposed very often. They were saying you can bring your camera back to the factory to check the metering.

Now my question is :

How do you know if your camera metering is accurate or rather it is user fault/mistake?


Tia.

Check with another camera by metering off a gray card. I checked mine against red dawn's D30 and a Minolta incident light/flash meter, and my Coolpix 950. All show the same reading, so I suppose they should be accurate.

If you need a gray card, I think red dawn can lend you.

Regards
CK

 

[ninelives]

is there anyway to test it yourself?? wat about using grey card?



tia.

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by ninelives
is there anyway to test it yourself?? wat about using grey card?

tia.

You need at least another camera. Otherwise, can't compare anything.

Regards
CK

 

[ninelives]

well, when i studied they zone system, at zone 5, shutter speed at 1/125. your aperture should read f8. maybe someone who is familiar with the zone system can clearify this?

 

[skf]

From your signature, it looks like you own 2 SLR bodies - then first thing is to make sure that your 2 SLRs agree with each other.

Use the same lens, keep at the same aperture and focal length (if using zoom), meter the same object with both bodies and compare the readings obtained with both bodies. Set the same ISO settings ob both bodies too.

If both bodies the same, then should be OK. If not the same, then maybe need to get the metering check.

If you want to check further, then you can shoot slide film and check your results on both bodies.

 

[Mystix]

wats the diff btw using a white card and a grey card?
which one's better?

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by Mystix
wats the diff btw using a white card and a grey card?
which one's better?

Cameras are calibrated to 18% gray. But even if you use white card, the 2 or more cameras tested against each other should give the same readings.

Regards
CK

 

[jasonpgc]

I 2nd for CK,

However, if you have a handheld spot meter, it can substitute the 2nd camera required.

 

[Jed]

Right, CK and the others are right. There is, unfortunately, no accurate way of testing your camera meter without a second meter to check it against or sophisticated calibrating equipment.

The best way to test has already been suggested, that is, since you have two cameras, to compare the reading from each of them. To keep things constant, measure off the same, uniform surface. For example, a plain coloured wall or an opaque sheet of paper. Fill the frame, and take a reading, the two should match. If they don't then one is out... you will need to send one in for calibration.

A compromise if you only have one camera is to shoot a roll of slides with the camera's suggested meterings. In the frames where the camera shouldn't have got fooled, if the exposure if notably off then you may have a problem. Of course, this is inaccurate and will only show up gross problems with your meter.

Hope that helps.

PS= not sure what you're describing abt the Zone system, doesn't ring any bells for me.

 

[ninelives]

thanks ck and jed.