metering modes.

[shutterstation]

+1.

Why to complicate when things are simple today, indeed ? When using digital camera, no matter what metering mode is in function on your DSLR and no matter if this metering mode is well calibrated or not, you just have to refer to the histogram and preview the shot, and adjust to your taste using EV compensation.

True... but if you do that you will:

1. Never learn about exposure and how to quickly and intuitively change it to get what you want, and

2. Won't be able to shoot quickly without relying on the LCD screen. Which means for every shot you take you need to take one just to see if it came out the way you wanted, then look at the LCD and decide on compensation, change compensation, shoot another one, check, compensate, etc. You'll probably miss the shot this way.

There is no such thing as a "correct" exposure or a "correct" histogram. It all depends on what you want to achieve, so if you really want to learn photography it pays to understand these things.

Just my opinion though!

 

[YoungPictoraider]

Shutterstation,

You are right but here is the corner of newbies. When i have been introduced to photography, i had no intellectual mean to understand metering modes so i started by operating the most simple way according with my young agel. It's why my advice if some newbie must start photography with digital camera is he better operate by snappping, previewing initial shot and adjusting with EV compensation. As he will accumulate shootings, he will learn to know lights conditions and how to deal with.

 

[screambitch]

after going out and shooting more recently. i now mainly use center-weighted for people pictures.
matrix for everything else.

 

[shutterstation]

after going out and shooting more recently. i now mainly use center-weighted for people pictures.
matrix for everything else.

That's pretty much what I do for most of my shots. I suggest you take the same image with all metering modes and see what they do and which works best for you for a given situation. It's the best way to learn.

Although it sounds like you're already doing that!

 

[eyes]

Nice equipment you got there. In my opinion, you should choose one of the metering mode that you know how to use and stick to it.