On Fri, 31 Jul 1998, Joel Wilcox wrote:
> What disturbs me about some of the recent discussion is that the
> photographer's decision-making role is not more explicitly acknowledged. It
> would seem to me that the value of a more complex metering system is not
> that it makes metering easier a la point and shoot (although it does or
> can), but that it gives the photographer more data to resolve complex
> lighting situations.
That's exactly what disturbed me about some of the foregoing
discussions. It is as if a "perfect" exposure system would allow
the photographer to work in a coma!
> Your statement that often a single spot of 18 0ray is enough hits the nail
> on the head. That 18 0ray spot is the Holy Grail in any shot. The camera
> cannot decide what is 18 0ray, or more properly, what should be *placed*
> at 18 0ray (or Zone V), only the photographer can.
Yet this rule of thumb only works when the other tones in the image
can "fall" and the image doesn't suffer for it. Often one has to make
compromises at either end of the tonal range/film's characteristics.
> I have a 1 degree handheld spot meter. I rarely use it because I've learned
> to read those portions of a scene with an averaging meter which allow me to
> get values where I want them, or close enough that half-stop brackets will
> nail the exposure. To me any shot worth taking is worthy of at least two
> half-stop brackets (slide film anyway) when that is possible.
Absolutely. Anything worth shooting once, is worth ripping off a
bracket on. If it is really a "hot" image, make several in-camera
duplicates (and for insurance, and if you have the time, shoot it with
a 2nd body if you're carrying one).
> the elegant simplicity of the OM-1, which occasionally I will shoot with
> the meter turned off, following good old Sunny 16. Can't get more
> elemental -- or exact, if it is *your* decision -- than that.
Hey! I also do that often, and it is one of the exercises I have
my students do (using one of those little exposure charts that comes
inside the film box). Their awareness of light is greatly increased,
because they're forced to look at it and make judgements with the
"Big Chip" (one's brain) about the intensity of light, reflectance, and
the quality of light.
Once you understand light and how meters work, you will find that you
can get top-notch results with any system.
*= Doris Fang =*
*** Disclaimer ***
I have owned an OM-4, and currently own & use OM-3s, so I'm no stranger
to the spot-averaging business, and even though I almost always use a
hand-held meter, I consider these metering systems superb.
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