Mastering Manual Mode: Choosing the perfect metering mode when shooting manually
Capturing the perfect shot in manual mode is all about mastering control over your camera’s functions. One crucial aspect that often gets overlooked is choosing the right metering mode.
Whether you’re shooting landscapes, portraits, or action shots, the metering mode you select can make a significant difference in your final image.
Let’s dive into why this is important and how you can choose the perfect metering mode to elevate your photography skills and why when shooting manual mode spot metering should be the preferred metering mode!
Camera meters
A camera meter measures a scene or subject to determine the correct exposure by evaluating the light levels and calculating the appropriate settings for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Here’s a step-by-step explanation:
Light Detection: The camera’s light meter detects the amount of light reflecting off the scene or subject. This involves sensors within the camera that can read the intensity of light.
Metering Modes: Depending on the selected metering mode (matrix, center-weighted, or spot metering), the camera evaluates different parts of the scene:
Matrix Metering: Measures light across the entire frame, taking multiple readings and averaging them.
Center-Weighted Metering: Prioritises the centre of the frame while still considering the surrounding areas.
Spot Metering: Focuses on a very small area (around 1-5% of the frame) for precise measurements, typically the area around the active focus point.
18% Mid Grey: In photography, 18% grey is used as a standard reference for determining exposure. It’s based on the premise that the average scene reflects 18% of the light that hits it. In photography, 18% grey is used as a standard reference for determining exposure. It’s based on the premise that the average scene reflects 18% of the light that hits it.
Exposure Calculation: Based on the light readings and the selected metering mode, the camera calculates the appropriate exposure settings to achieve a balanced image. It adjusts:
Aperture (f-stop): to control the amount of light entering the lens.
Shutter Speed: to determine how long the camera’s sensor is exposed to light.
Strictly speaking ISO does not adjust exposure it simply adjusts the sensitivity of the camera sensor to light.
Dynamics range of the scene: When using matrix or Evaluative metering, the camera takes into account the overall dynamic range of the scene, and tries to ensure that highlights aren’t overexposed and shadows aren’t underexposed.
(The objects in this scene reflect light with tonal values around 18% grey, while the white clouds and boat have lighter or darker tones than 18% grey, midtone)
Matrix or Evaluative metering aims to retain details in both bright and dark areas, this works well if the dynamic range of the scene does not exceed the dynamic range the camera, it cannot tell which elements of your scene will turn out to be midtones, bright tones or dark tones.
In the scene with the schooner, the clouds were spot metered and the exposure was increased by 2.5 stops. This made the clouds appear white without being overexposed, and other elements, like the black hull of the schooner, fell into the right tonal ranges. Due to the high dynamic range, using matrix metering would average the whole scene, likely resulting in overexposed clouds and a deep black hull (underexposed) with no detail, .
That is why using your camera in manual mode combined with spot metering is so powerful, you can;
Assess the tonal range of your scene based on the most important shadow and highlights.
Measure the dynamic range of a scene in terms of stops.
Take a reading from your subject and set an appropriate exposure.
Easily adjust your exposure to place your subject in the correct tonal value.
Based on your chosen exposure settings, you can then meter other parts of the scene to see where they fall tonally and whether or not they will be exposed correctly.
Matrix metering and spot metering compared
Matrix metering is like using a thermometer to measure the overall temperature of a room. You get a general idea of whether the room is warm, cool, or just right, by considering the average temperature from all the different corners and surfaces within that room but you don’t know how warm or cold a specific part of the room is.
Spot metering, however, is like using an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of a single specific spot, like a particular section of the wall or a specific object in the room. You’re focusing on a precise area to get detailed information about its temperature, regardless of the rest of the room. So if you need a corner of the room or an object to be a certain temperature, then you need to isolate that corner or object and spot measure it.
Both spot metering and matrix metering methods provide useful insights, but one gives you a broad picture, while the other offers specific details about your intended subject and how it will be exposed.
Using your camera in manual mode allows you to use your built-in light meter and spot meter to precisely measure different parts of a subject or scene just like the infrared thermometer.
When shooting manually, spot metering stands out as the best choice among the different metering modes, evaluative, centre weighted and partial metering. This mode hones in on a small area, typically around 1% or 2% of your frame, allowing for precise exposure readings of your subject. Pairing spot metering with manual mode offers you unparalleled control over exposure, ensuring that your chosen subject is perfectly captured.
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