Newb question about metering

Jaysmark

Senior Member
I am rather new but learning aggressively and seem to have hit a sticking point. I am shooting in manual and seem to grasp how to make a correct exposure. What I cant seem to grasp is metering. I am reading Bryan Petersons book and he constantly is referring to metering the sky and recomposing. I don't know how metering is indicated in the camera. How do you lock in a metering reading? If you are using single point focus and than recomposing, how do you do both at the same time? I'm sure I am just missing something obvious. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
Half press does the metering and the focusing, and if you hold half press, you can move the camera, and still get the previous metering and focus.

D750 manual, page 57

The blue sky (away from the sun) can approximate a correct exposure (away from the sun), but it better be manual focus, you can't focus on the sky. If determined, you could just note the settings on the sky, and then add them in camera manual mode.

My notion is that just metering on the real subject normally works well.
 
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Jaysmark

Senior Member
I get that part. What I don't understand is if I am taking focus of something and want to meter somewhere else that isn't my focal point. This is where I get confused. If I take a reading of the light next to the sun, how do I then refocus without losing the meter reading.
 
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Lawrence

Senior Member
A really good question.
What Wayne says is true but if you are on say f5 and meter the sky but want to focus on something in the foreground (much closer) how do you keep your subject sharp?
Can someone who uses back button shutter release answer this question too? In other words does back button SR also meter?

Just noticed this is in the D750 thread whereas I have a D5100 - would still like an answer though
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Exposure, focus and back-button focus are three completely, separate things.

As for exposure, you merely aim the camera at the clear, blue sky and set your exposure. When shooting in manual, you simply dial in the ISO you want, and set the camera to the shutter speed and aperture desired to make a 'correct' exposure.

Doing this has zip to do with focus. Since you're shooting in manual, you can refocus to your heart's content. The ISO, shutter speed and aperture won't change unless you decide to make the change.

Once you compose the image to your liking, you can set the focus using whatever method trips your trigger. BBF is one choice. I don't think you can actuate the shutter from the back, though.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
See the D750 manual page 361-362 about f4 menu. You can assign the AE-L/AF-L button different functions, to lock just focus, or to lock just exposure, etc. I don't use it, not able to tell you much more.
 

J-see

Senior Member
A really good question.
What Wayne says is true but if you are on say f5 and meter the sky but want to focus on something in the foreground (much closer) how do you keep your subject sharp?
Can someone who uses back button shutter release answer this question too? In other words does back button SR also meter?

Just noticed this is in the D750 thread whereas I have a D5100 - would still like an answer though

My cam is constantly metering when I focus and I see the indicators in the viewfinder. I use BBF all the time but to be honest, not as often pay attention to the metering. ;)
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
Additionally, if you've programmed the AE-L/AF-L button to do Back button focusing, You can program th Func button to do the AE-L... then you can retain the back button focusing, and use the Func button to lock the Exposure... It's the F4 menu option on a D600. I imagine it's the same on the D750

Edited to add: I'm sorry...It's the F2 menu option on the D600, and F4 on the D300
 
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J-see

Senior Member
If he's shooting manual without auto-ISO his exposure should be locked by definition. All he needs to do is check the exposure indicator in the viewfinder and adjust accordingly when composing.
 

Jaysmark

Senior Member
Ok so metering is just the cameras guess at a proper exposure? So I could technically just remember its reading on the Sky, get my focus and than manually input it's aperture and shutter? Thanks so much for clarifying this for me guys.
 

Lawrence

Senior Member
Exposure, focus and back-button focus are three completely, separate things.

As for exposure, you merely aim the camera at the clear, blue sky and set your exposure. When shooting in manual, you simply dial in the ISO you want, and set the camera to the shutter speed and aperture desired to make a 'correct' exposure.

Doing this has zip to do with focus. Since you're shooting in manual, you can refocus to your heart's content. The ISO, shutter speed and aperture won't change unless you decide to make the change.

Once you compose the image to your liking, you can set the focus using whatever method trips your trigger. BBF is one choice. I don't think you can actuate the shutter from the back, though.

Sparky just so that I get this clear in my head ...
You don't mention "metering" at all in your reply so are you saying that in manual whatever metering you select is irrelevant? IE it makes no difference if you are on matrix, centre weighted or single point?
 

J-see

Senior Member
Ok so metering is just the cameras guess at a proper exposure? So I could technically just remember its reading on the Sky, get my focus and than manually input it's aperture and shutter? Thanks so much for clarifying this for me guys.

You can set any exposure you like in manual. If you want to meter the sky, you do, set ISO, A and S and then can use those settings on whatever you desire to shoot. And while doing, the cam will tell you if you're correctly exposing, or over/under.

The cam doesn't guess, it just goes through its program and defines exposure for the circumstances.

Btw, I'm not familiar with the sky-exposure but me thinks in too many cases, that could result in seriously underexposing your shots. That's seldom a good thing.
 
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480sparky

Senior Member
Ok so metering is just the cameras guess at a proper exposure?

Yep.


So I could technically just remember its reading on the Sky,

An out-of-focus sky should meter the same as an in-focus one.


and than manually input it's aperture and shutter? .....

If you're shooting in manual mode, you won't need to input anything. Once you meter on the sky and set your exposure, it will stay the same.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Sparky just so that I get this clear in my head ...
You don't mention "metering" at all in your reply so are you saying that in manual whatever metering you select is irrelevant? IE it makes no difference if you are on matrix, centre weighted or single point?

If you're metering a plain, blue sky, what difference would it make? It's the same as if you meter off an 18% gray card.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
Well... sorta... If you're on manual... the meter works, and adjusting any one of the 3 legs (aperture/speed/ISO) to match the meter's center position will set the proper exposure... if you re-compose the camera to an area and don't reset any of the 3 settings, the exposure will be as of the previous position's settings...

If you're on one of the Auto modes, the exposure will change by re-composing the camera... unless you use one of the camera's buttons to Lock the AE... AE-L mean Auto Exposure-Lock
 

Lawrence

Senior Member
If you're metering a plain, blue sky, what difference would it make? It's the same as if you meter off an 18% gray card.

I guess I am not putting my question too well. but in trying to figure out what I want to ask I have come up with what I think is the answer. Focus manually on your subject and meter by camera for whatever exposure you want which may or may not be "correct" exposure - such as in a silhouette shot.

Hope that makes sense.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
I guess I am not putting my question too well. but in trying to figure out what I want to ask I have come up with what I think is the answer. Focus manually on your subject and meter by camera for whatever exposure you want which may or may not be "correct" exposure - such as in a silhouette shot.

Hope that makes sense.


Not sure how we got from 'meter using the blue sky' to silhouettes. The blue sky method is best used for general scenery exposure. When it comes to tricky lighting like silhouettes and backlighting, that gets a bit more complicated.
 

hrstrat57

Senior Member
Sounds like you may want to use A priority metering for the situation you describe in conjunction with a custom setting on your functon button as @WayneF describes. That would be the method I would use for the swiftest accurate results. Of course I would shoot RAW always so if I blow the exposure slightly I have more data to manipulate to save a good shot......

If you are firm on not using your cameras automatic features (not a bad thing) you could consider supplementing your kit with and old school light meter or meter and remember like you describe......

I've listed a few fun internet resources for you to wander thru to perhaps accelerate your learning curve! I really like Snapchick and Moose they present material in a manner which I can follow - I am a visual learner first.....You tube and the internet are your friends! Good luck and remember as well this forum is an incredible resource there are a lot of folks around these parts who are world class in their understanding of various topics. I consider us all very lucky that they are so patient in sharing their knowledge and experience. It is an absolute gold mine!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJIBOcFUvVg
 

Lawrence

Senior Member
Not sure how we got from 'meter using the blue sky' to silhouettes. The blue sky method is best used for general scenery exposure. When it comes to tricky lighting like silhouettes and backlighting, that gets a bit more complicated.

It was never "meter using the blue sky" ...
The OP stated:

"What I cant seem to grasp is metering. I am reading Bryan Petersons book and he constantly is referring to metering the sky and recomposing. I don't know how metering is indicated in the camera. How do you lock in a metering reading? If you are using single point focus and than recomposing, how do you do both at the same time?"

For me the pertinent part of the question is "how do you do both at the same time?"

Maybe I am just dumb

 
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