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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WayneF" data-source="post: 369267" data-attributes="member: 12496">Well, sorry, but I can promise that it ain't gonna be that way.  <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />  It never has been that way.  Might as well get used to it. This is no new subject.  It may surprise beginners, but all photographers since light meters were invented (maybe 90 years?) have had to learn this (well, those that do learn things did).  Some get it, and some never do.It is NOT a measurement of incoming light (that would be an incident meter).  Reflected meters only measure how much of that incoming light these specific subject colors can reflect to the camera.  This is a huge difference. Depends on the subject, what you aim the camera at.   Both your white and your black card ought to individually properly meter about the same middle gray (determined by meter - unless influenced by other things in the scene).  This applies to both together too, that should average about middle gray.Like it or not, that's how it is.  Might as well  learn to deal with it.  It is still extremely useful.The meter (at best) is just a dumb computer.  It has no human brain or experience, it cannot recognize your black bag or white wall from your Aunt Martha. It sees some light which it can measure, but it cannot tell the difference in a brightly lighted black scene, or a dimly lighted white scene.      Black scenes don't reflect much light, and are seen as dark by the meter, which boosts them to the middle.  White scenes reflect a lot of light, and are seen bright by the meter, which drops them back to the middle. The meter has no clue what they were, or how they should be.  Middle gray seems like the only workable solution.  It's some light, and it is put in the middle.  And it is a good guide for the photographer, but we need to pay attention.But no matter what, the meter is going to put the average of what it sees at middle gray.  Your picture of both the white and black card ought to average about middle. Your first bag picture almost did.  Mountains and sky and trees pretty much do. Beach scenes and water and palm trees and sunbathers pretty much do.  Portrait faces and hair and eyes pretty much do. Snow scenes or bright sky or white walls don't.   It can frequently work about OK, but we do have to pay attention, not all scenes are average.Spot metering works the same, it merely sees a smaller tiny spot, which it puts at middle gray, regardless of what it is, or what we may have expected.  The way a spot meter might be used is to meter on a face surrounded by dark or bright surroundings, and the photographer knows faces are not middle gray, so he opens one stop to compensate what he knows will happen. He just learns this.  One stop on faces is a general rule of thumb we all learn. Spot meters are NOT a beginners point&shoot tool.This is of course speaking of reflected meters, like are in cameras.  The meter is "accurate", does what it should, but which may not be doing what you imagination thinks.  <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />Incident meters are very different, and are much better and actually "accurate", more like "expected".  Incident meters turn their back on the subject, and stand at the subject, and aim the light at the light source (at camera technically).    Independent of the subject, they do not see the subjects colors, and are not influenced by how well subject reflects light.    With the incoming light source metered accurately, then white things tend to come out white, and black things come out black.   However, these meters cannot be located in the camera.</blockquote>

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