when I shoot single point-what should

Moab Man

Senior Member
my meter expo be set at?

I'm assuming when you shoot single point focus you're asking what metering to be set at. Generally a whole area metering works well. However, the other day I was photographing inside a restaurant with bright light outside. I used single point metering set to faces so that I would get a good exposure for them. The bright lights would cause a silhouette of the person.

Other times I will use center weighted if I'm not after the exact exposure of a given point and I don't have huge contrast between my subject and what is around them.

No clear simple answer. Experience will dictate.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
I always use single point metering, well, except for moving subjects which I rarely do. This is also what the camera manual says to do, use single point for stationary subjects, and dynamic area for moving subjects, more points for the fastest. D7100 manual page 71, but it's in the manual for all models. I guess I'm old fashioned, but I like to chose the point that will be in focus, rather than letting the camera just find one somewhere.

And I prefer Center Weighted metering, because I can sort of comprehend what it will do. My experience with Matrix is that it is often adversely affected by some bright area at a far edge, causing slight underexposure, but center metering is more characteristic of my actual subject that I perceive.
 
I always use single point metering, well, except for moving subjects which I rarely do. This is also what the camera manual says to do, use single point for stationary subjects, and dynamic area for moving subjects, more points for the fastest. D7100 manual page 71, but it's in the manual for all models. I guess I'm old fashioned, but I like to chose the point that will be in focus, rather than letting the camera just find one somewhere.

And I prefer Center Weighted metering, because I can sort of comprehend what it will do. My experience with Matrix is that it is often adversely affected by some bright area at a far edge, causing slight underexposure, but center metering is more characteristic of my actual subject that I perceive.

I am not sure but it sounds like they are talking about metering and not focus.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
I am not sure but it sounds like they are talking about metering and not focus.

Oops! Sorry, that's only because of my error with page number. I should have said page 73, Heading: AF-Area Mode.

Page 73 D7100 says in part:

Single Point AF: "Use with stationary subjects."

Dynamic area AF is about moving subjects, with examples of 9 point for predictable motion, runners or race cars. 21 points for unpredictable, like players in a football game. 51 points for quickly moving, like birds. My own notion is that we are not guaranteed that the point it chooses is the point we would choose.

Seems pretty clear. And there are obvious benefits of single point on like a portrait subjects near eye, or the head of the frog, or to choose your point thin the depth of field zone, or whatever we deem is important.
 
Last edited:
Oops! Sorry, that's only because of my error with page number. I should have said page 73, Heading: AF-Area Mode.

Page 73 D7100 says in part:

Single Point AF: "Use with stationary subjects."
Dynamic area AF is about moving subjects, with examples of 9 point for predictable motion, runners or race cars. 21 points for unpredictable, like players in a football game. 51 points for quickly moving, like birds. My own notion is that we are not guaranteed that the point it chooses is the point we would choose.

Seems pretty clear. And there are obvious benefits of single point on like a portrait subjects near eye, or the head of the frog, or to choose your point thin the depth of field zone, or whatever we deem is important.

I shoot single point focus most it the time too but I think they are talking about metering.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I switched all my bodies to center-weighted metering instead of matrix metering. I do a lot of landscape shooting and found I was always having to override the exposure while in matrix metering (usually had to underexpose by -0.7 stop).

You can eyeball a scene and tell if it is overly bright or overly dark (such as shooting snow). If it's bright, go brighter. If it's dark, go darker. I don't believe I've ever used spot metering though.
 

Needa

Senior Member
Challenge Team
On the d7100 Hold down the metering button (left of the word format near the top lcd), turn the main command dial until the smallest point is shown. See page 13 of the manual.
 

tea2085

Senior Member
i guess i'm not smart enough to grasp the ways to set my meter mode. When I hold the button and run thru the various modes, I get very few selections. Now I just wnt to set it at default but don't even know how to do that!!! Paul
 

hark

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i guess i'm not smart enough to grasp the ways to set my meter mode. When I hold the button and run thru the various modes, I get very few selections. Now I just wnt to set it at default but don't even know how to do that!!! Paul

There are only 3 metering modes: Spot, Center-Weighted, and Matrix. I believe there are ways to change the size of the center-weighted circle, but I only use the default. I believe the body comes in Matrix Metering Mode so that should be the default.

 

WayneF

Senior Member
i guess i'm not smart enough to grasp the ways to set my meter mode. When I hold the button and run thru the various modes, I get very few selections. Now I just wnt to set it at default but don't even know how to do that!!! Paul


If you are in an Auto mode, then everything is fully automated, including metering mode. You won't have any choices about anything.

If you are in A,S,P, or M mode, then you can set things, including metering mode.
There are only three choices, Matrix, Center Weighted, and Spot. Matrix is default, but Center Weighted or Spot Metering is available. See D7100 manual page 83 for metering mode.

Be aware that Spot Metering is probably not what you might expect, full of surprises. Spot metering means the spot will come out middle tone, which does NOT mean correct tone (unless that spot happens to be middle tone color already). Spot metering requires substantial additional thinking about it.
 

carguy

Senior Member
I'm assuming when you shoot single point focus you're asking what metering to be set at. Generally a whole area metering works well. However, the other day I was photographing inside a restaurant with bright light outside. I used single point metering set to faces so that I would get a good exposure for them. The bright lights would cause a silhouette of the person.

Other times I will use center weighted if I'm not after the exact exposure of a given point and I don't have huge contrast between my subject and what is around them.

No clear simple answer. Experience will dictate.
Agreed. I took the question to be the same as above.

Metering setting has nothing to do with your focus point setting. With each, it depends on what you are shooting, the lighting conditions and your personal preference.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
i guess i'm not smart enough to grasp the ways to set my meter mode. When I hold the button and run thru the various modes, I get very few selections. Now I just wnt to set it at default but don't even know how to do that!!!
I think you would be doing yourself a huge favor if you sat down and spent some serious quality-time with the User Manual for your camera.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
There is single-point FOCUSING

and there is single-point METERING

They're not the same... Nor does using one necessarily mean there's a reason to use the other...

There are reasons for using different FOCUS modes that have to do with whether the subject is moving or not. It has no bearing on the exposure.

There are lighting conditions that have no bearing on whether the subject is moving or not...

You need to understand each one individually, and when to use each one independent of the other.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Biker000; you and the fish always take the tough love approach, can't say you're wrong! Paul
I don't mean to be harsh but in all seriousness having read several of your posts, it's clear to me you lack a clear understanding of some of the basic functions of your camera and the terminology related to those functions, which your manual will make clear if you'll simply take the time to read and understand it. You need to grasp the basics of exposure, exposure-modes, auto-focus modes and auto-focus area-modes at the very least. This thread, and some of your previous threads, make it you clear you do not have this understanding.

So yes, my advice to you is to sit down and review the User Manual for your camera until you can use proper terminology and UNDERSTAND these functions and modes of your cameras operation, as well as how they interact with one another. I'm more than happy to help those who appear to be at least attempting to first help themselves.
 

hark

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Biker000; you and the fish always take the tough love approach, can't say you're wrong! Paul

I feel for you...I really do. I came to digital with a background in 35mm film. BUT I remember how daunting it was when I got ready to sit down and read the manual to learn the digital stuff. Once I started to grasp which buttons, wheels, bells, and whistles, I needed, it wasn't so bad. I can't fathom trying to grasp learning all the photography basics as well as all of the settings at once.

So what mode are you using currently? Full auto? Or have you dipped your toe into the waters of Aperture Priority? Don't worry so much about the metering modes just yet. My suggestion is to stick with Matrix Metering for starters. Instead, allow yourself to become familiar with the basics between the relationship of Aperture, Shutter, and ISO. Those 3 control your exposure. That's the foundation to build upon first. Otherwise you might overload your brain, Paul! :)
 
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