Photographs that is.  They are 100% dependent on how your camera (and you) handle the lighting in the area.

Ever since I sent my camera in for cleaning and they upgraded the firmware, I can't seem to get a good handle on my camera metering anymore.  Something has changed and it looks like it will be a bit more work for me to get shots that are properly exposed for the lighting situations.  (in other words they're making me think - damn it!)

Of course the Nikon D80 is known to have issues with metering. It can be dealt with, I just wish I was better at it than I am. (basically I suck at this - I am overly dependent on Aperture to fix the lighting of my pictures - not a good thing)

So today I took my camera out - in between storms - and took a number of pictures.  Each set of 3 were of the same object.  The difference is in the metering which was in order: spot (uses the focus point area to meter), center weighted (uses a slightly wider area around the center point to meter), and matrix (uses all points available to meter). 

Naturally, different lighting conditions produce different results (if I may state the bleeding obvious without someone strangling me).  BTW - this is one time I'm posting pictures that might be out of focus since I was going for the overall light effect rather than the object itself.  These are straight out of the camera with absolutely no adjustments at all.

First we have a flower from a butterfly bush.  The flower is in shade, the background is bright from the sun.

Spot:



Center:



Matrix:



Of those 3, I think the spot metering turned out the best when not having any adjustments made.  That might change if I was working with the pictures and messing with levels... I have no idea.

Next set is in shade with even darker shade behind it.

Spot:


Center:


Matrix:


Of those 3, spot is the worst.  With center being brighter and matrix being the brightest. 

Then we have a very confused rhody (they're supposed to bloom in the spring) that has a few blooms.  It's in direct sun, mid-day.

Spot:





Center:


Matrix:


Of this set, the spot metering once again looks the worst as it nearly has blown highlights on some of the leaves.  Center is a bit darker but seems to be the most balanced.  Matrix isn't bad, but also seems a bit too bright in some areas.

Last of all we have a wider angle scene in bright sun. 

Spot:


Center:


Matrix:


In this set, Matrix metering seems to bring out details a bit more in the darker areas and is overall the brightest.  The other metering modes are creating a darker image even in bright sun.

Why did I write this out?  Hopefully so I remember to mess about with my metering and even with exposure compensation while out taking pictures. Most of the time I am thinking more about grabbing a shot than how the camera is set up.  I need to work on that so I have less work after the shots are taken. 

Posted by: Teresa in Photos at 01:39 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
Post contains 540 words, total size 4 kb.

1 I forgot about metering.  Totally.  How do you know which to use?  Spot for close ups, matrix for wide angle?

Posted by: Pam at August 22, 2009 02:30 PM (l6NIn)

2 Argh! The minute I read "firmware" update, I knew you had a Nikon.

For a while, my boyfriend, my dad, and I all had identical Nikon's. My boyfriend was the first to get the firmware update. Of course, it through his metering way off. We took it in for repairs a number of times, but still the metering was all wonky. We figured it was just a defective camera....never figured it would have been the update.  Then I got the firmware update on mine, and guess what....metering went all wonky.

Luckily, we figured this out before my dad did his update. But, oy, the frustration! We finally just gave up and bought new cameras....not Nikon!! 

I don't think there is a way to undo the firmware update, but if there is, I highly recommend you try it, because I am sure that is entirely what is causing your problem. Good luck!

Posted by: DogDontPurr at August 22, 2009 02:48 PM (1KC4A)

3 Pam - as you can see above in the pics, it's a matter of learning what works in which situation.  In other words, if your camera gives you a metering option, try them all under the same circumstance (if possible) and see what works best.  The problem with most point and shoots is that any metering changes that might be allowed are buried in menus.  With the D80 it can easily be changed via a button and the rear scroll wheel on the camera body... 

DDP - oh I love my Nikon, it's just changed is all. Since I shoot RAW, it's easy enough to fix pics in Aperture or Photoshop, I'm working on getting a better result before having to do any fixes - that's the tricky bit.  The D80 has the worst rep for their metering - which is why I'm seriously thinking of the D300s in a few months.  While the D80 has this issue, Canon has its own - like the oil spots on the sensor of their flagship 5D Mark 2 and one of the newer Rebel cameras that grab hold of a lens and won't release it...

With all digital cameras there are issues.  They can all be compensated for... it's just a matter of learning your camera quirks and how to work with them. 

Posted by: Teresa at August 22, 2009 03:29 PM (epSz+)

4 Always bracket your shots.  If you're using your internal meter, then take what ever it suggests, then up of f-stop and down one f-stop.  Are you using a fill flash, by the way? 
The one thing I hate about digital photography is that I've had to give up the nuances of different types of films.  If I was shooting landscapes,  I'd use Fuji 64.  Portraits, Agfa 100.  If I was shooting b/w, I'd usually use Kodak Pan for outdoor work and Plus-X for portrait or indoor work.  Architectural work, I always used Kodachrome.  The only good thing about digital is that you can shoot all day and you're not throwing away money on unused negatives or slides.  I also miss using filters in combination with the characteristics of the different types of films.  Sometimes just using a .05 neutral density filter with Fuji 64 would add incredible depth to my work.  It wouldn't work with KodaColor, though, Kodak used a different blue dye didn't react well with it. 

Posted by: gregor at August 22, 2009 09:26 PM (AoAEA)

5 Gregor - my husband is all with you on the film camera stuff.  I had a more difficult time with film because it was too long between the time I took the pictures and when I would get the results.  LOL. 

On the bracketing.  Yes, I do that, but what I really wanted to see was how the meter on my camera was working under various conditions.  Then I can use the right type of metering (hopefully) along with the bracketing to get a better result.  Good part is - the D80 does bracket, I don't have to do it manually.  Yay!

Posted by: Teresa at August 23, 2009 01:09 PM (epSz+)

6 Personally, I prefer the center weighted metering on all but the last set.   Do you always shoot in aperture mode? I shoot manual and adjust my shutter speed and aperture and if necessary, I adjust the metering only occasionally, usually opting for partial or center-weighted metering because all the other factors provide me with the control I need.   I wish I could tell you how to go back to previous firmware versions, but I wouldn't even know how to tell you how to update to the latest. Sad and pathetic, isn't it?

Posted by: Da Goddess at August 24, 2009 12:10 AM (yS1tB)

7 Joanie - I switch between aperture and program mode (P for when I'm feeling lazy and don't want to bother or it's busy  and I don't want to miss things - LOL).  I use shutter only if I'm photographing something that has movement which is seldom.

As for the firmware - they did the upgrade when I sent it for cleaning, even though I didn't ask for that. Seems it's part of the package from Nikon.  Heh. 

As I said, I feel no need to go back, I just have to take the time to figure out how the camera works now.  Of course it would help if I wasn't quite so lazy - LOL.

Posted by: Teresa at August 24, 2009 08:34 AM (epSz+)

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