To do so, you just slip the disc on and hold the metering cell directly toward the object in which you want a reading. The hemisphere is used to measure incidental light. You slip the hemisphere on the metering cell and hold the meter in front of the subject, so the light is falling on the sphere in the same way it is hitting the subject. As an example, if the subject is standing in the noontime sun, the incidental light under the chin is much different than the light on the bridge of the nose.
In contrast, a reflected meter is pointed at the subject, and the light reflected off the subject is measured. The main difference in these two measurements is that the reflected light picks up the reflective qualities of the surface you are measuring so a purple sweater might read with a lower exposure value even with a powerful light is hitting it.
Whereas the incident meter measures the exact power of the light source, providing a better reading. Another use of light meters is finding which aspects of a scene or subject are the most intensely illuminated. If there are drastic changes in light intensity within the scene, choosing the right light metering mode will be the difference between a properly exposed subject and a poor photograph.
Light metering in photography is explained using one of the following light metering types :. Reflective light metering is what your camera uses to measure available light. Simply put, the camera meters by judging exposure based on light reflected from the subject.
Cameras with built-in light meters , like all modern digital cameras, use reflective light metering. This is usually more than accurate enough but sometimes the light meter can be confused by abrupt shifts in light absorption within the scene. One example is reflective light metering off of the white dress of a bride only to find that the dark suit of the groom is underexposed.
Handheld incident light meters are used to directly measure the amount of light hitting a subject. This is done by placing the meter close to the subject; the white circular zone lumisphere is where lighting is collected for the measurement.
Incident light metering is different from reflective metering because the device is measuring light before it reflects off of the subject. Therefore, you can get a slightly more accurate measurement of the total illumination in the area. When reading an exposure meter , the device will display the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings needed to obtain optimal exposure for a given scene. In retrospect, light meters in film cameras were extremely important because you risked wasting film if the exposure settings were off.
A digital camera light meter uses a reflective metering design to gauge exposure. Usually, the light meter is activated either constantly when the camera is on or with a half-press of the shutter.
First, the camera takes in light reflecting off of the subject through the lens TTL. Then, the built-in exposure meter informs you as to whether the image is underexposed not enough light , well exposed, or overexposed too much light. In short, using the light meter in photography is the best way to get good exposure and minimize the amount of time spent in post-processing. Remember that light metering in Nikon vs Canon and other brands may use different terms.
Consult your user manual and camera menus to determine precisely which metering mode will be best for each occasion. Each of these metering modes are also discussed in greater detail and with plenty of examples in our guide to Metering Modes in Photography :. The camera breaks up the scene into sections and averages the exposure settings to ensure there is a balance between highlights and shadows.
This is the most popular light meter ing because it can be used for nearly any scene or subject. Landscape photography and other genres that use the entire frame rely heavily on Matrix metering. Using center-weighted metering, the camera places the most importance on the center for light metering. When using spot metering , the system measures light using a single focus point instead of sections of the image frame. Spot metering is used when a single element within the frame is especially important, or with backlit subjects.
Usually, you can view the light meter in camera along the base of the electronic viewfinder, optical viewfinder, or LCD screen. When the gauge indicates a negative exposure value EV , the camera light meter is sensing that the subject or resulting image will be underexposed and vice versa.
You should be aiming for as close to the center of the axis or 0 as possible. Thanks to the light meter and exposure adjustments you choose in response, poor illumination should be a thing of the past! You're ready to start taking pictures but, before you start clicking the shutter, you need to work out the correct exposure for your photographs. The question is, when your camera has a built-in meter for this purpose, why do so many photographers and professionals buy an dedicated handheld meter?
The answer is simple: the best light meters give an empirical reading of the actual light in your frame, whereas a camera meter gives a misleading reading of the reflected light. A handheld meter also called an incident meter takes an incident reading, meaning that it measures the light that falls directly onto the subject. Your camera takes a reflective reading, metering the light that bounces off the subject.
So a camera's reflective meter reading thinks that your image is too bright, and tells you to massively underexpose the photograph. And when your frame is filled with a groom in a black suit, it tells you to massively overexpose for the exact opposite reason — even though the light hasn't actually changed.
And if the light hasn't changed, why do you need to change your exposure? The answer is that you don't. And so, it always gives an accurate reading! Also check that the meter is set to daylight or flash, depending on the light source that you want to measure. Hold your meter in front of your subject, pointing towards light that is illuminating them not towards the camera.
Now simply press the metering button to read the light measurement.
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