Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/05/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>I asked myself the same question as you did, and got an interesting talk >with a technician at the Leica distributing office in Brussels. He >explained that the had done extensive testing, both in Solms and in >Brussels. He said the matrix metering system is 99% foolproof (which I >would find hard to believe, but even it were only 90 or 95%, this would be >impressive), and he advised me to put the camera on "full-automatic", that >is matrix metering with program setting (so that your camera becomes in >fact a perfect P&S camera, except for the autofocus). Pascal, "Foolproof" means different things to different people. I did an = extensive comparison between F5 (matrix) and R8 (matrix). Knowing the = way the matrix algorithms are designed to work, it is quite easy to = fool the system.Assume your scene has an averige brighthess of say = EV=3D14. As soon as you manage to bring a luminance difference of = =B13 stops in one or two of the matrix segments (in Nikon's case in = several scores of cells) the meter will be out of synch. Also, = neither metering algorithm can handle overall dark or light scenes. = Put your matrix metering in front of a white wall and prepare to be = surprised. The meter can indeed cope with contrast, but it can not = and will not deceide for you if you need under-or overexposure in a = particular case. I found however both meters to be very effective in scenes where the = luminance distribution patterns are 'standard'. The meters are = calibrated for these situations. In non standard situations (the ones = Zone system users love) both meters relatively often fail. But in some tough situations the R8 did not lose out to the much more = elaborate F5 matrix system. Setting a camera on automatic pilot is = just that. In critical or dangerous situations the human mind has to = take over. After al, the mind created the machine, not the other way = around. Deep Blue did not beat Kasparov. It were the people behind = the IBM number cruncher. Erwin Puts