Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]INCIDENT METERS Reflected-light meters measure the light reflected from the subject. They are influenced by the color of the subject and, if used without interpretation and correction, will render whatever they read - from white to black - as medium gray (18%). Incident meters measure the light falling on a subject. They also average to 18% gray but of the total light and not any one surface, color or density of the subject (they do not read highlights as some believe). Because of this fact they are very easy to use and are ideal for color negative work and, for the most part, positive emulsions (I believe that while incident meters do a good job of determining exposure for positive emulsions, there is a much better way of attaining exposures without the need for bracketing, but that is an other subject). They are not the meters of choice for zone work. Where a reflected meter is aimed at the subject, the incident meter is aimed at the camera from the subject or in the same light (obviously, we do not enter a tiger’s cage to measure the light falling on it). The cell of the meter is aimed along the same axis as the camera lens: if the camera is aimed down at the subject, the meter is aimed up from the subject etc. Incident meters are not panacea for all types of photos. In portraiture one has to consider that adjustments must be made for skin lighter or darker than 18% gray if the face is predominant in the photo. For back lighted scenes where reasonable detail of the subject is to be retained (semi silhouette) , the exposure is decreased by 1 stop (approximately) and for a highlight exposure (silhouette), a decrease of 2 stops is in order. Joseph Codispoti >>>Could someone point me to a source of information on how to use an Incident light meter? I've tried it in the past but ran into so many situations<<< Bud Cook