Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/09/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Simon Lamb wrote: > > Mark > > Why is the real issue knowing how much light the subject is reflecting? The > whole point of incident metering is you dispense with vagaries of the meter > et al. It doesn't matter how much light the subject is absorbing as long as > you know how much is falling on it. For most general situations the > incident meter works. Are you saying that you still make adjustments after > incident metering depending upon the reflectance of the subject? Given you > are vastly more experienced than me in matters photographic, what type of > adjustments for what type of subjects would you make? ><Snip> An incident reading says this: (the reason from my previous tone) "I don't care how much light your subject is reflecting, I just care how much light is hitting it" A naive approach some would say. Like Ansel Adams. I'm very much into placing my tones and seeing where others fall and planning for that, the zone system. So an incident meter would not me my thing so much. But i just used the technique last week. For me it's when i don't want to think. Like Matrix. I think there's something to be said for incident readings. Wouldn't want to make a Kareeeere out of it! Markwr :) If you, for instance are metering some very dark fabric your incident reading might have you underexpose a bit TOO much. While your reflective reading would have you OVERexpose it too much to middle grey/zone V/whatever. (if you just went with the reading; ((had your camera on A))) I just made that mistake this week shooting closeups of some dark brown telephone poles with Kodachrome 200. (with my 90 Elmirit) I over exposed some of them. They were dark brown not middle grey. But that was the meter in my M6, and my brain on vacation.