Basic Metering through the Lens

[geebs2006]

First off, sorry for this noob question but I just can't get to grips with this.

I have a Canon 650D and just bought some Lee ND Graduated filters. I have been browsing the Lee website and found a guide to using them but i'm stumped from the first 2 points:

Establish your foreground base exposure

Set camera to manual. Point lens at foreground and take average centre weighted meter reading through the lens.

Take a sky reading

Note the exposure difference between ground and sky.

Now I get what I am trying to do and I have camera set to centre weighted, camera set to Manual, but when I look through lens the aperture and shutter values do not change when going from bright light to dark. Am I reading this guide wrong or not have a setting correct?

Thanks to anyone who can help this noob :bonk: :bang:

 

[Nawty]

If they're grad filters I just let the camera meter for the whole scene, simples...

 

[geebs2006]

Ok but in Manual are the aperture and shutter speed numbers meant to change depending on brightness whilst looking through viewfinder. Only time I can get that to happen is in P mode or 1 or the other to change depending on Aperture/Shutter Priority modes. Sorry if i'm not making sense.

 

[Tringa]

I'm surprised that the meter readings are the same when you are taking readings form a bright sky and dark ground, but I may be missing something.

This is going to show my ignorance here, but I thought you metered from the ground; this would give a well exposed ground, but a blown sky, then fitted the grad filter to hold back the light from the sky.

Dave

 

[artyman]

If you have the camera set to manual, the shutter speed and aperture will not change in the viewfinder, unless you change them. What will happen is the needle will move back and forth across the little guauge as the brightness varies, in the centre is the correct exposure, left side under and right side over exposed. You then adjust aperture/shutter/ISO to get the needle where you want it.

In a high contrast scene, eg light sky and dark foreground or white dress dark suit, there will have to be a compromise, which end you want to emphasise is up to you.

 

[Uneducated_Rick]

If they're grad filters I just let the camera meter for the whole scene, simples...

how would you know what strength grad to use?


As Artyman said in M mode the camera won't change the exposure as it's expecting you to do all of the work.

Switch to spot metering and a semi-auto mode (Av or Tv), meter for sky and ground separately, work out the difference, apply appropriate strength grad, go to M mode, put in settings as required for foreground and the sky should be sorted as well (assuming you have grads strong enough to cover the entire difference)

 

[dkh]

What I do. Setting the camera in manual, see what the important subject reading is and then the sky reading. the difference is the strength of grad filter you need (or close to).

 

[geebs2006]

If you have the camera set to manual, the shutter speed and aperture will not change in the viewfinder, unless you change them. What will happen is the needle will move back and forth across the little guauge as the brightness varies, in the centre is the correct exposure, left side under and right side over exposed. You then adjust aperture/shutter/ISO to get the needle where you want it.

In a high contrast scene, eg light sky and dark foreground or white dress dark suit, there will have to be a compromise, which end you want to emphasise is up to you.

how would you know what strength grad to use?


As Artyman said in M mode the camera won't change the exposure as it's expecting you to do all of the work.

Switch to spot metering and a semi-auto mode (Av or Tv), meter for sky and ground separately, work out the difference, apply appropriate strength grad, go to M mode, put in settings as required for foreground and the sky should be sorted as well (assuming you have grads strong enough to cover the entire difference)

Cheers guys this was exactly what I needed. I found a tutorial online later on last night which confirms what you have said.

In manual I was thinking values would change themselves depending on the light. Now I realise I need to adjust settings till I get the right exposure. All makes sense now.

Thanks to all who contributed

 

[markmullen]

Quickest way is liveview with histogram on, get exposure how you want for the foreground, then slide in which grad you think (you get a feel for it) and see if you're still clipping the highlights on the right side of the histogram.

 

[DizMatt]

surely you'd meter for the ground, lock that in.., then put the filter on and take the image.
?
the difference between the sky and ground would be handy for me, but only if I had a graduated filter which was very long and could be adjusted vertically.
just curious myself, aswith filters I am still the equivalent of

 

[markmullen]

surely you'd meter for the ground, lock that in.., then put the filter on and take the image.
?
the difference between the sky and ground would be handy for me, but only if I had a graduated filter which was very long and could be adjusted vertically.
just curious myself, aswith filters I am still the equivalent of

Lee filters are 100x150mm which gives you latitude to move the graduation up and down in the frame.

I sometimes use a handheld spot meter if I want to be really accurate, TBH though you get a feel for it, I look at a sky and a foreground and in my head think 3 stop hard or a 3 and a 1 stop stacked or whatever.