Me in sun, subject in shade?

Janice

Janice

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Janice
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If Im IN the sun, but my subjects are nicely in the shade... how does this affect my metering?

is it a problem at all?
 
As I understand it, the metering uses reflected light from the subject, rather then the ambient light, so in theory, it should be fine, the camera should meter for the shaded area.... but someone will be along soon to say I got it the wrong way round :nuts:
 
I'll say LadyLens is right IF:

- the viewfinder isn't ALSO seeing bright sun in addition to your subjects who are in shade (in other words, you'll need to be sure the bright foreground isn't being picked up by the camera meter.) If you're metering handheld, there's no issue there.

- your lens is not picking up flare.

Outside of those few scenarios, I agree with the above.

- CJ
 
Thanks guys.... looks like its not going to be an issue today as its RAINING!! :(
 
rwotton said:
I was going to ask why are you worrying about sun, its wet again :(
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well in the rehearsal shots it was brilliant sun,, now its p******g down!! :D
 
cjnicolai said:
I'll say LadyLens is right IF:

- the viewfinder isn't ALSO seeing bright sun in addition to your subjects who are in shade (in other words, you'll need to be sure the bright foreground isn't being picked up by the camera meter.) If you're metering handheld, there's no issue there.

- your lens is not picking up flare.

Outside of those few scenarios, I agree with the above.

- CJ
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I took a few shots the other day with the cable release where the viewfinder was getting light from a window on it. I didn''t use the cover to block it and I was surprised just how much it underexposed due to light getting in the viewfinder!
 
Thanks guys. it will be rain getting in the viewfinder today!! :razz:
 
RobertP said:
I took a few shots the other day with the cable release where the viewfinder was getting light from a window on it. I didn''t use the cover to block it and I was surprised just how much it underexposed due to light getting in the viewfinder!
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I'm confused :thinking:. How does light shining onto the viewfinder affect the metering?
 
Light entering the camera body through the viewfinder can find its way onto the sensor; the camera has not calculated for this so the exposure comes out wrong.
 
Thats why Marcel, on your Canon strap there is a little rubber eye-piece that you use when doing long exposures when you arent at the camera with your eye! :D

Did you wonder what it was for?? :bonk:
 
Marcel said:
I'm confused :thinking:. How does light shining onto the viewfinder affect the metering?
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Try it :)

stand in front of a window and point the camera back at yourself at arms length and take a shot in Av or other mode except M. Then try again with the viewfinder covered. Huge difference with the 5D.
 
Marcel said:
I'm confused :thinking:. How does light

shining onto the viewfinder affect the metering?
Click to expand...

It's because the meter is situated in the prism housing and takes it's reading from the focusing screen. Obviously the light enters the camera through the lens, but it can also enter via the viewfinder when your eye isn't there blocking any light. This would usually be when you're using a tripod and a cable release or delayed timer.

If light gets in through the viewfinder it can adversely affect your exposure because in any of the auto modes, AV,TV, P etc, the camera is designed to automatically compensate for light and will adjust exposure regardless of where the light is coming from. It's for this reason that you have that stupid little rubber viewfinder cover attached to your neck strap. 1 Series bodies have proper built-in viewfinder blinds.

Light coming into the viewfinder isn't an issue in Manual Mode as you set an absolute value for exposure which wont alter regardless of what the metering is doing.
 
Well I never knew that!

I did know that it might 'leak' in, hence the need for the eyepiece for long exposures etc, but I didn't think it would make so much of a difference for normal/short exposures!

This just goes to show we never stop learning :D Thanks for that everyone. I am now a little more informed than I was half an hour ago (Although Im not any more awake than I was :lol:)
 
Well an uncovered viewfinder can produce minimal difference depending on how bright the light us, but can be absolutely disastrous if the sun is behind the camera, as Cheryl quite rightly pointed out.
 
Great. Just one more thing for me to think about....I feel like Homer Simpson "Everytime I learn something new, it pushes old stuff out of my brain" :D
 
Wait till you get to my age. It's the 'learning something new' I have trouble with. :D
 
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