please help, a question regarding metering

[TG.]

i really feel dumb asking this as i've been into photography for a year now and i guess should know better, but here go's anyway, when i've read threads on here about metering, i see terms like "meter from the sky" or "meter from the face" or any other object, now i always thought the metering was done automatically in the camera (thats probably one of the reasons why most of my pics are crap ) so how do you do this and see the meter readings on the camera (mine being the nikon D50), could someone please explain this in very simple terms for me, and also would it be better to have a seperate light meter ? thanks for your help guys

 

[RobertP]

You can choose which part (or all) of the scene the camera measures the light level from by changing the metering mode. Spot metering will check how bright the bit in the middle is and ignore the rest for example - and expose the picture to get just that bit right. Evaluative will average out the whole pictures light level etc.

So if you use say spot (or whatever is nearest mode you have) and point the camera at say a cloud and half press the shutter you can get a reading for exposure. Come away from the cloud and use those exposure settings...and you have exposed for the sky...cloud...whatever.

 

[TG.]

So if you use say spot (or whatever is nearest mode you have) and point the camera at say a cloud and half press the shutter you can get a reading for exposure. Come away from the cloud and use those exposure settings...and you have exposed for the sky...cloud...whatever.

so am i right in thinking this would have to be done in manual mode, so therefore when metering from any specific area like this it can only be done in manual mode ?

 

[natjag]

I always remember that the camera measures a scene as 18% grey, and quite often the metering progams do a good job. However, If your photographing an object against a bright sky the camera will think it's a bright object and reduce the exposure, therefore the picture would be dark, the opposite for dark backgrounds/subject. So I tend to use the exposure compensation button (in aperture or shutter priority).

Remember this with Exposure compensation. 'Bright to the Right'.

Hope that helps a bit more.

 

[CT]

The camera doesn't have to be in Manual Mode. I'm sure your camera will have an Exposure Lock button for just this purpose. Meter on the part of the scene where you want to take your reading from. Now press the Exposure Lock button, recompose your scene and take the shot.

Once you have a good basic understanding of exposure technique a separate meter is invaluable IMO. Not something you should rush into getting at this stage though.