Skopperl Loc: Coral Springs FL

Hi All,
I've been a Nikon user for many years since the 1965 Nikkormat days. I take a camera with me often and love to take vacations so I can add to my collection.
I am currently using a D 7100 and D 5300 and usually bring along a P900. My question is, when just generally shooting do you recommend center weight or Matrix metering? If matrix do you set it to capture all 51 points? I use spot metering when I try to shot wildlife, but when I'm just walking and shooting I switch between the other two. I use matrix for landscapes. When do you hogs use each? Any advice??? Thanks

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I use Matrix for snapshots with my D7000. Sometimes I might change the number of points but then that requires thinking ahead and planning which isn't my idea of a true snapshot. Others might argue with that idea.

advocate1982

I never take it out of spot metering mode.

jederick Loc: Northern Utah

Depends on what camera I'm using. For landscapes, cityscapes etc. I most always use Matrix on both the D7200 and A6000. For birds and wildlife with the D7200 I use spot metering. For my never without camera, a Sony RX100M2, I just leave it on auto for grab shots. Guess I follow the same pattern as you.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Matrix works for me.

DavidJon Loc: Ada, Oklahoma

I use matrix probably 90% of the time. Occasionally I’ll use spot metering in difficult lighting situations. For sunrise, sunset and dim light photos I always use center-weighted metering because of the way matrix metering under exposes the dark areas for balance.

Skopperl Loc: Coral Springs FL

Thanks all.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

Matrix mostly, Spot for specific conditions that obviously will have a wrong light measurement if Matrixed. Experience helps decide.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Matrix and the Histogram... Exposure compensation to achieve desired setting...
Or if in a complex venue and high stress environment where the is no time to think will use Exposure Bracketing (Three shots: 0.7 under, Matrix 0.0, 0.7 over) in Continuous High speed release mode. Pretty much assures a workable capture...

Learning how to precisely read your particular camera's Histogram characteristics is likely one of the most important skills you can bring to the image equation (in my humble estimation).

Oh, I shoot RAW without exception... which more than doubles your ability to nail a critical capture...
And if the illumination is absolutely crazy I'll shoot a 5 frame Exposure Bracket and sort it out in Photomatix Pro (HDR) which can recover nearly any challenge... https://www.hdrsoft.com/

Hope this helps Skopperl
I wish you well on your journey...

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I would say that 99.9% of my photos are spot metered. Even when walking around. I'll spot meter something, determine the exposure and then I'm set. As long as the lighting doesn't change, no need to change exposure. If I'm street shooting, I'll generally not even meter. Just set the camera to f/11 and 1/250 sec. tape the focus ring to the hyper focal point and, essentially convert my camera to a point and shoot.

If I'm going to take a photograph that is going to allow me the luxury of metering, composing, etc., it's going to be spot metered.
--Bob

MtnMan Loc: ID

Similar to your choices. One nice thing about Nikon spot metering is that it follows the focus point.

Jim Bob

Depends on the lighting.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I recommend whatever works for you best.

I Rarely take my meter off spot, and about 70% of the time I use manual metering. If you are fully leveraging the advantages of spot metering, you can use it for all of your shooting. Instead of allowing the camera to "read" the scene with landscapes, then decide exposure based on a predetermined and not user accessible threshold for overexposure, I prefer to read the highlights with the spot meter then adjust my camera accordingly.

It has nothing to do with the light, and everything to do with the light. But the decision to use one mode or another involves subject matter, familiarity with your camera and how it reacts to different scenarios, and what your tolerance for overexposure is, whether your not you record raw files, and lastly your creative intent. When you shoot raw you have more dynamic range headroom with the highlights and greater dynamic range overall.

If you haven't looked into the Zone System, it may help to answer some of your questions.

http://clickitupanotch.com/2013/01/zone-system-the-basics/
https://www.outdoorphotographer.com/tips-techniques/nature-landscapes/the-digital-zone-system/
http://www.alanrossphotography.com/category/tech/zonesystemandmetering/

As you can see, particularly for landscape, familiarity with the Zone System can help you make better exposures.

As far as the number of points - that really only applies to focusing, not metering. What you can do is activate your camera's setting to lock exposure on shutter half press, and use back button focus. This way you can meter and achieve focus with the back button, then use the shutter button and the center focus area to read and lock the exposure. Or you can program another button to do this.

Here is a quick one-pager on how metering systems work on Nikons, most of which you probably already know.

https://photographylife.com/understanding-metering-modes/

Unless your cameras provide multi-spot metering, or will let you use spot metering to meter anything the scene and override your camera setting if there is significant overexposure in the rest of the scene, spot metering can be the best alternative for most if not all of your shooting needs.

Hope this answers your questions.

Skopperl Loc: Coral Springs FL

Thanks, I appreciate your thoughtful answer. It's a big learning curve.

Jim Bob

I am curious as to how metering can have nothing to do with light and everything to do with light. That sounds like utter nonsense. What is metering measuring if not light?