Grand Loc: Lebanon, Pa

When to use matrix, center weight, or spot.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When I used SLRs in the 1970s, my Miranda Sensorex offered the option of center metering. Now that I use DSLRs, from what I recall, they're set to center-weighted. Whatever the setting, I have no complaints about exposure (D750).

Aside from the answers you'll get here, there is lots of info from experts online.

https://photographylife.com/understanding-metering-modes
http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/dslr/basics/18/01.htm
https://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/learning-to-leave-the-matrix-a-tip-on-dslr-light-metering/
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/camera-metering.htm

BebuLamar

Since I got my DSLR the only metering system I've used is matrix. Yes I do use both hand held meter as well as simply guessing at the exposure but I don't think I actually ever used center weighted or spot on my camera except to check it out for accuracy.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

On my Canon T4i =Partial, sort of a large spot metering I believe, Bob.

Grand Loc: Lebanon, Pa

Thank you all for the info.

Bugfan Loc: Toronto, Canada

I do mostly macro so I'm obsessed with the light value of a tiny thing. As a result most of my metering is spot metering. That allows me to get a precise value of just my subject. Sometimes the subject is a bit more complicated, containing differing light levels, for that I use centre averaging, that allows me to get an average value that usually works. And once in a while I do something like a landscape where there are many different light levels. For that thee's the matrx metering.

In the case of each meter I choose according to what I need to meter. And some times I overlap the metering circle with differeing brightnesses to allow the meter to average the value.

However all of this is measuring reflected light. Sometimes my interest is incident light and for that I use a hand held meter instead. Mine has a spot metering function for reflected light as well as full frame meter for incident light which I find very useful too. That meter also allows me to take eight different light readings and have the meter average them into a single value which is especially useful in the case of complicated lighting situations.

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

Matrix works pretty well with subjects with average contrast.
Spot is for high contrast subjects, strong back or side lighting. You need to understand how to use the zone system to get your best results.
I never use center weighted.

Larry L56 Loc: NE Ohio

Lets not forget manual metering. I use this for flying birds a lot since once you establish the right setting you can forget it. So when a bird or plane say in an air show, is flying by with different backgrounds changing, your subject always gets the right setting without the camera being fooled by the background. Only if clouds come in going back and forth from sun to clouds do you have to change things. My first setting to set the camera up would be metering the grass or a green tree getting the full light. In these situations with ever changing bright backgrounds, the auto settings never work as well for me.

(Download)

Leitz Loc: Solms

The question concerns metering area , which of course has nothing whatsoever to do with the metering mode! Not sure what your picture is supposed to illustrate.

Bugfan Loc: Toronto, Canada

Actually I'm not sure now what to think. I read the question as a plea for explaining the three metering modes and that's what most people are doing. As to the metering area, obviously the mode determines the area that is metered but it's not that simple, after selecting a meter the actual resulting image depends on the specific area you aim at with the meter when it's centre averaging or spot. With matrix it's not as critical. The question seems to be when to use the three different modes. Some go a little beyond that to include tips on the area that needs to be considered when selecting a metering mode.

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

Center weighting for isolated subjects like portraits.
Spot meter for specific areas of subject.
Matrix/averaging works most everything else.

Leitz Loc: Solms

My reply to Larry L56 probably muddled things up a bit. His "manual metering" suggests manual exposure to me, and that's what I should have said has nothing to do with the metering mode. Thank you for your comment. My apologies.

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

Don't worry, just shoot RAW, Blah, Blah, you can fix anything in RAW.

Grand Loc: Lebanon, Pa

Blah blah, I don't shoot raw...

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Most camera manuals explain it better and in more detail than you will find here. Also you can google it and get a better explanation than you will get here. That said I have a D500 and my default is Matrix, I have two other buttons on the camera set for center and one for spot. I use them according to the manual.