A metering question: If I set my camera to manual mode and never changed anything in the triangle, but took 3 shots virtually at the same time while sitting on a tripod. 1 set at spot...

dyximan

If I set my camera to manual mode and never changed anything in the triangle, but took 3 shots virtually at the same time while sitting on a tripod. 1 set at spot metering, 1 set at center weighed metering, and 1 set for the average weighted metering, regardless of the metering would the photo be identical, RGB, Dynamic Range, etc?

BebuLamar

Yes! They will be all are the same because the meter would tell you to change the settings but since you ignore it and keep the settings the same so you would have the same pictures.

dyximan

Thats what I thought Thank you

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

dyximan wrote:

If I set my camera to manual mode and never changed anything in the triangle, but took 3 shots virtually at the same time while sitting on a tripod. 1 set at spot metering, 1 set at center weighed metering, and 1 set for the average weighted metering, regardless of the metering would the photo be identical, RGB, Dynamic Range, etc?

Obviously not, you'll have three different meter readings, how can they be identical?

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Yes and no. If all points were aimed at the same brightness such as the clear sky then almost certainly they would be the same. But if the points hit different areas such as clear sky and shadowed forest then things begin to change. You have to remember that the meter has no idea or concept of the scene in total, all it knows is brightness levels whether from a single point (center weighted) to multiple points and then it averages each point. The meter makes a recommendation to give you 18% grey but if the scene in total does not average out to 18% grey then your photo will be over or under exposed. Kodak and many other companies discovered that the vast majority of consumer shots did indeed average out to 18% grey and that is how they arrived at the meter settings. As an accomplished or at least in the know photographer, it is up to you to take the meters recommendation and determine if the scene falls into the 18% grey standard and then adjust accordingly.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

dyximan wrote:

If I set my camera to manual mode and never changed anything in the triangle, but took 3 shots virtually at the same time while sitting on a tripod. 1 set at spot metering, 1 set at center weighed metering, and 1 set for the average weighted metering, regardless of the metering would the photo be identical, RGB, Dynamic Range, etc?

Yes, if you are photographing an 18% gray reference test card, they should be reasonably identical (within mechanical tolerances). Otherwise, results will depend upon what the active metering area "sees" or "reads" in the scene. It is entirely possible that a particular scene, metered blindly in those three different ways, would result in three different exposures. Now, if you adjusted the metering technique properly for each metering mode, the exposures should be similar.

Many of us old timers, when working in an area that is evenly lit with an unchanging, constant light source, will switch to manual mode, make a meter reading and custom white balance, and use that exposure for everything we photograph until we leave.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

dyximan wrote:

If I set my camera to manual mode and never changed anything in the triangle, but took 3 shots virtually at the same time while sitting on a tripod. 1 set at spot metering, 1 set at center weighed metering, and 1 set for the average weighted metering, regardless of the metering would the photo be identical, RGB, Dynamic Range, etc?

Do this and post, will be fun to see the results, especially since there are divergent opinions.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

BebuLamar wrote:

Yes! They will be all are the same because the meter would tell you to change the settings but since you ignore it and keep the settings the same so you would have the same pictures.

You must have understood the question! (The only one so far).

dyximan

via the lens wrote:

Do this and post, will be fun to see the results, especially since there are divergent opinions.

You can see there are divergent opinions already. But again my question is basically to not change anything on the camera other than the metering mode within whatever time it would take to change that mode one second each? And take three identical photos. And does the metering mode have any influence on the outcome of the 3 identical photos. And is your answer based on technical data physical laws etc. or your personal opinion.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

via the lens wrote:

Do this and post, will be fun to see the results, especially since there are divergent opinions.

Nah! It’s more fun reading those “opinions!”

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

RWR wrote:

You must have understood the question! (The only one so far).

Seems pretty obvious. Were you really in doubt?

Andy

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

AndyH wrote:

Seems pretty obvious. Were you really in doubt?

Andy

Nope. I’ve been wide awake since 3 o’clock.

BebuLamar

burkphoto wrote:

Yes, if you are photographing an 18% gray referenc... (show quote)

While you did not really answer the OP question I have an observation about the 3 metering modes of my Nikon Df and F5. If I fill the frame with an 18% gray card on my F5 the matrix and center weighted give the same reading but the spot meter is about 1/3 lower. On my Df the matrix gives about 1/3 lower than the other 2. Damn Nikon didn't calibrate my cameras correctly.

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

dyximan wrote:

If I set my camera to manual mode and never changed anything in the triangle, but took 3 shots virtually at the same time while sitting on a tripod. 1 set at spot metering, 1 set at center weighed metering, and 1 set for the average weighted metering, regardless of the metering would the photo be identical, RGB, Dynamic Range, etc?

If I understand correctly you are setting the exposure manually, and not changing anything.

So what is it exactly that you were after, other than a good laugh?

Bebu, speters, big-guy, old-timer - I mean Bill Burktholder, via the lens - you all fell for it, so the joke's on you!

ChristianHJensen

This is quite entertaining - a lot of peeps thinking that the metering system has ANY influence when iso, shutter speed and aperture are locked in manually.....................................................................