[stevebrot]

On which camera?

I do this on my K-3.


Steve

[Lowell Goudge]

There is lots of good information above, but there is one bit that I did not see that is part of my routine. I have found that stop-down metering is more consistent and accurate in live view than when using the optical viewfinder. With camera in M mode, I meter the subject in live view and switch back to the optical viewfinder for actual shooting. Those settings should remain good until either the light or the subject changes.


Steve

The other way is to use the histogram in M Mode, and shoot a tree trunk, pathway or anything else you consider to be about 18% grey and adjust settings until the histogram peaks in the middle. Then leave these settings until light changes.

I used to shoot in manual a lot with my PZ-1 and always metered off trees with spot metering

[DWS1]

The other way is to use the histogram in M Mode, and shoot a tree trunk, pathway or anything else you consider to be about 18% grey and adjust settings until the histogram peaks in the middle. Then leave these settings until light changes.

I used to shoot in manual a lot with my PZ-1 and always metered off trees with spot metering

Depends on the type of tree. A white birch will meter quite differently than a black locust.

[Cerebum]

There is lots of good information above, but there is one bit that I did not see that is part of my routine. I have found that stop-down metering is more consistent and accurate in live view than when using the optical viewfinder. With camera in M mode, I meter the subject in live view and switch back to the optical viewfinder for actual shooting. Those settings should remain good until either the light or the subject changes.


Steve

This is a very simple way of metering that never occurred to me. I am planning to sic my Tak 100mm macro next month. Guess how I will be metering. thanks Steve

[Lowell Goudge]

The other way is to use the histogram in M Mode, and shoot a tree trunk, pathway or anything else you consider to be about 18% grey and adjust settings until the histogram peaks in the middle. Then leave these settings until light changes.

I used to shoot in manual a lot with my PZ-1 and always metered off trees with spot metering

Depends on the type of tree. A white birch will meter quite differently than a black locust.

You will note i said explicitly “or anything else you consider to be about 18% grey”

I don’t know about you, but I don’t consider white birch as grey. I assume, perhaps wrongly that people who are doing manual metering know exactly what they want to be in the middle of the histogram

[pres589]

I prefer to use the DoF stop-down function on my K-5 II when using K/M glass, 'meter the scene', and go from there. Also an excellent time to shoot RAW and under-ISO the settings a touch then push as needed in post. Green button works pretty well but sometimes the settings will bounce around when pressed multiple times for a scene that is largely unchanging (I haven't moved, lighting isn't changing that I can tell, etc) which gives me some doubt as to how well that method is going to work. Shooting in RAW it can largely be corrected if there really is an issue but I prefer to do that above.