[januko]

Like the thread title, is it possible to do spot metering with manual focus lenses? Would love to hear some explanations. Sorry if this is a dumb question. Thanks!

[victormeldrew]

Yes. Because the focus mechanism and exposure metering are separate things...

[januko]

So during the film days, am I right that film shooters are spot metering or do spot metering?

[paulh]

IIRC, only the A lenses allow spot metering. M and K series lenses default to center weighted metering. Is this correct?

[victormeldrew]

So during the film days, am I right that film shooters are spot metering or do spot metering?

Well, complex weighted or intelligent metering modes are fairly new and did not exist (AFAIK) pre-digital. If their camera had an inbuilt meter it would have been a fairly simple spot meter. Or they would have more likely used a handheld light meter.

[Parallax]

So during the film days, am I right that film shooters are spot metering or do spot metering?

That depends on the camera they were using. Some cameras had spot metering capability, some did not have built in meters.
Handheld meters were usually either incident light meters (which is the most accurate way to meter), or spot meters.

[acoufap]

IIRC, only the A lenses allow spot metering. M and K series lenses default to center weighted metering. Is this correct?

Quick test - K-1 and K-5 are able to do spot metering using M1.7/50 - I can choose between integral and spot metering, the pictograms are shown in the viewfinder and exposure time changes when changing the mode. So I guess spot metering is possible with M lenses.

[RKKS08]

That depends on the camera they were using. Some cameras had spot metering capability, some did not have built in meters.
Handheld meters were usually either incident light meters (which is the most accurate way to meter), or spot meters.

Spot metering and also matrix metering with Pentax was first available in 1991 (Z10/PZ10); not switchable by the user, but dependend on lens type and exposure mode. With this model, center weighted measurement was not possible.
With later (and more expensive) models of the Z/PZ series there was more flexibility, and the old center weighted method was added ("re-introduced").

I seem to remember the prototype of the Spotmatic introduced spot metering (at Photokina?), but this was skipped with the production model.

EDIT:
It is a long time since I sold my Z10.
But if I remember correctly, with this otherwise P&S like camera you could press a button to access full "M" (or was it Av?) mode for the next shot instead of the standard "P", and this would automatically also force the exposure metering from matrix to spot.

[januko]

So generally with old film cameras, most of them are center-weighted metering, right?

---------- Post added 11-05-16 at 01:45 AM ----------

Quick test - K-1 and K-5 are able to do spot metering using M1.7/50 - I can choose between integral and spot metering, the pictograms are shown in the viewfinder and exposure time changes when changing the mode. So I guess spot metering is possible with M lenses.

That is good to know!

[Murfy]

I asked a similar question a while ago, I don't know if this helps with any additional information
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/301534-link-ae-af-point.html

[januko]

I asked a similar question a while ago, I don't know if this helps with any additional information
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/301534-link-ae-af-point.html

Good read with the forum link you provide. Seems that all DSLRs for that matter is harder to operate when you learn more. Photography basics are just too basic!

[acoufap]

So generally with old film cameras, most of them are center-weighted metering, right?

I don't think that you can generalize this. Today we would say spot metering was an innovation. In the early days film SLR it was simply not invented.

When I bought my Pentax ME super in 1983 only a few high end cameras had the spot metering feature. By example Leica R4, Rolleiflex SL 2000 F and Canon F-1, latter depending on screen. Later on it got more common. Around 1993 I used the Canon EOS 100 that had a bigger spot - mode called selective metering. At the time Pentax Z-1, Olympus OM-4, some Nikons, Minoltas were also able to do spot metering and there were cameras even with matrix metering. The film days also saw their innovations and the cameras developed ... until digital came ...

[stevebrot]

So during the film days, am I right that film shooters are spot metering or do spot metering?

Very few film cameras support spot metering. It is a specialized tool and requires some expertise to use properly.


Steve

[stevebrot]

Handheld meters were usually either incident light meters (which is the most accurate way to meter), or spot meters.

Incident or reflected with most consumer-grade hand-held meters being reflected light only. Spot metering is a subset of reflected and a feature of high-end meters.


Steve

[stevebrot]

So generally with old film cameras, most of them are center-weighted metering, right?

It depends on the camera. Most bodies from the 1980s along with some models from the 1970s feature some form of center-weighting. With a few prominent exceptions, most '60s vintage metered SLRs averaged light across the frame. That being said, even "averaging" meters tended to be somewhat more sensitive at the center.


Steve