Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version nyu B notes v1.5 12/10/84; site acf4.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!acf4!hkr4627
From: hkr4627@acf4.UUCP (Hedley K. J. Rainnie)
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: In-Camera meters
Message-ID: <2720002@acf4.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 19-Feb-85 23:35:00 EST
Article-I.D.: acf4.2720002
Posted: Tue Feb 19 23:35:00 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 24-Feb-85 01:58:35 EST
Organization: New York University
Lines: 37

An opinion about automatic cameras:
    
I bought a Nikon FG some time ago and blasted happily away on Program Mode 
for several rolls of film.  After this, I realized that program mode (as
well as aperture and shutter and whatever) is good for snapshots but little
else.  The pictures that automatic cameras will screw up on are usually
those which are interesting--typically because of unusual lighting.  The FG
also has TTL (through the lens) flash with the SB16B flash.  This screws up
more or less like program mode despite the fact that the SB16 is a great
strobe.  

The real problem behind both is that through the lens metering is inherently
innacurate.  The camera will select different exposures for a subject wearing
a white blouse and one wearing a black blouse.  In the first case, the face
will probably be underexposed and overexposed in the latter case.  

The reason behind this is that exposure should vary according to light, not
reflectivity of the subject.  What one should measure is the light falling 
on the subject rather than the light being reflected.  So skip the in
Camera meter and use an incident light meter.  My Sekonic 518 Digipro also
measures flash.  All of my pictures are now taken on full manual and there
has never been one bad exposure.

One bad thing is that you now depend on the aperture markings on the lens.
On variable aperture zoom, or some macro lenses, you will never know for
sure what the aperture is.  Filters also present a problem.

Rei Shinozuka
ihnp4!cmcl2!acf4!hkr4627

"The best camera is an FM2 without a battery.  "

p.s. The Sekonic really eats through batteries
p.p.s. The only rotten thing about the FM is that shutter speeds do not change
     smoothly, unlike the FG.