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Reading light meter
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Now that I finally upgraded to Canon40D I am coming to terms with all the settings etc on it.What I would like to know what way does the light meter work,does it work automatically or do you have to do your own settings.I am going to a party tommorrow night and will need some advice,its in a pub. so the lighting wont be great I only have a built in flash at the moment.Any advice would be appreciated. :?
I don’t use a Canon but this would be a universal advice. If you’re using the on-board flash and you’re unfamiliar with your camera I’d stick it in automatic and enjoy the night. Lets not worry about settings in a difficult environment as the camera will make all the decisions. People on the night, or those who look at your images afterwards won’t care how it was done so long as they turn out OK.
Alan
I’m with Alan, its better to leave it on automatic, cameras are pretty clever these days and the automatic stuff can do an excellent job in most cases.
One thing that some beginners do find with dslrs is that the camera doesn’t focus well. That is because on automatic everything the camera can pick focus points that you don’t want.
Compact cameras are better at this.If you are in a dark place the lens aperture can be quite wide and therefore your field of good focus can be narrow.
So try to get your main subject in the centre for focussing. The focus dots should light to tell you which one the camera has automatically picked.
I think, but I don’t have this camera (I have 400D), that with half press the focus is locked so you can recompose.Martin
Which ever particular focus dots are lighting is that the part of the picture in focus.
kanazawa wrote:
Which ever particular focus dots are lighting is that the part of the picture in focus.
Exactly… and you can set just some of all focus dots to have a even more accurate focus.
cheers
a.P.S.
the 40d instruction book is really really well done and clear… it saved my life a lot of times!!!!!!!!! Read it :DIs the light meter on the 40d automatic or do you have to adjust it yourself :?:
I think it’s automatic, since I’ve never took care of it……… (now I’d say, I hope it is!)
I can’t think of a camera where you need to adjust the light meter, it’s all set in the factory.
There is a function called “exposure compensation” where, in automatic modes, you can over-ride the meter a bit, giving extra exposure or less exposure as needed in certain circumstances.
I don’t think you’ll need it for the party.Martin
Thanks everyone for your advice,Ill be back shortly no doubth with more questions :D
There’s normally 3 varieties of lightmeter modes in SLRs – Evaluative, centre weighted and spot. Evaluative takes several readings across the complete image and works out the average light reading and uses that for the exposure. Centre weighted is as it says on the tin – it checks an area in the centre of the image and uses that as it assumes you want this area to be the primary area of interest. Spot metering uses 1 small spot at the centre of the image to measure light and uses this to set up the exposure. All have their uses but I’d imagine Automatic will use evaluative. Don’t worry about the other two settings for your party. Besides, the camera will use the light reflected back from your flash to establish the correct exposure…so again nothing to get too tied up about.
Alan.
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