----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: April 25, 2001 9:35 AM
Subject: Re: Spot Metering Question
> I want to thank the group for some good responces on spot
metering. My next
> question would be how do you determine a gray equivilent?
Would a red be the
> same as black? Would a light blue be medium gray? Please
excuse my lack of
> knowledge, I just want to fine tune my skills!
Thanks......Craig
Unfortunately, no. With a few exceptions (in camera spot meters
are not one of them) light meters are not colour blind. For
example, my beloved LX's (all three) share a particularly
disturbing trait. The meters are exceptionally sensitive to
yellow, and if yellow predominates in the scene, it will
underexpose the film. Note this is after taking the film
manufacturers speed loss into consideration.
Here is how you can check your meter.
Load a roll of real black and white film (Tri-X, FP-4, etc) into
your camera. Now, go out and photograph colours. Fill the frame
completely with them. Use the same lens and leave the lens at
infinity focus, you are not looking for detail anyway. Use the
light meters reccomended settings. Point the camera at the north
sky on a clear day and make an exposure. Point it at a red barn
and do the same thing. Do you have a big green bath towel?
Photograph it. Try this experiment with at least a dozen
different colours.
When you process the film, look at the densities of the
negatives. If they are all the same, your meter is colour
neutral. More likely, the densities of the negatives will be all
over the place.
If you have access to a densitometer (most good photolabs have
one), you can repeat the test with colour negative film. Get
your friendly lab tech to read the visual (colour integrated)
negative densities.
William Robb
>
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