You can think of spot metering much like manually controlling the camera.
It measures light in a very small "spot" in the center of the viewfinder.
It doesn't take in the entire scene. It requires you, as the photographer,
to make decisions based upon the scene brightness and choose your exposure.
Since it measures a very small area, you can pan around the scene and make
comparative measurements. Armed with that knowledge, you can select the
exposure to meet the effect you are trying to achieve with this image. If
it sounds like a slow process, it generally is. The one scenario where I
can see spot metering be useful in a fast shooting situation is in a
theater. Very typically, spot lights are used so the background can be
quite a different light level than the subjects. Spot metering with some
compensation dialed in would be just the ticket here.
Matrix metering, which the ZX-7 has, is much more like letting the camera be
in control. The viewfinder is divided up into several (6-8) segments and
each is evaluated. The combination is used to decide the exposure. In
practice, the matrix metering is very accurate for normal situations. It's
weakness is that the photographer never really knows how it arrives at the
exposure settings.
My wife and daughter both use ZX-10's (ZX-7 predecessor) which only has the
matrix metering. Their success ratio for exposure is *very* high. They
have never even asked about more control of exposure. They are much more
into composition. The ZX-10 has turned out to be the perfect camera for
both of them.
Hope this explanation helps.
Bruce Dayton
Sacramento, CA
----- Original Message -----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2001 9:40 AM
Subject: Re: Several Pentax Questions
Spot metering on these models is also very useful.
Okay, I'll show my ignorance, can someone explain spot metering?
I do know and understand DOF, so I'm not completely stupid. :)
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