Glen Tortorella wrote: > Thank you Godfrey, et. al... > > Godfrey: when you say that good modern cameras allow for both CW and > multi-segment, do you mean this in terms of a setting (a switch) made > on the camera body? I ask because my ZX-M goes into CW mode when > using an older lens (i.e. an M-series lens). Is this what you had > meant, or were you referring to a body setting? I have not noted a > body setting on my ZX-M for CW metering. I'm not Godfrey, of course, but since he didn't know:
The later and/or high-end AF film bodies have a separate switch for metering mode. On the MZ-5n, which generally has the same controls as the MZ-M/ZX-M, there is an additional thingummy below/around the exposure time dial - similar to the drive mode selector on the other side - that will allow you to switch between multi-segment, center-weighted and spot metering. This is probably not there on your ZX-M. I think the MZ-S, (P)Z-1(p) and Z-5 will also also allow direct selection of metering mode. Certain other cameras will normally select multi-segment or center-weighted based on the lens, but automatically switch to spot metering when you press the "exposure lock" button or the "hyper" button in "hyper-manual" mode. Which makes sense; locking the exposure in multi-segment mode seems rather meaningless, while I rarely use spot-metering without locking the exposure at some point. (To me at least - but I'm sure some of the others who have responded are a lot better at getting good exposures than I am.) - Toralf > I just love the ZX-M-- > especially with the added weight of the battery pack--and I would not > want to have to part with it (in fact, I am thinking of getting > another ZX-M body)...unless it were inhibiting my skill development > in some way. Advice is welcome. > > Thanks again, > Glen > > On Sep 4, 2007, at 11:39 PM, Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote: > > >> Glen Tortorella wrote: >> >>> Is multi-segment metering always better than center-weighted >>> metering? My ZX-M has TTL multi (2)-segment metering, while my Super >>> Program has open aperture, TTL center-weighted metering. From what I >>> know about the matter, multi-segment is more precise, but I thought I >>> would inquire about this, as I am not an expert. >>> >> Multi-segment metering generally is evaluative: camera makes light >> readings of several areas and compares a "signature" of the >> distribution of metered values to some reference signatures, develops >> an exposure setting based on that comparison. >> >> Center-weighted metering is simpler: it is integrating the brightness >> across the whole screen but biasing the center-most area as being >> most important, without regards to individual area measurements. >> >> There are times and reasons for the use of both metering options. If >> you want to use exposure automation to it's fullest capabilities in a >> hands-off manner, multi-segment metering generally does a better job >> since it is looking for scene signatures and trying to do a best fit, >> one way or another. However, exactly what it's doing is sometimes not >> easy to predict. If, on the other hand, you want to meter manually >> and stay in complete control of the exposure setting, CW Averaging is >> simple enough that you can generally understand precisely what the >> meter is doing and make your own judgments as to where to place the >> exposure. >> >> This is why any good modern camera worth using that allows manual >> settings has both .... >> >> Godfrey >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> PDML@pdml.net >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> > > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
