Manual Exposure Setting

[dee]

With my film cameras , I often used to find that I would set an average exposure from a meter reading , then , unless the subject is lighter or darker , or the light drastically changes , just stick to that setting .

I have been doing this with manual lenses on DSLRs [ 'cos it's a pain anyway ] , and , to an extent with the M8 and Kontax [ Contax / Kiev ] film cameras .
Sometimes I feel that the roll / equivalent is more consistent than relying on auto exposure .

Is this usual ?

dee

 

[B.S.]

I like taking 3 readings or, lately, going with my gut (no meter these days) for the three areas-- One for direct sunlight pavement, one for the sky and one for the shade. I set the camera based on the shot I'm taking, what takes up most of the shot, what the focus of the shot is, etc... For indoors I base what I set my exposure to on the difference between the sun lit pavement outdoors and how many stops lower it is indoors. Occasionally I will walk inside, then outside, then back inside, then back outside while second guessing the crud out of myself--
I find this is getting me by pretty well these days.

I get just about the same number of under/overexposed shots as I did when I'd use my camera's light meter. The most accurate I've been has always been with a pocketable light meter, but that's a pain in my opinion.