R
ruben
Guest
Yesterday I bought an Euro Master light meter, and since I feel quite tense until I get this legendary instrument, why not killing time by asking some basic questions about classic light metering, after a few words for those unfamiliar with the Weston Master breed.
I have bought it for the easy provision to quickly compensate the average reading, not found (the provision) in either of my two digital sekonics, nor in my older and cumbersome Gossen Sixtar. (And, if I am not wrong, the Master is half the size of my Sekonic L-308, and a third of the spot L-408 !!!!)
The Euro Master, like other Westons has a triangle marking the average reading, and four stops leftwards the fixed triangle an "U". Three stops rightwards the triangle, there is an "O'. Correct me if I am wrong, I understand that this 7 stops scale comes to represent the latitude of classic B&W film, like Tri-X, Ilford HP and others.
Now suppose the meter is in my hand and I go outdoors, in a sun brightly illuminated day. If my memory doesn't fail me, the difference between a brightly illuminated white, under these conditions, and a shadowed black, may reach perhaps an 11 stops gap.
Therefore, according to what I want in my final film image, I have to choose. Either go for the detailed shadowed black and meter it following the "U" (under) readings of the Master, or I pursue a detailed bright subject metering it and aplying the readings of the "O" (over). At each case I will be benefiting my choice at the expense of the other extreme. No councious choice via incident (white dome) reading and I will be harming both extremes. Correct ?
But now I enter my kitchen, poorly illuminated by a fluorescent light and I find that the difference between shadowed blacks and illuminated whites is no more than 4 stops. How do I deal with it having a film of 7 stops latitude ?
And what can I do through exposure choice in order to widen the contrast at the final film image ?
The question becomes more accute, if I recall a few weeks ago making a pic of a young lady seating a meter from me at night , in a poorly illuminated restaurant, with less latitude than at my kitchen !!!
Lastly I want to ask about the 18% average black, which is what any light meter is supposed to indicate, before photographer compensation. Why 18% black and not 50%, why 18% ???
Cheers,
Ruben
I have bought it for the easy provision to quickly compensate the average reading, not found (the provision) in either of my two digital sekonics, nor in my older and cumbersome Gossen Sixtar. (And, if I am not wrong, the Master is half the size of my Sekonic L-308, and a third of the spot L-408 !!!!)
The Euro Master, like other Westons has a triangle marking the average reading, and four stops leftwards the fixed triangle an "U". Three stops rightwards the triangle, there is an "O'. Correct me if I am wrong, I understand that this 7 stops scale comes to represent the latitude of classic B&W film, like Tri-X, Ilford HP and others.
Now suppose the meter is in my hand and I go outdoors, in a sun brightly illuminated day. If my memory doesn't fail me, the difference between a brightly illuminated white, under these conditions, and a shadowed black, may reach perhaps an 11 stops gap.
Therefore, according to what I want in my final film image, I have to choose. Either go for the detailed shadowed black and meter it following the "U" (under) readings of the Master, or I pursue a detailed bright subject metering it and aplying the readings of the "O" (over). At each case I will be benefiting my choice at the expense of the other extreme. No councious choice via incident (white dome) reading and I will be harming both extremes. Correct ?
But now I enter my kitchen, poorly illuminated by a fluorescent light and I find that the difference between shadowed blacks and illuminated whites is no more than 4 stops. How do I deal with it having a film of 7 stops latitude ?
And what can I do through exposure choice in order to widen the contrast at the final film image ?
The question becomes more accute, if I recall a few weeks ago making a pic of a young lady seating a meter from me at night , in a poorly illuminated restaurant, with less latitude than at my kitchen !!!
Lastly I want to ask about the 18% average black, which is what any light meter is supposed to indicate, before photographer compensation. Why 18% black and not 50%, why 18% ???
Cheers,
Ruben
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