How to shoot a Canon P without meter

[littlemax]

(This concerns all RF meterless cameras as well 🙂 ) : How do you shoot an RF camera without any form of meter ? Is it possible ? Do some of you do it? any tips ?...

I have experienced playing with an hybrid camera for a few months but not sure I could do that at all..
(and I have a meter for the Canon P but not accurate 😀 ...and dont want to scratch the top plate of my P either ... )

 

[kbg32]

Have you heard of "sunny 16"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_16_rule

Once you get the hang of this and become more experienced, meters become obsolete!

Also, there are exposure guides packaged with film. Those are based on the "sunny 16" method.

 

[Paul T.]

You need the Kodak Exposure Guide. It's great. E even after a single roll, you'll start to remember what you use in sunlight, shadow, inside in low light.

It's been a real boon, personally. Even when I use a metered camera I find it handy, if helps me notice when the meter is giving the wrong reading, if say a dial has been knocked out of position, and I still use those settings when, say, photographing fireworks, which you can't of course easily meter.

www.kodak.com/cluster/global/en/consumer/.../ac61.pdf


Edit: having problems finding the site. PM or email me if you'd like me to email a copy.

 

[Monochrom]

Check this...http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm

 

[froyd]

You need the Kodak Exposure Guide. It's great. E even after a single roll, you'll start to remember what you use in sunlight, shadow, inside in low light.

It's been a real boon, personally. Even when I use a metered camera I find it handy, if helps me notice when the meter is giving the wrong reading, if say a dial has been knocked out of position, and I still use those settings when, say, photographing fireworks, which you can't of course easily meter.

www.kodak.com/cluster/global/en/consumer/.../ac61.pdf


Edit: having problems finding the site. PM or email me if you'd like me to email a copy.

Is this the document you were trying to link? I'd be interested in getting a copy of the exposure guide you reference, if this is not the one you meant.

I collect exposure guides and I'm collating several into one together with reference EV situations that are particularly common in my photography.


Shooting the P without a meter should not be a big problem after you memorize a few common situation, but much depends on you type of photography. Outdoor, under broad light, it's quite easy to manage this way, but in very mixed light (windows + table lamps + plus ceiling spots, etc) it could be tricky, even though in general I know that in the evening I can get decent exposures at around 1/15 - 1/30 f2.8 and 400 film.

 

[littlemax]

I have quickly read the sunny 16 rule. And I will dedicate a full hour to the Fred Parker guide to exposure. Think it will do 🙂
I will do some cheat sheets to carry on with me and will read/learn it when commuting