Indecisive Meter

[sonwolf]

While shooting in manual mode, the R-D1's light meter commonly suggests two different shutter speeds for the same aperture setting, depending on which direction the aperture ring is being turned. Though this phenomenon occurs rarely on other cameras I own, I regularly face this exposure conundrum on the R-D1.

Besides comparing the R-D1's meter readings to a Sunny 16 scale, how do you choose the proper exposure in this situation? I am especially interested if anyone has a logical system for choosing the brighter or darker exposure.

Before anyone asks, I adjust exposure based on the image's overall tonality and the dominant tones in the weighted meter area.

 

[Crane]

RD-1 Manual Metering

RD-1 Manual Metering

Apart from my long-lamented OM bodies, of last century, the RD-1 has proved to be the only camera I trust to give me consistently-appropriate automatic exposures. I note, though, the indecisive readouts in the RD-1's manual mode. When this occurs, I simply favour either the highlight or the shadow detail, depending on the content of the scene, and interpret the readout accordingly (Obviously, a shorter indicated shutter speed will tend to preserve highlights, while the longer indicated speed would tend to favour shadow detail.)

I am confident in overexposing by a stop, usually, since I have begun to use the RD-1 for so-called "Lifestyle" shots, where colour, wide-apertures and burned-out highlights contribute to the look. Adobe Lightroom makes a very good job of recovering highlight detail, if required. I do try to avoid underexposure with the RD-1, especially at higher ISO settings, because of the negative impact this has on image noise. With good exposure technique, I have found, as others have, that this camera is as useful at 800 as it is at 200 ISO.

Overall, my approach is to set my RD-1 bodies on automatic, and to use their exposure compensation dials intelligently, according to the tonal requirements of the shot. As it is, several of my lenses require positive compensation in use, and so the dial is very rarely set to 0.

I tend not to use a handheld meter with the RD-1, as this removes some of the spontaneity from a rangefinder shoot. When I do use a separate meter, I take incident readings and, again, interpret these according to the key tones of the given scene.

Regards,
Crane

 

[gtoffoli]

I choose over-exposed because in this way I get more details in the high lights, The diagram levels of the img tends to move to the right with an over-exposure and to the left with a sub exposure.

I think the ligth-meter of R-D1 tends to over-estimate the light

sorry for my bad english..

Bye from Italy

 

[mn4367]

Apart from my long-lamented OM bodies, of last century, the RD-1 has proved to be the only camera I trust to give me consistently-appropriate automatic exposures. I note, though, the indecisive readouts in the RD-1's manual mode. When this occurs, I simply favour either the highlight or the shadow detail, depending on the content of the scene, and interpret the readout accordingly (Obviously, a shorter indicated shutter speed will tend to preserve highlights, while the longer indicated speed would tend to favour shadow detail.)

I am confident in overexposing by a stop, usually, since I have begun to use the RD-1 for so-called "Lifestyle" shots, where colour, wide-apertures and burned-out highlights contribute to the look. Adobe Lightroom makes a very good job of recovering highlight detail, if required. I do try to avoid underexposure with the RD-1, especially at higher ISO settings, because of the negative impact this has on image noise. With good exposure technique, I have found, as others have, that this camera is as useful at 800 as it is at 200 ISO.

Overall, my approach is to set my RD-1 bodies on automatic, and to use their exposure compensation dials intelligently, according to the tonal requirements of the shot. As it is, several of my lenses require positive compensation in use, and so the dial is very rarely set to 0.

I tend not to use a handheld meter with the RD-1, as this removes some of the spontaneity from a rangefinder shoot. When I do use a separate meter, I take incident readings and, again, interpret these according to the key tones of the given scene.

Regards,
Crane

Very well explained!
That's also my way of using the meter. My impression is that in most cases I get better results using AE with +1/3 or +2/3. High ISO underexposed images with the R-D1 are very difficult to correct in any RAW conveter I used. Correct or slightly "overexposed" high ISO images instead are really beautiful with the R-D1. In my opinion a real strength of this camera.

 

[sonwolf]

Apart from my long-lamented OM bodies, of last century, the RD-1 has proved to be the only camera I trust to give me consistently-appropriate automatic exposures. I note, though, the indecisive readouts in the RD-1's manual mode. When this occurs, I simply favour either the highlight or the shadow detail, depending on the content of the scene, and interpret the readout accordingly (Obviously, a shorter indicated shutter speed will tend to preserve highlights, while the longer indicated speed would tend to favour shadow detail.)

Basically, I have been using the same method. I ask myself if I should bet the highlights or the shadows, depending on how prominent and important the highlights are in the image. I asked my original question to see if anyone had a different, more conceptual approach to this exposure conundrum.

The most frustrating aspect of the inconsistent meter reading is the effect on exposure compensation. Like most photographers, I use the camera’s basic exposure reading as the base line for exposure adjustment. Where I experience trouble is in determining overexposure compensation. Depending on which direction the aperture ring is turned, the camera’s definition of overexposure will vary by ½ stop, many times leading to greater compensation than desired. Sometimes, I just take a handheld incident reading and ignore the camera meter.

Many on this forum advocate aperture priority mode with suitable compensation. I sometimes use this method but have had disappointments while using it. With manual mode, I can set the right exposure for the situation and then snap multiple frames without worry, including alternating between landscape and portrait orientation. In aperture priority, a small composition adjustment can alter exposure. Because of the offset center weighted metering, changing camera orientation can cause significant shifts in exposure. I live in a very sunny, high contrast environment. A bright piece of sidewalk in the weighted meter area can distort the camera’s exposure calculation. Having to constantly monitor and adjust for the weighted area, I find headache inducing in quick fluid shooting situations.