Metering Options

Most cameras come with three metering options—Matrix (evaluative), Centre Weighted and Spot. Matrix is useful in most cases, especially in even lighting. Centre weighted is useful when your main subject is at the centre of the frame and the area around has a very big difference in lighting. Spot metering comes handy if you need a particular spot in your images to be correctly exposed. This is very useful in situations where there is a very wide difference in the lighting conditions and contrast. For example, if you need to take a portrait with the sun showing in the frame, the other two metering methods can underexpose the subject. Here, the best option would be to spot meter off the subject’s face and shoot.

I like the spot metering option better than any other because of the flexibility it offers. It allows you to meter from the exact point you want perfectly exposed. In this photograph, I spot metered off the sky to get it perfectly exposed. In all other frames, the sky got over exposed with the gate not visible at all.