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Re: [OM] OM-2S Meter Question

Subject: Re: [OM] OM-2S Meter Question
From: gma <gma@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 08:30:57 -0800
Dr Peter Gilbert wrote:

> snip
>
> >This is actually much easier with the 4Ti, as
> >it can save the high/low readings on the bar graph.  With the 2S, you
> >have to remember them. This method lends itself well to the 'Zone'
> >system. I've got a 2 or 3 paragraph description of how I use the 4Ti for
> >zone system I could send if you like.
> >
> >Hope this helps.
> >
> >george
> >
>
> The group may be interested in the description of using 4Ti and the Zone
> system - I know I would!
>
> If it isn't too much trouble, would you mind posting the description to the
> list George?
>
> thanx
>
> peter
>

Sure, here it is, and I hope it makes sense.

Before I bought a used Pentax Digital Spotmeter, for a couple of years I used
my
Olympus OM-4T with a 65-200mm lens as my meter for my 4x5 camera.  At the time,
I was trying to learn to use the 4x5 and trying to learn the Zone system as
well. I found that the built-in spotmeter of the 4T was perfectly adapted to
this application and using it was a big factor in my understanding of the zone
system.   Here's how and why:

The 4Ts' spotmeter doesn't just take one reading.  It can store (and
average) up to 8 readings.  Each time you point the central spot at an
area and press the spot button, a reading is stored in memory AND a
little arrow appears in the viewfinder.  The arrow represents the correct
(Zone 5)
exposure for that spot reading. The meter display looks something like
this:

        2000 1000 500 250 125 60 30 15 8 4 2 1
        -------------------------------------------------
                        ^
This camera is aperture-priority so the arrow obviously represents the
shutter speed for that aperture at that spot at the set ASA. (In the real
display,
there are three 'dashes' per shutter speed, so the resolution is in 1/3
stop)

Now, the reason this helped me is that I visualised each arrow as
representing a 'zone'. This works cause a zone represents an Exposure Value
(EV), as does the arrow Then each third dash on the bargraph represents a
difference of one EV or one zone.

So, what I would do is point the spotmeter at the brightest area I
wanted detail in, take a spot reading, then point it at the darkest area I
wanted shadow detail in and take another spot reading. The viewfinder would
then look something like this:

        2000 1000 500 250 125 60 30 15 8 4 2 1
        -------------------------------------------------
                   ^                  ^              ^
            (bright        average        dark)

Right away, this tells me three things:
        1) The contrast, or dynamic, range of the scene in zones or EV (here,6)

        2) The 'averaged exposure' for the scene, represented by the middle
arrow, which the 4T auto-calculates and places in the viewfinder after
each spot reading.
(NOTE: In case this doesn't translate right to your screen, there should be
an arrow under 1000, 125 and 15)
        3) Whether this scene will 'fit' on the dynamic range of the film
I'm using ( for example, slide film has a dynamic range of only about 5
EVs, so in this scene, I know I'll need to sacrifice hilite or shadow
detail, or even change E-6 development!)

The middle arrow now actually represents zone 5.  So I know that if I
use the averaged exposure (1/125 at the set aperture), I'll be dealing with
Zones 2 thru 8 in the negative.  Now I can decide if I want to bias the
exposure up or down a
little and what development I will want to use.  In a case like this,
I might give 1/2 stop more exposure (to raise the shadow detail to
zone 2.5) and give N-1 development (to then drop the highlight detail
back down to 7.5 from the 8.5 it would be at due to the 1/2 stop
additional exposure.)

Since I've had the Pentax Digital Spot , I've learned
how to use it in a similar way, but the 4T was easier and quicker.
Biggest reasons to switch to PDS of course were weight and the increased
pointing accuracy of 1 degree meter, but I do miss that multi-spot meter.

PS: I use the PDS the same way I recommended the 2S be used.

george




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