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Re: [OM] Spot Meter reading vs OTF; Ease of 4T

Subject: Re: [OM] Spot Meter reading vs OTF; Ease of 4T
From: Brice1021@xxxxxxx
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 22:20:01 EDT
In a message dated 98-07-31 17:10:05 EDT, you write:

<< >On Fri, 31 Jul 1998, Joel wrote:
 >> Your statement that often a single spot of 18 0ray is enough hits the
nail
 >> on the head. That 18 0ray spot is the Holy Grail in any shot. The camera
 >> cannot decide what is 18 0ray, or more properly, what should be *placed*
 >> at 18 0ray (or Zone V), only the photographer can.
 >
 Then Doris said:
 >  Yet this rule of thumb only works when the other tones in the image
 >can "fall" and the image doesn't suffer for it. Often one has to make
 >compromises at either end of the tonal range/film's characteristics.
 >
 >Then Joel added:
 >Absolutely. I'm not suggesting that there is an empirical or objectively
 >"correct" Zone V value but that the photographer must place that value
 >somewhere in the tonal range by design. It seems like there is always
 >something in the scene that commands accurate placement. Certainly human
 >skin tones;  often clouds, too.  If greens have to be placed in the darker
 >zones, this is somewhat preferable (for me!) to having clouds block out
 >without differentiation, for instance.  
 
 >Thanks for weighing in on this, Doris. As usual, knowledge and experience
 >were never communicated more eloquently.
 
> Joel >>

The thought behind the design of the OM-3/4 metering and the highlight and
shadow buttons has always intrigued me.  (sorry, I'm an engineer so please
allow me to ramble)  Even though I can't find it written anywhere in a manual
or brochure, it looks like the shadow button is -2 2/3 stops and the highlight
is +2 stops.  So that would put the shadows almost in zone 2 and the
highlights in zone 7.  AFAIK this is about the same range that most slide
films are capable of recording.  I'm willing to bet that Olympus took this
textbook example of the zone system to decide what the compensation for the
buttons should be.  As Doris & Joel mentioned, exposure is a matter of
personal experience and preference.  If Oly's preselected compensation suits
your taste then use 'em.  If not you've got average and multispot metering as
alternatives.  Wow, what a camera!...three methods to choose from.  Quite
honestly, I rely mostly on multispot metering or a gray card.  I rarely use
these buttons.


Bill Rice
RLB, Illinois




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