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Re: [OM] Incident Light metering

Subject: Re: [OM] Incident Light metering
From: Dawid Loubser <dawidl@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 13:11:35 +0200
Andrew,

I agree, "always" is usually dangerous. Let me qualify
my statement: I still maintain that incident metering is
*always* more *accurate*.

If the jean is black, it will be rendered as black. If the
jean is white, it will be rendered as white.

If your capture medium has adequate dynamic range, it will
capture both the extent that is necessary to accurately render
their likeness.

In the same light, an incident meter will cause you to
photograph two "white" jeans with slightly different brightness
levels such that those differences are recorded precisely.
No reflected meter will ever do that, you will have to lock
exposure, or spot meter a different area, or whatever (both
of which works, BTW). But my point is, the incident meter is
the only one that will give you a measured, accurate indication.
It's fool-proof, the only fooling around necessary is when your
capture medium is not capable of recording an extreme.

Of course, if you wish to portray the photographed item
different to what it really is, then you have to apply
exposure compensation either way.

The nice thing with incident metering, however, is that you
can decide to render it "one stop brighter than what it really is",
versus "one stop brighter than how my reflected-light-meter
interpreted it compared to 18% grey".

Of course, both incident and reflected light meters are calibrated
for objects with "average" reflectance, so when it comes to
photographing shiny chrome balls or black velvet, you may have to
apply compensation either way.

All I'm saying, is that incident gives you an accurate (measured)
base to start from, not an interpreted one.

This is one of those arguments similar to film vs digital though,
everybody is comfortable with their own workflow / photographic
process, and that's what makes us all produce (hopefully)
unique pictures!

p.s. Wow, those were some seriously expensive jeans, some people
are "into" the weirdest things. You can buy some amazing OM
glass for $750 :-)

all the best,
Dawid


On 13 May 2010, at 12:04 PM, Andrew Fildes wrote:

> Be careful how you use the word 'always'!
> I had a job yesterday shooting clothing - expensive designer jeans -
> about 35 pairs ranging from around $300-750 (who would pay THAT for
> jeans?)
> Switching from black jeans to white (twice) and back an incident
> reading would have been a problem as they reflect very different
> amounts of light. I had to hold all detail in both. I needed trial and
> error in manual, moving up and down the aperture scale with especial
> reference to the blown highlight indicator on the display review.
> Some days I give thanks for digital, and Lightroom.
> Andrew Fildes
> afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
> On 13/05/2010, at 6:07 PM, Dawid Loubser wrote:
>
>> But when it comes to accuracy, a reflected-light meter is denied
>> the simple fact of "how much light is there, actually?". I maintain
>> that an incident light meter will always be more accurate to capture
>> the chosen subject correctly (of course, provided you can actually
>> meter
>> the light, i.e. that it's not distant).
>
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