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Ok time for me to put a question out there again.

And please remember to use the K.I.S.S theory.

My camera has three choices for metering being Evaluative, Partial or Center-weighted.

I've read the manual, tested out all three and Im still not sure I understand which one to use for what purpose.

Now, you wonderful people are going to help me out right?

Evaluative meters the whole photo and averages the metering throught

center weighted meters the center and averages the rest to the edges

partial is probably like spot metering, it meters a small area like the size of your focus point and doesn't really worry about anything else, this helps when your subject is backlit.

I typically use center weight for most of my shots, alot of debait goes on between the older photographers as they usually liked center weight, but alot of dslrs now have evaluative.

arh late night for me, hope this helps and i hope someone else pitches in with any more info or corrections

Also do a google search, there's pletty of info about these modes

I cant answer for your camera, but mine has Multi-Segment, Centre Weight and Spot metering.
You'll have to refer back to your camera & manual to see how they compare to mine.

Multi-Segment Metering: This is the no brainer metering where the camera decides what to do. Mine has 16 zones that it meters independantly then sets the exposure to what it thinks Im taking a photo of. This has problems if I want to over or under expose the picture because Im not sure which zone it is using at any time to set exposure. I can however link my Auto Focus point and the Auto Exposure point to make this easier, but I use this metering the least.

Centre Weight Metering: This mode is most sensative at the centre and gradually decreases as it gets towards the edge of the frame. It gives you a broad area to meter from in the centre.

Spot metering: Has a small area in the centre which is the only point it measures from. basically pick the point in the frame that you want to set the exposure to, point the centre at it, touch the shutter button and hit the exposure lock button, compose the picture and it will come out exposed correctly for the area you selected.

Now you camera will try and expose the picture in all modes as a middle tone. not everything you want to take a picture of is a middle tone image. I dont know exactly how to explain this bit, but if you point the camera at something white, it will try and make it grey. So you have exposure compensation to adjust the exposure to what you want it to be, not what the camera trys to average it out to.
I only use Exposure compensation in Centre Weight or Spot metering, its a bit hard to get right in Multi-Segment.

Now I dont know what camera you have so all I can say is refer back to the manual and then experiment to see what works for you.

sunnylass, you have not specified which camera body you are using. I assume it is a canon 350D or 400D range?

To answer your question for "which one to use for what purpose", I'm sorry to say that there is no magic rule for this which to use for what, it all depends on what you want to achieve.

Most easy part to understand how each metering mode works is explained above. I guess there is no need to go through them again.

One thing you should know that, cameras are colour blind. They don't see colours. But reflectance of lights. Meters in camera evaluates the scene (depending on mode) and assume the middle between the brightest and darkest tone is to be grey or approx 12-18% reflectance.

Something for you to experiment:

- Go into a room with a window. Under a very bright and sunny day.
- Aim your camera at the window, leaving the walls and other stuff in the room visible.
- Shoot under the 3 metering settings, while keeping the window centred and the rest as a frame around it. What is the difference?
- Now put the window to the side of the frame, do the same thing again, what is the difference?

Experiment 2:
- Use a piece of pure white cardboard or paper, fill the frame with it and take a picture. Is the paper white? Is it properly exposed?
- Use piece of pure black cardboard or paper, fill the frame with it and take a picture. Is the paper black? Is it properly exposed?

Mostly, camera will render both your white and black to be near grey, because it cannot see any other reflectance of lights but those. And this is where exposure compensation comes into play, but that is another lesson...

Key is, experiment, experiment... come back with few sample pictures so we can further assist you in this explanation. It is easier doing it than understanding by reading...

Thank you everyone. I'm going through a 'blank, bimbo' stage with my camera and I realise I need to go right back to basics and learn more.

I will do some practising and see what results I get, and yes I have a Canon 400D.

Sunnylass said:

Thank you everyone. I'm going through a 'blank, bimbo' stage with my camera and I realise I need to go right back to basics and learn more.

Thank Heavens I'm not the only one!

 LOL no Bluebell you're not the only one. I had a stage where I was managing to get really nice results. And now I'm back to arrrrrrrrrgh.

........and there I was thinking It was Alzheimer's!

Bluebell wrote:........and there I was thinking It was Alzheimer's!

I am blonde, so maybe its permanent alzheimers?