People's camera settings

[Aussie Dave]

Just thought it would be interesting to see what settings people use the most....so we all have some idea on what everyone else is doing...

Perhaps we can answer the following questions: (my answers are included)

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 5%
Centre-Weighted - 85%
Spot - 10%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

If anyone can think of any other questions that may prove interesting, please add them.

Looking forward to reading your responses.....

EDIT:
I shall endevour to collate these results, then I guess we can all discuss why we use the settings we use.....or why not. Should make for some interesting discussion.

I might give it a day or two, so most people get a chance to read the post and reply with their settings preferences.....

I'm hoping that we can all learn a bit from each other with this exercise, and perhaps even try something different to see if we can use certain functions to our advantage. I'm sure there's quite a few of us that get stuck into using the same old settings, and can't be bothered changing....or don't know how other functions can help us out....

Very interesting reading thus far though.....

Great to see so many responses.

[Heath Bennett]

Great idea for a post Dave. A little time consuming though - late for work!!!

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 100%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 0%

With EV tweaking and knowing how the D70's monitor displays exposure, accurate results can be made. If in doubt an 18% grey card can be handy.

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 80%
NEF+JPEG - 20%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

probably should put some time into this area, could be a real time saver

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

I find the histogram to be fairly inaccurate as it only shows the green channel. This is a great positive of the D2x, which shows each channel.

[leek]

This should be interesting:
1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 90%
Centre-Weighted - 5%
Spot - 5%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority| Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually 90% | Set to Auto 10%

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

but I probably should...

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

[mudder]

G'day,
1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 70%
Centre-Weighted - 20%
Spot - 10%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority| Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually 100% | Set to Auto 0%

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

I have one loaded but use RAW. Can apply if need be but don't think I've ever applied it during PP...

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

[Link]

Interesting post...

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 85%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 15%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 0%
NEF+JPEG - 80%
JPEG - 20%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

Link.

[hangdog]

Good topic, it's got me thinking about what I should be doing, that I'm not doing.

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 95%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 5%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 0%
NEF+JPEG - 1%
JPEG - 99%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

[shutterbug]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 95%
Spot - 5%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
P (professional) mode (1)
Aperture Priority (2)
Shutter Priority (2)
Manual (2)

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
On Occasion

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
JPEG - 100%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
On Occasion

What percentage do you chimp?
90%

[PiroStitch]

Great topic!

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 1%
Centre-Weighted - 98%
Spot - 1%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

[phillipb]

Interesting post, but who's going to collate the results?

Here's my stats.

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 100%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 0%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) -99%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 1%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

[Frankenstein]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 100%
Centre-Weighted - 0
Spot - 0

I'd be interested to find out why people choose one metering mode over another. I choose matrix because I assume it's going to be the best, most of the time


2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100% (now!)
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

Good discussion Dave.

Frank

[johnd]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 90%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 10%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 0%
NEF+JPEG - 100%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never (only because I forget)

[Atorie]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 10%
Centre-Weighted - 80%
Spot - 10%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) -0%
NEF+JPEG - 100%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

[big pix]

Being a touch old ....... I use my D70 as a manual camera and bracket my images, but always in Raw, and metering on matrix for overall pix's and spot for long lens and macro......I have lost many a good image relying on auto features of very good cameras over many years, ........ old habits are hard to change.......and PSCS2 what a image saver.......

cheers
bp

[Onyx]

My settings, and comments which should hopefully encourage helpful exchanges of dialogue...

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 80%
Centre-Weighted - 10%
Spot - 10%
CW used mainly with polarizer, Spot in low light or selective exposure purporses. All others matrix I find picks a good exposure.

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual| One of the Auto programs
Actually, I'm beginning to shoot progressively more in Program Auto mode. It usually picks the aperture I would anyways - I just wish it was 1 click of the dial away rather than 2 from Aperture Priority.

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto
I find Auto ISO often misunderstood. Those who don't use it can't say it's crap or unpredictable because you don't use it! It will never boost you up to ISO 1600 unless the operator has done something really wrong or are seeking to shooting in impossibly low light. I've had a return back to turning this setting on and when used properly gives much finer (1/6th of a stop) control over exposure. The finest adjustment incamera is 1/3 of a stop otherwise: whether aperture, shutter speed or ISO changes.

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never
In conjunction with spot metering, or 'improving' on the matrix metered scene.

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 60%
NEF+JPEG - 30%
JPEG - 10%

Traditionally used NEF+Jpeg overseas/away from home, where my laptop was painfully slow to convet NEFs. Since the upgrade, it's getting less used in favour of straight NEF.

How are you strictly NEF shooters gunna cope when your D70 breaks down and you have to go back to using your no raw mode point and shoot? Don't blame the camera or lack of post processing facility for the resultant pics.

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No
Currently using Fotogenic's White Wedding. Previously a big fan of Provia, also one of Fotogenic's curves.

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never
Perhaps not often enough. In high volume shooting environments, I get too arrogant to chimp and just shoot away - usually discovering in horror some really big aspect is set REALLY wrong....

Also, be aware that this is a luminosity histogram, and not 3 separate coloured one. As such, what it sometimes shows as NOT blown could indeed have 1 or 2 colours completely saturated - resulting in colour shifts. Due to the nature of the D70's sensor, the red channel blows very easily! It is also prevalent shooting sunny skies - it shouldn't be aqua. If it is, it means your green channel has gone beyond saturation point.

[gleff]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 90%
Centre-Weighted - 5%
Spot - 5%


2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual| One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto


4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never
I haven't worked this feature out properly. I do play with it occasionally, but I've yet to get a successful use out of it. I also shoot RAW usually, so it doesn't matter

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 95%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 5%


6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No
Another thing I haven't really played with.


7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

Geoff

[cyanide]

Nice idea, Aussie Dave.

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 60%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 40%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

Am starting to try to use Manual, but am not there yet in terms of picking the correct shutter/aperture etc combos to get a good exposure...

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 0%
NEF+JPEG - 99%
JPEG - 1% (Only once, when I was running out of memory and didn't have another card nor any way to download...)

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

Well - actually there is one loaded, but I don't use it much at all... except for a couple of times when I forgot to turn it off after playing around.... d'oh....

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

Would love to use it more, but don't understand it well yet. Another thing I have to work on....

[Aussie Dave]

I shall endevour to collate these results, then I guess we can all discuss why we use the settings we use.....or why not. Should make for some interesting discussion.

I might give it a day or two, so most people get a chance to read the post and reply with their settings preferences.....

I'm hoping that we can all learn a bit from each other with this exercise, and perhaps even try something different to see if we can use certain functions to our advantage. I'm sure there's quite a few of us that get stuck into using the same old settings, and can't be bothered changing....or don't know how other functions can help us out....

Very interesting reading thus far though.....

Great to see so many responses.

[cordy]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 20%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 80%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs


3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

I've played with the Auto ISO feature, it certainly did what it should have but given the D70's appetite for noise with different ISO levels I havent gone back to it yet

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

Still something im looking at exploring

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never


Chris

[stubbsy]

Thought I'd done this, but can't see my answer so here goes again

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 5%
Centre-Weighted - 90%
Spot - 5%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

Although shooting RAW the in camera curve has no effect till PP

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

[Paul]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 95%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 5%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority 25%
Aperture Priority 50%
Manual 25%
One of the Auto programs 0%

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto
I used Auto once and it produced far to many images that were not to my liking.

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never
This is one aspect I would really like to explore more.

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 95%
NEF+JPEG - 5%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No
White wedding curve
I realise this only affects JPEG pictures, I like to have it there incase someone manages to flick it off RAW, which is hardly likely now that I think about it.

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never
I check it a lot during sports games where the light is constantly changing during dusk times.

[Hlop]

Hi Dave,

Here are my settings:
1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 90%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 10%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

I shoot JPEGs once - some of our belongings for insurance purpose, just quick snaps

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

[Deano]

I'm in...

Here are my settings:
1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 95%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 5%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

I'm off to China next week for a month and will have the Archos AV420 to archive my shots daily so I expect to shoot NEF+JPG so that I can look at them on the Archos.

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

[BBJ]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 0%
Centre-Weighted - 10%
Spot - 90%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs


3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto


4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never


5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

This is my most used modes, ok i do use AP at times when i am playing but well SP is my most used mode so i can control my shuuter speeds while chasing those speed demons, always check histogram then adjust exposure from there.
Cheers
John
BBJ

[MCWB]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 95%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 5%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

Probably about 50:50 A/M, with very occasional S.

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

Fotogenic Provia v3.4, but I really should update this.

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

I probably should do this more, if only for learning purposes.

[Aussie Dave]

anyone else care to share their settings ??

I will try to collate all this tomorrow night and post the findings......

[mickwhit]

Awesome thread with intersting results.

Here's my settings (much the same though),

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 90%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 10%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No
Digital_AGFA_Optima

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

Cheers,

Mick.

[jyt]

hmmm interesting post....looks like I should shoot RAW more often? never really needed as I dont PP too much.
here are my stats...

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 75%
Centre-Weighted - 5%
Spot - 20%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority| Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually 100% | Set to Auto 0%

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
jpeg 100%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No
photogenic white wedding 1/3ev (I think they change the name of this recently to pointandshoot or something)

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never
not sure how to read it anyway.

cheers

[joolz]

Excellent thread Aussie Dave,

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 20%
Centre-Weighted - 60%
Spot - 20%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs
70:30 % Manual:Aperture

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

Oldskool's mtbv1 (mid tone boost)

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

Yes, I'm a chimper...

[johndec]

My "usual" settings:

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 90%
Centre-Weighted - 5%
Spot - 5%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority| Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

[PiroStitch]

Fess up...how many people did a quote and edited the [ b ] and [ / b ] tags

[sirhc55]

Here are my settings:

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 60%
Centre-Weighted - 10%
Spot - 30%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
On Occasion

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%


6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
Usually

[WadeM]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 90%
Centre-Weighted - 5%
Spot - 5%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority| Manual | One of the Auto programs

45% for both, and 10% Shutter

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

Depends on what I'm shooting. Sometimes I find it needed to get the result I'm after

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

Never really found a good reason to switch. Out of the box has been good for me. I haven't really seen any results or reasons to use a custom vurve. I hope to learn from this thread.

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

I can usually work out if my image looks like what I was after just by looking @ the shot. Seems I'm in the minoirty again. Can't wait to get the reasons

--Wadem

[MattC]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 0%
Centre-Weighted - 1%
Spot - 99%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Manual

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
Always

I meter using tone and EV in manual mode, so always compensating but never use the EV comp button

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes

but regularly change it in post using CSP

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
Usually

I toggle between histogram and highlights screens


Cheers

Matt

[OzzieGirl]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 100%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 0%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 50%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 50%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time| Usually | On Occasion | Never

I suspect some of my answers may change as I learn more about photography.

[MHD]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 60%
Centre-Weighted - 35%
Spot - 5%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Aperture Priority

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
Usually

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 0%
NEF+JPEG - 100%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
Usually

[wendellt]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 80%
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 20%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Aperture Priority to meter the scene so i can get a general idea of what the camera thinksis correct exposure, then I switch to Manual to take the shot with my own adjustments.

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
on ocassion

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
No

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
Never

[Kris]

Does anyone have any information on how to accurately read a histogram for dummies and its benefits?

Also some information on shooting 'RAW'

[Aussie Dave]

Does anyone have any information on how to accurately read a histogram for dummies and its benefits?

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutor ... rams.shtml

Also some information on shooting 'RAW'

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutor ... iles.shtml

Hope these help

[Kris]

Thanks Dave!

[Jamie]

1) In percentage, how often would you use the following metering modes ?
Matrix - 0% - but will try it from now on
Centre-Weighted - 0%
Spot - 100%

2) Which shooting mode do you use the most ?
Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority | Manual | One of the Auto programs

3) How do you select your ISO speed ?
Manually | Set to Auto

4) How often do you use Exposure Compensation ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never

5) What percentage do you shoot in:
NEF (RAW) - 100%
NEF+JPEG - 0%
JPEG - 0%

6) Do you use a custom curve in camera ?
Yes | No - have no idea what it is.

7) How often do you refer to your histogram ?
All the time | Usually | On Occasion | Never