Railfan Technology > Metering

I have a Canon Mark 5D Mark III and I was wondering if center weighted average metering is the best setting for it for general train shooting?

Thanks for any advice!

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX

I have a Canon (70D) and use the Evaluative Metering setting. In about 12 years of shooting with digital SLRs, this mode has never given me a single bad shot with respect to light levels. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/20 05:01 by exhaustED.

Manual mode, and an incident light meter. That way the headlights won't throw off your exposure.

Most cases, "Sunny Sixteen" rule will get you by if you dojn't invest in an incident light meter. That is, until you shoot in adverse light conditions. Dawn, dusk, night, or inclement weather.

 

Arved Grass
Fleming Island, FL

Arved Wrote:
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> Manual mode, and an incident light meter. That way
> the headlights won't throw off your exposure.
>
> Most cases, "Sunny Sixteen" rule will get you by
> if you dojn't invest in an incident light meter.
> That is, until you shoot in adverse light
> conditions. Dawn, dusk, night, or inclement
> weather.

No need for an incident light meter with digital. Just take a couple of pics ahead of time and adjust. I do this all the time.

texchief1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a Canon Mark 5D Mark III and I was wondering if center weighted average metering is
> the best setting for it for general train shooting?

kevink Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Arved Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Manual mode, and an incident light meter. That way the headlights won't throw off your exposure.
> >
> > Most cases, "Sunny Sixteen" rule will get you by if you dojn't invest in an incident light meter.
> > That is, until you shoot in adverse light conditions. Dawn, dusk, night, or inclement weather.
>
> No need for an incident light meter with digital.  Just take a couple of pics ahead of time and adjust. I do this all the time.

I set my metering for center weighted metering when I got my 5Diii.  I also shoot almost exclusively in manual mode.  Taking a couple shots ahead of time to determine best settings works best, especially knowing that the headlight will throw off your meter a lot.  Watch out for back lit images as well, as the meter is almost always wrong for those, too!

5D3 here as well, and almost always in evaluative metering.  Whether I'm letting it set the exposure or not is a different question, but honestly most of the time it's so darn good on th 5D3 that during the day that I just set it in shutter priority and twiddle with it a bit if it starts getting out of where I want it.  Even when I'm in full manual I typically leave the metering in evaluative.  I've found center-weighted too touchy if I catch a headlight or some other glare near the center.

Thanks, guys!

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX

I for one always use the manual setting.

Robert Morris
Dunsmuir, CA
Robert Morris Photography

The Canon 5D Mark III is a superb camera and always will be. Evaluative metering is good for 99% of general railfan photography. 
I struggled for 50 years with photographic exposure. When digital arrived, its biggest gift was being able to shoot test shots to see if the exposure was right. It made me the photographer I am today.
I use Manual and do test shots. Program, Tv, Ap, personally drive me crazy for I always need to change something and it won't let me. So I prefer the KISS system of "Keep It Simple Stupid" and just use Manual. Yes, there are times I have to change the ISO and cannot quickly enough but it is a small price to pay. 
I am hoping to get the Canon R6 so I can start using the Control Ring on the lens or adapter. That would then give me shutter, aperture and ISO controls under my fingertips. 
On cloudy days with a large expanse of grey sky, when the meter says 1-2 stops over, I shoot. 
If interested, you can see my photos on my website.
[url=http://liveseyimages.com ]liveseyimages.com [/url]
 

Dennis Livesey
New York, NY