Analog meter on Nikon FE

[surfer96815]

I have never used an analog meter.

If it is a choice if slightly over or under exposed what should I choose, does it differ for slides as opposed to negatives?

Is this a reason to use the exposure compensation dial to +/- 1/2 stop?

 

[Chan Tran]

How do you get that choice? Are you adjusting the camera? If you do then you should try to get it right. If it's a choice between 2 cameras then for negative I would pick the one that read slightly low and give slightly more exposure. For slides it has to be right or you have to compensate.

 

[TheRook]

The meter in my Nikon FE is extremely accurate, giving the exact same readings as my digital meters. I sometimes use the FE meter as comparison when testing the accuracy of other non-digital meters.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

It is a few decades back since I used an FE2, however from the start of my photography in 1977 the only film I put through my cameras, including a range of Olympus, Nikons and Canons, was Kodachrome 200. And the FE2 never flinched with the exposure. In essence, you should follow the meter's recommendation, but be aware of subjects that are backlit, in strong shadow or have a mixture of high and low (dark and bright) tones that could potentially confuse the meter toward over- or underexposure.

 

[surfer96815]

But what if the needle is between F8 and F5.6?

Should I chose slightly under exposed for Velvia and slightly over exposed for Ilford?

 

[TheRook]

But what if the needle is between F8 and F5.6?

Should I chose slightly under exposed for Velvia and slightly over exposed for Ilford?

It depends on what is in the scene you are capturing, and exactly what part/object within the scene you are metering off. (Keep in mind, FE's meter is center-weighted.) For the b&w film, a half stop extra exposure is likely not going to make a noticeable difference. When in doubt, exposure bracket - and write down or remember what you did, so that you can analyze and learn from the results. In my opinion, exposure bracketing followed up with result analysis is a great way to learn how to interpret meter readings and interpret a given scene's exposure needs.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

But what if the needle is between F8 and F5.6?

Should I chose slightly under exposed for Velvia and slightly over exposed for Ilford?

Then set your aperture between 8 and 5.6.

 

[TheRook]

Then set your aperture between 8 and 5.6.

Not all lenses let you do that... I imagine that is why surfer96815 asked.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Not all lenses let you do that... I imagine that is why surfer96815 asked.

Every lens I've ever seen lets you do that. Including all of my (10) Nikkors.

 

[Chan Tran]

My first camera was the F2AS and it has the LED and when only the 0 LED lights up it's correct. Didn't know much then I religiously set the aperture so that only the 0 led light up. All Nikon lenses can be set to in between f/ stop.

 

[TheRook]

Every lens I've ever seen lets you do that. Including all of my (10) Nikkors.

Well yes, all of my Nikkors do too. But quite a few of my lesser-known 3rd-party brand lenses don't; aperture settings are adjustable to full stops only.

 

[Nige]

another way around that is to set the lens to F whatever, the camera on Auto and let the camera set the shutter speed to an in-between value (which is what it does I believe)

 

[Chan Tran]

Well yes, all of my Nikkors do too. But quite a few of my lesser-known 3rd-party brand lenses don't; aperture settings are adjustable to full stops only.

Really? Which one?