Years ago I pointed the Minolta SRT at my palm to get a light reading on the ski slopes. If I used the light meter for a general scene I would get the shape of the snow, moguls, and everything else would be almost black.
I have the light meter app on my phone. It agrees closely with the meter in my SLR for an average scene. My phone doesn't support the "incident" mode of the light meter app, so when I want an "incident" reading, I fake it out by using the reflective mode, putting the palm of my hand in the same light as my subject, and aim my phone at my palm. Take a reading, then open up 1 stop. This method has never failed me, and it works for B&W negative, color negative, B&W reversal, and color reversal films. The best part is, the paid version of the app cost me the princely sum of 2.99 USD, and it works great on my Samsung J3 (2016) phone.
@Luckless Do you use the inner side of the palm? I find it strange that you get a tan there.
Anyway, the inner part of the palm is what should be used and when using this (useful) method, care should be taken to avoid any reflections, just like when using a gray card.
Yeah. I'm "Very white", in the "Can get a sunburn while at the bottom of a coal mine if I look at a UV report" kind of white. Being an office worker in the Pacific North West probably doesn't help for how much my skin tone can change from season to season... [My face and back of my hand and go even farther. Sadly it typically involves a shift to a very strong red tone if I don't pay attention]
Most people do get a bit of a variance in skin tone over time, but typically it is like +/- 1/8th of a stop or something at most and not really worth worrying about.
I strongly suspect the average user will have more issues with getting something on their hand, so it is worth not getting too comfortable with 'quickly metering' off your palm without actually looking at your palm.
I heard about that method before I got a handheld meter and I too found it a very reliable way of getting a good reading. Apparently caucasian skin is one-stop lighter than mid-grey!I have the light meter app on my phone. It agrees closely with the meter in my SLR for an average scene. My phone doesn't support the "incident" mode of the light meter app, so when I want an "incident" reading, I fake it out by using the reflective mode, putting the palm of my hand in the same light as my subject, and aim my phone at my palm. Take a reading, then open up 1 stop. This method has never failed me, and it works for B&W negative, color negative, B&W reversal, and color reversal films. The best part is, the paid version of the app cost me the princely sum of 2.99 USD, and it works great on my Samsung J3 (2016) phone.
I heard about that method before I got a handheld meter and I too found it a very reliable way of getting a good reading. Apparently caucasian skin is one-stop lighter than mid-grey!
Really...pretty much all people.? I did not think we would be that close.All skin is one-stop lighter than mid-gray.
When I heard of the rule it specified caucasian skin, I have caucasian skin and it works for me, yep, get a reading and just open up a stop.Really...pretty much all people.? I did not think we would be that close.
At any rate..... So you guys meter your hand and open up One Stop.?
You pretty much do that in any situation that you feel your meter is capable of.?
Thank You
yup SG is spot on,Really...pretty much all people.? I did not think we would be that close.
At any rate..... So you guys meter your hand and open up One Stop.?
You pretty much do that in any situation that you feel your meter is capable of.?
Thank You
yup SG is spot on,
every human being's palms and sole of their foot,
no matter their creed, race or religion, whether they live at the bottom of a mine shaft
or on the top of a mountain is about 1 stop brighter than 18% grey.
i'm out of practice with this next "trick" but you can judge the exposure by the sharpness of the shadow
cast on your hand as well.
all these things, whether it is sunny 11(16), knowing to develop film a little bit more or less, to over expose a little or
under expose a little or anything else is a matter of doing it a few times and gaining experience ( understanding )
by doing and remembering for the next time. if one's memory is bad or one runs out of paper, tatoos work well
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