So were there any popular well-regarded spot-metering SLR's?

[MattKing]

Why? Zones are stops.

???
Zones are tones.

 

[AndyH]

???
Zones are tones.

Not to second guess, but I would say that he might have meant that if you want to place the center spot reading on Zone VI, you open up one stop, Zone VII two stops, etc. I don't need a zone dial to adjust exposure to place a spot reading on a higher or lower zone value. It does make it more visual and conceptually easier, but there were no such dials around when I started using the zone system.

Andy

 

[RLangham]

???
Zones are tones.

Yeah, a division of the tonal range of ordinary film into roughly ten increments that correspond to single stops of light.

 

[MattKing]

Yeah, a division of the tonal range of ordinary film into roughly ten increments that correspond to single stops of light.

Except your choice of the range of tones - where the shadows start and the highlights end - is entirely subjective.
Unless you use some sort of reference, like a calibrated grey card.
And even then, the range available will change with the conditions,
That is what expansion and contraction are available to deal with.
Or alternatively, variable contrast papers.

 

[RLangham]

Except your choice of the range of tones - where the shadows start and the highlights end - is entirely subjective.
Unless you use some sort of reference, like a calibrated grey card.
And even then, the range available will change with the conditions,
That is what expansion and contraction are available to deal with.
Or alternatively, variable contrast papers.

I don't see how that's an exception to what I said, though. I didn't say they were all always available or that the placement of a scene's range on the range of the film wasn't objective, just that the zones do correspond under normal conditions to stops of light relative to the uncompensated metered exposure, which should fall at zone V. That is definitional.

 

[Autonerd]

My Minolta Maxxum 5 has a spot-meter mode, but it wasn't well-regarded -- I think it was underrated.

Nikon N8008s and F90 have a spot-meter mode. I own the N8008 which doesn't. I wish it did, as the early matrix-metering system can get fooled pretty easily. I never remember to switch it to center-weight mode...

Aaron

 

[Autonerd]

See, ever since I got into film three years ago I've been hearing about the latitude of B/W film and it seems to me that that tolerance is overrated.

Well, it really depends on the film. They don't all react the same way and they aren't all as forgiving. I mostly shoot traditional-grain films and like them to be a little contrasty, so I'm not bothered much by lost shadow detail (and I prefer that to blown highlights). Anyway, point is that not all B&W films are created equal, in fact they have very different characteristics, which is one reason why we have such a good variety from which to choose.

That said, no, there isn't the same latitude as in consumer-grade color films. They were made to be flexible so that imperfect cameras could get perfect exposures. Cheapie "fixed-focus" cameras with fixed aperture and shutter timing, as well as disposables, rely on the great latitude inherent in C-41 films to get pictures that are acceptable (and in most cases good). B&W isn't that flexible, and reversal film even less so.

*That* said, when in doubt, bracket 1/2 stop over/under.

Aaron

 

[Trask]

Leica R3 and Contax Aria have spot metering, as does the Canon T90 — in fact, the T90 permits multiple spot reading, with the camera calculating the resulting final reading based on the two/three/four etc readings. So you can spot meter the highlight, then meter the shadow, then if you want to weight the final exposure toward the shadows you can meter the shadows again (getting a 66/33 flex to the shadow end), and so forth. Allows for creative tweaking of the exposure based on your assessment of what’s important to you.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

It is the S2 that is spotmeter-only, while the S2b has centre-weighted metering. I've sort of wanted an S2 for years, but prices on bodies and glass kept it out of reach, and I really have enough 35 mm cameras. I've read somewhere that they did the S2b because people had problems using the spotmeter, but who knows?

I managed to snag an RTS III for a good deal, so I still have one, with just the 50 f1.4. I really don't shoot 35mm any more, so I'm not going to invest in any more glass for it.

 

[Huss]

You can spot meter with an avg meter pattern camera by taking an exposure reading with a telephoto or zoom lens at its longest setting. Then go back to the wider lens that you were using.

 

[RLangham]

You can spot meter with an avg meter pattern camera by taking an exposure reading with a telephoto or zoom lens at its longest setting. Then go back to the wider lens that you were using.

It's a hassle, and assuming a 60/40 center-weighted averaging, it would take a quite long focal length to get anything close to a one-degree metering spot. I'm not sure of the precise math. Honestly, if I didn't have an external spotmeter and I badly needed something to do its job, I might consider carrying a second camera for this purpose.

 

[dynachrome]

It is the Canon F-1N (1981) which allows you to change the metering pattern by changing the focusing screen. I find the 12% metering of the older mechanical F-1 cameras adequate for most purposes. My Mamiya DTL cameras have narrow angle metering as a choice. I have the already mentioned Nikon N8008S and Nikon N90S cameras with spot metering. A camera with spot metering which is not often mentioned is the Cosina-made Olympus OM2000. It's not as fancy as an OM4 but it fits the Zuiko lenses and works nicely.

Even the Pentax Spotmatic with its average metering
can be used effectively if you make adjustments.

 

[flavio81]

I've heard that they exist, but the vast majority of SLR's I've ever owned have either been averaging, center-weighted, or Minolta's cool little CLC system that is variable bottom-weighted

Canon FT, FTb, F-1 and T70 have the "partial" metering system which is almost a spot meter system and in my experience is excellent and better than a true spot meter for everyday use. Only a clearly delimited area of the finder is metered, with no influence from the outside of the area.

Nikon F3 has such a heavy weighted meter that it can be considered a "partial" meter similar to Canon's.

Canon T90 has spot metering with the ability to take several readings.

Canon New F-1 can give you center weighted, partial or true spot, depending on the focusing screen fitted.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have used my Nikon F100 as a spot meter. Even better with a long zoom lens.

 

[Auer]

Canon FT, FTb, F-1 and T70 have the "partial" metering system which is almost a spot meter system and in my experience is excellent and better than a true spot meter for everyday use. Only a clearly delimited area of the finder is metered, with no influence from the outside of the area.
.

Agreed, I find the meter in my FT to work very well (Great camera)

Also, My Nikon N70 (F70) does Spot, Center weight and Matrix.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Leica R4, R5, R-E, R6, R6.2, R7, R8, R9 all have multiple metering modes, including spot.
And they all are fantastic camera bodies to use.

Not even close to spot. Leica called it Selective and it is within the center circle so quite wide, although still tighter than averaging of any weight pattern.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Ricoh TLS 401 has a "spot" but i think it is also quite wide and hardly a spot as most would expect.

 

[blockend]

Canon FT, FTb, F-1 and T70 have the "partial" metering system which is almost a spot meter system and in my experience is excellent and better than a true spot meter for everyday use. Only a clearly delimited area of the finder is metered, with no influence from the outside of the area.

I was going to make the same point and agree, centre area metering is more useful than a spot in many situations.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Nikon N75, Nikon F100, Hasselblad 45 degree PME.