Minolta Flash meter IV - FLASH MEASUREMENTS WITHOUT A SYNC CORD (NON.C MODE); Shutter-priority (TIME) Mode

Subject
contrast
and exposure
determination
The spot
metering
technique
described
on
the
previous
page
compensates
for
many
of the
problems
inherent
in
reflected
light
metering and
can be
used to
produce
photographs
exposed
for specific
objectives.
To really optimize
the
possibilities
of
iettecteO tignt
meters
and to
get
the
most
from the
film, the
following
technique
should
also
be mastered.
This technique
involves spot
metering
of both
highlights
and
shadows,
and then
determining
the
expoSure
from these
metered
exposures
and
the exposure
latitude of
the
film.
In
other
words, knowing
the
brightness,
ie. luminance,
of the
subject
is the
most effective
way to reproduce
these
images
on
film.
This range of
subject
brightness
is
called
subject
contrast*
(or
subject
brightness
range) and
is expressed
as a
ratio between
the highest
and
lowest
luminances
on
the subject.
Subject
contrast
is defined
by
the
lighting
ratio and the
subject
reflection
factor'
The Flash
Meter IV
includes
both a
memory
function
and analog
scale
for easy,
visual
confirmation
of subject
contrast.
lt is also
equipped
with
highlight
(H),
shadow
(S)
and
averaging
(A)
keys which
let the
photographer
determine
the exposure
by
m6nitoring subject
brightness
before shutter
release.
For example,
the difference
between
highlights
(the
wall of the
outside
building)
and
shadows
(the
car radiator
grill
inside) in the
pictures
at
right is eight
stops,
or a subject
contrast of
256:
1.
(See
Table 2.)
At the same
time,
howevet
the latitude
of
most color
reversal film
is approximately
five stops
with subject
contrastof32:1
(see
pages
16 and
17). In
such situations
where
contrast
exceeds
film
latitude, exposing
the
scene
with
an averaged
[(A)
key]exposure
will
oroduce
washed-out
highlights
and dark
shadows
(picture
B).
lf the situation
allows
the highlights
to be
Highlight
area
(memorized)
*J[.
'""JJ,o*'
,.ori,/
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L L -1
0
,/in€
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f,
-fl
i.\n
Table 2
Difference
in
metered exposure
(Ex
lN.)
Subject
contrast
1
stop
z, I
2 stops
A'1
3
stops
6.1
4
stops
16:1
5 stops
32:1
6
stops
64:1
7 stoos
128:1
B stops
256:1
emphasized
and
the
shadows dismissed,
press
the H
(highlight)
key to meter
for a
highlight-weighted
expo-
sure;
all shadow
areas
below
the S
mark on the
contrast
scale
will be
completely
black
(picture
A). Conversely,
if the shadows
are
to be emphasized,
press
the S
(shadow)
key
for a shadow-weighted
exposure;
all highlights
above
the
H
on
the
contrast scale
will
be washed
out
(picture
C).
Refer to
the scales
and exposures
indicated
to the
right of
'
,'
each
photograph.
*lt
is
important to selectively
meter the brlghtest
and darkest
points
essential
to
the composition,
not
simply
measure
any two
indiscriminate
points
of maximum
contrast.
lt is also
important to
consider
the differences
in
brightness
related to
color
hues.
22
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