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[OM] Re: Incident vs reflected, was olympus Digest V3 #236

Subject: [OM] Re: Incident vs reflected, was olympus Digest V3 #236
From: Chris Barker <ftog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 3 Sep 2006 16:31:45 +0100
Thanks, Walt.

I don't have a big, smart meter like yours (I got no freebie with my  
cheapie meter), but I think that we're both right.  In my manual  
(which I still have, even if I haven't read it :-)) it shows the  
meter pointing towards the camera, but with a sun just above it.  So  
I suppose it measures the light source (incident light), but slightly  
re-directed so as to soften the effect somewhat (see my original post  
about above or below the horizon).

But my original post was after reading Michael Busselle's "The  
Encyclopaedia of Photography": p.57: "An alternative method is to  
make an incident light reading.  this requires the use of a separate  
meter with an incident light facility and the reading is made by  
aiming the meter from the subject position towards the light source.   
Thus it measures the light falling on the subject as opposed to that  
reflected."

So I stick with my original stance.  Although I might have been wrong  
(oh no, I am having to admit wrongness again ... ;-)) in pooh-poohing  
the E-500 manual's instructions, I maintain that the point of an  
incident light reading is that you have to read the brightness of the  
light source.  You have to judge for yourself whether to aim it  
directly at the source or to aim it at the camera to try to get the  
right balance of light and shadow as seen by the camera lens.

I use my Sekonic with my RF645 when I have a filter on the lens,  
since the camera's meter is outside the lens.  I point the meter  
towards the sun, but below the horizon.  It has always worked well  
for me.  Admittedly it is with Ilford mono film which has a fair  
amount of leeway, but it has been with a red filter which has been  
tricky to quantify.

Chris

On 3 Sep 2006, at 16:06, Walt Wayman wrote:

> "The Hand Exposure Meter Book," by Martin S. Silverman, Jim  
> Zuckerman, and Bob shell, published by the Photo Books Division,  
> Mamiya American Corporation, which came as a freebie with my  
> Sekonic L-718 meter, on pg. 10, under the heading "Taking an  
> Incident Measurement" says:
>
> "Incident measurements are mainly taken from the subjet position,  
> with the white hemispheric diffuser 'dome' of the meter facing the  
> camera lens. The hemispheric diffuser simulates the effect of light  
> on three-dimensional objects. The round shape of the dome allows  
> light to fall on and around it. When properly positioned in front  
> of the subject, with the dome facing the camera lens, you can note  
> tht the balance and character of highlight and shadow falling on  
> the subject is recreated on the dome itself."
>
> Walt
>
> --


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