Nikon F 100 instruction manual About Metering System and Exposure

About Metering System and Exposure

Metering systems and exposure are important factors for taking pictures. Knowing the characteristics of each factor helps you widen your photographic expression.

•Metering System

As the proper combination of shutter speed and aperture for correct exposure is determined according to subject brightness and film sensitivity, measuring subject brightness is very important.

In general, brightness inside the viewfinder is not uniform. The F100 provides three metering systems: Matrix Metering, Center-Weighted Metering and Spot Metering. With Matrix Metering, scene brightness data is detected by the 10- segment Matrix sensor. With Center-Weighted Metering, most of the meter’s sensitivity is concentrated on the 12mm-diameter center circle in the viewfinder. Spot Metering sensitivity is concentrated in a small, selected focus area from five available focus areas. Using D- or G-type Nikkor lenses, the F100 camera performs 3D Matrix Metering by adding distance information to determine correct exposure. See page 44.

•Exposure

Light from the subject passes through the lens and exposes the film. Shutter speed and aperture control how much light reaches the film. The combination of shutter speed and aperture appropriate for subject brightness and film sensitivity results in correct exposure—a result provided by the F100’s four exposure modes: Programmed Auto (page 46), Shutter-Priority Auto (page 48), Aperture-Priority Auto (page 50) and Manual (page 52) exposure modes. Also, the F100 offers auto exposure lock (page 54), exposure compensation (page 56) or Auto Exposure/Flash Exposure Bracketing function (page 57) allowing a photographer greater control of exposure than that afforded by Auto exposure modes.

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DETAILED

OPERATION

This section features detailed descriptions of all camera functions — including lens, film, focus, exposure and other functions.

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