Exposure

[Peter]

Hi,
Would someone please be kind enough to advise me whether or not my interpretation of how to use the zonal system to obtain a good exposure, (invented by the great landscape photographer, Ansel Adams), is correct.

I want to use the camera’s ‘spot metering’ mode to take the meter readings and take photographs in manual mode.

As I understand it, whenever I point my digital camera at a scene, the camera interprets what it ‘sees’ as being midtone grey. The camera then ‘recommends’ what combination of shutter speed and aperture to use (based on ISO setting) to obtain the correct exposure.

With the above in mind, in order to obtain a correct exposure, I should visually evaluate the scene I am about to photograph and take a camera meter reading on a midtone colour in that scene, which of course, may not necessarily be grey. In manual mode, I then adjust my aperture and shutter speed as necessary; recompose and then take the shot.

Is my interpretation correct in order to get a good exposure?

Thanks.

Peter

[Author]

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