< Back

Metering Modes: How to Use Them for Different Situations

1. Evaluative (Matrix) Metering

Best for: General photography, landscapes, and situations with even lighting.

Evaluative or Matrix metering is the most commonly used mode in modern cameras. It breaks down the scene into different zones and calculates the best exposure based on the combined lighting across these areas. It also factors in the focus point, assuming that your subject is the most important part of the scene.

When to use it:

Landscape photography: Since landscapes often have varied lighting across the frame (bright sky and darker ground), this mode ensures a balanced exposure.
Street photography: When you need quick, all-around exposure without much time to think about changing light.

Why use it: It balances the light across the entire frame, making it an ideal "default" mode for a variety of situations.

Avoid it when: Your subject is small or backlit, as it could lead to overexposing or underexposing key areas, such as when your subject is in a small, brightly or poorly lit part of the frame (e.g., backlit portraits).

A broad scene with a bright sky and shadow in the foreground. This image shows balanced exposure between the sky and the land

2. Center-Weighted Metering

Best for: Portraits and scenes where your subject is in the center of the frame.

Center-weighted metering gives priority to the light in the center of the frame, but it also considers the surrounding area. This mode is useful when your subject is centrally located, and the surrounding areas aren't as important for exposure purposes.

When to use it:

Portrait photography: Especially useful when you're shooting portraits outdoors and want to keep your subject properly exposed, even if the background is bright or dark.
Concerts or stage performances: When the subject is in the spotlight, but you still want some of the surrounding atmosphere exposed.

Why use it: It gives priority to the centre of the frame, ensuring your subject gets the correct exposure even if the background is bright or dark.

Avoid it when: The most important part of your scene is off-centre.

This photograph made using centre weighted metering allowed the aircraft wing to expose properly against the bright background, whilst allowing the sky to be brighter than would be expected from Evaluative metering.

3. Spot Metering

Best for: High-contrast scenes, backlit subjects, and wildlife photography.

Spot metering is the most precise mode, measuring light from only a very small area (usually 1-5% of the frame). It’s extremely useful when you want to ensure your subject is exposed correctly, even in difficult lighting situations.

When to use it:

Backlit subjects: Spot metering allows you to expose your subject correctly even if there's a bright light source behind them (like the sun).
Wildlife photography: Especially for animals in shaded areas or when they’re surrounded by bright backgrounds (like snow or water).
Macro photography: When you want to focus on small details, ensuring the main subject is well-exposed.

Why use it: It allows you to meter off a small part of your frame, giving you precision when shooting in challenging lighting conditions.

Avoid it when: The lighting across your scene is even, as it could make the background too bright or dark compared to your subject.

A portrait of a musician at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2017 where the subject was illuminated with a dark background. Spot metering was used to prevent overexposure of the scene which would have brightened it and killed the atmosphere. — A portrait of a musician at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2017 where the subject was illuminated with a dark background. Spot metering was used to prevent overexposure of the scene which would have brightened it too much.

Conclusion

Understanding how to use metering modes effectively can greatly improve your photography. Each mode has its strengths and weaknesses, and the key is to match the mode to the scene you're photographing. By experimenting with different metering modes, you’ll learn to adapt to varying lighting conditions and consistently capture well-exposed images.