Is there Multi-spot metering?

[blu-by-u]

While searching on articles on Metering I came across this article on Olympus America. metering

Multi-Spot.
This mode permits you to select several important areas of your subject and average up to 8 readings together. While this can be done to mimic the results of Digital ESP, this metering mode can also be useful to a more advanced user looking to set the tonality of the image to either darker or lighter than an average tone, similar to the result of applying exposure compensation.

If there is, where and how do I enable it?

[pdk42]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

IMHO, it's a bit pointless on a mirrorless camera with LiveView. If you turn on the over/under exposure indicators in the display ("blinkies") then you can easily see what parts of the image will be under or over exposed. Spin the exp comp dial (or adjust shutter speed and f-stop in manual mode) until the balance looks right.

Multi-spot metering was useful in the SLR days when you couldn't preview the exposure until the film came back from processing, but it's really not necessary with liveview.

[blu-by-u]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

True Paul. But this will be especially useful in panorama photography when you need to balance the dark and the bright areas. At the moment, I meter both and average it in my head.

[pdk42]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

BTW - to turn blinkies on, do this (for E-M1ii):

1. Cogs menu D1 (Disp)
2. Second menu choice (Info Settings)
3. LV-Info
4. Custom 1 (or 2, to taste)
5. Enable "Highlight & Shadow"

Then, when looking in the finder/rear screen, cycle through the display modes with the Info button until your chosen custom view is shown (now with blinkies enabled).

On earlier cameras, it's a similar procedure, but simpler since there's no custom view modes.

[pdk42]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

True Paul. But this will be especially useful in panorama photography when you need to balance the dark and the bright areas. At the moment, I meter both and average it in my head.

I've never seen multi-mode metering on any of the Oly m43 cameras I've had. Maybe the page you're looking at is an old 4/3 page (it's got the old Olympus logo and has an older web-style, so it's my guess that's what it is).

[blu-by-u]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

I've never seen multi-mode metering on any of the Oly m43 cameras I've had. Maybe the page you're looking at is an old 4/3 page (it's got the old Olympus logo and has an older web-style, so it's my guess that's what it is).

Can't be cause my E330 didn't have it and I don't remember seeing it on any of the others E systems.

[pdk42]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

Can't be cause my E330 didn't have it and I don't remember seeing it on any of the others E systems.

Hmmm - a real mystery then !

[Shaw]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

Someone on DPREVIEW was asking about multi spot metering, and was told that it was a feature on some of the old Olympus OM cameras.

[Zuiko]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

Multi-spot metering was an innovation on the OM4 film camera. I rarely used it because when using slide film in tricky light there simply isn't enough latitude to expose for more than one light level and you have to make a decision on which part of the scene is most important to you. Once you start using two or more spot readings you are really back to average metering, albeit with more manual control.

Single spot on the other hand worked remarkably well and I especially appreciated the ability to lock a spot reading into the memory for up to an hour. The OM4Ti remains one of my all time favourite cameras.

[Otto]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

The OM4Ti remains one of my all time favourite cameras.

Mine too John, that multi-spot metering was really valuable. It had some tricks up its sleeve too, for example if you took two spots in one area and one in another, the average would be weighted towards the area which you metered twice. The advent of modern metering systems rendered it somewhat redundant though.

[Zuiko]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

Mine too John, that multi-spot metering was really valuable. It had some tricks up its sleeve too, for example if you took two spots in one area and one in another, the average would be weighted towards the area which you metered twice. The advent of modern metering systems rendered it somewhat redundant though.

You could also take a spot reading in highlight or shadow mode, so that it would automatically compensate for an arctic hare on a snowfield or a black cat in a coal cellar.

[Otto]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

True and it worked very well in my experience when used with slide film. With b+w however the requirements are a bit different as it's important to expose sufficiently if you want to retain shadow detail. If I recall correctly the shadow metering point on the OM-4 was 2.67 stops below the "average exposure" which was sometimes too little to keep good details in the shadows. The in-camera metering on the OM-4 (and OM-3) was pretty much the equal of a hand-held spot exposure meter though .

[blu-by-u]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

If it was something that was useful, why have Olympus not added it to the digital era?

[Otto]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

In my opinion it has been superceded by Digital ESP Metering which simultaneously meters a large number of areas of the image, works out the overall average, and offers a histogram display. The histogram is similar to the multi-spot display in the OM-4 but is much more detailed. Personally, much as I liked the multi-spot meter in the OM-4, today's ESP metering is much quicker and easier to use and control. I hardly ever use spot metering in my digital Olympuses.

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: Is there Multi-spot metering?

Olympus had Multi Spot Metering on the C8080WZ which worked the same as on the OM4TI

I used it often on high ratio lighting, metering with 2 or 3 spots in dark areas and 1 in the light or vice versa.