From matrix metering to Zeiss Ikon

[esther]

Hi, I'm Esther. A few years ago I bought a Nikon F5, now I have big biceps. :)

I would like to buy a Zeiss Ikon because it's less obtrusive and you can use those stunning lenses, but I have only one worry: the metering system of the ZI.

I am used to matrix metering and spot metering and I have no experience at all with TTL centre weighed metering. Would you give me some tips how to use this metering? Or do you perhaps know a link to a good explanation?

I love shooting slides.

Thank you.

[Brian]

Matrix metering always mystified me, and I've "never really trusted it". I even have the booklet that Nikon published with the Nikon FA, first camera with Matrix Metering, to explain exactly how it works. They analyzed thousands of images, you know... and surely yours will be like one of them. Sometimes the camera "takes control" and balanced the exposure in a way that did not make sense to me. I've used Nikon center-weighted cameras for 30 years, and they deliver great results. I set my Nikon's that have Matrix Metering to center-weighted, as I know where and how the exposure is being computed.

The TTL metering of the Zeiss Ikon will be most like my Bessa R2 and Leica CL. Basically, the reading is taken off of one section of the image. If the lighting of the scene is not balanced, use the section of the frame being metered like a "big" spot meter, and either lock the exposure in or go to manual mode and set it yourself.

[Brian]

Well, that's annoying.

http://www.zeiss.com/C12571FF00438F7A/0/98C4E239024710CDC12573D40056638A/$file/flyer-zi-rf-en.pdf

The Zeiss Ikon Manual states it is "Center Weighted TTL", but does not give the percentages.

On a traditional Nikon, 60% of the exposure is taken from the center 12mm of the image, and the other 40% is from the remaining area. On the newer Nikon cameras, the weighting shifted to (I seem to remember) 75% from the center 12mm, 25% from the rest.

http://www.zeiss.com/zeissikon

I'm looking at this picture of the Zeiss, and guessing that the reading is off the shutter blades and the light/dark areas are the pattern.

[back alley]

take a look

[Brian]

That would have been my 14th guess. But it makes sense. Vertical portraits, and rule of thirds. With the Nikon, I am always metering, setting the exposure, and then composing.

[ZMUSER]

Hi Ester,

perhaps the following information may help you:

www

.zeiss.

com.

cn/

C12567A8003B8B6F/

EmbedTitelIntern/

ZeissIkonCameraManual/

$File/ manual_ZI_camera_body

.pdf

(I left out "http:" and I divided the link into parts since I am a new member of the ziforum and it is currently not allowed to me to include a link in my message.

I bought a ZI three month ago and I like the camera and the lenses very much. Since I took photos mostly with a Zenza Bronica SQ-A during the last 25 years I know what you mean with regard to the big bizeps.