Metering for black and white film

[Knikki]

I should know this but the last lots of film i got back, I thnk I could meter better.

So question is, what is the best way to meter for black and white film?

Spot meter from the shadow area?
Spot meter from an 18% grey area?
Let the cameras evalutive/matrix metering sort it out?
Incident meter reading (but not alway possible)?

What if your using a camera with center weighted metering, take a reading off the back of your hand?
Any of the above?
Dial in +2stop?

Cheers so much to learn so little time

 

[chivers67]

Personally if it's a portrait i use an incident reading.

If it's a landscape i normally just use my matrix reading but it really depends on what's in the scene, if it's normal most of the time your reading will be ok but if it has a great deal of white, snow, water or sky then I tend to overexpose by up to two or even three stops of the reading, and the opposite if it has a great deal of black.

If it's really important i'll bracket but I hate doing this as it "wastes" the film.

What metering methods have you got at your disposal and do you print and develop your own film???

 

[Knikki]

What metering methods have you got at your disposal and do you print and develop your own film???

Hi thanks for the reply

Meter methods most of them Matrix, Center Weighted, Spot and can do incident, just depends on what mood I am in and what camera I use.

I do develop my own film and then scan the negatives (I don't have the space for a darkroom) using a Nikon Coolscan or Microtek scanner.

 

[chivers67]

Zone system

Have a look at this site and if you have access to a library Ansel Adams did some good books "The negative" goes into great detail of how to get the best out of films (not just B& W either) also go to http://www.anseladams.com/aboutAAG.html he's my favourite landscape photographer ever!