V1.02
Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D300
Page 541
Custom Setting #B5 Center-weight Metering Circle Size
(Center-weighted area)
The center-weighted metering can be adjusted: you can
choose the size of the inner circle that produces 75% of the
meter weighting. The default is 8mm, which is about the size
of the central 21 autofocus sensors (15 cross in center plus
three on each side). Your choices are:
6mm
6mm
circle
for
75%
8mm
8mm circle for 75% [default]
10mm
10mm circle for 75%
13mm
13mm circle for 75%
Average
Averages entire image area
Recommendations:
1. This one is personal, and, I think, somewhat dependent
upon the types of things you shoot. For example,
landscape photographers might prefer to use 6mm to
lower the potential impact of the sky on exposures.
Likewise sports photographers might want to narrow their
center weight circle if the playing field background isn’t
middle toned (e.g. ice hockey arenas, some basketball
courts, etc.).
2. Note that the final choice,
Average
, takes away the
center-weighting—all parts of the scene are considered
equally in determining the exposure (this is not the same
as matrix metering, where different parts are weighted
differently).
