Help with Meter Reading

Question

Is it possible to take a meter reading with your digital camera? If so can you tell me about taking a reading off the palm of your hand??

I have the canon 40D. Can you please direct me to some good website with info on light metering. I dont know anything about it! Thanks

Answer 1

Antoni is always recommending this, so maybe he will pick up on this question.  What it amounts to is that you have to learn your hand.  He knows exactly what the difference is between his palm and a gray card after doing this for several years, so he gets it right on every time.

Try taking a spot meter reading off your palm and see how the exposure goes.  You will eventually decide that you need to open up one stop more than the palm reading shows, for example.  Maybe for you it's 1/3 stop or maybe you will have to stop down a bit, but you'll get the hang of it.

Answer 2

Pooky's right.

Just be sure your hand is in the exact same light as the subject you're about to shoot.

Answer 3

Hmm. I would either put it in SPOT metering (or I'd have to get close enough to cover the entire frame with my hand)--then I'd put it in MANUAL mode with the desired ISO setting, for example, ISO 100, and set the shutter speed I want and later, the aperture so it will be "0" and not plus nor minus.

I think a gray card works better.