Photoface-how do i check if my light meteris working?

Question

and the highest shutter speed on my camera is 4000 but how would i use that with out having extremely underexposed photos.

Answer 1

Set your ISO to 100

Go outside and set your shutter speed on 125 and your f/stop at f/16 .. the light meter should show that you are about 1/3 stop underexposed

That is what is called the sunny 16 rule ... I/ISO of the film or sensor at f/16 in bright sun.

Using that rule, at 1/250th @ f/11,  1/500th @ f/8, 1/1000th @ f/5.6 .. so with your lens set at 200mm @ f/5.6 your fastest shutter speed would be 1/1000th of a second ... at 1/4000th your are two stops under exposed, so you would have to set your ISO to 400 to shoot at 1/4000th @ f/5.6

This is basic reciprocity in action