Originally Posted by
monochromeFan
5. the checker board,,, here is cut and copy
onsider as an example a large checkerboard pattern of black and
whit e squares. If the checkerboard has the same numbe r of light and
dark squares, a general meter reading will give about the right exposure setting to record it as whit e and black areas. If, however, the
surface is predominantly black with only a few whit e squares, we
will get a different average reading from it, since it will appear to the
mete r as a "darker " subject; an average reading will thus indicate
more exposure required. Conversely if the surface contains mostly
whit e with only a few black squares, the meter will indicate a higher
average luminanc e level and less exposure required. Th e problem
that arises is that, in photographing each of the three checkerboard
arrangements we would usually want the black areas to appear black
in the final print and the white areas white. Only one of the three
exposure readings — the one from the norma l checkerboard — will
provide an exposure setting that is appropriate to achieve tha t result.
To repeat: the meter assumes it is reading an average subject, as it
was in the case of the normal checkerboard. When the distribution
of light and dark areas is not average, the meter has no way, in itself,
to compensate
Not something I have ever seen before, not even in the MANUAL for my light meter