On Fri, 30 Oct 1998 15:47:45 GMT, coxjonv@my-dejanews.com wrote:

>I spend quite a lot of time photographing butterflies using a Nikon FA (which
>I use with a micro-NIKKOR 55mm 1:2.8 lens mostly). I am wondering which is
>the best way of metering light for this type of photography. I normally work
>in 'programme' mode with automatic multi-pattern metering selected.
>'Centerweighted' metering might give better results for butterflies
>(particularly as I can use exposure compansation with centre-weighted
>metering). Any comments?

Unless you need program automation (which generally selects too wide
a stop to pair with a given shutter speed for decent DOF [or good lens
performance, when shooting at normal distances...]), aperture-priority
gives you more control over the choice of optimum stop... I also don't
think much of using "roll-o'-th'-dice" Matrix metering, since it gives
you no basis for knowing what is being metered, making it difficult
to apply compensations intelligently.

>The manual indicates that there are only certain lens that the automatic
>multi-pattern metering feature works with, it is not clear whether this
>feature is available with the micro-NIKKOR lens, does anybody know?

So long as the lens is at least original AI (slight advantage for
AIS...), it should not matter.