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Histrogram

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July 11, 2013
8:36 pm

chasmz

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April 29, 2013

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Hi,

I attended a seminar, I question about the proper usage of metering… The Nikon Pro (strobe user) said that he do not use metering and just look at the histogram..

He said learn how to use histrogram.. then i research how to histrogram works.

Histrogram….

Left (dark/black), Middle (grey), Right (bright/white)

Up (more pixel/high contrast) 7=& Down (less pixel/low contrast)

High Key & low Key – complex point of view (but good image outcome)

Could anyone help me more on how to use histrogram? I do not know the balance display of a picture in the histogram.

Thank you.

Best regards,

July 11, 2013
9:16 pm

wattage

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Hi chasmz. Here is a tutorial that gives a good overview with examples and explanation about exactly this. Hope it helps!

In most DSLRs you can view the histogram immediately after taking the shot. On Nikons, just press the Up Arrow a couple times while viewing the picture to see histogram views. And in some cameras (like those with electronic viewfinders), you can even see a live histogram while composing the picture!

I would continue using the in-camera meter, however. Experiment with test shots and look at both the meter and the histogram for various shots/scenarios. Look for the relationships between both and how they change. The meter is there to help. Why not take advantage of it? Good luck! Wink

James

July 12, 2013
12:55 am

chasmz

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Thank you for the reply..

I notice in the tutorial that the histogram is colored (RGB).. Currently I do not have my camera however I think my camera (Nikon D7000) only shows black&white histogram.

additional question. do we still need to consider using metering when we are using flash at night(always hear inverse square law – I still dont understand)?.

Any tutorial on how to properly use metering at night? need to google more…

Thanks.

Thank you.

Best regards,

July 12, 2013
5:12 am

wattage

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Hi chasmz. First of all, you have an excellent camera with the D7000. It is basically a mini-computer! It will show you every histogram you can think of. And I think it will even cook breakfast! Cool You just need to press the right buttons. For this, just study its manual in detail. The histogram that appears by default is luminosity, which is sort of a hybrid of the RGB histograms. Here’s a tutorial about histograms written by a fantastic author, Darrell Young, that goes into more depth. He also wrote a book called Mastering the D7000. I have the same book for my D90. Darrell is a great writer and patiently goes over everything the camera can do. Highly recommended.

I do not have a lot of experience with using flash at night. But I am comfortable saying that metering is always important, regardless of the scenario. And yes, Google is your friend here, too. I searched ‘metering flash at night’ and found this great tutorial.

I say this a lot, but it bears repeating. When in doubt, experiment. And don’t forget that you can use the automatic scene mode settings built into the D7000. The auto settings may not always deliver the perfect shot you want, but they do a pretty good job and serve as a good starting point. And you can always look at the EXIF data embedded in each picture to look at the settings the camera picked for the shot. It’s another great way to learn.

Have fun and keep shooting! Smile