New a1 zebra tips please

[NB1]

What is the best way to set zebra? Anything will help are the zebras what you want to set as key light. Shooting doc style sometimes having the subject exposed properly leaves the sky overexposed. Is zebra ony for a controled enviornment?

Thanks

[Huy Vu]

Zebra should always be used since the LCD is inaccurate for judging exposure. 95 IRE for sky, 70-75 IRE for skin tone. Sometimes you have to pick the part of the image you want to be well exposed.

[NB1]

So if your are outside and you want to expose to someones face set the zebra to 75, the horizon will be super zebra'd and the face will be perfectly exposed?

[KeeganFlynn]

Set the Zebras to 70 or 75 for proper face exposure, then when you're filming adjust the iris until you just see zebras on peoples faces.

[Noel Evans]

Specifically for outdoor where I have less control, I may have the facial exposure a bit lower. Doing it this was can mean I may be able to retain a little more information in the lighter areas.

When I am in post, facial tones usually reside in the mid, so you can bring your mids up a little and drop your whites a touch to even the whole image out. Even more effective if you are using a more advanced color grading tool such as COLOR in FCS2 or are emplying a color grader who will do it for you.

Please keep in mind I said 'I may' that doesnt mean I would, depending on the situation. Of course my first option is to reposition to minimise the difference between the blown out and correctly exposed, like having the subject without the sky being visible. Of course this is all variable depending on what your doing.

Which really is my point. Everything is variable. My recommendation is to practice shooting and know the how which why, then you know in your mind which is most suitable for what your doing, or in some cases youll know how to set up for how your being told to shoot it.