Metering on the FS100

N

nemisis633

Active member
Hey Everyone,

Let me start out by prefacing, this is completely a newbie question. I just made the leap from a Canon T2i with Magic Lantern to a beautiful new Sony FS-100. I've just started poking around in the interface (Albeit somewhat blind while waiting for a lens to arrive) and became a little perplexed. Does the FS100 have some sort of exposure metering system similar to what we have on DSLR's or do all exposure settings have to be referenced with only the histogram? I just wasn't sure if I had something inadvertently turned off.

Thanks in advance,
Jon
 
Hi Jon.

Obviously the camera has metering otherwise it would not be able to provide automatic exposure settings. However the FS100 is designed to be more of a professional camera. Professional level video/cinema cameras don't have a simple -/+ exposure diagram like on a DSLR.

The two graphical displays relating to exposure are like you said the histogram which is also useful for giving you an idea of the contrast and dynamic range of a scene. The other is the zebra function which is a graphical overlay using a bright colour to illustrate the specific areas of a scene where the highlights are overexposed. Due to the nature of zebras working with highlights thoug you aren't going to be able to see them in effect until you have a lens on the camera.

I can't speak for anyone else but I would suspect most people who are using a camera like this will have an external exposure meter. Mine is always within arms reach (on my belt).
 
LaForce said:
I can't speak for anyone else but I would suspect most people who are using a camera like this will have an external exposure meter. Mine is always within arms reach (on my belt).
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I think you'll find that most users either rely on the FS100 histogram OR false colour or a waveform on an external monitor.
 
Hahaha right you are and I use both. I tend to use my external meter when setting up lights and refer to histogram/waveform when setting up cameras.
 
I don't have a monitor with false color or wave forms, so use the histogram at the camera and design and set up the lighting with my trusty Sekonic L-398 "Studio Deluxe" light meter.

To me, exposeing properly is, IMHO, all about point of reference. For me, since I started shooting film, my point of reference is the trusty ol' Sekonic. To be honest, i was not all that comfortable with just the histogram on the FS100. So what I did was set up a variety of controlled situations with a variety of lighting conditions and play with the exposure, making notes about what the histogram is showing, then took the footage into my NLE and looked at it with the scopes I have. After just a short while I was able to correlate what I was seeing on the histogram, and the trusty Sekonic, to what I wanted as proper exposure. If you do this, I suggested shooting with a grey card. This will help to give you a point of reference for middle grey, which you can use latter on.
 
Thanks for all of the great input gentlemen.. It looks like I'm going to need to start getting some practice in the art of Histogram interpretation. Time to put the big boy pants on :) Do any of you have a relatively inexpensive light meter you could recommend as well? It seems like that really might be a crucial part of the puzzle for me.
 
I use the histogram to hit my highlights and then i also have my zerbas just incase i miss it or something.
 
for an inexpensive meter? and maybe cruze the local craigslist for older Pentax spot meters, they sometimes go for reasonable prices & are great until you run out of light... and the L398 is great - with the same ceveat

I use a L798c with Minolta spot & incedent meters as back-ups, and a L398 as a back-up back-up ;-)

d
 
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Although I own both a Sekonic L-758c light meter and a Leader LV-5330 waveform monitor, the only tool I need for accurately setting exposure on the FS100 (and most other video cameras) is the built-in zebras. Video and television cameramen have been using zebras for over 30 years and there's still nothing better for setting exposure. The key is to set the levels properly in the camera's menus, and also to have an understanding of when and where you should see the zebra pattern appear. Without that knowledge, then zebras are just a meaningless distraction in the viewfinder.

I'm not saying you can't get the right exposure with other methods, but I would argue there is nothing more simple, as accurate, or as fast to use as zebras. Plus it doesn't require buying additional accessories or dragging around extra hardware. Whenever I run into someone who doesn't like zebras, further questioning always reveals they don't really know how to use them properly. Learn to use zebras properly, and you will save yourself time and money.
http://www.vortexmedia.com/DVD_FS100.html
 
Yeah honestly my experience is that setups without light meters have more trouble in post (and even during production) than those that do (reshoots ahhhh). It really depends on the sort of work you are doing. If you are ever doing any drama (or any kind of fictional piece) I really think a light meter is 100% necessary for the shoot. Getting exposure correct is one thing. Getting exposure consistent is another. Its pretty hard to do that without a meter. Again, think reshoots (ahhhh).

I have a Sekonic 758c but I also have the old 508 which honestly I use more often than anything else - it always just seems to be a bit more on the money for me than any other meter I have used - they come up on ebay pretty regularly for under $300 - I'm always recommending them haha.

Maybe more affordable would be an old Minolta IV. They show up on eBay regularly as well. Although you can buy them new again under the Kenko brand (exactly the same design). Its not exactly a Cine meter but it like the 508 will calculate most frame rates at a 180 degree shutter, and you can always use the inbuilt exposure compensation to change the shutter angle. Like the 508 they have a reputation for being one of the best meters of all time.

And like Dermot said, its pretty hard to go past an old Pentax or Minolta spot (especially if like most of us you can't afford a Gossen haha).
 
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I'm pretty much doing music videos exclusively so thankfully everything does get to be setup, albeit at a very fast pace. It looks like I can get a pretty good deal on a Sekonic L-308DC. I'm sure that would probably get the job done and leave me with quite a bit more information than just playing histogram roulette. (Until I get a little bit more confident with them that is). This camera really is in a different league than the DSLR's, I can't wait to get shooting with it!
 
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