Setting proper exposure.

J

jacotte

Carbonite Member
Setting proper exposure is really the touchy issue. I used to leave the iris on automatic and use the viewfinder as reference. A few accidents later, I revised my strategy by turning on the zebra and reducing the iris to a point where no zebra bars appear on the faces. However, this is where the confusing part begins. You can always keep reducing the iris until no zebra bars appear anywhere in the scene. The range is quite large. So one needs to have a policy on where to set the iris. Once the faces are properly exposed, where do I go from there?
 
different situations will require different results, some guys like zebras at 75% for caucasian skin, some like 85%.

I usually shoot with my zebra 1 on 75-85%, and then Zebra 2 at 105%. That's what I use, doesn't mean it's right, but it works for me.

- Derrick
 
well, zebras show you what is reaching to your setting levels, at the settings I use, I dail down exposure until the face has no more zebras.

But remember the zebras is a reference point. So use it as that.

- Derrick
 
The only time I ever use zebras is when I'm shooting for my wedding videography company. Often times it's too sunny outside for me to clearly see my XH-A1 monitor (which is small) and I'm wearing sunglasses. I have them set at 85 which I find to be pretty reliable for most skin tones, unless the person is like, ghastly white. And it's okay to have a little bit of zebras in the frame and on the subject as long as the majority of it is properly exposed. You can't forget that the human eye does perceive blown out spots even if we don't readily acknowledge them, and that makes it natural to have them in film as well.
 
Standard practice is too have caucasian zebras set to 60-70% for HD and to have some zebra on the face. 85% is very hot for flesh tone.
 
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