Metering Modes Explained.

What is a Metering mode?

Metering mode is different exposure mode available in your camera settings. Metering mode is used to deal with correct exposure for your subject. It is mainly used when there is challenging lighting condition (too dark or too bright or combination of both).

When you press your shutter release button halfway, it determines the light from subject you are framing on it’s own for proper exposure of subject. Most of the time it does good job but sometimes camera get deceived by light source when there is mix of dark and bright light source on your subject. If you are shooting in auto mode, camera will automatically set exposure for your subject by calculating correct combination of shutter speed and aperture size (F-stop). Like I said before, it works perfect most of the time unless there is serious lighting condition like sunset with dark sky and bright horizon, subject under very bright sunlight etc.

I hope now it’s clear to you what is Metering and when to use Metering. Now lets talk about different types of metering-mode available in camera. I will take Nikon D90 as my reference.

I hope now it’s clear to you what is Metering and when to use Metering. Now lets talk about different types of metering-mode available in camera. I will take Nikon D90 as my reference.


There are three Metering Modes available in Nikon D90.

1. Matrix Metering
2. Center-weighted Metering
3. Spot Metering

1. Matrix Metering

D90 uses different matrix metering depending up on type of lens you are using. It uses 3D Color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); Color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses). This is default setting for D90. It looks like rectangle with the dot in the middle. Matrix metering will see almost everything in your frame and try to adjust exposure by analyzing different colors and light within your frame. This is pretty good for most of the time.

2. Center-weighted Metering

It looks like circle with a central dot. Like matrix metering it also calculates exposure from the entire frame but the center area is given more priority (weight) during calculation. As per Nikon website, It gives weight of 75% given to 6, 8, or 10-mm circle in center of frame. Name itself explains its algorithm I guess. It is not recommended for most of the time and also considered as least accurate metering method.

3. Spot Metering

Its icon looks like small dot. Unlike other two methods, it only focuses on small area at the center of your frame.The exposure for everything else in the frame is completely ignored. As per Nikon website, it meters 3.5mm circle (about 2% of frame) centered on active focus area. It will be used only when you want to give proper exposure to the central subject no matter how surrounding will be.