Metering mode for sports?

[johnandscooter]

What is the best metering mode for sports or a single object that may be moving around a good bit like a dog running?

In my mind I can make a good case for each:

spot: exposure set for a players face or uniform

center weighted: exposure set for the player not the green trees in the background

evaluative: similar to center weighted but a little more of the green trees in the background

Thanks!

[TCav]

The best metering mode, whatever the situation, is the one that will expose faces properly. Some here advocate metering on a face, and then switching to manual exposure, eliminating the possibility that changes in composition can result in incorectly exposing a face. This doesn't allow the camera to adjust for changes in lighting such as might happen on a partly cloudy day, or as the Sun rises in the sky.

There is no single best metering mode. The best is the one that works best for you at the time.

[johnandscooter]

So dumb question: do these metering modes not apply to manual exposure? I thought the metering mode determines where in the scene the light data is pulled to move that little bar up and down the exposure level indicator - even in manual mode?

[TCav]

Yes, even in manual mode. Except that in manual mode, the metering system measures the changes in the light level but doesn't change the exposure values to compensate for them.

[johnandscooter]

ok good. I was just making sure I wasn't completely lost!

[johnandscooter]

Let me rephrase the question to perhaps draw some more interest: Do you guys constantly change your metering modes or do you prefer one over the other for common shots? Would one mode get me into trouble? Let's say I set exposure to the players face using spot metering and then two steps later his face has changed position and then the spot metering recognizes his black helmet. Would center weighted or matrix reduce that likelihood?

[TCav]

I use center weighted for shooting sports. I shoot equestrian sports. The lighting changes frequently, horses come in different colors, and riders wear different clothing. The exposure is always pretty close to being correct, and if anything causes a face to be underexposed or overexposed, it can usually be adjusted sufficiently in post processing.

[TCav]

I suggest that use use center weighted, and if you find that, because of the uniforms, you get consistantly underexposed or overexposed faces, dial in some exposure compensation. But that might have the opposite effect for photos of players from the opposing team.