Nikon D70 spot meter covers 5% of the viewing area

Ok, this might be old news to many but I just came across Pop Photo's
review of Nikon D70 and it says that D70's spot meter covers 5% of
viewing area and not 1% as stated by Nikon.

http://www.popularphotography.com/ar...article_id=868

Although, I don't have much regard for Pop Photo because I see them
mostly as advert rag but in this case they published something that's
not so good looking about one of their major customers.

Hmmm ... interesting.

- Siddhartha

"Siddhartha Jain" wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, this might be old news to many but I just came across Pop Photo's
review of Nikon D70 and it says that D70's spot meter covers 5% of
viewing area and not 1% as stated by Nikon.

http://www.popularphotography.com/ar...article_id=868

Although, I don't have much regard for Pop Photo because I see them
mostly as advert rag but in this case they published something that's
not so good looking about one of their major customers.

Hmmm ... interesting.

- Siddhartha

-------------
I just read through the review twice and nowhere can I find your reference
to the spot meter coverage. The center weighted metering layout is
discussed.
I know you must have read it so please point out where the spot meter
reference is located.
Thanks,
Don F

"Siddhartha Jain" wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, this might be old news to many but I just came across Pop Photo's
review of Nikon D70 and it says that D70's spot meter covers 5% of
viewing area and not 1% as stated by Nikon.

http://www.popularphotography.com/ar...article_id=868

Although, I don't have much regard for Pop Photo because I see them
mostly as advert rag but in this case they published something that's
not so good looking about one of their major customers.

Hmmm ... interesting.


As much as everyone seems to trash them the mag does pretty good. If you're
not reading it you are missing something. I subscribe to that one, Outdoor
photographer and Digital Photo Pro. I wish I had time for Shutterbug and the
one with all the nudes (American Photo?).

"Siddhartha Jain" wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, this might be old news to many but I just came across Pop Photo's
review of Nikon D70 and it says that D70's spot meter covers 5% of
viewing area and not 1% as stated by Nikon.

http://www.popularphotography.com/ar...article_id=868

Although, I don't have much regard for Pop Photo because I see them
mostly as advert rag but in this case they published something that's
not so good looking about one of their major customers.

Hmmm ... interesting.


As much as everyone seems to trash them the mag does pretty good. If you're
not reading it you are missing something. I subscribe to that one, Outdoor
photographer and Digital Photo Pro. I wish I had time for Shutterbug and the
one with all the nudes (American Photo?).

-------------
I just read through the review twice and nowhere can I find your
reference
to the spot meter coverage. The center weighted metering layout is
discussed.
I know you must have read it so please point out where the spot meter
reference is located.

You read it twice ??

Here it is :
The D70 is the first DSLR with adjustable centerweighted metering, a real
plus (see graphs). But its spotmeter measures 5 percent of the viewing area,
not 1 percent as claimed.


Here is the full text (
http://www.popularphotography.com/ar...article_id=868 )
:
In May 2004, we published the world's first hands-on report of the new 6MP
$999 Nikon D70 ("War Is Declared!"). Now, using a standard production
camera, here are the results of our lab and field tests.
The D70 starts up and is ready to fire in a split second, faster than any
other digital SLR in its class. Its AF speed matches the earlier Nikon D100,
but it bests the D100 in burst mode. Our tests captured up to 12
fine-quality JPEGs at 3 fps and 144 normal-quality JPEGs at the same rate.
In RAW NEF mode, it was 4 images at 2.5 fps.

While bright, the viewfinder's magnification isn't the D100's 0.83X.
Instead, it's 0.76X. This means a slight tunnel-vision effect, but not as
much as the Olympus E-1.

The D70 is the first DSLR with adjustable centerweighted metering, a real
plus (see graphs). But its spotmeter measures 5 percent of the viewing area,
not 1 percent as claimed. White balance can be fine-tuned ±3 settings toward
blue or red. Custom white balance can be measured off a white card or copied
from a photo. Optional Nikon Capture 4 software ($99) lets you download
custom contrast curves or control the camera from a computer.

The D70's image quality is extremely high. In our color accuracy tests
comparing fine-quality JPEGs, the D70 beat the D100 and Canon's $899 EOS
Digital Rebel and scored higher than any other 6MP DSLR.

At ISO 200, noise was low, but higher than the Digital Rebel's. It also was
low at ISO 800. With moderate noise at ISO 1600, the D70 is, overall, an
exceptional performer.

Bottom line: If you can live with the lower magnification of the viewfinder
and a 1.5X 35mm lens factor (though a plus for tele work), the D70
represents a grand well spent.

http://www.popularphotography.com/ar...article_id=868

Chuck wrote:

Here it is :
The D70 is the first DSLR with adjustable centerweighted metering, a real
plus (see graphs). But its spotmeter measures 5 percent of the viewing area,
not 1 percent as claimed.

That's all they say about it, nothing to back it up, and you believe it
because, what, it's in one of the lamest photo magazines out there?

It sounds to me like the author is confused between the "spot meter" and
the smallest setting of the adjustable center-weighted meter.

--
Jeremy |

Chuck wrote:

Here it is :
The D70 is the first DSLR with adjustable centerweighted metering, a real
plus (see graphs). But its spotmeter measures 5 percent of the viewing area,
not 1 percent as claimed.

That's all they say about it, nothing to back it up, and you believe it
because, what, it's in one of the lamest photo magazines out there?

It sounds to me like the author is confused between the "spot meter" and
the smallest setting of the adjustable center-weighted meter.

--
Jeremy |

Pop is one of the few that will say something negative in a review if they
don't like it or question the way something was implemented on the product
if it didn't make sense.

I haven't read a Peterson's Photographic in 8+ years, but their reviews tend
to be all sugar and spice. Outdoor never seems to say anything evil either.

Perhaps some rags get pushed around by their advertisers more than Pop. Pop
has been pushed themselves, however.

bg

"Siddhartha Jain" wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, this might be old news to many but I just came across Pop Photo's
review of Nikon D70 and it says that D70's spot meter covers 5% of
viewing area and not 1% as stated by Nikon.

http://www.popularphotography.com/ar...article_id=868

Although, I don't have much regard for Pop Photo because I see them
mostly as advert rag but in this case they published something that's
not so good looking about one of their major customers.

Hmmm ... interesting.

- Siddhartha

I never said I believed it, I just said it was in the text. I dont have to
believe it or not, I have a 20D.

"BG250" wrote in message
...
Pop is one of the few that will say something negative in a review if they
don't like it or question the way something was implemented on the product
if it didn't make sense.

Perhap so, but they still might not know what they are talking about. So,
the question remains - how did they determine the size of the spot meter?
Jim