Nikon 1 J3 review – Metering
Given that most of the shooting modes are automatic, the Nikon 1 J3 can usually be left to take control of the metering. By and large, the J3 meters for an exposure in a similar way to a Nikon DSLR, with a preference for midtone and shadow luminance. Therefore, if the scene has a wide range of tones, the chances are the brighter areas, such as the sky, will be a little too bright. In this case, it is worth activating the Active D-Lighting (if this is possible in the shooting mode), because it makes tonal detail at either end of the dynamic range more obvious. As one would expect of a CSC, the J3 has a choice of matrix (evaluative), centreweighted and spot metering. Spot metering is linked directly to the active AF point, so it is only truly available when using spot AF. Introducing touch functionality to the LCD screen to choose the AF point would speed up this metering process.
