I don't have a Sony......But the procedure you've described is correct.The EV meter is the light meter..

You can also pick a shutter speed and adjust the apature till you get 0 on the EV meter..

Your pictures sometime are dark because of the way you are using the cameras meter. If there are very bright areas in the frame the meter is fooled into thinking that the whole picture is bright..

When you get a dark picture, just either open the apature more or slow the shutter speed and take another. After a while you'll learn to see when the light meter is lieing to you and just adjust to either +EV or -EV as appropriate.Read here to learn more about exposure http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm.

A member of the rabble in good standing...

Sorry,I may sound rude, but this info is in your camera manual.Camera manual is N1 "must read" for any photographer..

If you hate reading camera manual you can use this page:.

Http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydslra100/page7.asp.

Http://www.stan-pustylnik.smugmug.com..

It could be that you are in spot metering mode, so that when you point at a bright subject, turn the wheel to get 0 on the EV and shoot; you will get a dark picture. Best to experiment with the metering while you read the manual (Sony manual is not the most helpful).

Michael.

Http://www.pbase.com/michael73..

"Sorry,I may sound rude, but this info is in your camera manual.Camera manual is N1 "must read" for any photographer..

If you hate reading camera manual you can use this page:.

Http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydslra100/page7.asp.

Http://www.stan-pustylnik.smugmug.com ".

It is not rude and thank you. I have read the manual from cover to cover and the specific question is vague in the manual to say the least..

No where in there that I can find is the word meter discussed other than meter settings. Spot, center weighted, or multi segment. And this is in reference to EV setting not metering..

Thanks for the links. Like I said I am learning this stuff..

I had a darn nice Casio point and shoot that took a tumble under me in Vancouver this past June. I was hurt beyond repair on one of the early days of a three week vacation. However it did survived long enough to get some fine scenery pictures in Alaska. Those pictures prompted me to upgrade to a DSLR and start serious photography..