I tried both ways, but I should try the 2 special zone modes as well.

There's a reason for this. Applies to many DSLRs. The focusing screens -
like the latest one on the D200 - are made almost transparent to ensure
 a bright viewing image from the small screen area. The meter cells are
in the prism. Under certain conditions, a light source can 'shine
through' to one meter cell.

The solution on the KM 7D was to have the screen changed for a Type M or
ML, which reduces the screen brightness by over a stop, and makes it
very hard to view with low aperture, short focal length lenses. The
metering would be adjusted overall to compensate. The brightness
remained acceptable with lenses faster than f4, especially long lenses.
As a bonus, depth of field preview actually works with the M or ML
screen; although a preview button is provided on the A100, it is
meaningless, as the result is not an accurate preview. When you fit a
50mm f1.4 lens, the d-o-f you see is equivalent to a 50mm f4 even when
at full aperture, as the exit pupil of the lens is reduced by the
semi-transparent focusing screen and eyepiece/condensor effect
combination. These bright screens also make manual focusing impossible,
as a brief play around with the dioptre control will show you. The AF
markings are, also, separated from the focus screen surface by one or
more shims, inserted in the factory to collimate the lens
mount/screen/mirror setup. When the AF markings are dead sharp by
adjusting the dioptre, you are not focusing the eyepiece on the screen
surface, and all your manual focusing will be slightly out.

The solution is to set a lens at infinity (pick one which checks out on
a good film camera body to actually focus on infinity, when set there -
not one which focuses beyond). If you can, do a check on a focus screen
inserted on the film gate of a camera, to establish the correct setting
for infinity. Looking through the DSLR, with the lens set to this
reference and pointed at an infinity subject (greater than 300 feet)
adjust the eyepiece dioptre until the image (not the AF markings) is as
sharp as possible. Now adjust the dioptre control until the AF markings
are maximum sharpness. Make a note of the difference - i.e., one click
anti-clockwise or whatever it may be. For accurate manual focus in
future, just focus on the AF sensor markings, then adjust the setting by
this amount.

Metering is completely screwed up by the 'Haoda' matt screens with
central micro/split focusing aid. Not only does the screen density
change overall metering, any light source hitting the central focusing
aid may produce an extreme underexposure.

Sony so far has not announced any alternative screens for the A100.

David

Thats what the Fujifilm camera does... it has extra 'pixels' for the over-white
and adds them in later.

1/10 of a stop dynamic range?  Which camera would that be?
Must be a very special application.  Scanning of b/W art?

Hmmm ... what are they selling?

Can you explain
   http://www.clarkvision.com/imagedetail/dynamicrange2/
then?

Just like slide film, only a bit more so.

So you are saying that we need better digital than we ever
had film?

-Wolfgang