spot metering

[mathews]

how do you spot meter a dark area or smooth shiny surface or even sky. in spot metering you have to focus. you cannot focus on a dark area or sky.

 

[tirediron]

Assuming you are using a "35mm" DSLR, than select 'Spot' from your metering modes and position the area in question in the centre of the viewfinder or on the active metering point if you have that option.

 

[mathews]

Assuming you are using a "35mm" DSLR, than select 'Spot' from your metering modes and position the area in question in the centre of the viewfinder or on the active metering point if you have that option.[/QUO

in spot metering you have to focus, right. how do you focus a dark area or smooth shiny surface.

 

[mwcfarms]

Metering and focusing are two entirely seperate things if I am not mistaken. Metering is evaluting your reflection of light. Are you asking how to focus properly when there is no light?

 

[Mike_E]

Just put the circle describing the spot on which ever area you want to meter. You don't need to be in focus to meter.

 

[Josh66]

in spot metering you have to focus.

No, you don't.

Metering and focusing are two different things, and you don't have to do one to do the other.

How to spot meter? Select the spot metering option, and point your camera at something. Activate the meter (usually by half-pressing the shutter release), and there you go.

Unless you have custom functions set to do otherwise, the same button usually activates metering and AF. You should be able to assign AF to a different button though. Look at the custom functions in your manual.

On Canon cameras, you can assign AF to the * button. I don't know what the button is on Nikon cameras - but they have something similar.