spot metering

[echoyjeff222]

I'm using spot metering for taking landscape photos, but is there a way to actually move the spot meter "dot" without moving the entire camera? I'm using a canon t5i and I'm looking through manual, but it looks like I have to actually move the entire camera and recenter it to get an exposure for that part.

To avoid moving the camera itself, would it be better to get exposure values for each part of the scene, then just manually adjust the exposure up and down without moving the camera itself?

 

[sscarmack]

I'm not sure about canon. But nikon you just have to use the arrow wheel after you pre focus and you can move the focus point.


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[sscarmack]

Maybe this will help

When to use spot metering | Digital Camera World


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[pgriz]

I have a Canon T1i and when preparing to shoot, I usually take several different readings - an incident light reading for the main light (sun or overhead clouds), and another reading in the shady areas (lit by secondary light sources or reflections) That tells me how much light I have to work with. Then I use the spot meter to read the values for the highlight and shadow portions for the scene I plan to photograph. Combined with the knowledge of my camera's dynamic range, I select an exposure (manually) where the highlights are not blown, and the shadow areas still have detail. Then I take a sample shot and check the histogram. If it confirms what I have set up, then there should be minimal light pixels at the 255 and 0 ends of the histogram. At this point, unless the reflectance or light levels have changed, I can use the basic exposure I've calculated without further fussing around.

As for having the spot-meter area follow the selected point of focus, that is possible on the new Canon cameras and also on the Nikon cameras, I believe. I don't think the Rebels have this capability. I also don't think the P&S cameras have this feature.

 

[Light Guru]

To avoid moving the camera itself, would it be better to get exposure values for each part of the scene, then just manually adjust the exposure up and down without moving the camera itself?

Why not just meeter the different parts of the scene FIRST, and then lock the composition down.

 

[KmH]

No. For all but the top Canon DSLRs the spot metered is locked to the center AF point.
See page 117 of you T5i Instruction manual.
For landscape photos you will likely get better results using Center-weighted metering, unless the scene is brighter or darker than usual.
If the scene is more or less reflective than the reflectance the meter is calibrated to (12% to 18% reflectance) the metering will not be accurate and you will have to compensate by using + or - Exposure Compensation (EC)

For Nikon DSLRs, in Spot metering mode the spot metered moves with the selected AF point, so the camera does not have to be moved to spot meter away from the center AF point.

 

[TCampbell]

Canon's spot meter is center-only. If you're shooting landscapes you'd want to meter the the dark shadows and bright highlights separately then find a middle exposure which neither blows out the highlights nor clips off the shadows.

 

[mcap1972]

Some of the camera link focus point to metering point.

 

[snerd]

Canon's spot meter is center-only. If you're shooting landscapes you'd want to meter the the dark shadows and bright highlights separately then find a middle exposure which neither blows out the highlights nor clips off the shadows.

Or take some bracketed shots and merge with HDR software.

ETA: I always just use Evaluative metering. These newer cameras are pretty good at figuring it out.


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