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30D - Do you guys realise how nice SPOT metering is?

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... and I never will use it again, if you know your camera and it's metering (whatever mode it's in) well - something for which most people don't seem to give themselves the time to learn anymore... It might be valuable for people that learnt photography when cameras didn't have a built in meter or some that couldn't be trusted. I have lost more images due to limited dynamic range and metering off a spot (when I still had it) than in the times when I finally bought those feature crippled Canon DSLR with it's reliable and predictible metering modes which are quite capable of bringing in the goods without even resorting to rescue missions in RAW.

Even people such as world reknown bird photographer Arthur Morris in their lectures point out that although the cameras might support spot metering it's of little or no use to them and the integral metering is not only good enough for them, it's their prefered metering.
--
regards
Karl Günter Wünsch
Visit my gallery at
http://www.fotocommunity.com/pc/pc/mypics/461808
 
Eric Chi said:
When Canon first took it out from D30, D60, 10D, and 20D, I have
learned to live without it. Thanks to digital, I do NOT need it any
more. All I care is the histogram and Photoshop.
Click to expand...
How does that work? On a d-slr the histogram is only available AFTER you have taken the shot, on the LCD.

If, when you view the histogram, the exposure is incorrect then there is a good chance you won't have the opportunity to re-take the shot exactly as it was.

If you rely on photoshop to correct your mistakes even that won't be able to rectify everything.
Eric Chi said:
Not a factor to be consider a feature to add price.
Click to expand...
The better you get the original exposure right, the better the final output regardless of the capabilities of post processing software.

Histograms and photoshop are lazy exposure techniques. Anything that improves the accuracy of the original exposure is a good thing.

Dave
 
Dont need it.. My cameras take pictures just fine.. Learn how they work and they will work well for you... Simple, huh?
Vaughn
midwestshutterbug said:
That is worth the extra $'a alone, in my book. Biggest thing I
missed when I switched over from Minolta 7D was Spot Metering,
2.5"LCD & knobs, not the anti-shake.

With the 30D, Canon has an affordable body that has two of the
three things I missed most.

Now, if I could only get Canon to do away with Menu's and give me
more knobs, levers and switches...

--
Dave Patterson
---------------------
Midwestshutterbug.com
Click to expand...
--
Vaughn T. Winfree
Friends Don't Let Friends Shoot Film :)

pBase supporter http://www.pBase.com/vaughn
 
Curious as to your take on this whole 30D thing. I can expect a honest answer from a few guys around here....you are one.

So lemme hear it.

--
--The artist formerly known as The Krakken
 
Karl Günter Wünsch said:
Even people such as world reknown bird photographer Arthur Morris
in their lectures point out that although the cameras might support
spot metering it's of little or no use to them and the integral
metering is not only good enough for them, it's their prefered
metering.
Click to expand...
It is all about knowing when to use it and when not to use it. If Arthur Morris is happy not using it then good for him. For his application it obviouly works well enough but what about other types of photograhpy? Just because AM can manage without it is no reason to decry the addition of this feature to a Canon d-slr.

Spot metering is very precise and so if you understand how exposure works a spot meter will give you the results you expect.

For 90% of the shots I dare say the default metering will suffice but if you are a thinking photograher you will know when there is a potentially challeging situation.

You then have a number of choices.

1.Hope the camera guesses right.
2.Switch to manual.

With a 30D you have another option.

3.Take a spot reading.

I don't see why the additional capability presented in 3 is a bad thing especially when Canon has had its pseudo-spot metering for years with its selective metering.

Dave
 
post some picture and show the different between

spot meter and with out

I believe pictures will convince most people how spot meter is important
 
post some picture and show the different between

spot meter and with out

I believe pictures will convince most people how spot meter is important
 
Either way, evaluative, average or spot you will need to add some exposure compensation for a difficult shot. If you use the proper compensation based on experience, multiple spot metering, or just trial and error the end result will be the same. A properly exposed image.

Rich
Charlie Liu said:
post some picture and show the different between

spot meter and with out

I believe pictures will convince most people how spot meter is
important
Click to expand...
 
Here I s one I shot with the 5D spot meter. Squirrel in a tree with no leaves with strong back lighting. No compensation was used. I did not have time for test shots, he was gone in seconds. I was new to this feature but in the right circumstance works great.



 
It's time Canon finally put this feature into their prosumer DSLRs--there's really been no technical excuse for not doing so. Now we know why they've been holding back: for a mild refresh like the 30D, when there's so little else to justify an upgrade.
 
otherwise you would be dialing compensation and guessing like any other metering.

Rich
 
Norman L. Allen said:
LOL, I must say that I agree with you. Spot-metering is a BIG
selling-point for me.
Click to expand...
I also agree on spot metering, but I'd rather spend on upgrades in my glass than switch my 20D to a 30D. That 17-55/2.8 IS looks awful tempting. I'd have it in a heartbeat if it was EF rather than EF-S. I expect to eventually go full frame, but who knows. Seeing the 17-55 isn't full frame I'll likely spend my next camera $$ on the 70-200/2.8L IS.
NormanAllen said:
NormanAllen said:
Now, if I could only get Canon to do away with Menu's and give me
more knobs, levers and switches...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
In my opinion it needs more blinky lights, and something that goes ping. ;-)

I'd like a set of assignable quick buttons. That way I could press one of them and immediately go to setting white ballance.

--
Bryan - click, click, click, click, moo, click, click.
 
... do not know how to meter, so they never appreciate the usefulness of spot metering.

Many people seem to think that if the histogram has no clipping on both ends, then the image has perfect exposure.

Well, exposure is more than that...

====
KS
 
..who has shot Pentax K1000 - full manual camera for 15 years. It probably only gives evaluative metering. He knows how to meter for what he is shooting. How much to overexpose or under expose for his desired effect.
 
metering system. Very common with older cameras. My favorite mode on my 5D and previous 20D. With a little experience exposure compensation becomes second nature. Nothing to it.

Rich
 
My first digital was the Canon Pro90 IS and it had spot metering. I really missed it after upgrading to the D60 and I remember being quite disappointed.
 
What I meant was no Canon DSLR...
Darin Genereux said:
My first digital was the Canon Pro90 IS and it had spot metering.
I really missed it after upgrading to the D60 and I remember being
quite disappointed.
Click to expand...
--

'The probability that we may fall in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just; it shall not deter me.' -- Abraham Lincoln
 
I think the 30D is what the 20D should've been to begin with... I won't bash the camera because to me the Spot Meter is the missing piece for me and easily makes that my camera of choice...
Daemeon said:
Curious as to your take on this whole 30D thing. I can expect a
honest answer from a few guys around here....you are one.

So lemme hear it.

--
--The artist formerly known as The Krakken
Click to expand...
--

'The probability that we may fall in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just; it shall not deter me.' -- Abraham Lincoln
 
Well, you might get the exposure right in the first place.

That is not to say that there is not a place for an automated exposure system for those shots where you need to shoot it and hope that it is close enough, but spot metering gives you a great deal more control over the image you capture.
 
Do you really need the machine that goes "ping"? A flying sheep is more useful.

Really, the 30D is nice as it is, I think. I got a 20D though, no need to upgrade.
BMA said:
Norman L. Allen said:
LOL, I must say that I agree with you. Spot-metering is a BIG
selling-point for me.
Click to expand...
I also agree on spot metering, but I'd rather spend on upgrades in
my glass than switch my 20D to a 30D. That 17-55/2.8 IS looks
awful tempting. I'd have it in a heartbeat if it was EF rather
than EF-S. I expect to eventually go full frame, but who knows.
Seeing the 17-55 isn't full frame I'll likely spend my next camera
$$ on the 70-200/2.8L IS.
BMA said:
BMA said:
Now, if I could only get Canon to do away with Menu's and give me
more knobs, levers and switches...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
In my opinion it needs more blinky lights, and something that goes
ping. ;-)

I'd like a set of assignable quick buttons. That way I could press
one of them and immediately go to setting white ballance.

--
Bryan - click, click, click, click, moo, click, click.
Click to expand...
 
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