Spot metering linked to focus point

[pedz]

With the pro bodies such as the 1DX, I can set my camera to have a focus point and spot metering. The book tells me that in this case, the spot metering occurs at the focus point.

The R and R5 books (so far) do not mention this particular feature but I'm wondering how the Evaluative Metering works. It seems to me that the camera prioritizes the area in focus or am I just seeing what I want to see?

 

[Alastair Norcross]

With the pro bodies such as the 1DX, I can set my camera to have a focus point and spot metering. The book tells me that in this case, the spot metering occurs at the focus point.

The R and R5 books (so far) do not mention this particular feature but I'm wondering how the Evaluative Metering works. It seems to me that the camera prioritizes the area in focus or am I just seeing what I want to see?

This has been the case with Canon's evaluative metering system for many years. With each successive iteration, it has improved. While I would like the ability to tie spot metering to the focus point, I'm generally satisfied with the results of evaluative metering. With a little practice, it's easy to recognize situations where you might need to dial in a little exposure compensation.

 

[pedz]

With the pro bodies such as the 1DX, I can set my camera to have a focus point and spot metering. The book tells me that in this case, the spot metering occurs at the focus point.

The R and R5 books (so far) do not mention this particular feature but I'm wondering how the Evaluative Metering works. It seems to me that the camera prioritizes the area in focus or am I just seeing what I want to see?

This has been the case with Canon's evaluative metering system for many years. With each successive iteration, it has improved. While I would like the ability to tie spot metering to the focus point, I'm generally satisfied with the results of evaluative metering. With a little practice, it's easy to recognize situations where you might need to dial in a little exposure compensation.

Thank you...

The reason for the question is I'm wrestling with diving fully into the new EOR R style of camera and lenses. The two big hang ups is a few of the features in the pro bodies and it is going to be a learning experience to learn how to use the controls of the R and R5 as intuitively as I do the pro bodies. The latter clearly is just practice. And the former is, as you suggest, learn how to work with the equipment. e.g. I'm not using the control ring effectively yet.

 

[Eddie Rizk]

With the pro bodies such as the 1DX, I can set my camera to have a focus point and spot metering. The book tells me that in this case, the spot metering occurs at the focus point.

The R and R5 books (so far) do not mention this particular feature but I'm wondering how the Evaluative Metering works. It seems to me that the camera prioritizes the area in focus or am I just seeing what I want to see?

This has been the case with Canon's evaluative metering system for many years. With each successive iteration, it has improved. While I would like the ability to tie spot metering to the focus point, I'm generally satisfied with the results of evaluative metering. With a little practice, it's easy to recognize situations where you might need to dial in a little exposure compensation.

Thank you...

The reason for the question is I'm wrestling with diving fully into the new EOR R style of camera and lenses. The two big hang ups is a few of the features in the pro bodies and it is going to be a learning experience to learn how to use the controls of the R and R5 as intuitively as I do the pro bodies. The latter clearly is just practice. And the former is, as you suggest, learn how to work with the equipment. e.g. I'm not using the control ring effectively yet.

With exposure preview, you see a reasonable approximation of the final exposure in the view finder, before you push the shutter button, so you can compensate for anything that affects the final exposure, whether it's a different area of the picture dominating the metering or a different tone of the subject that fools the camera, regardless of what the exposure program wants to do.

Even if you have reason to over or under expose, such as an ETTR strategy or some other reason, you can have a good idea what the file is going to be like looking through the EVF with a little experience. I think it's better than the live histogram.

Of course that all goes out the window with flash.

 

[StevenScholten]

I have the R5. When i was thinking about ordering this camera I was disapointed to learn the R5 did not have this option. My Fujis do offer this option.

I did order the R5 and i noticed the exposure does change when you move the focus point around. I am quite happy with the way it performs.

I do miss the option to turn on blinkies when shooting. It would help exposing for the highlights (hello are you listening Canon?)

 

[NowHearThis]

With the pro bodies such as the 1DX, I can set my camera to have a focus point and spot metering. The book tells me that in this case, the spot metering occurs at the focus point.

The R and R5 books (so far) do not mention this particular feature but I'm wondering how the Evaluative Metering works. It seems to me that the camera prioritizes the area in focus or am I just seeing what I want to see?

It's probably about time for my annual Metering complaint...

TL;DR; Version: Evaluative meter locks the exposure on half press of the shutter. (no you cannot change this). Evaluative Metering also uses info from the AF Point to set the exposure. (no you cannot change this either)

(end)

My Gripes:

• In evaluative Metering holding the shutter button locks the exposure too. So if a cloud blocks the sun, or you adjust your framing after you focus your picture, it may be brighter or darker than you intended (at least you can see the results and apply exposure compensation as needed).
• Evaluative Metering is weighted on the AF point chosen. Regardless of what Canon says that's not evaluative metering that's really acting more like flexible spot meter. I'll admit Canon has gotten so much better in their Mirrorless cameras, but, and this was confirmed by Canon on this recently, it still uses the AF point to meter in Evaluative Metering Mode. Tests I've done with the EOS R seem to indicate that the Meter on the AF point isn't as heavy as say their 80D is - and that's a good thing . In the store, where I was doing my testing, most things seemed just fine with little need to make additional corrections - granted this is not how to properly put a metering system through it's paces, IMO.

Workarounds:

• Use the " * " button to lock your meter first (making sure no AF points are selected), then use the shutter button or AF-On button for focusing
• Use Servo-AF all the time. The meter won't lock until the moment the picture is taken (pg 385). The EOS R, RP, R6, R5 are so good with AF that this might be the simplest workaround of all.

Real Solutions, not workarounds:

1. Give a menu option that lets users decide if they want to lock meter on AF half press (this is so simple, I don't know why they don't do this).
2. In Evaluative Metering, let the camera evaluate all it's metering areas and do not link it to the AF Point - most cameras don't, yet they meter perfectly. My Pen-F and E-M10 don't base the evaluative on any AF point(s) yet meter accurately and 1000x better than my 80D or T2i ever did.

.

Sources: EOS R5 Manual, pgs 276, 277, 282, 389, Canon virtual product Townhall-type meeting held in September or October

 

[Kate Bader]

Finally this forum answered what I have been searching everywhere for on the internet and the Canon book. I cannot use the back focus button for both focus and metering. I really miss this feature as I used it all the time on my 5D Mark 4! Canon please do a firmware update.