Metering Mode Selection

You can select one of four methods to measure the subject brightness.

  1. Press the Flash exp comp/metering mode button (Timer 06sec).

  2. Select the metering mode.

    • Watch the top LCD panel or look through the viewfinder as you turn the Main Dial dial.

  • Evaluative metering Evaluative metering

    General-purpose metering mode suited even for backlit subjects. The camera adjusts the exposure automatically to suit the scene.

  • Partial metering Partial metering

    Effective where there are much brighter lights around the subject due to backlight, etc.

  • Spot metering Spot metering

    Effective when metering a specific part of the subject. The spot metering circle will be displayed in the viewfinder.

  • Center-weighted average metering Center-weighted average

    Metering over the entire area is averaged, with the center of the viewfinder weighted more heavily.

Note

  • By default, the camera will set the exposure as follows.

    With Evaluative metering, holding down the shutter button halfway locks the exposure (AE lock) after the camera focuses with One-Shot AF. With Partial metering / Spot metering / Center-weighted average metering, exposure is set at the moment the picture is taken (without locking the exposure value when the shutter button is pressed halfway).

  • You can link spot metering to all AF points by setting [Custom Functions1: Spot meter. linked to AF pt] to [Linked to active AF point] ().
  • With [Custom Functions2: AE lock meter. mode after focus] (), you can set whether or not to lock the exposure (AE lock) when focus is achieved with One-Shot AF.

Multi-Spot Metering

By specifying multiple areas for spot metering, you can determine an overall exposure level based on the average of your selected areas. Multi-spot metering is available in Program AE, Shutter priority AE, and Aperture priority AE modes.

  1. Set the metering mode to Spot metering (spot metering).

  2. Press the Multi-function button (Timer 16sec).

    • Aim the spot metering circle over each area for exposure comparison, one after another, and press the Multi-function button in each area.

    • Relative exposure levels of each spot metering area are displayed at right in the viewfinder. These levels are averaged to obtain the current exposure level.

    • While referring to the three points on the exposure level indicator, you can set exposure compensation in this state and determine the final exposure level for the desired result.

Note

  • Spot metering with up to eight points is possible.

  • Stored exposure values are cleared in the following cases.

    • When the metering timer elapses after the last spot metering (Timer 16sec)
    • When you press any of these buttons: MODE, Drive mode/AF operation, Flash exp comp/metering mode, ISO, AF point selection, Exposure comp., or White balance selection
  • Multi-spot metering is available even when [Custom Functions1: Spot meter. linked to AF pt] is set to [Linked to active AF point] ().