Exposure Lock (AE Lock)

You can lock the exposure when you want to set the focus and exposure separately or when you are to take multiple shots at the same exposure setting. Press the AE lock button to lock the exposure, then recompose and take the picture. It is effective for shooting backlit subjects, etc.

  1. Focus on the subject.

    • Press the shutter button halfway.

  2. Press the AE lock button (Timer 4sec).

    • A [AE lock] icon is displayed in the viewfinder or on the screen, indicating that the exposure is locked (AE lock).
    • Each time you press the AE lock button, the current exposure setting is locked.

  3. Recompose and take the picture.

    • When you are to take more pictures while maintaining the AE lock, keep holding down the AE lock button and press the shutter button to take another picture.

Caution

  • If [Shooting: Auto Lighting Optimizer] () is set to any setting other than [Disable], the image may still look bright even if a decreased exposure compensation for a darker image is set.

AE Lock Effects

Metering mode () AF Point Selection (, )
Automatic Selection Manual Selection
Evaluative metering Exposure value centered on the AF point in focus is locked. Exposure value centered on the selected AF point is locked.
Partial metering Spot metering Center-weighted average metering AE lock is applied at the center AF point.

When Evaluative metering is set and the lens's focus mode switch is set to MF, AE lock is applied with the exposure value weighted on the center AF point.

Note

  • AE lock is not possible with bulb exposures.