Link the Spot Meter to the Selected Auto Focus Point

[NoodlesNinja]

Even on the 5D3, Spot Metering is linked only to the central AF point. It would be awesome to be able to link the spot meter to the selected AF point (most useful for shooting wildlife, concerts, fashion shows or any high-contrast scenes).

Nikon offers this on some low-end models like the D5100, yet you'll currently only find this on Canon 1D series. Which is a shame.

[Audionut]

I don't think this can be done (recalling previous discussion), but I agree, this would be a killer feature.

Having to shift between spot metering the exposure, and focus point is a pita.

[eyeland]

Jup, this PITA basically makes spotmetering almost useless for me..
How about a function that switches from spot meter when you have a non-center af point selected?
Would help me a little..

[NoodlesNinja]

How about a function that switches from spot meter when you have a non-center af point selected?

Not sure whether this would help or create more problems 
I would say that 98% of the time, I don't use the central AF point, so it would come as a huge surprise if the 2% of the time I do use it, my camera switches back to spot metering.

[Audionut]

Jup, this PITA basically makes spotmetering almost useless for me..

I find it easier to expose for the highlights since the highlights are less likely to change.  dual_iso picks up the slack 

[Marsu42]

How about a function that switches from spot meter when you have a non-center af point selected? Would help me a little..

Imho this is a nice feature and easy to implement, I'm likely to add this to my upcoming lazyhelp module. To really enable af-pt linked metering buy a 1d camera (but those don't run ML :-p).

[Audionut]

I didn't realise ML had control over metering modes.  Looking forward to it Marsu42.

[engardeknave]

Spot metering anywhere could probably be implemented in live view.

[Marsu42]

Spot metering anywhere could probably be implemented in live view.

Probably, but in lv you can just use the raw histogram and auto ettr - what I'm usually doing is shooting in photo mode through the vf and quickly need to change settings w/o looking at the back lcd or controls.

I didn't realise ML had control over metering modes.

It's just another prop and just needs the setter/getter backend, I already use it in my (personal atm) hotkey module so you can quickly blind-switch between spot and another metering mode with a cursor key. I'll probably release the module when (and if) we get array variables for modules.

[Audionut]

I already use it in my (personal atm) hotkey module so you can quickly blind-switch between spot and another metering mode with a cursor key.

Yes, but without linking the spot meter to the focus point, it's just a quick way of switching metering modes.

To make it really useful (for me and others), it needs to be linked to the focus point so that you can quickly meter in spot metering mode, without having to center the VF over the area to be metered.

[Marsu42]

it's just a quick way of switching metering modes.

Nope, it's not "just" that, it *is* that :-> ... as written, for some people quickly blind-switching settings is essential, look at the pro camera bodies (1d, d4, ...) for proof of that. Pressing the top meter button & cycle to spot (among 4 modes that wrap around) is no option if in a big hurry.

[Audionut]

Well, it's off-topic to the OP request then 

[engardeknave]

Ettr takes forever and provides no notification when it's done. It seems great with light bulbs, but I can't imagine it would be suitable for shooting moving people.

I often use the screen with a loupe outdoors. Shooting really thin dof into the light, mf.

[Audionut]

If your highlights don't change, ETTR is only slow on the first shot 

[a1ex]

Ettr takes forever and provides no notification when it's done.

It does beep and also has a status mesage.

The slowness is only on old cameras (5D2, 50D), where changing exposure settings in LiveView takes a while. On newer cameras it's much quicker. For older cameras, feel free to research the ADTG registers and implement the faster method; it's 100% possible (you need to use the shutter blanking register and find a suitable hooking point for changing it).

[engardeknave]

If your highlights don't change, ETTR is only slow on the first shot

Seems easier just to reframe with spotmeter or even manually expose.

It's not like the problem is I don't know what the exposure should be. The problem is that I turn around and shoot something else but I forgot to change my settings first and missed the shot. Having fewer throwaway shots is infinitely more important to me than having mathematically ideal exposure. So the idea is to completely offload this task to the computer in my hands, not have it perform a calculation to an imperceptible degree of greater accuracy.

[engardeknave]

It does beep and also has a status mesage.

The slowness is only on old cameras (5D2, 50D), where changing exposure settings in LiveView takes a while. On newer cameras it's much quicker. For older cameras, feel free to research the ADTG registers and implement the faster method; it's 100% possible (you need to use the shutter blanking register and find a suitable hooking point for changing it).

Yeah, I was thinking I did recall some kind of status message. But I don't think it was consistent. Or it took so long that I thought it was done, and then I pressed the shutter, and then I heard a beep.

[a1ex]

If you turn around often, it may be worth trying Auto ETTR in "always on" mode. That is, continuous auto exposure in LiveView.

I didn't use this mode a lot though, so there might be quirks (feel free to report issues).

[Audionut]

In that case, what's wrong with Tv/Av + EC?

The degree of accuracy determines highlight detail, or, exposing low DR scenes at maximum SNR.

[engardeknave]

I'd never use spot metering in a situation where I care about DR or SNR. Shooting people is about focus, framing, and timing. DR/SNR are things I worry about when I'm shooting a house.

[Marsu42]

If you turn around often, it may be worth trying Auto ETTR in "always on" mode. That is, continuous auto exposure in LiveView.

I know, been there, done that ...

a) you still have to wait for the calculation in QR which takes too much time if shooing in quick succession,

b) it's only good for the *last* shot, at least there should be an option to quickly switch to auto(-iso) calculation if you know the metering is off because you moved the camera to another scene. I could add that to my auto_iso module in M+EC mode thinking of it.

I'd never use spot metering in a situation where I care about DR or SNR.

Center-weighted metering helps sometimes though, I'm using it with center-point tracking on the 6d - so quickly switching from/to that from eval is also useful.

[a1ex]

I suggested it in LiveView, not in plain old photo mode

[Marsu42]

I suggested it in LiveView, not in plain old photo mode

Ok, but that excludes a working af system which is essential for wildlife :-o ... any way you turn it, with current non-evf cameras making photo mode (phase af, canon metering) really work is essential for many photography styles.

[Audionut]

I'd never use spot metering in a situation where I care about DR or SNR. Shooting people is about focus, framing, and timing. DR/SNR are things I worry about when I'm shooting a house.

I find the spot meter to be super powerful, and quick.  I know my sensor (with Canon ISOs), saturates at +3.3 EV.

So it becomes a simple case of metering the subject of interest.

Highlight, meter it at +3.0 EV.
Skin tone has priority, meter it at +2 EV (higher if you like to live dangerously).
Wedding dress, meter it at +2.7 EV.
Subjects moving to quickly, meter grass/concrete (in the same light as the subject) at 0EV.

By using the spot meter, I always have the subject of interest at maximum SNR.

A house is easy, it doesn't move.

I still don't understand how Tv/Av +EC is not useful, especially since you don't care about SNR.


With the spot meter linked to the focus point, this quickens the process even further.

[engardeknave]

I find the spot meter to be super powerful, and quick

I'm not sure we understand each other. I love spotmeter, which is why I want it to work without reframing and also in LV.

A house is easy, it doesn't move.

looool

Ok, pony up some real estate photography. Also disclose how long a house takes you--shoot and pp.

I still don't understand how Tv/Av +EC is not useful

I didn't say that.