Spot Metering Question

[Dr. G]

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I'm confused about the way spot metering works on the SL in AF mode.  When reading the manual it seems like the AF focus point is the same as the spot metering point.  When switching to spot metering, I get a circle instead of the + that I can move around the EVF field.  Am I assuming that wherever I meter is also my AF point?  

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[sillbeers15]

You must be confused with metering selection and focusing selection based on your writeout above.

 

After FW3.0 downloaded, a circle appears instead of a rectangle to indicate focusing point whenever a manual focus lens (such as the M lens w. the M to L adapter) is mounted on the SL and therefore indicating to the user that there is no AF meacanism working with the set up.

 

Your metering selsction will appear on the top bar together with drive mode, focusing mode, flash curtain seection,...when you select your EVF viewing choice to show settings.

[geetee1972]

The circle that appears on my view is indeed the spot metering point. I do indeed also use a manual lens so cannot comment about the subsitution that Silbeers speaks of, but the circle is indeed the area for metering selection.

[Dr. G]

Even with my AF SL lenses I get the circle for spot metering. My question is if the AF point is within the circle when metering. If I put the circle on a subject's face I can see the EVF change exposure, but I can no longer see my "+" focus point. I don't know if I need to lock the exposure after spot metering to get my "+" back in view to move my focus point after spot metering or if the AF is locked onto the place where I spot metered.

[LD_50]

Yes they are coupled.

[Dsauro]

This would be a great firmware upgrade. The coupling is challenging. So I end up spot metering and switching to manual focus while keeping the shutter pressed halfway. It’s a pain but works for landscape work......but not for chains my 2 1/2 year old grand daughter

[sillbeers15]

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Even with my AF SL lenses I get the circle for spot metering. My question is if the AF point is within the circle when metering. 

 

Can you teach me how to get a 'circle' in the middle of your SL screen when native SL lens is attached? I only see a 'rectangle' in the middle of the screen even when I select 'MF', I must be missing something which your SL is indeed percular. The mode of metering is indicated on the top bar in the EVF fifth from the left as a dot within a rectangle indicating spot metering. Certainly spot metering will be indicated as the where the rectangle is placed within the EVF with the joystick together with the focusing point when one of the AF mode or (MF when joystick is pressed) is selected when the shutter released button is half pressed.

[Dr. G]

Can you teach me how to get a 'circle' in the middle of your SL screen when native SL lens is attached? I only see a 'rectangle' in the middle of the screen even when I select 'MF', I must be missing something which your SL is indeed percular. The mode of metering is indicated on the top bar in the EVF fifth from the left as a dot within a rectangle indicating spot metering. Certainly spot metering will be indicated as the where the rectangle is placed within the EVF with the joystick together with the focusing point when one of the AF mode or (MF when joystick is pressed) is selected when the shutter released button is half pressed.

 

 

I have AFs, single point selected.  When I choose spot metering the circle shows up in the display with the + centered within it.

 

I have two configurations that I found to sort of work.

 

In the first case, I chose AE-L from the customzation menu and I can lock exposure with the joystick and then focus with a half press on the shutter.  In this configuration, once the exposure metering is locked the focus point can't be moved.  If I want to position my subjects along the 1/3s or along the golden ratio areas, I have to know that before I get my exposure metering.

 

The second case should have been optimal the way the manual describes it, but it doesn't work exactly as I expected.  In this scenario, I selected AF-L from the customization menu.  My understanding was that a half press and hold of the shutter release would lock exposure and then I could use the joystick to find my AF point and lock it in.  It doesn't work this way.  When I first half press the shutter both focus and exposure lock in to wherever I have the circle/+ positioned.  In order to get this configuration to work, I first need to position the circle/+ over my subject, press and hold the joystick for focus lock, aim the circle/+ to where I want to meter, half press the shutter and hold to lock the exposure metering, return to my subject (where I had originally focused) and then fuly depress the shutter.  For a static subject this works fine, but for a moving subject one of two things (or both) can happen.  Either the subject can move towards or away from me resulting an an out of focus image; the subject can move to a different area of the frame, or both.

 

Unless I'm missing something, I'm not seeing how to lock exposure with the half press of the shutter and then still be able to move the focus point and lock focus in AFs, single point mode.

[LD_50]

With a native lens mounted and single point focusing, the focus or meter point is indicated with rectangular brackets [  ] with no + inside. There will be a grid of + signs dependent on the number of AF steps you specify to work with. This is independent of metering mode chosen. It's independent of AF or MF mode selected.

 

I have no idea what you're referring to with a circle surrounding a + sign. 

 

The only circle to move around the screen is when mounting manual-focus lenses with adapter. There is no + sign on the screen at all. The only time this circle shows up is when you are in spot metering mode with manual focus lens mounted.

 

In your option 1- with native lens mounted, single point AF selected, in AFs mode, in spot metering mode, with AE-L selected for the AE/AF Lock Button customization option:

 

1- You have a [  ] to move around the grid of + signs.

2- The [  ] replaces each + sign as you move to that location in the grid.

3- As you move the point around, the camera will change metering based upon the location of your [  ] in the grid.

4- Once you press the joystick, you will have activated AE-L, locking the metering.

5- Hold the joystick button, move the camera to recompose where the (now fixed in the grid location) [  ] is located over whatever you want to focus on with half-shutter press

6- Hold the joystick button and half-shutter press and recompose again to choose your framing

7- Your final exposure will have metering based upon step 4, focus based upon step 5, and framing based upon step 6

 

In your option 2- with native lens mounted, single point AF selected, in AFs mode, in spot metering mode, with AF-L selected for the AE/AF Lock Button customization option:

 

1- You have a [  ] to move around the grid of + signs.  SAME AS OPTION 1

2- The [  ] replaces each + sign as you move to that location in the grid. SAME AS OPTION 1

3- As you move the point around, the camera will change metering based upon the location of your [  ] in the grid. SAME AS OPTION 1

4- Once you press the joystick, you will have activated auto-focus and if you hold it, locked it. DIFFERENCE HERE IS LOCKING FOCUS BUT NOT AE

5- Hold the joystick button, move the camera to recompose where the (now fixed in the grid location) [  ] is located over whatever you want to meter upon, lock it with half-shutter press DIFFERENCE IS YOU ARE LOCKING YOUR METERING INSTEAD OF CHOOSING WHERE TO FOCUS

6- Hold the joystick button and half-shutter press and recompose again by moving the camera to choose your framing

7- Your final exposure will have metering based upon step 5, focus based upon step 4, and framing based upon step 6 DIFFERENCE IS METERING IN 5 (INSTEAD OF 4) AND FOCUSING IN 4 (INSTEAD OF 5)

 

Your options 1 and 2 accomplish the same thing in a slightly different order. Neither will allow you to move the [  ] around the grid after you have locked metering.

-----------------------------------------------------

 

Another several options are to set up with - native lens mounted, single point AF selected, in MF mode, in spot metering mode, with 1- AFs, 2- AFs + AE-L, 3- AFc, or 4- AFc + AE-L selected for the AE/AF Lock Button customization option.

 

You still cannot lock metering and then move the [  ] around the grid to then activate auto-focus with any of these four configurations.

 

In each of the four scenarios below, I'll explain what happens when you start by holding the joystick button, recompose framing, and then try the half-shutter. Then I will explain what happens when you first hold the half-shutter and then try to press the joystick button. The behavior is not the same in each scenario.

 

1- AFs

First holding the joystick button activates focus and locks it at the [  ]  location. Recomposing changes metering but focus does not change. Half-shutter then locks metering.

 

First holding the half-shutter locks metering. Recomposing does nothing. Joystick button then does nothing, it will not meter or activate focus but does seem to cycle the small icon that represents focus peaking (the head silhouette with red edge). USELESS

 

 

2- AFs + AE-L

First holding the joystick button activates focus and locks it along with metering at the [  ] location. Recomposing does nothing. Half-shutter does nothing.

 

First holding the half-shutter locks metering. Recomposing does nothing. Joystick button does nothing, it will not meter or activate focus but does seem to cycle the small icon that represents focus peaking (the head silhouette with red edge). USELESS

 

 

3- AFc

First holding the joystick button activates continuous focus. Recomposing changes metering and continuous focus stays active. Half-shutter does nothing. To lock metering you have to stop continuous focus by releasing the joystick button, hold half-shutter, but then your focus cannot be reactivated.

 

First holding the half-shutter locks metering. Recomposing does nothing. Joystick button has the camera meter again, and locks metering,  but does not activate focus. I do not understand why it causes the camera to meter when scenario 1 (AFs) leaves the joystick button with no function. USELESS

 

 

4- AFc + AE-L

First holding the joystick button activates continuous focus and locks metering. Recomposing allows continuous focus to stay active, but leaves metering locked. Half-shutter does nothing.

 

First holding the half-shutter locks metering. Recomposing does nothing. Joystick button does nothing but does seem to cycle the small icon that represents focus peaking (the head silhouette with red edge). USELESS

[Dr. G]

With a native lens mounted and single point focusing, the focus or meter point is indicated with rectangular brackets [  ] with no + inside. There will be a grid of + signs dependent on the number of AF steps you specify to work with. This is independent of metering mode chosen. It's independent of AF or MF mode selected.

 

I have no idea what you're referring to with a circle surrounding a + sign. 

 

The only circle to move around the screen is when mounting manual-focus lenses with adapter. There is no + sign on the screen at all. The only time this circle shows up is when you are in spot metering mode with manual focus lens mounted.

 

 

 Here is what I'm looking at with a native lens mounted:

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[Dr. G]

Here are the settings I'm using to get this:

Drive Mode: Single

Focus Mode: AFs

AF Mode: Static

AF Field Size: 1 Point

Exposure Metering: Spot

EXP Preview: PASM

AF Setup Menu:

   AF Steps Visible: OFF

   Number of Steps: 49

   AF Assist Lamp: OFF

   AF Tracking Start Position: Reset Position

 

If I set AF Field Size to Field and turn the AF Steps Visible: ON in the AF Setup, this is what I get with spot metering:

 

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Even If I keep AF Steps Visible: ON, if I select AF Field Size: 1 Point, it reverts back to this:

 

 

[sillbeers15]

Wow, I've not come across the circle w. a + in the middle in my 2years of ownership & usage of the SL!

[LD_50]

Here is what I'm looking at with a native lens mounted:

Okay I see that the Visible Stepps: Off setting leaves you with the circle and +.

 

I had not seen that before.

[Dr. G]

Actually, even with the visible spots on and AF field size as 1 point it will do this.  I mentioned it in my above post.

[LD_50]

The circle or bracket portion is interesting because of the lack of documentation but the overall behavior of the various AF-L and AE-L options is frustrating because it doesn’t allow decoupling of the metering and focus point movement on screen.

 

I am hoping that changes at some point to accomplish what you’d asked about originally.

[BJN]

Spot metering with AF-L chosen, AF locks when joystick is pressed, the cross within the circle is green when focus is achieved, release the press on the joystick, the cross is black you can then move the spot metering anywhere on the screen/evf the AF remains locked, half press the shutter and focus and metering is locked.