# 5D Mark III Spot Meter



## vitaminj08 (Apr 10, 2012)

So as I was shooting my little twin cousins this weekend while they were collecting their Easter eggs, I was messing around with trying to use spot metering instead the typical evaluative metering. No matter what I did, my camera always spot metered the very middle of my composition. I was shooting wide open so I was using Spot AF and using my outermost focus points at times. I could easily be wrong, but I thought my 40D allowed me to spot meter wherever my focus point was, not only the center point. Is there a custom function I'm missing or something?

To confirm my speculations, I walked into the house and experimented with metering off open windows and the wall beside it. Yep, it was definitely ONLY reading the very center.


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## jrod (Apr 10, 2012)

Unfortunately AF linked spot metering is limited to the 1 series. Spot metering on the MkIII is limited only to the center of the VF. The closest you can get on the MkIII is the evaluative mode which will weight the metering to the selected focus point.


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## Z (Apr 10, 2012)

Like jrod said, spot metering off designated AF points is limited to 1 series bodies.

For the 5D III you have to point the center spot at your desired target, press the AE Lock button, then do your recomposing and focusing.


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## mrmarks (Apr 11, 2012)

In the 5D3, only the evaluative mode (and AE lock in evaluative mode) has metering capability linked to the selected AF point. This info can be found in the manual.


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## Ryant (Apr 11, 2012)

Wow, now I understand why my metering has been off. I keep getting shots at the wrong exposure. I thought it was just funky lighting throwing off the sensor. I never switched focus points on the 5d 2 because the other points were basically crap. I tested evaluative mode and it does not use the focus points either. I pointed the 5d mark iii at a lamp next to a dark window and with evaluative mode on i moved the focus point around and it did not change the meter. I cant believe it cant do this, considering the cost of the camera. My iphone can meter to specific spots on its screen. Not that its a fair comparison, but its a 3500 camera.

Ryan


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 11, 2012)

Ryant said:


> I cant believe it cant do this, considering the cost of the camera.



As I and others have stated, Canon needs to differentiate their lines. The 1D X has AF point-linked spot metering (as did previous 1-series bodies). Unfortunately, Canon isn't likely to put all of the 1-series features in a lesser body, despite the fact that everyone seems to think they should. Honestly, I was really surprised that Canon put the 1D X's AF sensor into the 5DIII, something I'm sure you can appreciate having shot with the 5DII.


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## awinphoto (Apr 11, 2012)

One thing i noticed, while you cannot link a spot meter directly to an outter AF point, if you go into liveview, you get that white outlined box... move that using your joystick/multicontroller to the spot you want metered and you can meter that area... I'm not fully sure if that is a "spot" meter or evaluative based on the area selected but it's a nice compromise if you want that functionality.


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## gerga (Apr 14, 2012)

A way around this might be back-button focusing. The shutter button can be reconfigured to only conduct metering, not AF on half-press, allowing the AF-ON button near the right thumb to be used to focus: thus you could firstly meter at the centre by half-depressing the shutter button, then recompose and AF using the back button, then shoot.


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## AndreeOnline (Apr 21, 2012)

Almost have the reversed problem:

When I'm at evaluative metering, shifting around the AF-point severely adjusts the metering. Almost the function you seem to wish for...

But when you're expecting normal evaluative metering, it kind of throws you off.

How can I turn off linking the evaluative metering to the AF-points??? Can't find it anywhere in the menus or manual.

Thanks


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## Ricku (Apr 22, 2012)

Canon somehow forgot to add this feature on the 5D3. However, it is avalible on the D800, together with other nifty features like facial tracking and an overall better sensor.


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## spinworkxroy (Apr 22, 2012)

OMG..i had no idea..
I didn't know that ONLY evaluative metering can be used for other AF points..
You mean even center weighted also can't be used for other focus points?
I thought it would be useful especially for landscapes to be able to focus and meter without having to re-frame the shot......maybe that's why my shots are always metered wrongly...i never knew i could not use other point to meter!


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 22, 2012)

Ricku said:


> Canon somehow forgot to add this feature on the 5D3. However, it is avalible on the D800, together with other nifty features like facial tracking and an overall better sensor.



Yes, those features will come in quite handy for portraits with the Nikon 85mm f/1.2 lens, or the truly excellent Nikon 135mm f/2. Oh, wait.....


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## nesarajah (Apr 22, 2012)

neuroanatomist said:


> Ricku said:
> 
> 
> > Canon somehow forgot to add this feature on the 5D3. However, it is avalible on the D800, together with other nifty features like facial tracking and an overall better sensor.
> ...



<3


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## Ricku (Apr 22, 2012)

neuroanatomist said:


> Ricku said:
> 
> 
> > Canon somehow forgot to add this feature on the 5D3. However, it is avalible on the D800, together with other nifty features like facial tracking and an overall better sensor.
> ...


Oh well, at least Canon gave us the ratebutton and the mode dial lock.


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## arioch82 (Apr 22, 2012)

neuroanatomist said:


> Ryant said:
> 
> 
> > I cant believe it cant do this, considering the cost of the camera.
> ...



and here you should please explain me why nikon offer this function even on their $600 entry level dslr if it's something so special that has to be available only on canon's flagship (and maybe we even have to thank for it...)


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## Ricku (Apr 22, 2012)

arioch82 said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > Ryant said:
> ...


So true. Nikon also offer pro AF and weather sealing on all their cameras.

It seems that they care more about sales as a whole than messing around with silly market segmentation.


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## tron (Apr 22, 2012)

neuroanatomist said:


> Ricku said:
> 
> 
> > Canon somehow forgot to add this feature on the 5D3. However, it is avalible on the D800, together with other nifty features like facial tracking and an overall better sensor.
> ...



;D ;D


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 22, 2012)

arioch82 said:


> and here you should please explain me why nikon offer this function even on their $600 entry level dslr if it's something so special that has to be available only on canon's flagship (and maybe we even have to thank for it...)



I'd be happy to explain, just as soon as you explain why Nikon doesn't offer something as simple and useful as the C1-C3 custom modes, or for that matter, why that feature was so special that while even my PowerShot S100 has a C mode, the 1-series bodies prior to the 1D X didn't even offer it? Oh, nevermind...



Ricku said:


> It seems that they (Nikon) care more about sales as a whole than messing around with silly market segmentation.



Perhaps...but caring more about sales as a whole hasn't helped Nikon, since they're still lagging way behind Canon on dSLR market share, despite putting 'pro' features in their lower bodies for years. Clearly, 'caring more' does not mean succeeding...


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## spinworkxroy (Apr 23, 2012)

I've been trying to find this info in the manual but i can't..what page is it that explains about only center point being used for metering?
I understand spot metering is ONLY on center point..that's been there since forever…
But what about other metering?
I know evaluative metering works at any point but what about center-weighted and partial?
Are those also ONLY for center point or do they work on other points as well…


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 23, 2012)

spinworkxroy said:


> But what about other metering?
> I know evaluative metering works at any point but what about center-weighted and partial?
> Are those also ONLY for center point or do they work on other points as well…



What do you mean by, work with other points? Metering works regardless of which AF point you select. But outside of the 1-series, only evaluative metering takes into account the AF point that you select. Partial metering is essentially an expanded spot meter with a larger circle - that circle is centered on the center AF point. Center-weighted is just that; not sure why anyone would be think that it should be weighted anywhere other than the center? FWIW, on 1-series bodies, only spot metering is AF point linked - partial and center weighted metering work just like they do on every other Canon body (although the size of the partial metering circle, just like the spot metering circle, differs on different cameras)


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## spinworkxroy (Apr 23, 2012)

Eh, maybe i rephrase my question.

For example, when using zone AF..if for example i use center-weighted metering, but i move the zone to the bottom most left corner (for a landscape shot for example), does the camera do the metering from the CENTER of the screen or does it do metering on the zone at the bottom most left that i moved the AF to?
I'm asking because for example, i'm doing an AF on a rock on the bottom left and i want the exposure to be based on that rock rather than the middle of the frame…or do i have to do an AE lock on the rock, and then reframe the shot?


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 23, 2012)

spinworkxroy said:


> Eh, maybe i rephrase my question.
> 
> For example, when using zone AF..if for example i use center-weighted metering, but i move the zone to the bottom most left corner (for a landscape shot for example), does the camera do the metering from the CENTER of the screen or does it do metering on the zone at the bottom most left that i moved the AF to?
> I'm asking because for example, i'm doing an AF on a rock on the bottom left and i want the exposure to be based on that rock rather than the middle of the frame…or do i have to do an AE lock on the rock, and then reframe the shot?



Center-weighted is *center* weighted, regardless of the AF point/zone you select. 

When using any metering mode other than evaluative, if you want to meter on a specific part of the scene, you must do just that - set to spot metering mode, put the spot metering circle where you want to meter, press AE lock, then recompose and take the shot. Evaluative biases the metering toward the selected AF point, but still averages the entire scene (and compared it to the database of stored image parameters).

This diagram shows how the metering is weighted (the coverages are from the 7D; the 5DIII is 6.2% for partial and 1.5% for spot - see p. 167 of the 5DIII manual.







Only evaluative is linked to the AF point. On 1-series bodies, spot metering can also be linked to the AF point (or iteratively sampled from up to 8 points in the scene then averaged, called multi-spot metering).


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## wink03 (Apr 29, 2012)

AndreeOnline said:


> Almost have the reversed problem:
> 
> When I'm at evaluative metering, shifting around the AF-point severely adjusts the metering. Almost the function you seem to wish for...
> 
> ...



I don't think this has been answered yet and I have the same question. 

I always use single point autofocus. But, for example, if I am focusing on something white--even if that white thing is only a very small portion of the whole picture--the image is underexposed. And vice versa when I focus on something that is a dark color. The autofocus point is acting like a very precise spot meter. 

Is there a way to turn off linking the evaluative metering and the focus point?


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 29, 2012)

wink03 said:


> Is there a way to turn off linking the evaluative metering and the focus point?



No, there isn't.


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## carterart (Aug 23, 2012)

wink03 said:


> AndreeOnline said:
> 
> 
> > Almost have the reversed problem:
> ...


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## keithfullermusic (Aug 23, 2012)

The easiest way to fix this is to just shoot in manual. If you're outside taking pictues of people and letting the camera meter for you it's going to be off a lot of the time. The problem is, if the sky takes up 1/4 of the image vs 1/5 of the image, the metering is going to change drastically, especially if it's really bright. Just find the exposure you like and leave it like that in manual, and adjust as the light changes.


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## ishdakuteb (Aug 23, 2012)

neuroanatomist said:


> spinworkxroy said:
> 
> 
> > Eh, maybe i rephrase my question.
> ...



i found that this is the best answer to this question...


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