# Canon 5D Mark III - Button for Exposure Compensation?



## entlassen (Jul 13, 2014)

I have a question about the 5D3:
When I'm shooting in Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority, is there a way to dial in Exposure Compensation without taking my eyes off the viewfinder? The reason I ask is because I can't find a button for EC anywhere on the camera (all I see is a button for Flash Exposure Compensation, which is something else). The only way I know how to dial in EC right now is by going into the menu or quick menu.

Thanks!


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## climber (Jul 13, 2014)

In Aperture or Shutter priority you can do EC with turning main ring on the back of the camera clockwise or counterclockwise. Try. It should work.


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## entlassen (Jul 13, 2014)

climber said:


> In Aperture or Shutter priority you can do EC with turning main ring on the back of the camera clockwise or counterclockwise. Try. It should work.



Thanks! I do remember trying to turn the rear dial and seeing no effect. I just tried turning the dial while in the process of metering (AF back button held down) and now I see the EC changing. Cool!


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## Valvebounce (Jul 13, 2014)

Hi entlassen. 
You should be able to make the adjustment without *holding* the button, press the button briefly then make adjustment within the time the metering remains active, I think it is 16 seconds, and is user adjustable. This means thumb to activate, thumb to change, no need to use both hands or become a contortionist with your fingers! 
Hope this helps! 

Cheers Graham.



entlassen said:


> climber said:
> 
> 
> > In Aperture or Shutter priority you can do EC with turning main ring on the back of the camera clockwise or counterclockwise. Try. It should work.
> ...


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## entlassen (Jul 13, 2014)

I'm reading the 5D3 manual. It seems to suggest the Metering Timer (default 16 sec.) setting only applies to Live View and video shooting modes (p. 208, 244)?


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## Valvebounce (Jul 13, 2014)

Hi entlassen. 
I was going by the way my 7D works, that also says live view, silent shot and video. I'm sure it is the same in all shooting modes, I will have to pull camera out and check. Have you tried it?

Cheers Graham. 



entlassen said:


> I'm reading the 5D3 manual. It seems to suggest the Metering Timer (default 16 sec.) setting only applies to Live View and video shooting modes (p. 208, 244)?


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 13, 2014)

Valvebounce said:


> I was going by the way my 7D works, that also says live view, silent shot and video. I'm sure it is the same in all shooting modes...



I believe it applies to Live View only. Keep in mind that in live view and movie modes, the mirror is up and metering is done off the main CMOS image sensor, whereas with VF shooting the dedicated metering sensor in the pentaprism housing is used. It's logical that the settings would be different. 

I don't think it's possible to change the time metering remains active on the 5DIII, or any body outside the 1-series. On the 1D X you can fully customize three separate time-outs from 1 s to 60 min – metering and AE lock (default is 6 s), FEC and multispot metering (default is 16 s), and metering after shutter release (default is 2 s).


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## entlassen (Jul 13, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> Valvebounce said:
> 
> 
> > I was going by the way my 7D works, that also says live view, silent shot and video. I'm sure it is the same in all shooting modes...
> ...




Any idea how many seconds the metering timeout is in viewfinder mode on the 5D3 if i tap and let go of the half-press shutter or AF back button? Is it 2 sec like the 1D-X?


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 13, 2014)

The 2 s is _after_ the shot, I suspect the active time after a half-press is 6 s like the default on the 1D X.


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## Valvebounce (Jul 13, 2014)

Hi Neuro. 
I don't know about customising the time, I didn't check that, perhaps I shouldn't have added that to the mix. The metering time seems to be about 6 seconds after the last adjustment on my 7D, I just checked, over 30 seconds fiddling with exposure compensation then waited a while and then fiddled again, then after another 6 seconds or so the screen dropped the metering info so it does stay active even if you can't adjust the time. 

Cheers Graham. 



neuroanatomist said:


> Valvebounce said:
> 
> 
> > I was going by the way my 7D works, that also says live view, silent shot and video. I'm sure it is the same in all shooting modes...
> ...


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