5D Mark IV - Set Shutter Lock to only AF not AE in Evaluative Metering

[manatee4mation]

I Canon 5D Mark IV. In evaluative mode, I am trying to half press the shutter to lock the AF but not the AE. By default it locks the AE and AF. I have been through all the settings (custom) and I do not see that option.

And yes I have reviewed the manual and googled this before posting.

I know this had to be a setting. Help!

[manatee4mation]

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@TCampbell wrote:

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@manatee4mation wrote:

If you have any Canon DSLR you can see that you are not correct. Press the shutter half way and hold in in P, AV, or TV and the meter is locked into that exposure. Period. Move the camera. Point it at the sun. The original exposure is locked.

In M, if you have auto ISO, the ISO will change with the shutter half-pressed. If you do not auto-ISO, the exposure comp will change.

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Hi Manatee4mation,

You may want to reset your camera to factory defaults.  The above statement is not correct.  A Canon EOS camera will (by default) continously update the metering as you continue to hold the shutter button and move the camera.

If you are not seeing it update the metering continuously as you half-press the button and move the camera to areas with different lighting, then something has been changed on your camera. 

You can lock the metering by pressing the AE Lock button (by default it's the asterisk on the back of the camera but it can be re-assigned) and if you do this, THEN the metering will lock in and re-composing the shot will not update the exposure.  The 5D IV has two modes for this.... the default version of AE Lock only locks until you take a shot (or until you let the camera metering system switch off (e.g. if you are looking through the viewfinder and the digital metering & shooting info goes dark... that clears an AE Lock.)  The other version is an AE Lock + Hold.  That version (the "Hold") maintains the exposure lock until you cancel it... or refresh it with new metering... or until you switch off the camera.

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Hey Tim,

You have a Mark II and III.  I have the Mark III and IV.  As much as I wish you were correct, you demostrably not. Just testt the camera to see I am right.  Do the same test I am doing below. Record your results in the reply.

I am doing the below with both the III and IV right now.

1. My camera is at the default settings.

2. I am in evaluative metering mode.

3. Set first on One Shot; next on AI Focus.

4  Press the shutter half way, confirn focus lock

5. Look at the meter (shutter speed, Aperature and ISO) Reads  - 1.4, 60, 200 ISO

4. Move the camera, keeping the focus locked with the half-shutter press, point at a lighter or darker area - I get the same meter reading - it does not change.

Also, from the Canon Mark IV Manual, Page 100

• With evaluative metering (p.253), the exposure setting will be set at the same time as focus is achieved.

•  While you hold down the shutter button halfway, the focus will be locked. You can then recompose the shot if desired.

I spoke to Canon and they confirmed that there is no way around this.  Prove me and Canon wrong.  Do the test. Record your results in the reply to this.

Ira

[TCampbell]

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@manatee4mation wrote:

Hey Tim,

You have a Mark II and III.  I have the Mark III and IV.  As much as I wish you were correct, you demostrably not. Just testt the camera to see I am right.  Do the same test I am doing below. Record your results in the reply.

I am doing the below with both the III and IV right now.

1. My camera is at the default settings.

2. I am in evaluative metering mode.

3. Set first on One Shot; next on AI Focus.

4  Press the shutter half way, confirn focus lock

5. Look at the meter (shutter speed, Aperature and ISO) Reads  - 1.4, 60, 200 ISO

4. Move the camera, keeping the focus locked with the half-shutter press, point at a lighter or darker area - I get the same meter reading - it does not change.

Also, from the Canon Mark IV Manual, Page 100

• With evaluative metering (p.253), the exposure setting will be set at the same time as focus is achieved.

•  While you hold down the shutter button halfway, the focus will be locked. You can then recompose the shot if desired.

I spoke to Canon and they confirmed that there is no way around this.  Prove me and Canon wrong.  Do the test. Record your results in the reply to this.

Ira

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Hi Ira,

I currently have a 5D III and a 5D IV.  I just recently sold my 5D II.

Ok, now I see what you're saying... in "One Shot" it only updates metering if you release & re-activate the metering button.  

In "AI Servo" it will update continuously as you move the camera around.

I was doing this in "AI Servo" mode because the last event I was shooting was a cycling event.  "AI Servo" isn't really an option for you becasue you mentioned you want to lock focus and not have it update when you re-compose.  The back-button focus will give you the control (it will ONLY update focus when the "AF-ON" button is pressed if you choose this behavior) which gives you the ability to isolate the metering function from the focus function.

Best Regards,

Tim

[manatee4mation]

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@TCampbell wrote:

---

@manatee4mation wrote:

Hey Tim,

You have a Mark II and III.  I have the Mark III and IV.  As much as I wish you were correct, you demostrably not. Just testt the camera to see I am right.  Do the same test I am doing below. Record your results in the reply.

I am doing the below with both the III and IV right now.

1. My camera is at the default settings.

2. I am in evaluative metering mode.

3. Set first on One Shot; next on AI Focus.

4  Press the shutter half way, confirn focus lock

5. Look at the meter (shutter speed, Aperature and ISO) Reads  - 1.4, 60, 200 ISO

4. Move the camera, keeping the focus locked with the half-shutter press, point at a lighter or darker area - I get the same meter reading - it does not change.

Also, from the Canon Mark IV Manual, Page 100

• With evaluative metering (p.253), the exposure setting will be set at the same time as focus is achieved.

•  While you hold down the shutter button halfway, the focus will be locked. You can then recompose the shot if desired.

I spoke to Canon and they confirmed that there is no way around this.  Prove me and Canon wrong.  Do the test. Record your results in the reply to this.

Ira

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Hi Ira,

I currently have a 5D III and a 5D IV.  I just recently sold my 5D II.

Ok, now I see what you're saying... in "One Shot" it only updates metering if you release & re-activate the metering button.  

In "AI Servo" it will update continuously as you move the camera around.

I was doing this in "AI Servo" mode because the last event I was shooting was a cycling event.  "AI Servo" isn't really an option for you becasue you mentioned you want to lock focus and not have it update when you re-compose.  The back-button focus will give you the control (it will ONLY update focus when the "AF-ON" button is pressed if you choose this behavior) which gives you the ability to isolate the metering function from the focus function.

Best Regards,

Tim

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Tim,

Exactly.  This all started because I wanted to be creative in camera. And I wanted to do it quickly and I am much quicker with the half-press shutter than I am with the back-button controls. 

I guess what I struggle with is why this is not a custom setting. There is nothing mechanically or logically preventing it. As I noted, Nikon and Sony make it an option.

Thank you for your time and thoughts.

Ira

[manatee4mation]

It does not "float" in AI Servo or AI Focus either. Not just in "one shot." I just tested it again. It only remeters when it refocuses.

And even in so called "one shot" it should be a custom option. This is not rocket science. Every other camera brand does it.