EOS R5: getting exposure set correctly while looking thru viewfinder...

[WideAspect]

My current methodology has moved to a completely manual process. It took some time to get there but it is working for me now. I have been developing a technique of shooting bracketed exposures, merging them into a tonal blend and then stitching a number of these shots into a panorama image that I have been chromogenic printing. The final prints are 300 dpi and run between 8 to 10 feet in width and about one to one and half feet in height. The final images can be made up of 63 to 84 ( or more )  individual shots, thus this is the reason for not using any auto functions as the settings need to be consistent, shot to shot / save exposures. That's the background.

I am still relatively new to the R5 having moved from the 5D Mark IV about 5 months ago. I loved that camera but the 45 megapixel image files from the R5 are beyond delight.

I read and study quite bit but something has eluded me. My practice is to set the ISO and aperture, look through the viewfinder with the histogram showing and reach over to the shutter speed dial and move it until the exposure is centered in the histogram, avoiding under exposure and clipping.

This generally works with one bit of uncertainty: when I hold down the shutter button ( without pressing all the way down ) and while looking through the viewfinder, I notice that the image grows darker and the histogram moves to the left - indicating a lower exposure. I think.

I have tried to look this up but I don't know what it is called or what is happening. I am not sure if the previous setting is the one being shot or the darker one, while partially holding down the shutter button.

The Canon forum calls me an 'Enthusiast' but it should be 'Rank Amateur.'

Thanks all for any clarification.

[NatalyaP]

Greetings WideAspect,

After taking the photo, you may check the playback of the image within the camera or view the image in a photo editing application like our Digital Photo Professional 4 software to view the histogram. It will display the levels for the captured image. You may compare that to what you are viewing when setting up your shot.

[Tronhard]

With the modern MILC cameras, there is a setting called Exposure Simulation that can be active or turned off.  When it is on the camera will attempt to display in the EVF what the exposure will look like.  Note this does not take very long shutter speeds into account.  This is explained on P262 of the Advanced User Guide:

[Waddizzle]

There is an exposure metering display in the EVF.  It looks like the same display found in your 5D4 and work the same way. 

You can enable EXPsim, if you wish to see a simulation of the current exposure settings.