cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

R5 Mk2 : detect Priority AE with AF

thegios
Enthusiast

There's a new option on R5 Mk2 named "Detect Priority AE with AF" AKA "AE for priority subjects during AF".

This works only under two conditions:

- EVALUATIVE

- SUBJECT DETECTION ON (either auto or vehicles or people or animals)

1000059672.png

Before moving forward with questions on this new setting, let's first sort out one thing with EVALUATIVE: where is the exposure taken in EVALUATIVE?C anon says that metering considers the whole area, fine we all know this. But Canon also says that in EVALUATIVE the AE lock is centered on the AF POINT in focus (either selected manually or automatically).

1000059673.png

That's why lots of people say that EVALUATIVE considers the whole scene but is weighted more on the point in focus.

What is the truth?

This is important to answer the following question:

What does the new option do?

Since I make a difference between POINT IN FOCUS and SUBJECT IS FOCUS (where a SUBJECT, according to Canon settings in SUBJECT TO DETECT, is a person or an animal or a vehicle, not a chair, not a table, not a column), from what Canon writes I understand that in EVALUATIVE:

- off > metering based on whole screen

- on > metering based on DETECTED SUBJECT, so if there's none (no people, no animals, no vehicles), even if focus is on a chair, than metering is based on whole screen. But then, what about Canon saying that AE lock is achieved at POINT IN FOCUS? And also, if there's a DETECTED SUBJECT IN FOCUS (a vehicle, a person or an animal), does this mean that you get exposure considering only the subject or metering is still based on whole area but weighted more on the subject?

My interpretation:

- OPTION OFF + SUBJECT TO DETECT ON or OFF: metering considers whole area but is weighted more on POINT in focus.

- OPTION ON+ SUBJECT TO DETECT OFF: metering considers whole area but is weighted more on POINT in focus (like above).

- OPTION ON + SUBJECT TO DETECT ON: metering considers only SUBJECT in focus.

Anyone who can shed some light?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

John_Q
Product Expert
Product Expert

Hello thegios,

Evaluative metering is a general purpose metering mode using the entire scene. The camera adjusts the exposure automatically to suit the scene. The AE Lock feature is going to keep shooting at the same exposure. The camera will use the AF point in focus for exposure when you press the AE Lock button. If the AE Lock button is not pressed, then it is possible that the exposure can shift from shot to shot. The camera uses the point in focus as reference based on your shooting at that item/subject. 

 

- OPTION OFF + SUBJECT TO DETECT ON or OFF: metering considers whole area but is weighted more on POINT in focus. = correct somewhat

- OPTION ON+ SUBJECT TO DETECT OFF: metering considers whole area but is weighted more on POINT in focus (like above). = metering is based on the entire screen 

- OPTION ON + SUBJECT TO DETECT ON: metering is based on the point or AF area where the subject has been detected.

 

If there is a subject detected with the [Detect priority AE while AF] set to [Enable], metering will be based specifically on the AF point or AF Area where the subject has been detected.

View solution in original post

4 REPLIES 4

John_Q
Product Expert
Product Expert

Hello thegios,

Evaluative metering is a general purpose metering mode using the entire scene. The camera adjusts the exposure automatically to suit the scene. The AE Lock feature is going to keep shooting at the same exposure. The camera will use the AF point in focus for exposure when you press the AE Lock button. If the AE Lock button is not pressed, then it is possible that the exposure can shift from shot to shot. The camera uses the point in focus as reference based on your shooting at that item/subject. 

 

- OPTION OFF + SUBJECT TO DETECT ON or OFF: metering considers whole area but is weighted more on POINT in focus. = correct somewhat

- OPTION ON+ SUBJECT TO DETECT OFF: metering considers whole area but is weighted more on POINT in focus (like above). = metering is based on the entire screen 

- OPTION ON + SUBJECT TO DETECT ON: metering is based on the point or AF area where the subject has been detected.

 

If there is a subject detected with the [Detect priority AE while AF] set to [Enable], metering will be based specifically on the AF point or AF Area where the subject has been detected.

Ok so let me try to rephrse and add a couple of clarification questions, please:

QUESTION 1: when you/manual says SUBJECT IN FOCUS, are you/manual refering only to people/animals/vehicles? Or said in other words: if SUBJECT DETECTION is on for people/animals/vehicles but there's none in the frame and the camera focuses on a chair, is the chair still considered a SUBJECT? This is important to fully undrstand cases below.

CASE 1 - "Detect Priority AE with AF" OFF + SUBJECT TO DETECT ON or OFF: metering considers whole area but is somewhat weighted more on POINT in focus (where POINT in focus may be a SUBJECT if SUBJECT DETECTION is on and either a person/animal/vehicle is detected).

CASE 2.1 - "Detect Priority AE with AF" ON+ SUBJECT TO DETECT OFF: metering is based on the entire screen, there is no somewhat weight on the POINT in focus. That's to say thea if "Detect Priority AE with AF" ON but the camera subject detection is off, the metering ignore the FOCUS point and considers the whole area.

CASE 2.2 - "Detect Priority AE with AF" + SUBJECT TO DETECT ON: metering is based on the point or AF area where the SUBJECT has been detected. QUESTION 2: if no person/animal/vehicle is being detected, does the camera still base metering on the POINT in focus?

Greetings thegios,

To answer your first question, the term "subject" refers to anything that the photographer is wanting to focus. It can be people, animals, vehicles but it would also apply to anything else like a chair, window frame, house exterior, an apple, etc.

If the subject is a chair, it is still considered a subject and the rules would apply to what John_Q provided in his comments. This would answer your second question as well, the camera would still meter based on what the camera focuses on within the focus point, even if it's a chair.

 

thegios
Enthusiast

Thanks a lot 🙂

Holiday
Announcements
12/15/2025: New firmware update available for EOS C50 - Version 1.0.1.1

11/20/2025: New firmware updates are available.

EOS R6 Mark III - Version 1.0.1

EOS R3 - Version 2.0.0

EOS R1 - Version 1.2.0

EOS R5 Mark II - Version 1.2.0

EOS R5 - Version 2.2.1

PowerShot G7 X Mark III - Version 1.4.0

PowerShot SX740 HS - Version 1.0.2


10/21/2025: Service Notice: To Users of the Compact Digital Camera PowerShot V1

10/15/2025: New firmware updates are available.

Speedlite EL-5 - Version 1.2.0

Speedlite EL-1 - Version 1.1.0

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E10 - Version 1.2.0


07/28/2025: Notice of Free Repair Service for the Mirrorless Camera EOS R50 (Black)

07/24/2025: New firmware updates are available.


07/23/2025: New firmware updates are available.

EOS R5C - Version 1.1.1.1

EOS C80 - Version 1.0.3.1


7/17/2025: New firmware updates are available.

EOS R7 - Version 1.7.1

EOS R10 - Version 1.7.0

EOS R8 - Version 1.5.0

EOS R50 - Version 1.4.0

Powershot V10 - Version 1.4.0

Powershot V1 - Version 1.1.0

EOS R50V - Version 1.1.1


05/21/2025: New firmware update available for EOS C500 Mark II - Version 1.1.5.1

02/20/2025: New firmware updates are available.

RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Z - Version 1.0.6

RF24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z - Version 1.0.9

RF100-300mm F2.8 L IS USM - Version 1.0.8

RF50mm F1.4 L VCM - Version 1.0.2

RF24mm F1.4 L VCM - Version 1.0.3


01/22/2024: Canon Supports Disaster Relief Efforts in California
01/14/2025: Steps to resolve still image problem when using certain SanDisk SD cards with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II