Want to learn how to get more out of your Canon DSLR? Find out how to use your camera’s metering modes so you can get better results when using the Auto Focus setting.
When photographers talk about ‘taking a reading’ or ‘metering a subject’, they’re usually talking about taking a Spot or Partial meter reading from a specific area in a scene and locking the exposure in. This guarantees that the subject you’re metering for will be exposed correctly.
Spot metering mode is great for precise exposure readings, and can be a godsend when you’re shooting in tricky light. But the skill lies in deciding which part of the scene to take the reading from in the first place. Practice makes perfect, so try this exercise and see how you do…
Measuring the brightness of the scene you’re shooting is a crucial part of getting the right exposure for your pictures. To this end, your camera has three basic metering modes to choose from which will help you measure the brightness of your scene.
The brightness of the scene can vary enormously across the picture. For instance, the sky will usually be much lighter than the foreground. As such, an average reading is needed for a scene like this.
In our latest photography cheat sheet below we’ve highlighted the three main metering modes your camera offers and explain what each of them does.
Are you left confused by your digital camera’s metering mode function? Not for long.
The Metering Mode button on your camera is symbolised by an eye-shaped icon within a rectangle. Within your metering mode function you will have either three or four metering modes: spot metering, partial metering, centre-weighted metering and evaluative metering.
As you will see in our latest photography cheat sheet below, each metering option measures the brightness of a scene in different ways, depending on what subject you are shooting.
DSLRs enable you to take much more creative photos. But this extra functionality does require you to spend a bit more time getting to know your camera settings. This can be frustrating if you’re keen to get shooting, but it’s the only way to ensure your camera’s set up properly for the best results.
To help you get started on your journey, here are the key things you should know about how to dial in the best camera settings for your DSLR.
Hit the ground running with our guide to setting up your new SLR, including choosing the right exposure mode, choosing the right metering mode, setting the aperture and shutter speed, and picking the the focus and drive modes
Reduce the time you spend trying to rescue under- and over-exposed photos in Photoshop by getting the shots right first time in-camera
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