How to No 18 - Spot Meter

[@DerekForss]

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION On Olympus cameras, when you half-depress the shutter button to lock exposure make sure the focussing is set to S-AF and not C-AF, otherwise the camera will continue metering when moved.

[@CrookedNose2131]

I don't think this works on the EM 10. It has an exposure look button.

[@DerekForss]

I have checked my EM-10 mkii and locking the exposure by half-depressing the shutter button does work. I am using the 12-50 lens on both autofocus and manual. Could you have set something on your E-M10 that is preventing this operation? If convenient, Reset camera, this cancels all settings. Try again but make sure that AF Mode is on S-AF. Hope it works.

[@neilcousineau4956]

Finally someone who approves and recommend half press sitter and move the camera. And I learnt a bit more about metering differences with a DSLR & Mirrorless. Thanks

[@DerekForss]

Thank you for your comments. Half depressing the shutter button and moving the camera, does not work on all camera makes. Instead, you have to depress the AEL button. It does work on Olympus cameras but when I ran photo-holidays, unless I missed the trick, I couldn't do it with Nikon cameras.

[@hurleygreen927]

Thanks for this video on spot metering....I use ,ostly center-weighted metering with my Nikon cameras, but finding out that spot metering is giving me better control in my photography! Again., thanks!

[@DerekForss]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MrFirstdance2000]

Anxious to try this in early morning sunlight and fog. Thank you, sir!

[@DerekForss]

Best of luck! Spot meter near a highlight. If you save to RAW, it is easier to lighten dark areas and correct any colour casts.

[@MrFirstdance2000]

@@DerekForss Thank you!

[@ridealongwithrandy]

Good stuff Derek, many great points especially using spot on mirrorless and not optical viewers. Most folks get this wrong, as I do, so thank you. Cheers!

[@DerekForss]

Glad it was helpful. I think that I have mentioned several interesting point about spot metering.

[@drazencavar1012]

Brilliant and concise while bursting with valuable knowledge and experience.

[@DerekForss]

Much appreciated, thank you.

[@sabyasachibanerjee124]

Used to matrix metering with an an eye on the histogram. Will try this and see how it works! Most certainly works very well for You 🙂 Beautiful examples

[@DerekForss]

I wish you success!

[@ThatBritishChap.]

A fantastic video Derek, many thanks

[@DerekForss]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Rafaga777]

Very useful information. Much appreciated.

[@DerekForss]

Glad it was helpful!

[@CrookedNose2131]

Wonderful stuff. Thank you.

[@DerekForss]

Thank you too!

[@eltinjones4542]

I've never used spot metering I bracket my shots and pick the best (in my opinion) to edit. I couldn't be bothered blending. However I'll give your method a go. You can recover highlights on most modern digital cameras, if there're not blown out. It's recovering the shadows in mf3 cameras that can lead to noise and don't have the software to deal with this.

[@DerekForss]

Thank you for your comments. You certainly have to be careful when lightening shadows in post-production. I use the latest version of Adobe Lightroom but there are other products on the market. If it comes to a choice, I prefer a bit of noise to burnt out highlights that cannot be corrected. It becomes a very fine balancing act that only experience can resolve. I wish you luck.

[@frankchaffin5964]

I thoroughly enjoy your videos and have applied many of your tips to my photos with wonderful results. One question from this video (How to Spot Meter) if I may ask. I use the M-1iii. If I understand, part way through, you suggest metering from the highlight, half-press shutter button, but then manual focus to recompose, etc. Correct? Because my first reaction is to use the camera's autofocus to rely on for sharp images, but then that tends to combine focus and metering to same area.

[@DerekForss]

When you half-depress the shutter button yes, the focus point using autofocus is the same as the spot-metering point. Only use manual focus if the focus point is significantly different to the spot-metering point. I use autofocus when spot-metering most of the time. I am so pleased to hear that my video programmes have been so helpful for your photography.

[@kumarananthasubramonian7841]

Super....,✅

[@DerekForss]

Thank you

[@keithhider2170]

Is the title of this video intended to be click bait? Nothing whatsoever about spot metering here!

[@DerekForss]

The programme is scheduled for premiere tomorrow, Friday 18 November 18:00 hours, London time. You probably viewed the trailer that is shown before the premiere which also shows the number of hours remaining before the premiere. Hope this information is helpful.