| EOS-3's 21-zone Evaluative metering
system The EOS-3, with its 45 AF-point, combined with the 21-zone Evaluative metering system, represents a new way of solving complex lighting situations. However, due to the combination of the 45-point AF sensors and the use of the Eye-Controlled Focus (ECF) features, some users have been known to pinpoint the AF sensors on the wrong subjects, causing incorrect exposures. I will recommend to use the EOS-3 with its automatic multi-point selection first for those users that have not fully understand how the ECF feature works. In the automatic selection mode, the camera will use more than three sensors at any one time to lock focus and exposure on the subject, sometimes at up to 7 or 10 sensors simultaneously!
With the extra sensors locked onto the subject, the EOS-3 will automatically set the required exposure with special emphasis on the main element and ignored other brightly-lit objects that can cause the camera into giving the wrong calculations. Once you have understand how the combination of the 21-zone Evaluative metering system and the 45 AF- point works, you can choose to experiment with the EOS-3's Eye-Controlled Focus feature. In Photo C, I used the ECF feature by looking at the building on the left. Despite the strong backlighting effect, the camera set just the required amount needed to expose both buildings correctly without overexposing the sky. In Photo D of the bus, at first the situation looked kind of complicated since the vehicle was white in colour and has dark windows as well and I wasn't sure which part should I use the ECF feature to lock on. This photo was shot with the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM zoom lens at the 100mm setting. I solved the problem by zooming the lens to its 200mm focal length and used the ECF to lock focus and exposure based on the bus' yellow stripe and the EOS-3 does the rest.
The Evaluative metering of the EOS-3 is linked to the focusing point and the reading is weighted on the corresponding metering zone. At the same time, secondary weighting is given to the adjacent metering zones surrounding the primary zone. The remaining metering zones further contribute to a balanced exposure reading. Based on the brightness level of the subject covered by the primary, secondary and remaining metering zones, the EOS-3 senses the size and position of the subject, as already shown in the above mentioned Photo C and D. In Photo E and F, ECF was used in conjunction with the EOS-3's 21-zone metering system in Shutter-priority AE mode, to record events that caught my attention during the 2nd Proton International 300 Km Endurance Race held at the Sepang F1 circuit. Both photos were shot in the camera's AI Servo AF mode and as EOS users can see, the brighter background of Photo E as well as the white uniforms of the mechanics in Photo F did not fool the Evaluative metering.
The AF point was locked into the guy's face in Photo E while in Photo F, the AF point was locked onto the mechanic's face on the left. When the AF point (s) have locked onto the main subject (with precise composition), rest assured that the EOS-3 is capable of rendering correct exposures without being fooled by other brightly-lit elements within the pictures. Case in point are the following two photos, also shot at the same event; where in Photo G, the exposure was based on the AF point (via ECF) that had locked onto the umbrella girl's face. In Photo H, the exposure was based on the Proton car in the foreground. I had to shift the composition lower in order for one of the AF point to get a lock-on to the car and recompose the scene again after that.
Some users can be overwhelmed with the leaps in AF technology for 35mm cameras that they have forgotten the right way of using the right AF point (for cameras having multiple points) in focusing their subjects and ended up having incorrect exposures instead when their cameras were used in conjunction with the Evaluative metering. << Back to Main . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . |
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