Need help with k5

[Photocurious]

Hi all Pentaxians

I just got my K5 and using 18-135WR kit lens recently and I'm having some problems with shooting.

I can't seems to lock on exposure and lock on focus (using spot metering) by half shutter and moving my camera to reframe the picture...

Previous my sony is able to do that. When I use spot metering + centre/selective/auto focus I can lock on exposure of the target and then reframe my pictures. But it seems my k5 can't.

1st question: Isn't spot metering taking metering from the place the camera focus on (be it centre, AF, selective or al servo)?

2nd question: is there any settings I need to do to achieve all this? (my previous camera could do this out of the box)

I tried to google but somehow it does answer my questions fully. Its very frustrating that my picture subject always comes out not exposed correctly. Any help for a relatively new photography learner would be much appreciated. Thank you

 

[Cenvin]

Under menu can select AE Lock with AF Lock... Need to dig in menu, cannot advice as I'm out with working cam not with me at the moment... Remember should be some where near last few page in setting...
Cheers

 

[Photocurious]

Under menu can select AE Lock with AF Lock... Need to dig in menu, cannot advice as I'm out with working cam not with me at the moment... Remember should be some where near last few page in setting...
Cheers

Hi thank you for your advice. After setting AE lock to AF they camera will take metering according to wherever is focused when half shutter? Be it in mutiple AF-ed section, selective focus and Al servo or only in centre focus? I need confirmation on this. Getting a bit confused on what I found on the Internet

 

[detritus]

Welcome to Pentax

The information is covered in the manual, which can be downloaded online (in case you do not have a copy with you). i've included the relevant page numbers for your reference.

regarding your questions:

Isn't spot metering taking metering from the place the camera focus on (be it centre, AF, selective or al servo)?

No. It is taking metering from the center of the VF. (more useful info in page 118 of the manual)

is there any settings I need to do to achieve all this? (my previous camera could do this out of the box)

the menu item mentioned in the previous post is in Customs 1, item 5: AE-L with AF Locked. (more in page 130 - 131 of the manual)

so in a nutshell, after setting the AE-L with AF lock, u set the metering mode to spot metering (or center-weighted if u prefer), set camera to AF.S, set focusing point to center or SEL, compose with the subject in the center, half-press to lock focus, and recompose while holding the shutter.

hope this helps i'm a rather casual user so this has never been an issue that bothered me too much ;p

 

[Cenvin]

Or rather you can always use the AE-L button within the reach of yr thumb before recompose...
Do try out and experience the setting

 

[Photocurious]

Thank you all guys! I tried ae to af lock, it only works with mutiple metering.

I tried to shoot some birds flying and cars on AF c + muti metering + auto focus it seems to work the best. I'm going to a air show this weekend with a group of friends. Planning to use shutter pirority + AF C + muti metering + auto focus. I'm borrowing a 55-300mm lens.

Anybody thinks this setting will be good for shooting planes? The reason why I asked about metering is because I'm afraid behind a sunny sky the plane would appear under exposed.

Any advice? Thanks in advance.

 

[detritus]

Thank you all guys! I tried ae to af lock, it only works with mutiple metering.

that doesn't sound right... :think:

 

[Photocurious]

that doesn't sound right... :think:

Hmm is the ae to AF lock suppose to work with all 3 metering modes when half shutter and focus on the subject?

 

[detritus]

Hmm is the ae to AF lock suppose to work with all 3 metering modes when half shutter and focus on the subject?

Imo, multi segmented metering is the one mode that doesn't require ae-af lock. It is automatically calculating based on 77 zones so that it automatically compensates for extremely bright areas.

If u wanted to lock focus + exposure and recompose, u should be setting af mode to af.s and not af.c.

If u need to use af.c because subject is moving, then u're on the right track - multi-segmented metering might be more convenient.

u may also want to try out the exposure bracketing function (page 157 of the manual). i think its useful for the situation u described.