Spot metering

[Woodstock]

Hi. Please can you help me? I am trying to get my head around spot metering on my Nikon D5500. My questions are (All refer to in Manual mode):

1) How can I select a specific spot to do the spot metering?
2) How can I keep that spot when I want to focus on a different specific/overall area?
3) When I select single point auto focus, the point is a square that is OFF-Center. How did that happen? And how can I get that back to the center?

Thanks so much for helping.

 

[mikew_RIP]

Welcome to the forum,not sure about your camera but its possible it will only spot meter in the center,the four way thing next to your screen should move the focus point or press the button in the center to recenter it.

 

[Woodstock]

Thank you so much. I've managed to correct the focus point. And I can believe that the spot metering probably works where I focus. But I have another problem:-

I am in manual mode but every time I change the area where I focus, (I want to create a low-light image, using my aperture and shutter speed but keeping ISO at 100), the ISO automatically changes to a high ISO. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Horoscope Fish]

Thank you so much. I've managed to correct the focus point. And I can believe that the spot metering probably works where I focus. But I have another problem:-

I am in manual mode but every time I change the area where I focus, (I want to create a low-light image, using my aperture and shutter speed but keeping ISO at 100), the ISO automatically changes to a high ISO. What am I doing wrong?

Do you have Auto-ISO enabled?

Also, yes... Metering follows the focus point chosen when using Spot metering.

 

[chills4u]

Thank you so much. I've managed to correct the focus point. And I can believe that the spot metering probably works where I focus. But I have another problem:-

I am in manual mode but every time I change the area where I focus, (I want to create a low-light image, using my aperture and shutter speed but keeping ISO at 100), the ISO automatically changes to a high ISO. What am I doing wrong?

You need to switch off your ISO Sensitivity option from Menu so the camera doesn't automatically select the ISO for you. For a low light (aka low key), try ISO 100, Shutter Speed 1/200 and Aperture f-11 or higher. You should be able to get pitch black with the above setting and then add a flash preferably with a reverse umbrella to light up your subject.

 

[Woodstock]

Thank youuuu!!! At last I can make sense of it all. I did as you advised and also tried your other settings. (Of course it will change according to the location) but all worked perfectly! A new world to explore! Many thanks to everyone who responded!

Ao noooo... I made a mistake. It looked all good but when I checked, the ISO still had changed. As I move the camera the ISO keeps adjusting. I can't understand...??

 

[nickt]

Ao noooo... I made a mistake. It looked all good but when I checked, the ISO still had changed. As I move the camera the ISO keeps adjusting. I can't understand...??

I don't know the d5500 well, but canceling auto iso from the menu might only cancel it for A,S, M, and P modes. Other automatic modes might use auto-iso anyway. On my d7200, I would need to cancel auto iso separately for Auto shooting mode. On my old d3100, I was stuck with auto iso if I used Auto shooting mode.

 

[Woodstock]

Just to 'close' this request:-
After re-checking everything, I discovered that I had stupidly switched off ISO 'display' instead of ISO sensitivity....:shame: And, of course, it solved the problem. Thank you to everyone who has helped me.

 

[spb_stan]

For casual scene shooting, Matrix is very useful but when you have specific image exposure intent, Spot metering is the preferred mode. If there is a bright area in the frame it might be blown out if what you are metering is a lot darker, in that case adding light is a way of getting a better balance between a subject and a bright background. Nikon has a great feature of TTL BL mode of flash where a Matrix meter setting will exposure for the overall scene but a compatible flash has an independent spot metering function so exposes the subject to balance exposure of the subject to the overall background scene.
I switch between metering modes, mostly spot and matrix all through an event shoot because of those advanced capabilities of Nikon metering combined with iTTL flash units.

 

[Karmann_65]

Being quite new to the D5500 I note that when looking through the view finder, the focus point is displayed as a box and not a dot (as per my old D3100). Why is this?

I've been struggling with getting a precise focus and wonder if there is some kind of avarage focus going on within the box area.

 

[Horoscope Fish]

Being quite new to the D5500 I note that when looking through the view finder, the focus point is displayed as a box and not a dot (as per my old D3100). Why is this?

I've been struggling with getting a precise focus and wonder if there is some kind of avarage focus going on within the box area.

I'm not sure there is an answer to the question regarding focus-points displaying as boxes versus dots in the viewfinder; the box-shaped focus point is simply what you find on the higher end Nikon bodies.

If you post some example photos where you've missed focus, we might be able to better diagnose the issue.

 

[Karmann_65]

I'm not sure there is an answer to the question regarding focus-points displaying as boxes versus dots in the viewfinder; the box-shaped focus point is simply what you find on the higher end Nikon bodies.

If you post some example photos where you've missed focus, we might be able to better diagnose the issue.

Thanks for the reply.

I could post some out of focus shots but am beginning to think it's my own fault for over utilising single point focus. A lot of what I shoot is of animals and birds. It's all too easy to neglect switching to multi point focus for wider shots. Does that sound about right?

 

[Horoscope Fish]

Thanks for the reply.

I could post some out of focus shots but am beginning to think it's my own fault for over utilising single point focus. A lot of what I shoot is of animals and birds. It's all too easy to neglect switching to multi point focus for wider shots. Does that sound about right?

Not knowing your level of expertise with photography in general it's hard for me to say where the issue lies. However, the auto-focus system in your D500, and really any modern DSLR, is extraordinairly complicated and nuanced. I think most of us have struggled with wrapping our brains around the labyrinth of features and options in the auto-focus menus at some point. To better understand what's going on with your autofocus system, and how to take full advantage of everything it offers, I can't recommend Steve Perry's ebook,
Secrets to the Nikon Auto-focus System too highly. Probably the best $17 investment in improving your photography you could make.

 

[Karmann_65]

To better understand what's going on with your autofocus system, and how to take full advantage of everything it offers, I can't recommend Steve Perry's ebook,
Secrets to the Nikon Auto-focus System too highly. Probably the best $17 investment in improving your photography you could make.

I honestly had no idea such a book even existed. Sounds like a great idea. I've enjoyed watching a couple of Steve Perry's videos on Youtube and would be very interested in his book.

Unfortunately, the closest (paper book) I can find available here in the UK is this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-Auto...id=1518695983&sr=1-1&keywords=nikon+autofocus

Looks to be a very similar read and surely can't hurt.

My experience level is amateur at best as I sit firmly a long way from the top of the learning curve.

 

[nickt]

I could post some out of focus shots but am beginning to think it's my own fault for over utilising single point focus. A lot of what I shoot is of animals and birds. It's all too easy to neglect switching to multi point focus for wider shots. Does that sound about right?

I use single point focus almost exclusively (in conjunction with back button focus). It is certainly arguable that there could be 'better' modes for various situations. In the end, only one focus point gets the focus. However you get there is fine as long as focus is exactly where you want it. I don't know if the d5500 can show the focus point that was used when you review the images in camera. A quick flip through the pdf manual and I don't see that function for your camera. But the free Nikon View NX-i software will show you what focus point was used to capture the image. Turn on 'show focus point' under the 'image' menu. This might be helpful to you as you find what focus method works best for you.

 

[Karmann_65]

But the free Nikon View NX-i software will show you what focus point was used to capture the image. Turn on 'show focus point' under the 'image' menu. This might be helpful to you as you find what focus method works best for you.

I can see how that would help. Will look into downloading NX-i and give it a try.

Thanks

 

[Horoscope Fish]

I honestly had no idea such a book even existed. Sounds like a great idea. I've enjoyed watching a couple of Steve Perry's videos on Youtube and would be very interested in his book.

Unfortunately, the closest (paper book) I can find available here in the UK is this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-Auto...id=1518695983&sr=1-1&keywords=nikon+autofocus

Looks to be a very similar read and surely can't hurt.

My experience level is amateur at best as I sit firmly a long way from the top of the learning curve.

Steve Perry is just about Awesome personified in my opinion and his Secrets of Autofocus will open your eye's to just how powerful the AF system in your camera really is. More importantly, though, it will show you how to leverage that power in very practical terms.

I thought I understood all the AF-Modes and AF-Area modes pretty well, having been a Nikon shooter for sometime. I was wrong. I consider Steve's book essential reading for anyone serious about improving their auto-focus hit-rate. I return to it often to refresh my memory and it seems every time I go back over the material, I learn something new.

 

[kojosdojo]

I know this is an old thread but I was just wondering how to achieve what OP is asking and figured it out. There is a way! Maybe this can help someone in the future... On your 5500 in the custom settings menu you have to set the AE/AF lock to AE only, this way you can spot meter, lock it in using the AE- AF-L button (hold it), then you can re-center and half-press to focus and voila! You're metered for your first spot and focused on what you want in focus! Love it!

 

[Andy W]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Bikerbrent_RIP]

Welcome aboard. Enjoy the ride.
We look forward to seeing more posts and samples of your work.