Custom setting confusion

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mikew_RIP

Senior Member
When setting a custom use on the D7000 for the AE/AFL button as per instructions on page 232 I cant wok out if I can do what I want with it.

I would like to be able to lock the exposure by pressing and holding (or not) the AE/AF button,without touching the shutter button,my reason is when making a quick change from one lighting situation to another, there would be no need to turn dials just point the camera at an area of suitable brilliance and hold that exposure,thus leaving me free to quickly point the camera in any direction and then auto focus,its what we did in 35mm without autofocus.
Sorry if it says I can or cant but just struggling with it.






Thanks


mike
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
mikew said:
When setting a custom use on the D7000 for the AE/AFL button as per instructions on page 232 I cant wok out if I can do what I want with it.

I would like to be able to lock the exposure by pressing and holding (or not) the AE/AF button,without touching the shutter button,my reason is when making a quick change from one lighting situation to another, there would be no need to turn dials just point the camera at an area of suitable brilliance and hold that exposure,thus leaving me free to quickly point the camera in any direction and then auto focus,its what we did in 35mm without autofocus.
Sorry if it says I can or cant but just struggling with it.
Click to expand...
I must not be understanding what you mean when you say "lock the exposure", since exposure is based on shutter speed, aperture and ISO.

Say for instance f8 at 1/125, ISO 400 gives you the exposure you want, just dial in those settings. Turn on, or off, auto-focus as you wish.
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Sorry so intent on getting it right i could have been clearer, thats excatly what i want to do lock the exposure.
My idea is when out and about say taking a bird shot at ground level,then a flight shot comes over i would like to lock the exposure on the ground level subject and then point the camera in the air and press the shutter to focus and take,the way i am reading the instructions it looks like it cant be done with out involving the shutter button to lock the exposure.

mike
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
mikew said:
Sorry so intent on getting it right i could have been clearer, thats excatly what i want to do lock the exposure.
My idea is when out and about say taking a bird shot at ground level,then a flight shot comes over i would like to lock the exposure on the ground level subject and then point the camera in the air and press the shutter to focus and take,the way i am reading the instructions it looks like it cant be done with out involving the shutter button to lock the exposure.
Click to expand...
No problem I just want to make sure we're on the same page...

So you want to set your exposure settings based on correct exposure for Point A and keep those exposure settings anywhere you point the camera?

Well, if you're going to be using a consistent aperture and ISO I think the simple solution would be to shoot in Manual. I'd set a specific ISO in-camera (turn off Auto ISO of course) and aperture, then meter the scene you want to base your exposure on using "A" mode to get the correct shutter speed. Switch to Manual, set your shutter speed as suggested by the metering you just did and you're good to go. For quick adjustments use the Exposure Compensation button/Command Wheel (I set mine for 1/2 stop per click of the wheel vs. the default of 1/3). With a few minutes of practice you can get really fast with that combination.


......
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Horoscope Fish said:
No problem I just want to make sure we're on the same page...

So you want to set your exposure settings based on correct exposure for Point A and keep those exposure settings anywhere you point the camera?

Well, if you're going to be using a consistent aperture and ISO I think the simple solution would be to shoot in Manual. I'd set a specific ISO in-camera (turn off Auto ISO of course) and aperture, then meter the scene you want to base your exposure on using "A" mode to get the correct shutter speed. Switch to Manual, set your shutter speed as suggested by the metering you just did and you're good to go. For quick adjustments use the Exposure Compensation button/Command Wheel (I set mine for 1/2 stop per click of the wheel vs. the default of 1/3). With a few minutes of practice you can get really fast with that combination.


......
Click to expand...
Thanks for the solution but i shoot auto iso with the sigma 120-400, the situations i have encountered would not allow me to make the adjustments quick enough,ime framed on one subject then the bird comes over,it would be nice if i could press one button to retain the exposure settings without using the shutter button, lock on to the bird in flight with autofocus and take,i cant alter any settings that need visual work without putting my reading glasses on and that takes time on its own.

mike
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
mikew said:
Thanks for the solution but i shoot auto iso with the sigma 120-400, the situations i have encountered would not allow me to make the adjustments quick enough,ime framed on one subject then the bird comes over,it would be nice if i could press one button to retain the exposure settings without using the shutter button, lock on to the bird in flight with autofocus and take,i cant alter any settings that need visual work without putting my reading glasses on and that takes time on its own.
Click to expand...
Right... I understand your situation but I don't think you can do what you want without changing something in your process. If you want to use Auto ISO that means you want to surrender to the camera one third of your exposure triangle -- and you can't have it both ways. I still think compensating on the fly with the Exposure Compensation button/Command Wheel is your best bet.

Maybe someone else will have a better solution!

.....
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Horoscope Fish said:
Right... I understand your situation but I don't think you can do what you want without changing something in your process. If you want to use Auto ISO that means you want to surrender to the camera one third of your exposure triangle -- and you can't have it both ways. I still think compensating on the fly with the Exposure Compensation button/Command Wheel is your best bet.

Maybe someone else will have a better solution!

.....
Click to expand...

If i cant do it my way your solution is the closest.

mike
 
Fred Kingston

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
Mike... Maybe I'm missing something... but doesn't the D7k have 2 User settings? U1 and U2 ????

Can't you set U1 or U2 to use Auto ISO, and then switch to that setting when using the Sigma for Auto ISO ????

As has been pointed out... when using Auto ISO, you really aren't setting/locking the exposure settings because you're allowing the 3rd leg to move around...
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
FredKingston said:
Mike... Maybe I'm missing something... but doesn't the D7k have 2 User settings? U1 and U2 ????

Can't you set U1 or U2 to use Auto ISO, and then switch to that setting when using the Sigma for Auto ISO ????

As has been pointed out... when using Auto ISO, you really aren't setting/locking the exposure settings because you're allowing the 3rd leg to move around...
Click to expand...

The way i looked at it using an exposure lock did just that, like setting manual only i wanted to do it for one quick burst of shots by pressing one button,it looks like the fourth option on page 232 would do it but i cant be sure,obviously i can try it but not knowing whether its meant to work that way i wouldn't know if i was just not doing it right.
If we get a decent day tomorrow i will experiment.

mike
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Well i have read it twice more and tried it,think i have it sorted the fourth option just locks exposure without involving the shutter button,leaving you to frame a completely different shot but use the previously locked exposure setting,autofocus is still able to refocus on the new subject.
Thanks for your answers
mike
 
A

aced19

Senior Member
Not sure why you would want to do this.
But if you push the info button and wait till it shows settings. Push it again and arrow to the Assign AE-L/AF-L setting. Then push ok button.
Then you can set that button to AE Lock only, AE lock (Hold).
​But for that to work like you want it. I think you will have to be in Manual mode.


If I would read the post in full. lol
​Sorry Jim.
 
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M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Jim it works the way i wanted,not the best solution but this picture was taken using it,i was framing some thing at ground level when this gull came across with out warning,i just pressed the AE button then swung the camera up and took the picture,if i had needed to make any adjustments i would have missed it.

DSC_8859_045.JPG
 
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