hi, I have a canon rebel 2000. I am amateur and am just keeping trying stuff so that i can learn the art of photography. i know that in M, Av, Tv modes there is exposure meter reading.

I know that there are 7 focus points. if i pick the center one and point to any subject and measure the light, does the meter record only thro that point or to be more simpler, i need to know how to take exposure reading and how to understand what that reading mean and what steps to be taken after that u get correct exposure. i also want to know if the procedure is same in M, Av and Tv modes.

Thanks in advance Vishwa

-- Vishwanath (dagarshali@yahoo.com), April 28, 2002

Answers

AFAIK, the REBEL 2000 is like my 2nd generation REBEL where the metering pattern is determined by the camera mode. P, Tv, Av and A-DEP use evaulative metering, while M mode is centre- weighted.

Canon Japan has some interesting and interactive diagrams of the 35 segment metering sensor used in the REBEL 2000 and the EOS 7. They illustrate the different metering patterns, and how it changes with different focussing points. The text might be in Japanese, but the pictures speak a thousand words in any language :-)

• Evaluative Metering
• http://www.canon-sales.co.jp/7/product/point4/index-j.html

-- Julian Loke (elan7e-owner@yahoogroups.com), April 28, 2002.

The short answer is that you don't have to do anything special--just let the camera take care of the exposure setting, then you take the picture and it should be properly exposed.

The main way the camera judges exposure is by dividing the frame into 35 zones, measuring the light, then coming up with the best setting for it all.

There are other metering methods, but the Rebel doesn't exactly make them clear--partial metering and center-weighted average. These methods are used when you are in different picture-taking modes, like Manual. Your camera instruction manual will help you determine which metering method is employed by which picture-taking mode (you don't have a choice).

I know all this is confusing. Canon didn't exactly make it easy.

If your camera is using the Zone Evaluative metering method--as it does in P mode--it does NOT meter through the active focusing point. It surveys the whole scene in the viewfinder.

If the camera is using Center-weighted Average metering, it IS using the center point.

If the camera is using Partial metering, it IS using the center point.

I hope this helps. It's best not to worry so much about it. Any guide to photography will help you understand why you would want to change the aperture or shutter speed to achieve certain effects. Unless you are doing something special, the camera--with all its computer processors--will give you an accurate exposure.

-- Preston Merchant (merchant@speakeasy.org), April 28, 2002.