Filter
Top Products
Chapter 2: Preparing to Take Pictures 16 Using the Auto Exposure Lock (AE-L) Button
Understanding the Exposure Bar Graph
Figure 6: Exposure Bar Graph in
Manual Exposure Mode
The exposure bar graph is only displayed in the status LCD when the camera is set to the Program,
Shutter Priority (Tv), Aperture Priority (Av), or Manual exposure mode. This bar graph displays the
number of stops that the camera is under- or over-exposing in +/- 3 stops. In the bar graph, each
small tick mark is a half stop, and each large tick mark is a full stop.
Normal Operation
Normal OperationNormal Operation
Normal Operation
−
In all exposure modes except Manual, the exposure bar graph is off when
the picture you are taking will be properly exposed.
Figure 7: Exposure Bar Graph with
Exposure Compensation
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Exposure ModeManual Exposure Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
−
When the camera is in Manual exposure mode, the exposure bar
graph displays a series of dots from the center of the bar graph to indicate the amount of under-
or over-exposure (see Figure 6). If exposure is more than 3 stops under or over, the
−
or + sign
will blink respectively.
Exposure Compensation
Exposure CompensationExposure Compensation
Exposure Compensation
−
When exposure compensation is turned on, a single dot appears on
the bar graph indicating the amount of exposure compensation (see Figure 7). For information
about setting exposure compensation, see “Using the Sub-Dial” on page 17.
Using the Auto Exposure Lock (AE-L) Button
Figure 8: AE-L Button When you press the auto exposure lock (AE-L) button on the back of the camera (see Figure 8), the
exposure bar graph (see the previous subsection) is locked. The exposure bar graph stays locked for
20 seconds or until you press the AE-L button again to toggle it off. Thus, the 20-second time-out
continues after you take a picture, and all of the pictures you take within the 20 seconds will have the
same exposure reading.
If the auto focus is locked on the camera, then auto exposure must also be locked. That is, if you set
the Focus Lock submenu (located in the Photo Assist menu of Capture mode, see page 67) to AF
(Auto Focus) Lock and press the shutter release button halfway down to lock focus, the exposure will
also lock at this point even if you do not press or have not pressed the AE-L button. In this case, the
20 second time-out does not apply; the camera keeps the setting in the Focus Lock submenu until
you change it. The camera then returns to continuous exposure (AE) after you release the shutter
release button.
Note: The AE-L button is disabled in the Auto
and Manual exposure modes. In these exposure
modes, auto exposure will always lock along
with AF Lock when you press the shutter release
button halfway down.