White Balance & Metering - Help? - Newbie!

Chris Green

Chris Green

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Chris Green
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Hello,

Please could someone explain the different white balance and metering options on my 20D?

White balance, what options are there? what should I do, and when?

I have the metering options of a blank bit, a (o) and a ( ) if that makes sense?

Also, I have the option of One shot, AI servo, and AI something else. What is this? and what is it for?

I'm trying to get a grasp of what to do and when. I'm managing ok with Apertures, shutters, exposure (just!) and ISO, but there are a few other things that I am unsure about.

Thank you very much!

Chris.
 
Chris,

White Balance is how your camera sees white, it will differ under different artificial lighting and different weather conditions, it can be altered on camera, or if you shoot in RAW it can be altered in software. I usually shoot in AWB (auto white balance) mode and alter it through software if it's required.

Metering is how the light meter in your camera calculates what is a correct exposure, the three metering modes are evaluative or matrix, where the camera splits the scene into sections and exposes for them all, then there is centre weighted metering, where the camera exposes for the whole scene, but with the emphasis on the centre. Spot metering is where the camera exposes for the centre of the scene only.

This is my understanding of the above and I'm sure it'll be corrected if it's not 100%.

Hope it helps.

Dave
 
Just re read your post and to answer the question on focus, my understanding is as follows.

One Shot - when you press the shutter button halfway the camera focuses and does not refocus until you take the shot or release the button and press it again.

A1 servo - the camera continually adjusts to focus on a moving subject when the shutter button is pressed halfway.

A1 focus - the camera focus as one shot, unless it detects movement when it will switch to A1 servo.

Dave
 
Thats great, thanks Dave!

AI Servo makes sense now too.

So, which of the symbols is for Spot metering? (o), or ( )?

Thanks,

Chris.
 
Blank is centre weighted, (o) is eval and ( ) is partial - a bit like spot but using a larger section to meter from.
 
try here if you dont have the manuelhttp://www.canon.co.uk/Support/Consumer_Products/products/cameras/Digital_SLR/EOS_20D.aspx
 
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