Sony RX1 - AEL w/shutter and AEL button

Muizen

Regular
Location
Mechelen, Belgium
Name
Harry Briels
I am happy I discovered this site some weeks ago, because it helped me so far very well finding the answers to questions to which no answers can be found in what Sony calls "User Manuals".
I would e.g. like to understand what the function is of the menu item:
AEL w/shutter ON/OFF and that from the AEL Button to which one can assign a function?
I had the impression that the two are tied-in?

However if I put the AEL w/shutter to OFF, I can still use the AEL Button to execute the assigned function.
Even with the AEL w/shutter in the OFF position it still functions e.g. for enlargement of an image in playback.

All rather confusing: an AEL w/shutter button that can de switched to OFF but continues functioning!
 
mebbe it functions if you DONT use the ael button in place of it? kinda like "it CAN be off, but only if you use some other exposure locking" ??? just a guess!
 
AEL w/shutter means the exposure locks when half-pressing the shutter, along with auto-focus. If you turn that to OFF it would only affect whether the exposure locks when you press the shutter. It would not affect the behavior of the AEL button.

The AEL. Button is set independently as a Fn button but defaults to acting as AEL so by default setting AEL w/shutter off would mean the exposure is only locked by using the AEL button.
 
1) When I set AEL w/shutter to ON and then press the shutter halfway both Exposure and AF do lock.
If I put AEL w/shutter in OFF-position only AF is locked when half pressing the shutter.
This is clear to me.

2) However I have another question regarding the use of the AEL Button.
I have the AEL button itself assigned with the function "spot AEL Toggle" to be able to switch easily to MM Spot by toggling AEL.
However I noticed that when switching to MM Spot by pressing the AEL button, I also lock Exposure. This is not what I want AEL to do, it should just move MM to Spot. Switching AEL w/shutter to either OFF or ON doesn't make a difference.
This would mean that one can not assign "Spot AEL Toggle" to the AEL Button because, when using the AEL Button, it would then also block Exposure unintentionally?

This doesn't seem to be logical.
Harry
 
2) However I have another question regarding the use of the AEL Button.
I have the AEL button itself assigned with the function "spot AEL Toggle" to be able to switch easily to MM Spot by toggling AEL.
However I noticed that when switching to MM Spot by pressing the AEL button, I also lock Exposure. This is not what I want AEL to do, it should just move MM to Spot. Switching AEL w/shutter to either OFF or ON doesn't make a difference.
This would mean that one can not assign "Spot AEL Toggle" to the AEL Button because, when using the AEL Button, it would then also block Exposure unintentionally?

This doesn't seem to be logical.

The key is in the wording - it's "spot AEL toggle" because it's toggling exposure lock using spot metering. The point is for you to be able to use matrix metering or average + center weighed metering, then lock the exposure temporarily using spot metering.

An example of when or how you'd use this would be: you're shooting with multi-metering, then decide you want to shoot a silhouette or backlit subject. You hit the AEL button to toggle exposure lock using spot metering on your subject (or background for a silhouette), and maybe add some exposure compensation if necessary to fine tune the exposure. Then when you're done, you can toggle AEL again to go back to regular multi-metering for a balanced metering of the scene.
 
jloden: Thank you for your explanation.
Say I am in a museum and have taken in M-Mode, a shot with Multi Metering but conclude that the results would be better if I determine Exposure using MM Spot.
If I now use AEL Button to switch to MM Spot I can't spot meter because Exposure is locked? Adjustment of Exposure when Spot metering is therefore not possible because it is locked.
Where do I make a mistake in my thinking?
Harry
 
jloden: Thank you for your explanation.
Say I am in a museum and have taken in M-Mode, a shot with Multi Metering but conclude that the results would be better if I determine Exposure using MM Spot.
If I now use AEL Button to switch to MM Spot I can't spot meter because Exposure is locked? Adjustment of Exposure when Spot metering is therefore not possible because it is locked.
Where do I make a mistake in my thinking?
Harry

Assuming you have AEL set to "Spot AEL Toggle", it doesn't mean "switch the camera to spot metering mode". It means "lock the exposure, using a spot measurement".

That means when you press the AEL button, it measure the exposure using spot metering, and *then* locks it at that point. So to you use your example: if you're in a museum shooting multi-metering and want to spot meter instead, you would point your camera at the area you wish to meter from, then press AEL. That will make the camera take a spot reading wherever it's pointed when you press the button, then locks the exposure/meter reading at that point. From there you can use exposure compensation or make other adjustments as desired before pressing the shutter.

Since it's a 'toggle' that means it will stay locked until you press AEL a second time - so if you want to take multiple shots using that spot meter reading you can, before pressing it again to return back to your default multi-metering mode.
 
Back
Top