How do you "live" without Spot Metering on 350D and 20D?

[Geza]

I have been considering buying a Canon DSLR (I just sold my excellent EOS A2 film SLR for $122 on e-Bay, what a pain!) but I am not able to get over the fact that nor the 350D or 20D doesn't have spot metering (while even my 5 year old Powershot G1 has it!). So, my question to all of you who has either 350D or 20D is that how do you live without Spot Metering or let me rephrase my question: How do you compensate for the lack of it?

I know, that if you set the camera to P, or, Tv, Av, you can manually override either the time or apperture setting, but many times there is no time for messing with these settings manually especially if your subject is a moving person, kids or animals. (consider these (dark) subjects either in a bright white snowy or sunny sandy beach environment.)

So, is the feature "Spot Metering" really missing for you guys or are there other features on these cameras that can be used as a substitute?

Geza

[Zoinac]

For me, I just use center weight metering, instead of spot metering which does I think (my numbers aren't great) about 3.5% of the viewing area, I think center weight does about 8%.

I've never really found it that bad living with out it though the 35zone evaluative metering I think works rather effectivly, I had no problem shooting wakeboarders in the middle of summer with it.

To be completly honest though, if I were rich, I'd have bought myself a 5D by now, maybe if I had spot metering like that camera does I might think more as you do about how crutial it is.

[cdifoto]

I can't miss what I never had but I use center weighted metering as well. Seems to work just fine.

[24Peter]

Personally I've never noticed much of a difference in any of the three metering modes available on the XT, though I'm currently using center weighted. Using the little "*" button to preselect my exposure level seems a much more effective way to set exposure in tough lighting situations but much less efficient from a picture taking point of view. The bigger sin in my mind is not tying the weighted metering to the active AF point. But since there seems to be no big difference in metering modes anyway, I'll have to find something else to complain about.

[D Thompson]

On the 20D, partial metering is about 9% at center and meters just a little less than centerweighted average. It's close enough for me.

[Chucko]

My Canon T90 film camera spoiled me with its multi-spot metering. I hope Canon adds spot metering to the EOS 20D's successor.

In its absence, if exposure is critical, I'll take a shot, look at the histogram, and manually adjust the exposure.

[Geza]

Thank you all for your feedback, so to summarize it, centerweighed metering is a good enough substitute for spot metering.
Messing with the histogram is intriguing to me but so far I haven't found a good (AND SIMPLE) explanation on how to use it for manipulating the image "after shot".

A "sub" question about centerweighted metering: Can you use it on the 350D and 20D by pushing the exposure button half way, AND with that, measuring the distance and light in the center of the viewfinder on the main object of the picture and THEN you recompose the image position and push the button all the way?

Geza

[coldrain]

Thank you all for your feedback, so to summarize it, centerweighed metering is a good enough substitute for spot metering.
Messing with the histogram is intriguing to me but so far I haven't found a good (AND SIMPLE) explanation on how to use it for manipulating the image "after shot".

A "sub" question about centerweighted metering: Can you use it on the 350D and 20D by pushing the exposure button half way, AND with that, measuring the distance and light in the center of the viewfinder on the main object of the picture and THEN you recompose the image position and push the button all the way?

Geza

Yes, you can. Simply push the shutter button half way, then recompose and you will notice the focus and shutter/aperture stay the same.

[Alnath]

I have been considering buying a Canon DSLR (I just sold my excellent EOS A2 film SLR for $122 on e-Bay, what a pain!)

May i suggest evaluative metering has evolved somewhat in the 14 or so years since the A2 came out.