Canon 500D: Need HELP! Focus Lock Exp. Lock separately? HOW?

[Goldilocks]

This is my first dSLR. I've done it with the point and shoots, but can't figure out how to do it with the Canon 500D. I'm shooting alot of HDR landscapes. I want to:
1. use the center point to focus and lock it.
2.Then figure out my exposure. (I usually use aperture priority and evaluative pointing to an area that has slighty more highlights than my final picture.)
3 Recompose and shoot.

 I was able to do this with my compact powershot, but reading the 500D manual, and even going into custom functions I can't figure it out. Could someone spell out how to do this without using the manual focus ring?

Thanks,
Linda
(Goldilocks)

[Andrew Fee]

If it's anything like my 1000D, there's a custom function option for “Shutter/AE Lock Button.”

With this set to AF/AE Lock, pressing the * key will lock exposure (it should light up in the viewfinder) holding the shutter button halfway will lock focus, and pressing the shutter fully will take your picture.

EDIT: Just checked, you can do it the other way around as well. Half-press the shutter, lock exposure with *, recompose and then take the shot by fully pressing the shutter. (though it seems like it would be easier if you lock exposure first)

[Goldilocks]

If it's anything like my 1000D, there's a custom function option for “Shutter/AE Lock Button.”

With this set to AF/AE Lock, pressing the * key will lock exposure (it should light up in the viewfinder) holding the shutter button halfway will lock focus, and pressing the shutter fully will take your picture.

EDIT: Just checked, you can do it the other way around as well. Half-press the shutter, lock exposure with *, recompose and then take the shot by fully pressing the shutter. (though it seems like it would be easier if you lock exposure first)

Expsoure lock first then half-press focus and recompose seems to work only. It looks like it has a short time span before it goes back to the default mode. Had to practice several times and frequently couldn't even duplicate it at home, on exact same object. (I'm not one of those that grew up on video games). Does anyone know if there is a way to change the time span on the AE and/or FE LOCKS. And does anyone have a Canon 500D that they can Lock focus first, lock exposure then recompose and shot?

[Andrew Fee]

I've just had a look over the 500D manual, and tested with my own 1000D.

Firstly, it's custom function 10 on the 500D, and you need to set it to 0: AF/AE Lock (which should be the default)
Secondly, I just realised that you'll need to have the camera's focus mode in One-Shot AF. If it's in either AI focus mode, it will keep refocusing as you move the camera.

When you press the * key, you should see it light up in the viewfinder to indicate that exposure has been locked. There doesn't seem to be any indication of that on the rear LCD though if I set it to stay on. With my 1000D, exposure lock seems to be held for approximately four seconds. There doesn't seem to be any way to change this. (I find the four seconds to be a real nuisance as well)

If you focus within that time, as long as the shutter is held down halfway, exposure should stay locked.

If you focus first, as long as you keep holding down the shutter button halfway, pressing the * key seems to lock exposure indefinitely. (it lasted more than 60 seconds at least) You can also press it again if you want to change the exposure.

If you have any flash enabled, it will fire the flash and the * will act as flash exposure lock, rather than locking the shutter speed/aperture. I don't see any way to change this behaviour, other than disabling the flash.


From reading the 500D manual, this should all work the same as my 1000D. I hope that helps.