Control over metering mode with Digital Rebel?

[lordjim]

Hi everyone -

Is there a way to get control over the metering modes with the Digital Rebel? I would like to be able to choose Partial or Center Weighted Metering in the P, Tv and Av modes and not only in the Manual Mode. Is there a hack that may help?

Thank you.

[tim]

Not as far as I know, sorry. You could buy a hand held light meter and operate in manual mode if you liked, you'd probably learn quickly what settings you'd need to use in most situations, and the meter will be more accurate than the camera meter.

[PacAce]

Hi everyone -

Is there a way to get control over the metering modes with the Digital Rebel? I would like to be able to choose Partial or Center Weighted Metering in the P, Tv and Av modes and not only in the Manual Mode. Is there a hack that may help?

Thank you.
To use the partial meter, just press the AEL ("*") button. To use CW metering mode, switch the lens to manual focus. Not very pretty, I know, but it does get you the metering modes you asked about. :)

[lordjim]

Thank you for your answers. Any recommendation for a handheld light meter?
Also, is the 20D more flexible on this matter? It does not have a spot metering system as in the D70, does it? In your experience, is that a problem? Thanks

[bauerman]

The answer PacAce gave you is perfect and it is something that I did not know about when I first got my Rebel. Just press that * button in the creative modes and you have instant partial metering. The partial metering on the Rebel I believe is 9% - so its not bad from a spot metering standpoint. I use this ALL the time..............

[PacAce]

Thank you for your answers. Any recommendation for a handheld light meter?
Also, is the 20D more flexible on this matter? It does not have a spot metering system as in the D70, does it? In your experience, is that a problem? Thanks
I'm not sure if not having a spot meter is a problem or not but I have a 1DmkII which has a spot meter, in addition to the partial meter, CW and evaluative metering modes, and I have yet to use the spot meter although I have used partial metering on occassion.

[cmM]

the metering on the digital rebel also depends on the mode you're shooting in... (plus what Leo said)
But full control over metering modes doesn't exist on the Digital Rebel. I don't know if the hack changes any of that :confused:

[pvonk]

Also, is the 20D more flexible on this matter? It does not have a spot metering system as in the D70, does it? In your experience, is that a problem? Thanks

20D has the three systems: evaluative, partial (9% of center, which for tele lens acts like spot metering), and center weight.