Manual vs. Metering: When and how to use each?

Setting your exposure settings in M mode has its use, particularly when you want a precise exposure and you have time to make adjustments. But when you need to nail the exposure on the first try, or you cannot make adjustments fast enough to account for the changing light levels, using the camera's meter makes more sense to me.

For quite some time now, I have been using both my camera and flash in manual. It works for me in most cases, but I have been shooting events, which do require the photographer to make quick changes. And I sometimes miss getting the right exposure in time. So I have been thinking about how I would use a mode like Av when trying to expose for people. I read about spot metering with exposure compensation to expose for the brightest part of the scene which I do not want clipped, such as a bride's gown or a person's face. This seems to be exactly the tool that I would want when shooting a fast-paced event.

Now the other piece to this puzzle, for those of use who use AF points other than the center point, is how to spot meter on one part of the scene and focus on another. I know that 1D bodies have the option to link spot metering to the AF point. But I don't think any others, not even the new 5D Mark III with its improved AF, have this.

Does anyone use this feature and how useful do you find it?

For those of you that don't have this option (non-1D bodies), how do you achieve the same result?

You can use BBF with One-shot. Meter lock with the half-shutter and then focus as needed. That's what I generally do.

Nature Nut wrote in post #14580761
You can use BBF with One-shot. Meter lock with the half-shutter and then focus as needed. That's what I generally do.

And i guess the drawbacks to this would be error due to recompose and speed if the subject is moving.

I'll give this a try. Thanks.

frugivore wrote in post #14584238
And i guess the drawbacks to this would be error due to recompose and speed if the subject is moving.

I'll give this a try. Thanks.

Since can only spot meter with the center point on most bodies you have to meter recompose anyway.

gonzogolf wrote in post #14584253
Since can only spot meter with the center point on most bodies you have to meter recompose anyway.

Right. I'm trying to gauge how useful it would be to have spot linked to AF points and determine whether a 1D series body should be in my future. Well, not just because of this one feature, but it might be a factor.

The meter area is not always in the center of the frame. I changed from the 1DIV to the 5DIII and don't miss the ability to lock metering to the focus point. I use BBF and simply place the center point on the area I want to meter and press the * button to lock exposure. I then choose a focus point, compose and shoot. No problem.