40D Spot Metering Query

I've read through the manual, and can't find a way to do this, but. . . is it possible to have metering on evaluative, but have the * button activate spot metering?

Normally I want evaluative metering, but for occasions when I want spot, it's a pain to switch to spot metering, and then back again.

No, have to set using top switch and wheel (assuming same as 30D)

that's irritating- is it such an unusual request to want to be able to do that?

It's a 2 second press and turn. What's hard about that? How did you want to be able to do it? Even if you set up one of the custom user setting, you would have to hit MENU and select it.

I don't even look when I do it. I just press the top right button, two clicks of the front wheel. That's it. Same thing to get it back, just the other way.

I am new to photography and have yet to read anything educational on the practical difference between the different types of "metering". Can someone lay it out for someone who isn't really sure what it is and what it does for my pictures? Thanks in advance...

Rodney

Ronald S. Jr. wrote in post #3946778
I don't even look when I do it. I just press the top right button, two clicks of the front wheel. That's it. Same thing to get it back, just the other way.

Fair enough - I'll give it a go

Crosswind81 wrote in post #3946840
I am new to photography and have yet to read anything educational on the practical difference between the different types of "metering". Can someone lay it out for someone who isn't really sure what it is and what it does for my pictures? Thanks in advance...

VERY basically (so please excuse any errors from over-simplifying)

Evaluative means the camera analyses the scene as a whole and works out the best exposure.
Centre weighted - it looks at the scene, but pays most emphasis on what's in the centre, and a little attention to what's further out.
Spot - based on only a small area (spot) in the middle of the scene - on 30D and 40D there's a small circle in the viewfinder that is covered by the spot, and ignores everything else.
Partial - same as spot, but the area it looks at is 3 times the size of that used in spot metering.

Hope that helps .

with the 40D it's easy. Register your favorite set up (like AV, single shot, continuous H, 200 ISO, etc...) with spot metering in C1, C2 or C3. so when you need the spot metering instead of the evaluative, just turn the top dial to Cx where you have registred your alternative set up. I use this fonction for mirror lock up, etc...
I'm not sure but I think the * or AE-L button take a reading like a spot metering even if you are in evaluative and this is even easier and intuitive to use.