Choosing a Metering Mode

You might want to select a particular metering mode for your first shots, although the default evaluative metering is probably the best choice as you get to know your camera. To change metering modes, press the Metering-WB button (shown in Figure 2.3) and spin the Main Dial to cycle among the choices shown in Figure 2.4:

• Evaluative metering. The standard metering mode; the 5D Mark II attempts to intelligently classify your image and choose the best exposure based on readings from 35 different zones in the frame, with emphasis on the autofocus points.

• Partial metering. Exposure is based on a central spot, roughly eight percent of the image area.

• Spot metering. Exposure is calculated from a smaller central spot, about 3.5 percent of the image area.

• Center-weighted averaging metering. The 5D Mark II meters the entire scene, but gives the most emphasis to the central area of the frame.