k20d ae-lbutton

retired2007 · 06-01-2013, 01:17 PM

hi can anyone tell me how to use and when to use the ae-l button? also is there a video some where out there to demonstrate?
thanks

johnyates · 06-01-2013, 02:01 PM

Ok here's a simple example:

Suppose you're using Av to shoot a landscape. Your composition is 1/5 foreground and 4/5 sky. It's likely that the image you get will be underexposed due to the preponderance of sky. So, you would temporarily compose the image with equal parts land and sky and press the AE button to lock the exposure. Now you reframe the shot as you originally intended and shoot with the locked in exposure.

Or, say you're shooting a panorama--you could use the AE-Lock to make sure all your exposures were identical.

My preference is to shoot in M mode--for me it's simpler--but there's many a way of skinning a cat . . .

**Just1MoreDave** · 06-02-2013, 07:28 PM

I used mine yesterday taking photos of wind blowing through tall grass. I wasn't sure what shutter speed to use, so once I was sure my metering was correct, I locked that with the AE-L button. Then I could take several shots at different shutter speeds and use the best one. You can use it with portraits where the background lighting is very different and the face is the important subject. Step or zoom in until the face fills the frame, then press the AE-L button, then recompose and shoot. I use it for lens tests combined with Av mode to quickly run through different apertures. On lower-end cameras, the button can usually be reprogrammed to control AF, so it's not essential for everyone. I'm used to it because it was on my film camera.

06-01-2013, 01:17 PM	#1
retired2007 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: new Albany IN Posts: 879	k20d ae-lbutton hi can anyone tell me how to use and when to use the ae-l button? also is there a video some where out there to demonstrate? thanks

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06-01-2013, 02:01 PM	#2
johnyates Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Saskatoon, SK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,345	Ok here's a simple example: Suppose you're using Av to shoot a landscape. Your composition is 1/5 foreground and 4/5 sky. It's likely that the image you get will be underexposed due to the preponderance of sky. So, you would temporarily compose the image with equal parts land and sky and press the AE button to lock the exposure. Now you reframe the shot as you originally intended and shoot with the locked in exposure. Or, say you're shooting a panorama--you could use the AE-Lock to make sure all your exposures were identical. My preference is to shoot in M mode--for me it's simpler--but there's many a way of skinning a cat . . .

06-02-2013, 07:28 PM	#3
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	I used mine yesterday taking photos of wind blowing through tall grass. I wasn't sure what shutter speed to use, so once I was sure my metering was correct, I locked that with the AE-L button. Then I could take several shots at different shutter speeds and use the best one. You can use it with portraits where the background lighting is very different and the face is the important subject. Step or zoom in until the face fills the frame, then press the AE-L button, then recompose and shoot. I use it for lens tests combined with Av mode to quickly run through different apertures. On lower-end cameras, the button can usually be reprogrammed to control AF, so it's not essential for everyone. I'm used to it because it was on my film camera.