AE-L difficult to work with on K-x--or is it me?

Ira · 05-03-2010, 08:04 AM

Since I mostly shoot in full manual using my 42s, when I pulled the Tamron 90 Di macro out this weekend, it was a real pain--and I actually found it MORE difficult to work with than the old stuff and Green button. (Actually for me on the K-x, it's the EV button.)

First, I was in a mandatory AE-L situation in Av mode, but after the first click, you lose the lock. We usually shoot more than one image of the same scene, so it was pretty much of a pain to have to reframe yet again for exposure only, and have to lock again. This made it virtually impossible for me to shoot some walking ducks, which made me want to shoot them with a 22 and not the K-x.

Next, I could have shot full manual, but I prefer not to work with the dials on the fly. (One day, I'll get it through my head that you have to turn it in the OPPOSITE direction than how a lens works to open and close.)

But I thought that I could at least use the aperture ring on the Tamron, but no-- I get the dreaded infamous F--. What's the deal here? Do they have the ring for use with older cameras only?

Finally, I was HOPING that if in Av mode, and I AE-L'd, that switching to M mode would save these settings for the next couple of shots, but alas, that isn't meant to be. It starts all over again when you switch modes.

Am I doing some wrong? Or is this just the way it is?

**kiwi_jono** · 05-03-2010, 01:42 PM

Well I'm not an expert but you are certainly right that exposure settings are not retained between modes (AV to M etc). However the camera does do some things that are sensible. For example:

Going from Av to M the apperture is kept
Going from M to Av the apperture is kept
Going from Tv to M the shutter speed is kept
Going from M to TV the shutter speed is kept

And maybe others too?
I find the AE-L a bit fiddly. I have found (and the manual confirms this) that I have to half press shutter first (sometimes) to get the lock to go on and then have a few seconds to half press shutter button again. In fact manual suggests holding half shutter then pressing AE-L but that is way to hard for me.

Ira · 05-03-2010, 03:31 PM

The AE-L worked fine for me just hitting the button. I just wished there was a way to keep the exposure locked at that until I wanted to change it.

Maybe this is going to be a matter of changing shooting habits.

**kiwi_jono** · 05-03-2010, 04:01 PM

Originally posted by Ira

The AE-L worked fine for me just hitting the button. I just wished there was a way to keep the exposure locked at that until I wanted to change it.

Maybe this is going to be a matter of changing shooting habits.

I'm with you on holding exposure - would be great if it just hung on to it rather than timing out so early and losing when changing mode.
Interesting about you not having issue with getting with lock. What sort of metering timeout do you have (maybe its just my metering timing out and having to "wake" it up with half shutter press?)? For some reason I definitely find that the lock does not work every time I press it.

Ira · 05-03-2010, 04:54 PM

Originally posted by kiwi_jono

I'm with you on holding exposure - would be great if it just hung on to it rather than timing out so early and losing when changing mode.
Interesting about you not having issue with getting with lock. What sort of metering timeout do you have (maybe its just my metering timing out and having to "wake" it up with half shutter press?)? For some reason I definitely find that the lock does not work every time I press it.

I'll look after, but maybe you already answered the question. All I did was hit the AE-L and it kept it there pretty much forever.

Let me look now at any AE-L and other settings there may be.

Ira · 05-03-2010, 05:06 PM

Well, this is what I got:

1) Custom Menu 1...#4 (Meter Operating Time)...#1 (10 seconds).

2) #5 (AEL with AF Locked)...#1 (off).

3) Custom Menu 2...#10 (AF/AE-L Button)...#4 (AE Lock)

Does that help at all?

woof · 05-03-2010, 05:13 PM

Originally posted by Ira

The AE-L worked fine for me just hitting the button. I just wished there was a way to keep the exposure locked at that until I wanted to change it.

Maybe this is going to be a matter of changing shooting habits.

I understand this. It is a hang over from shooting more manually really. All the automation sometimes does get in the way.

The only thing I can offer is set AE-L with AF locked to "Yes". It looks like the K-x has this custom setting like the K10D and K20D. This does not work so well with AF-C, but on AF-S, you frame, lock focus and AE-L locks too. Recompose as you wish.

Works for me. In truth you are refocusing each time, then recomposing, but exposure is locked when focus is locked and no button.

I know this is not what you are looking for, but it may be something.

woof!

Ira · 05-03-2010, 05:19 PM

Originally posted by woof

I understand this. It is a hang over from shooting more manually really. All the automation sometimes does get in the way.

The only thing I can offer is set AE-L with AF locked to "Yes". It looks like the K-x has this custom setting like the K10D and K20D. This does not work so well with AF-C, but on AF-S, you frame, lock focus and AE-L locks too. Recompose as you wish.

Works for me. In truth you are refocusing each time, then recomposing, but exposure is locked when focus is locked and no button.

I know this is not what you are looking for, but it may be something.

woof!

Okay--I think you're pointing me in the right direction here:

So in other words, my setting above (#2) is wrong for this, and as long as I don't change focus, it will lock that exposure?

WAIT. I misunderstood it.

As long as I don't hit AE-L again, it holds the metering? And I can still refocus?

**kiwi_jono** · 05-03-2010, 05:39 PM

My settings are much the same as yours.

Yes - if you hit AE-L then it holds exposure in current mode until either hit again or times out (about 10 seconds - possibly same as metering timeout). You don't have to hold it down.

ully · 05-03-2010, 06:41 PM

Maybe this is the point of have "user" on the mode dial. You can set everything up like you want and then save it to user.

ully · 05-03-2010, 06:45 PM

Ooops, just realized you were talking about the K-X and I about the K-7. The K-X does not have user on mode dial.

MSM · 05-03-2010, 07:08 PM

Ira: I don't know if this helps but on my K10D I set the meter time to 30s. It you have that option you should try it. Then when you lock the exposure at least on the K10d you settings will remain as long as the meter stays lit (30s) which starts from the last half press of the shutter. Thus I can keep the exposure set as long I keep pressing the shutter half way. Also, it allows me to adjust the iso or aperture (in Av mode) and the shutter speed automatically adjusts just like in Program shift. This also works in M mode, which is great if you get settings you like press the AE-L and then adjust either aperture or shutter speed and the other automatically adjusts to keep the same exposure. This is effectively like being in M mode and switching to hyperprogram mode without changing the mode dial.

woof · 05-03-2010, 07:45 PM

Originally posted by Ira

Okay--I think you're pointing me in the right direction here:
So in other words, my setting above (#2) is wrong for this, and as long as I don't change focus, it will lock that exposure?

Correct.

Originally posted by Ira

WAIT. I misunderstood it.
As long as I don't hit AE-L again, it holds the metering? And I can still refocus?

Don't hit it again. Don't hit anything.

Set this option. When you Auto Focus, exposure is locked. You can confirm this because the * will show inthe viewfinder.

If you re-focus, exposure will relock at new values. Don't overthink it.

Play with it. The visual clue in the viewfinder helps.

See the manual at Pg. 120. (http://www.pentax.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-x.pdf) You may want to consider linking the AE point to the AF Point in Multisegment metering. See the Manual at Pg. 106.

woof!

Ira · 05-04-2010, 07:28 AM

Originally posted by woof

Correct.

Don't hit it again. Don't hit anything.

Set this option. When you Auto Focus, exposure is locked. You can confirm this because the * will show inthe viewfinder.

If you re-focus, exposure will relock at new values. Don't overthink it.

Play with it. The visual clue in the viewfinder helps.

See the manual at Pg. 120. (http://www.pentax.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-x.pdf) You may want to consider linking the AE point to the AF Point in Multisegment metering. See the Manual at Pg. 106.

woof!

Hey--THAT WORKS PERFECTLY!!! And like you said, if you refocus, it adjusts your shutter speed.

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ira · 05-04-2010, 07:31 AM

Originally posted by MSM

Ira: I don't know if this helps but on my K10D I set the meter time to 30s. It you have that option you should try it. Then when you lock the exposure at least on the K10d you settings will remain as long as the meter stays lit (30s) which starts from the last half press of the shutter. Thus I can keep the exposure set as long I keep pressing the shutter half way. Also, it allows me to adjust the iso or aperture (in Av mode) and the shutter speed automatically adjusts just like in Program shift. This also works in M mode, which is great if you get settings you like press the AE-L and then adjust either aperture or shutter speed and the other automatically adjusts to keep the same exposure. This is effectively like being in M mode and switching to hyperprogram mode without changing the mode dial.

This would work too in situations where I don't want exposure to change at all when refocusing.

05-03-2010, 07:45 PM	#13
woof Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In the present Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,870	Originally posted by Ira Okay--I think you're pointing me in the right direction here: So in other words, my setting above (#2) is wrong for this, and as long as I don't change focus, it will lock that exposure? Correct. Originally posted by Ira WAIT. I misunderstood it. As long as I don't hit AE-L again, it holds the metering? And I can still refocus? Don't hit it again. Don't hit anything. Set this option. When you Auto Focus, exposure is locked. You can confirm this because the * will show inthe viewfinder. If you re-focus, exposure will relock at new values. Don't overthink it. Play with it. The visual clue in the viewfinder helps. See the manual at Pg. 120. (http://www.pentax.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-x.pdf) You may want to consider linking the AE point to the AF Point in Multisegment metering. See the Manual at Pg. 106. woof! Last edited by woof; 05-04-2010 at 06:45 AM.

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05-03-2010, 08:04 AM	#1
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	AE-L difficult to work with on K-x--or is it me? Since I mostly shoot in full manual using my 42s, when I pulled the Tamron 90 Di macro out this weekend, it was a real pain--and I actually found it MORE difficult to work with than the old stuff and Green button. (Actually for me on the K-x, it's the EV button.) First, I was in a mandatory AE-L situation in Av mode, but after the first click, you lose the lock. We usually shoot more than one image of the same scene, so it was pretty much of a pain to have to reframe yet again for exposure only, and have to lock again. This made it virtually impossible for me to shoot some walking ducks, which made me want to shoot them with a 22 and not the K-x. Next, I could have shot full manual, but I prefer not to work with the dials on the fly. (One day, I'll get it through my head that you have to turn it in the OPPOSITE direction than how a lens works to open and close.) But I thought that I could at least use the aperture ring on the Tamron, but no-- I get the dreaded infamous F--. What's the deal here? Do they have the ring for use with older cameras only? Finally, I was HOPING that if in Av mode, and I AE-L'd, that switching to M mode would save these settings for the next couple of shots, but alas, that isn't meant to be. It starts all over again when you switch modes. Am I doing some wrong? Or is this just the way it is?

05-03-2010, 01:42 PM	#2
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	Well I'm not an expert but you are certainly right that exposure settings are not retained between modes (AV to M etc). However the camera does do some things that are sensible. For example: Going from Av to M the apperture is kept Going from M to Av the apperture is kept Going from Tv to M the shutter speed is kept Going from M to TV the shutter speed is kept And maybe others too? I find the AE-L a bit fiddly. I have found (and the manual confirms this) that I have to half press shutter first (sometimes) to get the lock to go on and then have a few seconds to half press shutter button again. In fact manual suggests holding half shutter then pressing AE-L but that is way to hard for me.

05-03-2010, 03:31 PM	#3
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216 Original Poster	The AE-L worked fine for me just hitting the button. I just wished there was a way to keep the exposure locked at that until I wanted to change it. Maybe this is going to be a matter of changing shooting habits.

05-03-2010, 04:01 PM	#4
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	Originally posted by Ira The AE-L worked fine for me just hitting the button. I just wished there was a way to keep the exposure locked at that until I wanted to change it. Maybe this is going to be a matter of changing shooting habits. I'm with you on holding exposure - would be great if it just hung on to it rather than timing out so early and losing when changing mode. Interesting about you not having issue with getting with lock. What sort of metering timeout do you have (maybe its just my metering timing out and having to "wake" it up with half shutter press?)? For some reason I definitely find that the lock does not work every time I press it.

05-03-2010, 04:54 PM	#5
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216 Original Poster	Originally posted by kiwi_jono I'm with you on holding exposure - would be great if it just hung on to it rather than timing out so early and losing when changing mode. Interesting about you not having issue with getting with lock. What sort of metering timeout do you have (maybe its just my metering timing out and having to "wake" it up with half shutter press?)? For some reason I definitely find that the lock does not work every time I press it. I'll look after, but maybe you already answered the question. All I did was hit the AE-L and it kept it there pretty much forever. Let me look now at any AE-L and other settings there may be.

05-03-2010, 05:06 PM	#6
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216 Original Poster	Well, this is what I got: 1) Custom Menu 1...#4 (Meter Operating Time)...#1 (10 seconds). 2) #5 (AEL with AF Locked)...#1 (off). 3) Custom Menu 2...#10 (AF/AE-L Button)...#4 (AE Lock) Does that help at all?

05-03-2010, 05:13 PM	#7
woof Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In the present Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,870	Originally posted by Ira The AE-L worked fine for me just hitting the button. I just wished there was a way to keep the exposure locked at that until I wanted to change it. Maybe this is going to be a matter of changing shooting habits. I understand this. It is a hang over from shooting more manually really. All the automation sometimes does get in the way. The only thing I can offer is set AE-L with AF locked to "Yes". It looks like the K-x has this custom setting like the K10D and K20D. This does not work so well with AF-C, but on AF-S, you frame, lock focus and AE-L locks too. Recompose as you wish. Works for me. In truth you are refocusing each time, then recomposing, but exposure is locked when focus is locked and no button. I know this is not what you are looking for, but it may be something. woof!

05-03-2010, 05:19 PM	#8
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216 Original Poster	Originally posted by woof I understand this. It is a hang over from shooting more manually really. All the automation sometimes does get in the way. The only thing I can offer is set AE-L with AF locked to "Yes". It looks like the K-x has this custom setting like the K10D and K20D. This does not work so well with AF-C, but on AF-S, you frame, lock focus and AE-L locks too. Recompose as you wish. Works for me. In truth you are refocusing each time, then recomposing, but exposure is locked when focus is locked and no button. I know this is not what you are looking for, but it may be something. woof! Okay--I think you're pointing me in the right direction here: So in other words, my setting above (#2) is wrong for this, and as long as I don't change focus, it will lock that exposure? WAIT. I misunderstood it. As long as I don't hit AE-L again, it holds the metering? And I can still refocus?

05-03-2010, 05:39 PM	#9
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	My settings are much the same as yours. Yes - if you hit AE-L then it holds exposure in current mode until either hit again or times out (about 10 seconds - possibly same as metering timeout). You don't have to hold it down.

05-03-2010, 06:41 PM	#10
ully Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Seattle, Wash. USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 63	Maybe this is the point of have "user" on the mode dial. You can set everything up like you want and then save it to user.

05-03-2010, 06:45 PM	#11
ully Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Seattle, Wash. USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 63	Ooops, just realized you were talking about the K-X and I about the K-7. The K-X does not have user on mode dial.

05-03-2010, 07:08 PM	#12
MSM Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alabama Photos: Gallery Posts: 994	Ira: I don't know if this helps but on my K10D I set the meter time to 30s. It you have that option you should try it. Then when you lock the exposure at least on the K10d you settings will remain as long as the meter stays lit (30s) which starts from the last half press of the shutter. Thus I can keep the exposure set as long I keep pressing the shutter half way. Also, it allows me to adjust the iso or aperture (in Av mode) and the shutter speed automatically adjusts just like in Program shift. This also works in M mode, which is great if you get settings you like press the AE-L and then adjust either aperture or shutter speed and the other automatically adjusts to keep the same exposure. This is effectively like being in M mode and switching to hyperprogram mode without changing the mode dial.

05-04-2010, 07:28 AM	#14
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216 Original Poster	Originally posted by woof Correct. Don't hit it again. Don't hit anything. Set this option. When you Auto Focus, exposure is locked. You can confirm this because the * will show inthe viewfinder. If you re-focus, exposure will relock at new values. Don't overthink it. Play with it. The visual clue in the viewfinder helps. See the manual at Pg. 120. (http://www.pentax.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-x.pdf) You may want to consider linking the AE point to the AF Point in Multisegment metering. See the Manual at Pg. 106. woof! Hey--THAT WORKS PERFECTLY!!! And like you said, if you refocus, it adjusts your shutter speed. THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

05-04-2010, 07:31 AM	#15
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216 Original Poster	Originally posted by MSM Ira: I don't know if this helps but on my K10D I set the meter time to 30s. It you have that option you should try it. Then when you lock the exposure at least on the K10d you settings will remain as long as the meter stays lit (30s) which starts from the last half press of the shutter. Thus I can keep the exposure set as long I keep pressing the shutter half way. Also, it allows me to adjust the iso or aperture (in Av mode) and the shutter speed automatically adjusts just like in Program shift. This also works in M mode, which is great if you get settings you like press the AE-L and then adjust either aperture or shutter speed and the other automatically adjusts to keep the same exposure. This is effectively like being in M mode and switching to hyperprogram mode without changing the mode dial. This would work too in situations where I don't want exposure to change at all when refocusing.