[grhazelton]

I seldom used AE until I got a body with spot meter and exposure lock (Leica R4). I could pick a spot suitable for "grey" half-press the shutter button to lock, and reframe to compose. I would have loved this on my LX. Now I use the A7 for digital the same way with spot, but with all my SMC-M lenses (and sometimes Leica R).

Agreed on the LX! I can't imagine why Pentax didn't include it. To me it is perhaps the only flaw in a virtually perfect machine.

[weijen]

I feel the AE lock is a whole lot more convenient than dialing in EV compensations. In most classic cameras like the Super Program which use, the EV dial is cumbersome at best. Actually the P30T performed much better with the AE lock when deciding between the shadows or the highlight. Just point, lock, and shoot!

The principles of using AE-L is ahem.. actually not so different from going fully M.

[womble]

Probably because my first camera was an ME Super, I have never used AE-L even when it is available.

Luckily for us, there are multiple ways to skin the same cat, and as long as one of them works for you, all is hunky-dory.

My preferred way of working is manual on older cameras, and exposure compensation on my digitals. In the later case it is because I have one of the dials set to ExpComp when using Av mode so it is just a roll of the thumb.

K.

[Canada_Rockies]

Like womble, I don't use AE-L. My single user mode is manual. With two dials, I can change aperture or shutter speed as I wish and see the effect in the viewfinder. With my two M lenses, I can set the camera selected shutter speed and add or subtract exposure in the finder with the shutter speed. Works for me.

[stevebrot]

The principles of using AE-L is ahem.. actually not so different from going fully M.

Except that you don't have to fiddle with the dials. A lot depends on the implementation. The lock on my XR7 is push to set, push to release and it is right next to either the thumb or middle finger of the left hand depending on how you hold the camera. You don't have to hold it down. In practice the most common use is for backlit subject or gray card measurements where a simple button push is all you need rather than guesstimating and fiddling with rings and dials.

In contrast, my XR-2s does not have AE-L, but it does have a very nice full-information viewfinder with match-needle display. Who needs AE-L when you can put the camera in M-mode and meter through the viewfinder to various the area of interest while noting the amount of needle deflection. Then simply set the shutter speed and shoot away! Manual mode on the ME Super is not so easy because all the display tells you is if you are over or under.


Steve

[weijen]

Except that you don't have to fiddle with the dials.

A real man only use dials, not some puny push buttons

[noelpolar]

Now I have a K3, I use the AE button all the time on my K5II when I intend to focus!

[LesDMess]

Looking at the responses so far, it looks like the majority thinks that AE lock has it's place (properly impemented) but is not a show stopper because manual mode is suitable.

Curious though for those who seem to use AE lock on bodies with no spot metering. Seems much easier to evaluate a contrasty scene and to manually adjust the shutter - or aperture, to apply the appropriate compensation then it is to use AE lock process. Probably these "problematic scenes" are much easier to evaluate for those who have film latitude knowledge as well as the particular camera's metering characteristics as opposed to those who have less experience.

[ChrisPlatt]

The technique of substitute metering is what makes makes AE lock such a powerful tool.

Simply point your camera at a similarly-lit subject, or at anything that gives you the reading you believe is correct, lock the exposure, recompose and shoot.

With practice it's so much faster than switching to manual...

Chris

[stevebrot]

The technique of substitute metering is what makes makes AE lock such a powerful tool.

Simply point your camera at a similarly-lit subject, or at anything that gives you the reading you believe is correct, lock the exposure, recompose and shoot.

With practice it's so much faster than switching to manual...

Chris

Nicely explained.


Steve

[LesDMess]

Nicely explained.

Steve

Oversimplified as it misses the most important first step of moving close to the subject to AE lock on. This is particularly important for non-spot meter equipped cameras due to the big metering coverage. These "problematic" high contrast scenes have been identified for quite a long time now and likely most who know how to manually set exposure also know film characteristics and how much to compensate for the meter's reading.

But as pointed out, not a show stopper. Afterall, this is all just for fun and who needs to get the shot 100% of the time . . .

[ChrisPlatt]

Afterall, this is all just for fun and who needs to get the shot 100% of the time . . .

The rest of us are done shooting Les. Meet us in the bar after you finish spot metering your first shot...

Chris

[LesDMess]

The rest of us are done shooting Les. Meet us in the bar after you finish spot metering your first shot...
Chris

There are some open seats if you want to join me . . .

[ChrisPlatt]

Looks like you didn't make it there till closing time...

Chris

[LesDMess]

Just ran across this listing from a survey of The "Best" Pentax Cameras and the top three cameras do not have AE lock.

1. LX
2. MX
3. ME Super/ME Super SE

Clearly the lack of AE on the two with aperture priority autoexposure did not affect it's popularity . . .

I wonder why he ranked the LX as #1 when the RAW RESULTS show the MX higher than the LX?