robert19 Loc: Maryland

I own a Nikon D5100 and was wondering, when in Spot Metering, one of the lights showing where the camera is sampling from lights up. How do I select where it should be sampeled from? I've looked in the Owners Manual and can't find it! :?

Nikon_DonB Loc: Chicago

Try getting the field manual. It is more explicit. You can adjust which focus point(spot) the camera is using be it up and down, or side to side with the selector(joy-stick). You'll see(in the viewfinder) as the focus point moves from point to point like a cursor on a computer screen. Each point will blink as it is selected.

normanhall Loc: Leslie Missouri

click the arrows around the ok button this will move the spot.

Photogdog Loc: New Kensington, PA

Robert,

I could be mistaken, but you may be talking about two different features here. The spot metering mode is usually a circle in the center of the finder ~5 or so degrees in diameter. I own Canon & Sony gear, not Nikon, but it's probably similar. I don't believe that center spot can be moved around the viewfinder (be nice if it could). The focus points on the other hand, CAN be changed through the menu settings/joy stick. As stated above, lock down the ones that light up.

You can try holding the spot over that part of the scene that you want to expose for & hold the shutter down halfway to get the exposure lock, re-compose to the original angle & take the shot. Theoretically, you should get the off-center area correctly exposed.

PD

Croce Loc: Earth

Hate to dispute Photogdog but that circle in the middle of your viewfinder is not an autofocus point. It is a feature of your focusing screen. Autofocus points are selectable. Usually they are rectangular and light up red and they are usually selected using either the joystick button or a combination of the the top wheel and back selector wheel. One to select vertical row placement and the other to move it horizontally within the row. In any case it would certainly be in the user manual. Most people assign the center selector indicator for spot metering.

robert19 Loc: Maryland

To all who responded, thanx!

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

rotate the dial