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Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

Desmolicious
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

I'm sure this is beating a dead horse for many of you, but I just discovered that if you use Face detect or any of the Eye detect AF modes, it disables the metering/photometry selection modes.
Up to this point I was using face detect in the OVF, and just dial in exposure compensation as I would always do as a film shooter based on my interpretation of the back lighting. I had left the meter mode in matrix, as I treat that as an avg pattern and in my experience that is pretty much how it behaves whether I am shooting Fuji or Nikon.
But yesterday I just thought why not use the spot meter mode for those backlit conditions, as I already had set up the button next to the shutter button for that. That's when I found out that Fuji disables metering choices if you use any of the face detect/eye detect modes!
Ok, that was the short version, the long version was I threw a tantrum, was convinced the camera was broken, actually read the manual and there was nothing there mentioning this, then as a last resort googled it and found a complaint about the Fuji medium format cameras doing this exact same thing!
The excuse for it was because when you are in face/eye detect mode, the camera automatically knows it should be metering for the face and so no problem, right? Wrong.

Xpro3 in Face/eye detect mode, matrix metering (unable to change):

Face/eye detect mode off, spot meter:

This to me seems really dumb and I do not understand why Fuji has done this.
FYI I am using the latest firmware - 1.31

May 13, 2022 at 11:36 AM

mdude85
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

Yes, I noticed this when I recently got an X100V (I have an XT4 and previously had an XT2 and never noticed).

I do not know what metering mode is used when face detection is turned on. I do not think it is the previously used mode; based on my reading, I think it might be spot metering for the face, which is the focus point. What's the exposure comp set to for the first image?

May 13, 2022 at 02:21 PM

Desmolicious
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

mdude85 wrote:
Yes, I noticed this when I recently got an X100V (I have an XT4 and previously had an XT2 and never noticed).

I do not know what metering mode is used when face detection is turned on. I do not think it is the previously used mode; based on my reading, I think it might be spot metering for the face, which is the focus point. What's the exposure comp set to for the first image?

It uses matrix, and you cannot set it to anything else. If I have it in spot, then select Face/eye detect, it automatically switches to Matrix.

Interestingly, if you get out of Face/eye detect, it will switch back to your previously set metering mode.

May 13, 2022 at 02:49 PM

mdude85
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

Desmolicious wrote:
It uses matrix, and you cannot set it to anything else. If I have it in spot, then select Face/eye detect, it automatically switches to Matrix.

Where did you read/see/hear this?

May 13, 2022 at 03:14 PM

Desmolicious
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

mdude85 wrote:
Where did you read/see/hear this?

I just tested it on my Xpro3

May 13, 2022 at 03:19 PM

genjy
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

Does it on my X-T4 too. Eye/face AF grays out the photometry mode. The icon looks like this: [👤]

Just Fuji things.

May 13, 2022 at 04:28 PM

Desmolicious
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

genjy wrote:
Does it on my X-T4 too. Eye/face AF grays out the photometry mode. The icon looks like this: [👤]

Just Fuji things.

Maybe, but doesn't make any sense to me.

May 13, 2022 at 06:46 PM

AZ Photo
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

I believe this has always been so on all Fujifilm X series cameras that have face detect

May 14, 2022 at 03:04 AM

Desmolicious
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

AZ Photo wrote:
I believe this has always been so on all Fujifilm X series cameras that have face detect

It also does it w the G series.

May 14, 2022 at 07:30 AM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

What an example of unintended consequences!

All I can think is that given the potential for the camera to quickly identify almost anything in the frame as being the target face, they decided to be safe and go with matrix metering. I guess that alternative would have been to let the metering follow the target as selected by the face recognition.

At some point, attempts to make cameras more simple can have the effect of not making them work as well and/or of making them work in unintended ways.

May 14, 2022 at 10:02 AM

esanchez
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

I hate that function. I wish Fuji would give us an option to disable it. This is one of the reasons I avoid using face or eye detect on Fuji bodies

May 16, 2022 at 02:11 AM

Nick Dakota
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

Hate that as well. Seems like Fuji was lazy about it, because I can't think of any benefit. When I use my Sony, I have it set to spot meter the focus box. That is the only way to expose for the face properly through metering imo. These kind of oversights is what keeps me with both systems. I'm just waiting for Fuji to catch up with its focusing system so I can ditch the Sony.

May 16, 2022 at 09:11 AM

Desmolicious
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Xpro3 face detect AF disables metering modes

Nick Dakota wrote:
Hate that as well. Seems like Fuji was lazy about it, because I can't think of any benefit. When I use my Sony, I have it set to spot meter the focus box. That is the only way to expose for the face properly through metering imo. These kind of oversights is what keeps me with both systems. I'm just waiting for Fuji to catch up with its focusing system so I can ditch the Sony.

I have my Xpro3 set up to spot meter for the focus box. Of course that only works when face/eye detect is off. Because Fuji.

May 16, 2022 at 09:35 AM


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