Systems, apparatuses, and methods for using a half-shield phase detection auto-focus (PDAF) sensor for auto-exposure convergence are disclosed. A camera includes at least one or more half-shield PDAF sensors and control logic for performing an automatic exposure control convergence procedure. The control logic receives half-pixel values from half-shield PDAF sensors for a first frame. The control logic calculates twice the value of each half-pixel value captured by the half-shield PDAF sensors for the first frame. Then, the control logic adjusts an exposure setting used for capturing a second frame based on how much twice the value of each sensor value is over the maximum pixel intensity value. This approach allows the automatic exposure control convergence procedure to converge more quickly than prior art procedures.