Is Program Mode the most-often overlooked mode on the Mode Dial on Modern DSLRs? (Page 9): Actually, Angmo ... P mode on a DSLR is NOTHING like FULL AUTO! It ONLY handles f-stop and...

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Angmo wrote:

Oops!!! Only those two modes since the 1980s...

Maybe P mode could stand for “Phone” mode. No different than my iPhone. Full auto...

Actually, Angmo ... P mode on a DSLR is NOTHING like FULL AUTO!

It ONLY handles f-stop and shutter speed ... the rest is your own bailiwick!

FULL AUTO takes over the entire camera .... all you have to do is click ....

SierraP Loc: Eastern Sierras

We spent September and the first part of October all over New England then came home through Buffalo, NY. Bad year for fall color, no rain and warm nights. Oh well maybe next time. Came home to find the color her was spectacular. The trip was fun anyway. 'Too bad, we didn't cross paths sooner, we could have had dinner. Let me know if you come to California.

Angmo

Well. Adding auto focus, auto iso... just like a iPhone is wot I meant.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Chris T wrote:

See, now ... that's what's keeping you Blurry-eyed, Blurry ... fiddling all the time with THREE sets of Controls ....

Now, if you just set it on P ... you'd be clear, in NO time, at all ....

Okay, Geffory?

So, let me get this straight, a snapshot shooter is going to tell me how to use my camera... LOL.

frjack Loc: Boston, MA

Favorite is manual and RAW for 99+ of shots.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Angmo wrote:

Oops!!! Only those two modes since the 1980s...

I don't understand what you mean by this. The Pentax camera I purchased in 1984 didn't have modes as we understand them today. The body had two modes {user-set and auto} and each lens could have two modes {user-set and auto} so putting a A-mount lens onto that camera gave me all four modes that he have today: {user-set}{user-set}="M", {user-set}{auto}="Tv", {auto}{user-set}="Av", {auto}{auto}="P"

Angmo wrote:

Maybe P mode could stand for “Phone” mode. No different than my iPhone. Full auto...

Angmo wrote:

Well. Adding auto focus, auto iso... just like a iPhone is wot I meant.

I don't understand this either. When I choose "P" mode with my Pentax K-30 then ISO is what I selected and the camera allows me to over-ride the shutter-speed and aperture settings. With my iPhone the camera chooses all settings itself, and I don't know what those settings are unless I look at the EXIF settings. Those two are completely different experiences.

AndyGarcia

Chris T wrote:

Good, Lens ... I think you will find it to be the best semi-automatic mode of the lot ... takes care of exposure vis a vis f-stop/shutter speed - yet allows you to master ISO, and decide whether the built-in flash should be used, PLUS all JPEG fine adjustments are embraced!!!

It's a damned good compromise, if you ask me ....

You are totally on the nail. Damn fine compromise. Love it. Makes life easy and gives, generally, great results. Why the fetish to turn a computerised camera in to an FM2? (Which I loved).

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

gary post wrote:

We spent September and the first part of October all over New England then came home through Buffalo, NY. Bad year for fall color, no rain and warm nights. Oh well maybe next time. Came home to find the color her was spectacular. The trip was fun anyway. 'Too bad, we didn't cross paths sooner, we could have had dinner. Let me know if you come to California.

There hasn't been a lot this year, has there? .... Not sure it has much to do with rain. We are sure getting barrels full of it, now, Gary!

So, you had good color there in California, did you .... er - what part of the state are you?

We sure could've, couldn't we?

Maybe, next time you come here to shoot the fall colors, hey?

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Blurryeyed wrote:

So, let me get this straight, a snapshot shooter is going to tell me how to use my camera... LOL.

Snapshot shooter, huh, Blurry?

Do I denote a denigrating tone, there?

Let me submit to you ... we are ALL "snapshot shooters" to a certain extent ...

Think about it ...

And yes ... if you haven't discovered, yet - the joys and advantages of using P mode ... you've really overlooked something quite favorable!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

AndyGarcia wrote:

You are totally on the nail. Damn fine compromise. Love it. Makes life easy and gives, generally, great results. Why the fetish to turn a computerised camera in to an FM2? (Which I loved).

Thanks, Andy ... glad you and I have come to the same "damn fine compromise" ... good to know someone else is also in my court!

I don't know, Andy ... some folks always will wish to do things as manually, as they possibly can ....

When I start doing that ... it usually takes about a dozen frames, before I nail it ....

Although the final result does give one a certain level of satisfaction - it, very seldom, is reproduce-able ... and leads to a great deal of frustration in the process ... meantime, if your subject wasn't static ... sure enough ... it's long gone, by the time, you finish fiddling !!!!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

rehess wrote:

I don't understand this either. When I choose "P" mode with my Pentax K-30 then ISO is what I selected and the camera allows me to over-ride the shutter-speed and aperture settings. With my iPhone the camera chooses all settings itself, and I don't know what those settings are unless I look at the EXIF settings. Those two are completely different experiences.

Exactly, RE ....

The Program setting on a DSLR, allows us to choose a) ISO b) flash use c) Customizing regarding JPEGS - inclusive of ALL of the following:
a) Bright b) Natural c) Portrait d) Landscape e) Vibrant f) Radiant g) Muted h) Bleach Bypass i) Reversal Film j) BW k) Cross Processing - all of which can be fine-tuned, according to the following parameters: a) Saturation b) Hue c) High/Low Key Adj. d) Contrast e) Sharpness ... these are the tables applicable to the Pentax models you and I share, anyway, RE ... and for those using Nikons, Canons or Sony alphas, there are similar breakdowns arrived at through the menu systems on those cameras, too ... all of which is totally ignored by Full Auto Mode, but is totally embraced by Program Mode ... so, for anyone to say the two modes are identical, plainly, hasn't used them!!!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Angmo wrote:

Well. Adding auto focus, auto iso... just like a iPhone is wot I meant.

I wouldn't know, Angmo ... as I don't have, or use - a cellphone ...

I only take pictures with proper DSLRs ....

AndyGarcia

Chris T wrote:

Thanks, Andy ... glad you and I have come to the s... (show quote)

Yes I agree, If I shot manually I'd loose a huge percentage of my shots as I can be presented with an unexpected opportunity when a troop of monkeys appears on the way to the beach or a Blue Heron appears on the beach. When I use vintage lenses my hit rate is much lower as focusing, even with focus peaking, is much slower and rather hit and miss. I'm sure there are people who will scoff at this but it's a what's so for me.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Chris T wrote:

Snapshot shooter, huh, Blurry?

Do I denote a denigrating tone, there?

Let me submit to you ... we are ALL "snapshot shooters" to a certain extent ...

Think about it ...

And yes ... if you haven't discovered, yet - the joys and advantages of using P mode ... you've really overlooked something quite favorable!

Oh, I don't know, maybe I read something into this that was not intended... "See, now ... that's what's keeping you Blurry-eyed, Blurry ... fiddling all the time with THREE sets of Controls ...."

Setting our barbs aside, I don't think that you get images like the ones below on program mode, I pay close attention to depth of field in all of my photography, in moving nature shutter speed is extremely important, I just don't see Program mode as being able to consistently produce good results for the type of photography that I do, be it macro, birds in flight, or portraiture of family members.

But, to be a good sport about it, maybe I will give "P" a try this Thanksgiving.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

AndyGarcia wrote:

Yes I agree, If I shot manually I'd loose a huge percentage of my shots as I can be presented with an unexpected opportunity when a troop of monkeys appears on the way to the beach or a Blue Heron appears on the beach. When I use vintage lenses my hit rate is much lower as focusing, even with focus peaking, is much slower and rather hit and miss. I'm sure there are people who will scoff at this but it's a what's so for me.

Monkeys, huh? Blue Herons?

Where ARE you, anyway, Andy?