A rule of thumb
May 29, 2019 13:04:28 #
Ok, my story about checking settings. I always leave my cameras (Canon DSLR and Sony Video) ready for my next jump (skydive). Up there, the sun is always the same, so I have everything as manual as possible and set to wide angle for great depth of field. Hard to focus when you are falling at 120MPH! So I went out on a tracking dive. This is where you go diagonal across the sky (freefall) and your glide ratio is about 1:1, so for every 1000 feet we fall, we go horizontal 1000 ft! My friend was doing it on his back, and I was above him about 10 feet getting great video! I could not wait to get on the ground and review the great video of my friend tracking across the sky with the ground moving below him, showing great horizontal movement! I had just before that videoed a tandem skydive landing and changed my lens to telephoto! So for the Tracking Dive, I had over 40 seconds close up of my friends crotch! Yes, check your settings often!
May 29, 2019 13:19:30 #
rwilson1942 wrote:
Been guilty of not doing this a few times myself.
Been guilty of not doing this a few times myself.
I confess, as well, but not just a few times! Sometimes the unexpected result is quite an experiment.
May 29, 2019 14:03:47 #
May 29, 2019 14:12:19 #
wrangler5
Loc: Missouri
And if you take multiple bodies, be sure to simonize their watches beforehand (some of us are old enough to catch that) so you have EXIF data to show the image sequence, should that become necessary at some point. While you CAN fix the data on images from that one body you didn't switch to Daylight Savings Time, it can be a real pain to do. (Don't ask me how I know this.) 
May 29, 2019 15:29:58 #
May 29, 2019 16:05:35 #
gray_ghost2
Loc: Antelope, (Sac) Ca.
I travel my camera set on Program mode just in case I grab it for a quick, not thinking shot. When time is available I go through my manual mode to dial in how I want the shot to be. Started this because I would grab my camera for a quick shot and the setting weren't right and lost the photo. Hope this helps.
May 29, 2019 18:04:06 #
Great advice. I’m embarrassed to say it but one day I left to take some photos, driove to my destination and discovered there was no data card in the camera!
How stupid is that?
How stupid is that?
May 29, 2019 18:08:04 #
As a mantra, before I put away the camera I change to a standard set of parameters and lock the settings for next time out. It's not foolproof but it keeps me aware.
May 29, 2019 19:15:47 #
gvarner wrote:
BEFORE you go out, make sure your camera settings are where you want them to be, all the settings that can be made by accidentally turning dials and pushing buttons. Thumbs and fingers can move things without us even knowing it, or you forgot to put a setting back after making a change on a shot. Happens to me all the time so I post this reminder for myself.
I keep a small strip of gaffer tape on my lens shade. For critical shooting I dial in my settings and put a piece over those easy to accidently spin wheels on both the front and back of my Nikons.
May 29, 2019 19:48:58 #
I do full reset on my camera's and just adjust the setting for the shot I am about to take. It was no different with film. Why should digital be any different?
May 29, 2019 20:04:42 #
gvarner wrote:
BEFORE you go out, make sure your camera settings are where you want them to be, all the settings that can be made by accidentally turning dials and pushing buttons. Thumbs and fingers can move things without us even knowing it, or you forgot to put a setting back after making a change on a shot. Happens to me all the time so I post this reminder for myself.
It would be great if some manufacturer read this and program a camera to have a neutral setting or default one and yo have introvert to such each time you turn off the camera.
May 29, 2019 20:27:55 #
toxdoc42 wrote:
It would be great if some manufacturer read this and program a camera to have a neutral setting or default one and yo have introvert to such each time you turn off the camera.
They already have this. What is your camera model, I'll see if yours does.
May 29, 2019 22:32:01 #
awesome14
Loc: UK
I just use the custom settings function to remember the settings I want to start out with. I can do this with 4 different sets of camera settings.
May 30, 2019 18:34:32 #
I also forget to check exposure compensation and wonder why my pictures are so darn dark or over exposed.
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