"P" stands for ...... OK. I am finally comfortable enough in this space and in just the right mood today to ask a stupid question. I have seen this all over the internet and am...

prossiter Loc: Newfoundland. Canada

OK. I am finally comfortable enough in this space and in just the right mood today to ask a stupid question. I have seen this all over the internet and am questioning whether there are photogrphers out there spreading the gospel that really think that "P" stands for "Professional Mode" or are they being sarcastic?

I call "P" Play Mode or Pooped Mode, as in I am to pooped to make any decissions I may regret later.

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

I read an article in a respected photo magazine, by a prominent writer/photographer, that "A" is for anyone, "P" is for professional and "M" is for ME.

The point being that on "A" anyone can get a respectable picture.
On "P" it take a serious photographer, or pro, to know which adjustments to make to get the photo they want.
The "M" mode is for those with big egos that are saying, "It is all about ME"

I do not take sides, however I tend to agree with that article as it relates to the "M" mode. A lot less work, and much faster to use "P" if you know how to adjust the settings.

Your definition of the "P" mode is more appropriate for the "A" mode where you let the camera do everything.

Happyclicker Loc: West Mids, UK

Normally stands for Programmed/Auto so takes you one step closer to a fully manual operation but in a gentle step

winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

prossiter wrote:

OK. I am finally comfortable enough in this space and in just the right mood today to ask a stupid question. I have seen this all over the internet and am questioning whether there are photogrphers out there spreading the gospel that really think that "P" stands for "Professional Mode" or are they being sarcastic?

I call "P" Play Mode or Pooped Mode, as in I am to pooped to make any decissions I may regret later.

P means Programmed Auto meaning a mode in which the photographer programs the camera to capture the shot according to many settings available in that mode rather than full auto mode which takes over on pretty much everything. It is often referred to as Pro mode because pro photographers, notably news and sports shooters, who rely for their livelihood upon getting the shot, are freed to frame and release at the perfect instant and allow technology to calculate perfect exposure instantly. Pros who shoot subjects over which they have control and therefore have more time are more likely to use manual settings.

charles brown Loc: Tennesse

Wahawk wrote:

I read an article in a respected photo magazine, b... (show quote)

Ah but you do take sides by your M comment. while I never use M I've always understood that it stood for manual mode, for those who know what they are doing and want the greatest control possible of the final outcome. I, like most of us, use A or S or P, thereby allowing the camera to make some of the decisions. So what you are saying is that people like Lepp, Jones, Muench, Rowell, Routh, Neill, etc. etc. etc. use M because of their big egos.

prossiter Loc: Newfoundland. Canada

Wahawk wrote:

I read an article in a respected photo magazine, b... (show quote)

My "A" Mode is apeture priority. No "AUTO" on my Nikon D300s.

prossiter Loc: Newfoundland. Canada

winterrose wrote:

quote=prossiter OK. I am finally comfortable enou... (show quote)

Never looked at it that way. I always looked at "P" as the camera having full control. I went from a film camera with manual and, aperture and shutter priority modes to a D300s with no "AUTO" mode. Had to take another look and discovered what Nikon calls flexible progam mode. By the way, years ago I was a newspaper photographer and we used shutter priority to make sure the subject was sharp. Very few time we were concerned about the background so we let the camera pick the aperture.

Gobuster Loc: South Florida

I'll add my $0.02 here and explain the way I understand the situation. This pertains to Nikon DSLR cameras:

Auto = full auto, camera selects shutter, aperature, white balance, flash and ISO.
P = Program, camera selects shutter, and aperature. Photographer selects white balance, ISO and flash
A = Aperature priority, photographer selects aperature and others, camera selects shutter speed.
S = Shutter priority, photographer selects shutter speed and others, camera selects aperature.
M = Manual, camera selects nothing, photographer selects everything.

Now, within P,A,S,M the photog can select certain functions as auto, like white balance and ISO. But, these are user selectable. In auto mode, they are not.

Please correct me if I have this wrong, as I am fairly new to DSLR technology!

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

To some, P stands for "safe Mode".
Well sorta safe.......
I still use it a lot!
Pat

winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

prossiter wrote:

quote=winterrose quote=prossiter OK. I am finall... (show quote)

Like your D300s my D3 does not have an "AUTO" setting. There is "A" but that of course is for aperture priority. I don't know if you know but if you want control over shutter speed for sharpness while shooting in "P", in the Shooting menu goto ISO sensitivity settings, set Auto ON then set your minimum desired shutter speed. The camera is then restricted to that setting as the slowest speed and make exposure adjustments with aperture until it reaches the limits of the lens when it will then fall back on ISO.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

Gobuster wrote:

I'll add my $0.02 here and explain the way I under... (show quote)

Well kinda sorta. In "P" mode you (the photographer) can select the shutter or aperture setting and the camera will automatically select the other. If you set the shutter speed the camera set the aperture and vice versa. In my opinion there's not a huge difference in "P" program mode and full auto. It does give those like me who use it an opportunity to make fun of those who still use full auto.

Gobuster Loc: South Florida

Pepper wrote:

Well kinda sorta. In "P" mode you (the photographer) can select the shutter or aperture setting and the camera will automatically select the other. If you set the shutter speed the camera set the aperture and vice versa. In my opinion there's not a huge difference in "P" program mode and full auto. It does give those like me who use it an opportunity to make fun of those who still use full auto.

As I see it the difference between Program and Auto is that in Program, I can select the white balance, ISO and flash to my desired setting. If that setting is Auto ISO, Auto WB and Auto flash, the Program mode would be virtually the same as Auto mode. However if I specify other values through the camera settings, Program mode will use them. I was not aware that I could specify a shutter speed or aperature in P mode; will experiment with this when I get to the camera. Learning something every day!

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

I have Nikon and "P" mode works as follows: If I use the command dial I can rotate to whatever aperture I want and the camera will choose a shutter speed that will give me what the camera deems a proper exposure. If I use the sub-command dial I can choose my shutter speed and the camera will then choose the aperture setting. You can change WB and ISO to whatever you want in any mode setting.

Annie_Girl Loc: It's none of your business

prossiter wrote:

OK. I am finally comfortable enough in this space and in just the right mood today to ask a stupid question. I have seen this all over the internet and am questioning whether there are photogrphers out there spreading the gospel that really think that "P" stands for "Professional Mode" or are they being sarcastic?

I call "P" Play Mode or Pooped Mode, as in I am to pooped to make any decissions I may regret later.

To actually answer your question, yes they are being sarcastic. It's a running joke on many forums that a person buys a camera, takes it out of the box, slapps it in P mode, starts solicating for clients and calls them selfs a professional.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

It really depends on what youre shooting. Annie_Girl does a lot of boudoir photography and so shutter speed will be secondary to aperture (DOF). Actually Annie_Girl (not to speak for her but) will put more time into posing, lighting and setting up the shot than what I will on the sidelines at a football game. I use P at the game because if Im shooting sideline or crowd shots I may want a lot of DOF so Im using my command dial now the ball is snapped and I spin around to the action and simply hit my sub-command dial to get my shutter speed and Im done. I can go back and forth with very little time spent messing with settings. Having said that Im not a professional and I shoot just for the fun of it but I like the results and they satisfy me and those I take the shots for.