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Why not use program mode?
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Apr 22, 2019 18:07:58   #
bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada
 
Jersey guy wrote:
I find full manual helpful in certain circumstances. I am sort of the "official" photographer for an organization that holds many of its affairs in our large hall, lighted by ceiling overhead fixtures.

No matter what metering mode I use, the camera insists on yielding quite a range of exposures for what is essentially a uniformly lighted area as it sometimes looks at the dark suits of a group of men, or some other aspect of the room or surroundings that are on the brighter side.

I simply take a bracketed series of 3 exposures, select the one that appears to be correct and note the aperture and shutter. Since my zoom range (15-85mm) encompasses f3.5-5.6 I just select 5.6 as the aperture and the appropriate shutter and I get uniformly exposed images
I find full manual helpful in certain circumstance... (show quote)

I use Center focusing and metering to overcome this problem, and set focus and metering on the important features of the target.

bwa

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Apr 22, 2019 18:13:31   #
bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA
 
Toment wrote:
That IS a good shot!


Thanks! I was amazed when I heard the camera exposing and stacking images.

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Apr 22, 2019 18:46:05   #
spaceytracey Loc: East Glacier Park, MT
 
Ain't it great what science can do? I'm a big fan of "auto" for most of what I shoot. Only go "manual" for select situations.

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Apr 22, 2019 19:49:38   #
Alsweet Loc: Gold Coast, Australia
 
Thanks for all of your replies. I raised this topic as a result of a meeting I attended at which there were those who insisted that anything other than manual mode was "not worthy of a photographer". Having been a professional for almost sixty years as well as a Photography teacher, I was disappointed that many of these "experts" really did not know and were not interested in learning of anything other than what they did. I'm pleased to hear that not all UHHers are like that. Thanks.

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Apr 22, 2019 19:59:04   #
BebuLamar
 
Alsweet wrote:
Thanks for all of your replies. I raised this topic as a result of a meeting I attended at which there were those who insisted that anything other than manual mode was "not worthy of a photographer". Having been a professional for almost sixty years as well as a Photography teacher, I was disappointed that many of these "experts" really did not know and were not interested in learning of anything other than what they did. I'm pleased to hear that not all UHHers are like that. Thanks.
Thanks for all of your replies. I raised this topi... (show quote)


You are a Pro and thus the P mode. As I said I don't use it because I am not a pro.

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Apr 22, 2019 20:03:25   #
CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City
 
Alsweet wrote:
Thanks for all of your replies. I raised this topic as a result of a meeting I attended at which there were those who insisted that anything other than manual mode was "not worthy of a photographer". Having been a professional for almost sixty years as well as a Photography teacher, I was disappointed that many of these "experts" really did not know and were not interested in learning of anything other than what they did. I'm pleased to hear that not all UHHers are like that. Thanks.
Thanks for all of your replies. I raised this topi... (show quote)


A group of photographers measuring their worth by their method, or their brand of equipment, rather than their results? Doesn't sound that unfamiliar actually ....

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Apr 22, 2019 21:02:40   #
Photocraig
 
P is for perfect. It provides a set of equivalent exposures for any given scene. Useful with changing conditions and creative input for depth of field and or motion.

I STILL never use it, but not 'cuz it is bad or wrong. Just me. My first 2 SLR's didn't have it, so I didn't learn it.

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Apr 22, 2019 22:12:49   #
MW
 
Alsweet wrote:
I have several cameras which I use for different endeavours. For instance,I use Aperture priority and Auto ISO for birding on my DSLR. However, I also have a P1000 which I use as a catch-all camera. This often includes birds and wildlife. I could use aperture priority on this also, but find that exceeding 800 ISO produces too much grain. Consequently , shooting at a lower ISO means a slower shutter speed if I use Aperture priority. The lens on P1000 has a variable max aperture depending on focal length used- f2.8 at 28mm, f8 at 3000mm. Consequently, it is better to let the camera determine the usable aperture and it will usually select the best shutter speed / aperture combination. Also, in program mode, you can vary the aperture or shutter speed with one touch if you need to. So, please, don't write off "Program" mode. It certainly has its place.
I have several cameras which I use for different e... (show quote)


A few years ago I used a Nikon V1 from time to time. In principal you could use it i’m any PASM mode but I found P to be the most useful. I usually picked a decent starting point and if you didn’t like it you could move the shutter speed up and down while keeping an eye on aperture ( or visa versus).

Now days I use a Fuji X-E3 usually in aperture priority and with auto-ISO (with min-auto-as enabled). In all but some weird situations it makes nearly the same decisions as I would and with less chance of simply being forgetful

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Apr 23, 2019 05:04:13   #
lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA
 
Alsweet wrote:
I have several cameras which I use for different endeavours. For instance,I use Aperture priority and Auto ISO for birding on my DSLR. However, I also have a P1000 which I use as a catch-all camera. This often includes birds and wildlife. I could use aperture priority on this also, but find that exceeding 800 ISO produces too much grain. Consequently , shooting at a lower ISO means a slower shutter speed if I use Aperture priority. The lens on P1000 has a variable max aperture depending on focal length used- f2.8 at 28mm, f8 at 3000mm. Consequently, it is better to let the camera determine the usable aperture and it will usually select the best shutter speed / aperture combination. Also, in program mode, you can vary the aperture or shutter speed with one touch if you need to. So, please, don't write off "Program" mode. It certainly has its place.
I have several cameras which I use for different e... (show quote)


I may use my PnS and Bridge on Program, and my SmartPhone on a Semi-Automatic Program mode. But I shoot my several DSLRs on Av (AP) or Manual most of the time, occasionally Tv (SP) for action. And always use manual ISO. I have been experimenting a little with other modes on my wife's Fujifilm X100T camera. Thus far we have both found the Fuji very confusing and thus may not keep it.

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Apr 23, 2019 09:59:55   #
hj Loc: Florida
 
jradose wrote:
I was just thinking about this yesterday. I am no expert by any means, but I have read countless thousands of photography articles and watch countless tutorials about photography, so I do have a little knowledge about camera settings and shooting modes, I have tried all of them, manual, aperture priority, shutter priority, program, etc, and honestly, I see very little if any difference in the quality of photos between the different modes. I feel shooting manual (as the purists so insist) serves two purposes, allows creativity in shooting, or gives one bragging rights,like I always shoot manual, therefore, I am a better photographer than those who don't shoot manual. I couldn't care less if the camera makes decisions for me as to the best settings, if the camera gets it right (and in the majority of my snaps, it does get it right), then what is the problem. So, for me, the bottom line is, I shoot what I enjoy shooting, I work in conjunction with my camera, not against my camera, and that let's me enjoy my hobby.
I was just thinking about this yesterday. I am no ... (show quote)


I have to totally agree with you. I shoot for enjoyment and what works the easiest and best for me. I don't pixel peep and therefore don't need the perfect picture, just image quality that I'm satisfied with. I don't want to "work" at my photography and lose all the fun. Some of these folks take the joy out of photography..... but on the other hand, their endless researching and experimentation is their joy too.

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Apr 23, 2019 15:36:38   #
GeorgeFenwick
 
As a second time and older newbie who shot a lot in the 1970s, it was a great relief to read your message. I have a new camera and have been almost afraid to use it for fear of my own ignorance. It seems to me that best best thing for a re-newbie is to start with auto and move to other modes as understanding increases and you find you want choices for particular situations.

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Apr 23, 2019 15:53:37   #
larryepage Loc: North Texas area
 
Most of us have paid pretty big money for our cameras, which have lots of capability and features. There is no reason not to use those features. If we aren't going to use the capability we have paid for, it would be smarter to cut a hole in one side of a box for a lens (not AF), glue a sensor to the opposite side (better still, a gelatin glass plate holder), and use the lens cap as a shutter. And know that the world would likely end if we ever tried anything new, like a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera.

Come on folks, lets get a little bit consistent about things in our discussions.

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Apr 23, 2019 15:55:00   #
spaceytracey Loc: East Glacier Park, MT
 
I'm w/you, GeorgeFenwick. When I got my 1st digital camera, I was totally intimidated. Myphoto mentor told me to set it on auto & go shoot pictures. I did & fell in love w/my camera. Since then I've explored various settings & their effects, learning new things is good for everyone.

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Apr 23, 2019 16:44:47   #
BebuLamar
 
larryepage wrote:
Most of us have paid pretty big money for our cameras, which have lots of capability and features. There is no reason not to use those features. If we aren't going to use the capability we have paid for, it would be smarter to cut a hole in one side of a box for a lens (not AF), glue a sensor to the opposite side (better still, a gelatin glass plate holder), and use the lens cap as a shutter. And know that the world would likely end if we ever tried anything new, like a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera.

Come on folks, lets get a little bit consistent about things in our discussions.
Most of us have paid pretty big money for our came... (show quote)


A lot of the capabilities of my camera I really don't pay for. In fact I accept the features that I don't use because I can't afford the ones that don't have those features.

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Apr 23, 2019 18:09:29   #
Grandpa Ron
 
When I got my new digital I was not intimidated, I was frustrated because I paid for all those whizzbangs and whirly gigs that I knew nothing about; and the instructions were useless.

I did finds the online instruction book and it was better and twice as many pages. But mostly it was a matter of asking the photo web boards and knob twisting.

I switched to the manual camera settings and figured out how to get to the various controls setting and menus and just started using my film camera techniques. To bright, stop it down or up the shutter speed. If you want to shoot the stars, jack the ISO up to 3200 and mount it on a tripod.

The beauty of all this is the SD card holds thousands of pictures and the ones that i do not like or screwed up are just a push of the delete away. I paid for all this nonsense, buy jolly I am going to use it.

And yes, I also finds the "auto" setting very handy when I just want to take pictures :)

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