RahulKhosla

I have been following Steve Perry's advice on Manual mode + auto ISO so far but am curious about how Aperture priority would work for situations where the subject is moving quickly (eg BIF or a tiger chasing a deer) and so you need pretty high shutter speeds to avoid motion blur (say 1/2000 - 1/4000).

So many wildlife photographers swear by Aperture priority mode and I can certainly see the logic in terms of having to fiddle with one less variable (shutter speed which the camera controls).

However, if I need reasonable DoF AND and I also simultaneously need high shutter speed, then a higher F stop to provide more DoF would automatically slow down the shutter speed, wouldn't it? And thus create the very motion blur that I want to avoid?

Cranking up the ISO or EV could be a solution but would love to hear advice on this.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

What you're doing right now -- manual + auto ISO -- is the right choice if you're trying to capture fast moving action. If not that then not A priority but instead S priority where you lock down the shutter speed. With action subjects shutter speed is the highest priority to avoid motion blur.

Joe

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

"So many wildlife photographers swear by Aperture priority mode" - I would like to know who -- and why.

Once I learned about auto ISO, I never found a reason to photograph wildlife differently: for quickly changing lighting conditions or when the animal/bird's movement cannot be predicted, I set aperture and shutter speed via manual controls, and then auto ISO.

For a lion asleep in a zoo enclosure, aperture priority would work

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

That is the method to force the camera to maintain a high shutterspeed while you manage only the Aperture in aperture priority.

RahulKhosla

Thank you Joe

RahulKhosla

Thanks. Like I said, I do the same as you and have been quite happy but I was curious as to why so many people use Aperture priority for wildlife photography

RahulKhosla

Thank you

Grahame Loc: Fiji

Firstly, I am not aware how many use Aperture priority for wildlife or suggesting it is a good method but here's a couple of thoughts;

a) it could be that they have assessed the present lighting conditions and determined (by test or knowledge) that say for any aperture change they make between f/2.8 and f/8 that they will use to achieve the DoFs they want, the camera will give speeds in an acceptable range for the ISO they have set.

b) it could be that they use Aperture priority with Auto ISO and have a 'minimum' speed set that will cater for any animal movement expected.

RahulKhosla

Thanks Grahame

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Using auto ISO may result in a too high ISO, if you set it for that.
I use aperture priority for the purpose of using a high shutter speed. I like to shoot, if possible, 1/4000 sec. this gets the wing tips frozen.
I control the iso so my shutter speed is fast enough. If lighting conditions change, my shutter speed will change, but NOT THAT MUCH. Probably two or three stops, which is no big deal.
Here is the thing RahulKhosla, we now live in a digital world, not a film one, we can now experiment and see our results right away, so start shooting using different approaches. What works for someone else will not work for you.
So try manual with auto iso. Try aperture priority using manual iso, and letting the exposure compensation make minor adjustments. But experiment, do not take any ONE way as the only way to do something.
I use Manual, Shutter Priority, Auto ISO, Manual ISO, it all depends on what I am trying to do for the final image.
It is not about one approach, it is about the right approach under the current conditions that you are shooting under.
Black Crowned Night Heron, Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500 lens, 1/320 sec. f5.6, ISO 1600, A Priority, -1 exposure compensation.

markwilliam1

Sweet Shot Bill!!

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

I think the main point about using Manual with Auto ISO is that you don’t have to fiddle with the shutter speed. You set it fast enough to deal with whatever you subject is, also considering the focal length of the lens, and you leave it. I’ll admit I’ve shot a fair amount of wildlife in Aperture priority but only because that’s usually what I leave me cameras in. When I’m specifically going out to shoot wildlife I switch to “M”

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Thanks, by the way, that is an invasive Armored Catfish in it's beak. We have many invasive species in Florida, Iguana is one that most Floridians would prefer live somewhere else.

MountainDave

I know Tom Mangelsen, among others, uses Av mostly. The reason is pretty simple: aperture affects the "look" of your image more than any other parameter. I use it and set ISO manually high enough to ensure a fast enough shutter speed. I often want to take the same shot with several different apertures and Av gives me the best chance to so quickly before a bird takes off for instance. I've gotten pretty good at judging what ISO is needed but I always check to make sure shutter speed is OK at the smallest aperture I plan to use. This method also allows me to adjust the EV very easily as needed.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Holy cow!! That's a GREAT shot.