burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

As long as that works for what you're trying to record, it doesn't. That's sort of my point. You might have a *particular need* behind that exposure, though.

Let's say you need maximum depth of field with minimal diffraction limitation of sharpness on a 24MP APS-C camera. f/8 is probably the ideal compromise aperture for that! Aperture Priority might, therefore, be your choice. You could "float" either shutter speed and ISO, or both. So long as 1/1000 works for the subject, scene, and lens in use, and ISO 3200 is clean enough for noise reduction, this works.

If you need a minimum of 1/1000 to stop action, or to stabilize a long lens, you might use Shutter Priority. If f/8 isn't too small or too large (i.e.; it might not isolate the subject from the background or produce the bokeh you want, OR, it might not have sufficient depth of field to contain the scene you want in focus), and ISO 3200 is clean enough for noise reduction, this works.

If you need a minimum of ISO 3200 to allow action stopping PLUS depth of field and diffraction-free images, set a fixed ISO of 3200 and let aperture and shutter speed float.

Does that make sense? The end result — the actual correct exposure — might be what it is for any number of different reasons. Experienced photographers will use different strategies under different conditions.

David Lyon

Speaking for myself, other than a couple Conon Elans, all I have is manual... no metered prisim on my Bronica, nothing for my LF. I pick my ISO by the film I load, based on the project.

As I am shooting film in the Canons, I prefer to stay with the apature priority for my landscapes (they don’t move very fast). On the other hand, when I take my son out, I turn it to program and let him figure out his shots. He has enough to be concerned about in framing, so auto exposure/focus helps.

tracs101 Loc: Huntington NY

I agree. Thanks for venting.

RRS Loc: Not sure

Must have taken you a long time, looks like he already finished his meal, can't even see the squirrel.


PS Great shot!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

GIRITC, but reserve the right to MIBIP. (Get it right in the camera, but reserve the right to make it better in post.)

When I go to a photographer's show, I never care how the work was achieved. All I care about is the images and what they evoke or communicate to me. All the "rules" or "right ways to do things" are moot at that point. Move me!

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Very nice work Bob.

Charlie157 Loc: San Diego, CA

Beautiful shot

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Great story here! Knowledge really does lead to freedom to control outcomes. Your point about people throwing money at equipment and expecting great results is worth stressing here every day. A new set of pots and pans will not make me a better cook. A new hammer will not make me a better carpenter. A new camera will not make me a better photographer.

New tools just make things easier, or more efficient, or enable us to refine our techniques and approaches. They might improve some technical quality at the margins of the craft. But they don't do the work for us! Real master photographers know that the most important tool is a few inches BEHIND the viewfinder.

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Of course. That was kind of my point, actually exactly my point. I was confused when you started throwing out the differing color renditions based on exposure mode chosen. It's not the mode that determines any problems with rendition or white balance - it's the final exposure settings chosen. As long as you're aware of the settings the mode is choosing for you, you can adjust to compensate for any deviation from a "standard" set of assumptions. I often find one setting to be the mission critical one, so I will set that one first, and let the less critical one (or ones) float. If I know I'll need a max shutter speed to stop the action, I'll generally set the fastest possible speed, then let the aperture float. I'll check the ISO and dial down the max if I'm in conditions where I think it will produce too much noise. Shooting in one of the priority modes just saves me a step or so, at least in my shooting workflow. There's no special benefit of Manual mode over either.

I do think that some photographers (likely as not, non-professionals, to whom time is not money), have a little snobbery in their attitude toward using Manual mode. As a foodie may say "I always cook everything from scratch" or a caffeineophile may brag about roasting and grinding their own beans, snobbery does play a part in many hobby or enthusiast activities. Not saying "everyone" but some.

Andy

RRS Loc: Not sure

I have a true question, really. I can see aperture and shutter priority but when you include auto ISO you now have two variables, which one of the two takes precedence. Why not just use full auto. I can see setting the aperture and shutter speed and letting the ISO "float" because you now only have one variable. I do about 98% of my shooting in manual and control the exposure as to under or over as I know what I am trying to achieve. I tried the ETTR but did not like it as I photograph many subjects that have white in them, I now tend to go 1/3 to a full stop under, somewhat like shooting slide film in another life time. Just my thoughts.

fotobyferg

Which president do you want taken, lol?

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I think you're right about that, Linda! People don't know what they don't know, so they resort to voodoo or automation.

Hey, newbies: In any situation, you should ask the question, "What are the basic principles behind how this works?" When you UNDERSTAND, everything falls in place. The more you understand, the easier it becomes to understand and use something new.

I still remember sitting on the couch of my parents' living room in 1968, reading the manual to our friend's Canon FX camera. I read that sucker twice, then loaded and burned through a roll of Tri-X. Before the night was over, I had processed it and made a few prints. I WAS HOOKED. As bad as the Jenglish/Japlish translation in that manual was, I got the sense of it. Everything since has been enhancement.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

The issue with white balance affects "JPEG only" photographers. Often, the prospect of raw is so daunting to noobs that they don't entertain it for years. They don't understand control of the variables, but rely on the camera to do everything for them.

When I was in the school portrait business, that mass market workflow was 100% JPEG. Odd as that might seem, we used controlled, consistent lighting, with exactly the same exposure for every subject. We locked everything in position on our APS-C Canons... ISO 100, f/8, 1/160 second, CUSTOM white balance off of a One Shot Digital Calibration Target, 62mm zoom setting... 2:1 lighting ratio on a four light studio strobe setup with white umbrellas for main and fill. (Yes, that was fairly flat lighting, which was intentional.)

That "total lockdown" was how we ensured that a panel page of portraits in our sister division's yearbooks looked perfectly consistent. There were other settings in the Canon menus that tweaked the look of our portraits as close as we could get to Kodak Portra 160NC film as was possible. But the Custom White Balance was *critical* to consistency.

We were a vertically integrated AND horizontally integrated business. We had both our own employee sales and photography teams, and we did wholesale photofinishing for very high volume independent school portrait companies. Our wholesale customers often set their cameras randomly, and their results *looked* pretty random, often on a single page of a yearbook!

The Automatic White Balance failure scenarios I listed above were quite common. And, of course, in a 100% JPEG workflow, they were not correctable. We had to make Custom White Balance a religion among BOTH our employees and our customers. I made manuals and videos explaining it... traveled all over demonstrating the problem and the fix... Some folks had pretty thick skulls to get through.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

jack schade Loc: La Pine Oregon

That’s a terrific image Bob.

Jack