Mnemonic

[kanuski]

Raise your hand if you've ever taken some amazing shots only to realize later that the lens was on manual focus. Aaaaagh!$#! I hate when this happens, over and over! It's not just the focus. These camera's have so many settings it's hard to remember what you changed last time.
In First Aid they taught us the ABC's (airway, breathing, circulation) to help us remember the important stuff. Whenever I leave the house it's, "phone, wallet, keys." So why can't I think of some mnemonic or other way of remembering things like this?
Please share any patterns or tricks you use to keep things straight. Thanks.

 

[tecboy]

I always get in the habit to check the setting before I shoot. Before I didn't check, I shot like a thirty of low res raw files. I really wanted to bang head for that.

 

[unpopular]

All my lenses are manual.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Having a background in education/child development I know what mnemonic devices are - but can't think of one for this! lol And I'm always on manual focus (my lenses are all manual other than a p&s I use on occasion).

Basically the routine I got into over the years is to reset the camera at f8 and 1/125 (and being a film photographer it's more recent that I'm trying to remember with my digital camera to set the ISO at either 200 or 400). That way when I pick up a camera I know where it's set (or should be!) and if it isn't that's where I set it as my starting point.

If it's at f8 it's a nice usable midway point on a lens and I can open or shut it a couple of stops either way fairly quickly, and at 1/125 I know that's where it is and can set if faster as needed (I don't often go slower than that).

 

[kanuski]

Thanks teacher. I guess I should remember to put things back where they belong when I am finished playing.

 

[bratkinson]

Welcome to getting older! It's gets worse, too!

As most of my work is in manual mode, I too-often forget what settings I made 3 or 4 shots ago, move 10 steps one way or another, and shoot some more. Only to look at the LCD after making a couple of shots and decide those were trash as the light changed significantly, or too slow a shutter speed, etc.

As the HAL-9000 computer stated in "2001 - A Space Odyssey" said as it was being shut down near the end of the movie.."Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going..."

 

[bulldurham]

I made little laminated cheat sheets for my students: Checklist - AIMS for Aperture (is this the depth of field you want to present), ISO (Can I make a better combination with a higher or lower ISO?), Mode (You better be shooting Manual ), Shutter (Can I get to this shutter speed at that DoF?) - I didn't allow any AP or S settings to be used until they could show mastery on Manual. These were cheesy little Nikon D40's but in 2004, they were pretty good little workhorses.

 

[KenC]

This should be noticeable looking at the image through the viewfinder, unless the lens just happened to be focused at about the same distance, but not exactly.

 

[480sparky]

I always return my cameras to a certain state when I'm done using them. That way, when I pick it up next, I know exactly how it's configured and, if needed, what changes I need to make.

 

[tirediron]

... reset the camera at f8 and 1/125..

"F8 and be there!"

 

[runnah]

I never make mistakes.

 

[kanuski]

This should be noticeable looking at the image through the viewfinder, unless the lens just happened to be focused at about the same distance, but not exactly.

With old eyes I need to zoom in pretty close to see if I nailed the focus. And then, if I am shooting still images it is usually alright but other subjects don't give you a second chance.

 

[kanuski]

I made little laminated cheat sheets for my students: Checklist - AIMS for Aperture (is this the depth of field you want to present), ISO (Can I make a better combination with a higher or lower ISO?), Mode (You better be shooting Manual ), Shutter (Can I get to this shutter speed at that DoF?) - I didn't allow any AP or S settings to be used until they could show mastery on Manual. These were cheesy little Nikon D40's but in 2004, they were pretty good little workhorses.

Thanks.
This would help the students remember the triangle.
I need to remember things like focus mode, IS, WB, and Shooting mode. I waited for the perfect timing on a shot the other day and when I finally pressed the shutter nothing happened. I moved the camera to look at it and then it clicked (pun intended). I had it on 2-second self-timer!
I think I need to learn to use the reset function, or just learn to reset things when I am finished playing.

 

[W.Y.Photo]

I used to do this then I started using autofocus on tripods and I would use the AF to get something tack sharp and then turn it off to keep the focal point in position. A few months of doing this and I never forget to turn on AF when I'm shooting handheld anymore.

Maybe you could find a way to do this? or at least a method similar that would ensure you don't forget anymore.