Wondering about modes

[Tangerini]

I've come across a few comments here on TPF regarding what mode you "should" be shooting in; things like, 'when you get away from auto mode and start shooting in AV'....

I'm curious, what mode do you use in general while shooting, and why?
Do you switch back and forth between them all?


When I first began shooting with the object of creating something more than a snapshot, I learned on a camera that did not have automatic focus or other auto type modes (my father's Nikon F).

Then when I aquired my first camera (the Rebel xs) I continued on with the manual mode and manual focus because: 1) it was what I was used to and, 2) I was too lazy to read the manual to find out what all the other modes were for.

Since adding a digital Rebel to my collection I've continued to shoot in this way (though I did actually leaf through the manual this go around).

 

[Alex_B]

1. 90% of my shots are in Av since I want to control DOF.

2. Then I use Tv when it comes to capture fast motion since then I need control over the exposure time to get well defined motion blur, or no motion blur at all.

In both cases I use exposure compensation to avoid blown out highlights
or dark areas with no detail resolved.

since that means I control 2 parameters, I could also shoot manual all the time .. just for me Av and Tv are faster

3. I shoot full manual for all exposures over 10 seconds or so ... and when i need several shots with exactly the same exposure.

 

[DSLR noob]

Program mode becaus eI can still tell the camera if I want the shutter to be faster or slower, and I can use exposure composition to keep it to my desired exposure.

 

[Ribber]

I used to be 99% Av mode, with the odd walk on the Tv side. As I have become more comfortable with my gear, I am finding M to be quite fun. I feel a little more in control and when I don't get the results I expect, it's easier to compensate on the next shot. I rely on auto focus a lot, mainly due to the small VF on my camera. For macro or very high contrast scenes, I don't fear manual focus quite so much.

 

[abraxas]

I shoot in manual mode and manual focus the majority of the time. Since I've been shooting RAW on my d80, the chip fills up faster and I'm a bit more careful about my landscape shots. This gives me some time to go to the d70 with a 70-300 lens; I'm learning to shoot in AV mode and with auto-focus for wildlife.

 

[Garbz]

Aperature Priority (sorry don't knows the AVs and TVs modes canon people ) for about 45% of my shots, Manual for about 50% and shutter priority for when it's really needed.

The reason I shoot Manual so often is because of difficult lighting. I shoot a lot of photos in light which can not be metered correctly in my camera. Sigh my 30 year old Nikon FE could metre well into the 5 minutes or so.

 

[DSLR noob]

What camera is it not Av or Tv?

 

[gmarquez]

What camera is it not Av or Tv?

I don't even know what those stand for...I'm assuming that Av is equivalent to A (Aperture Priority) on Nikon...but what is Tv?

Up to about a month ago, i was shooting almost 100% P mode (programmed auto). Now I'm shooting probably 80% A (Aperture priority) and 20% S (Shutter priority)...S for when I'm playing around with my ND filter or taking a long telephoto hand held picture.

 

[DSLR noob]

Oh sorry, I just thought all manufacturers were the same. Tv is shutter priority. It stands for Timing Variable. Av is Aperture Variable.

P and M seem to be universal then?

 

[fmw]

P mode on a Nikon does everything both shutter and aperture priority do and it does it with a single mode. You just turn the wheel to see the various shutter/aperture combinations. That's what I use when I want to use the meter recommendation. Manual is what I use when I don't. I couldn't tell you the purpose in having any of the other modes.

 

[DSLR noob]

Yeah P on Canon can do both as well.

 

[gmarquez]

P mode on a Nikon does everything both shutter and aperture priority do and it does it with a single mode.

I did not know that! Will it keep those settings when I re-compose and shoot another scene? If I want to lock in a certain aperture, or a certain shutter speed consistent through multiple shots, how do I do that in P mode?

 

[DSLR noob]

I'm betting Canon is similar to Nikon so I'll tell you how to use P mode.

When you turn the command dial in P mode a combination of shutter speeds and apertures flash by for a proper exposure. say your metering is set to neutral. (0) And you want to use a fast shutter speed turn the dial and you'll see it go through these combos:

1/30th second F/5.6
1/50th second F/5.0
1/60th second F/4.5
1/125th second F/2.8
1/250 second F/2.0
1/320th second F/1.8

Notcie the values are inversly proportional (one goes up, the other goes down) this achieves a proper balance.

You can shoot the same scene with a faster speed, or look at your aperture for your DOF.

Can't get a combo you want? Use exposure compensation for +/- 2 stops.

 

[fmw]

I did not know that! Will it keep those settings when I re-compose and shoot another scene? If I want to lock in a certain aperture, or a certain shutter speed consistent through multiple shots, how do I do that in P mode?

You don't, if you want different exposures. The P mode would provide the same exposure for all the shots, just like A and S. If you want to vary from the meter you would need to go to manual mode or dial in some exposure comp. The idea of P mode is to move through the exposure options with the wheel. You can choose the aperture you want by concentrating on the apertures or you can choose a shutter speed by concentrating on those as you spin the wheel. A and S do the same thing except it takes two modes to get the job done. If you want to vary from the meter recommendation you need manual or you need to dial in exposure comp just like you do with the P mode. P mode works the same way. It just combines the two modes.

 

[JenR]

I generally use aperture-priority so that I can control the DOF. If the light is very low, I might switch to shutter-priority so that I can ensure that the shutter speed does not fall too low.

Lately, I have started expeimenting more with the manual mode. It is not nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be. As long as I have relatively cooperative, still subjects I think it is easier and more straight-forward to get the correct exposure using the manual mode rather than the others. HOWEVER, when I am following preschoolers in and out of the shade, there is no way that I can keep up if I am trying to use the manual mode!