A Question For The Pros

[ksmattfish]

I use manual or Av. Most of my film cameras were manual only so that's what I was used to. DOF is almost always my main concern for the subject matter I shoot so Av can be useful, but I think I've only used Tv once or twice in the last 15 years. My Canon 20Ds and 40D have the icon modes, but I've never used them. Aren't they jpeg only? I was sold on raw from the beginning so that would be enough to keep me from using them.

I've tried to get my wife to use my DSLRs occasionally so I told her what the modes do. I noticed that on green square many other settings were adjusted besides exposure. For instance my custom function settings, like remapping the AF button, went back to factory defaults.

If the icon modes would only effect shutter, aperture, and ISO, and would let me shoot raw I'd probably try them out. My DSLRs all display aperture and shutter in the viewfinder; to me whether the photog is running on auto or in manual occurs in their head, not in the camera. Sport, panning, portrait, and landscape are similar to Tv and Av, but instead of designating a specific setting they designate a small range. For my style being able to choose shallow or deep DOF (portrait & landscape) would usually work fine. My focusing distance and focal length are usually changing a lot so the DOF is changing too.

It would be more helpful for me to be able to set DOF than aperture. I want to be able to set 2 feet of DOF, and have the camera adjust the aperture whatever my focus distance and focal length. I'm hoping to see more of this sort of customizable auto-modes in the future. I want to be able to create an exposure mode that's like Av with auto ISO, and it'll let me set a minimum shutter speed. With the ability to change ISO every shot I think Av and Tv and P are sort of obsolete. We need to be able to add auto ISO to each, or not, as we want it.

Also since there's a computer in there I want more control and info. I installed the CHDK hack on my Canon G7 point-n-shoot so I could get the raw files, and it gives me a digital DOF scale! Why don't my $2000+ DSLRs have this?!?!. I want to be able to program my camera.

 

[ksmattfish]

At least she does know to move the dial to P. Although my complaint about cameras, or at least my camera, is that the ISO doesn't stay set differently for different modes. Whatever it's set at in manual is what it's set at in P.

Try green box mode; in many cameras it's like super auto P mode.

 

[JerryPH]

...and it gives me a digital DOF scale! Why don't my $2000+ DSLRs have this?!?!. I want to be able to program my camera.

Everyone is different of course. But me, I ask why would I need to see a digital DOF scale when I can see the results through the DOF preview, and the final pic right afterward on the LCD.

Also, I am sure you will agree, that anyone with a little experience will be able to tell you pretty closely what the DOF of any given picture will be in advance before taking the pic by knowing the aperture, focus point and focal length they are using, yes?

What's next, an AUTO mode? (thats a joke... lol)

 

[ksmattfish]

...I am sure you will agree...

Nope, as usual I disagree with you. I find accurate DOF info very useful in a lot of different situations, and it would be an easy and cheap addition to the info set that all digital cameras already display. I can't do the math in my head, and the formula for calculating DOF is complicated enough that I'm not ashamed of that. I'm carrying a computer; let it do the math.

I also can't see it very accurately through small format viewfinders. Possibly I'm spoiled from shooting 4x5, but I've always found the DOF preview button and small format viewfinders lacking, and DSLR viewfinders (even the 35mm ones) are even smaller than the 35mm film camera viewfinders I thought sucked.

Yeah, it can be seen somewhat on the LCD, but I'm a zone focuser. I want to know what the DOF is before I take the shot. I'm a huge fan of chimping. It's a tool I use often, but I cannot see sharp focus well enough on my Canon DSLRs by zooming in on the LCD. I've heard Nikon LCD preview is better. Even so it doesn't look anything like a 16"x24" print on a 2" or 3" LCD.

They build DOF calculators into prime lenses because many photogs find them useful. They don't build them into zoom lenses because the math is too complicated for the mechanical scales they use with primes. So now the cameras are all electronic, and while I'm a math numbskull, the calculator in the camera should be able to handle it pretty easily. So I want my zoom lens DOF scale! If Canon can keep putting that stupid direct print button on their pro cameras they can darn well give me a digital DOF scale. I love it on my G7.

 

[tsaraleksi]

What y'all need is one of the newest Canon cameras with "creative auto" mode.... there, you just move the slider from "sharp background" to "blurry background" and it does it for you.... I was a little shocked to see this on such an expensive camera but whatever, it doesn't hurt me for it to be there and I'm sure someone is finding is useful.

 

[Iron Flatline]

Some comments about creative modes.

They usually disable RAW. Instead they set your camera to certain settings, and then apply parameters to the RAW data, which then gets compressed to a JPG.

So for Portrait mode, the camera will try and set the aperture as wide as possible, and pick a corresponding faster shutter speed... and then lower the sharpening and contrast, so the subject looks less wrinkled. Also, the the hue will be moved to a marginally warmer tone.

For Landscape, the camera will be set to a smaller aperture and longer exposure time, with heightened saturation and contrast.

...and so on. You get the point.

See if your camera allows JPG + RAW in creative mode. Might be a fun way to learn more about your camera.

 

[tsaraleksi]

From what I've seen there's nothing wrong with the "basic" modes per se, it's just that they are very limiting and you'll be SoL if you ever find yourself in a situation that isn't covered by one of the modes exactly (ie shooting in low light-- last I saw they only let the ISO go up to 400!). The one that really sucks is sports mode-- when I was shooting with my 20D I would sometimes flip it into sports mode to see what kind of settings it would pick for a given event that I was shooting, and it never presented settings that were even close to usable.

 

[LarissaPhotography]

I always use manual. More control and reproducable results.

 

[JerryPH]

I always use manual. More control and reproducable results.

When someone says they "use only manual", this pertains to shutter, ISO and aperture settings (add exposure compensation to that list too, if you understand what you are doing)... not additional internal camera settings that may or may not have additional impact on the final result.

I do not see many professionals adjusting saturation, sharpness, contrast or WB from in between each picture they take, yet these are all aspects worthy of at least some consideration.

 

[JerryPH]

I always use manual. More control and reproducable results.

When someone says they "use only manual", this pertains to shutter, ISO and aperture settings (add exposure compensation to that list too, if you understand what you are doing)... not additional internal camera settings that may or may not have additional impact on the final result.

I use the mode that lets me get the shot. I do not use the automatic (or P-mode), becuase I refuse to let the camera (programmed by some unknown little Japanese engineer, who has no idea of what MY needs are) do the thinking for me. That means, manual, aperture priority or shutter speed priority are my preferences.

With sports events where I demand a minimum shutter speed, I set it to shutter priority mode, auto ISO with a maximum of ISO 6400 and let the camera choose the aperture, which due to the location will be 95% of the time at the widest aperture the lens has (a setting that I would choose myself anyways).

During times that I am in a creative situation but where it is dynamic, I use aperture priority. I control the DOF and let the camera set the ISO and shutter speed.

During protraits, I am in manual becuase it is a relatively slow event with little movement in comparison to the others and I have time to individually select each setting for maximum desired results. Most importantly, at this level, I have PRECISE control of the lighting and can change it to suit MY needs. This is something that is near impossible to do in the other venues to this level.

 

[mrodgers]

Try green box mode; in many cameras it's like super auto P mode.

I'd tell her to just use auto, but ISO 800 and 1600 is completely useless with my camera.

Can't set ISO to anything in the "green box" mode. P mode gives me autoISO(400). ISO 800 and 1600 is completely useless, as I stated.

The problem is, P mode doesn't switch back to whatever settings it was using the last time. If I was outside at ISO64, then it's set at ISO64 when put in P mode. I need to remember to set it back to autoISO(400) for her, which I never remember.

 

[Enem178]

The more I use the camera the more I see the importance of the av & tv modes!! Again the 40d is my 1st dslr so I had no experience or knowledge of these modes until now.

 

[Craddie]

I use mine exactly as Jerry does, only adding that I also use Manual a lot when using Flash as primary light source (drag shutter while maintaining DOF control), but still keep Auto ISO.