Function photography - some questions

[ketan]

Hi,
This year we have had a family function (appx 80 member,indoor) to celebrate my parents anniversory. We had called a professional photographer for coverage. Now since I am interested in studying photography seriously, I checked his photos in some utilities.

He had Nikon D80
The ISO used were throughout 400
Focal length used were 18-70
Exp time 1/100-1/160
Apperture 5-6.3 (?)
Program - Manual

My question is all the time I read about fast lens, i.e. 2.8 or 4. Whereas he had been using quite small apperture. The photographs were quite ok.
Why would he be using manual program? Is it the right way ?

Any comments ?

Thanks/Ketan

 

[The_Traveler]

He was probably using a flash so he was managing exposures on manual by the aperture (with shutter set to speed that would synch). Judging by the focal lengths used, he was probably using the Nikon 18-70 former kit lens, This is extraordinarily sharp in the middle f stops (as good as pro glass) and so he raised the ISO so he could take advantage of these middle f stops.

 

[ketan]

Yes, what you say is correct. His each photo was with flash.
Not sure how one will do manual focussing so fast when people keep moving in functions.
Photography is a science....! Not so simple.

 

[JIP]

Well it really does not say in the data you posted wether he was using manual or auto-focus. The manual you posted was the exposure mode he would have been using. When I used to shoot weddings in meduim format all I had was manual focus and it worked for me. And there were times like during the processional I did not focus at all. All you had to do was focus for a certain distance set you aperture high and shoot when the people came within a certain distnce. Actually for things like that some times auto focus can be a hinderance if you have a critical moment to shoot and your camera starts hunting for focus you hve trouble.