P mode?

[exemplaria]

Anyone here ever shoot in P mode on a regular basis? When and why? I use A, S and M with varying degrees of frequency, but don't even fully understand P mode (I know I could RTFM to understand it, but I'm curious when it's even used). I've got to assume Nikon wouldn't include if there wasn't a decent use for it.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

There is a decent use for it - help nooBs with advanced (P) spray and pray methodologies

 

[jwbryson1]

There is a decent use for it - help nooBs with advanced (P) spray and pray methodologies

There ya have it! :thumbup:

 

[ronlane]

I use it when I hand the camera to my wife or someone else for them to take pictures. JMHO, it's point and shoot.

 

[panblue]

There is a decent use for it - help nooBs with advanced (P) spray and pray methodologies

Not just noobs ;-) ..unless that's (no)t (o)vertly (b)othered..

 

[exemplaria]

I use it when I hand the camera to my wife or someone else for them to take pictures. JMHO, it's point and shoot.

This is actually another question I wanted to ask - how do people handle this situation? Is P preferrable to "auto"?

 

[unpopular]

Av/Tv is the new M

I wish someone could explain to me what makes Program mode so inferior beyond a vague "lack of control".

 

[2WheelPhoto]

P will allow slightly more control than auto, have you read the manual or tried google

 

[Big Mike]

Yes...P is a 'fully auto' mode but it allows for more control than the green FULLY AUTO mode.

For example, in the green full auto mode you can't set the metering mode, you can't manually select a focus point, you can't choose RAW, you can't set exposure compensation (which means you likely can't get a true 'proper' exposure). I don't know if you can set the focus mode (AF-C, AF-S) but you can't pick your WB. I'm not sure if you can pick your ISO either.

In P mode, you can do all of those things...the camera just gives you the shutter speed and aperture. And in P mode, you have the option to 'shift' it.

In other words, if all you use is the green fully auto mode...you might as well return your camera, send half the money to me and buy yourself a cheap P&S camera.

 

[unpopular]

why is auto mode always green anyway?

 

[ronlane]

In other words, if all you use is the green fully auto mode...you might as well return your camera, send half the money to me and buy yourself a cheap P&S camera.

:shock:

 

[fjrabon]

The thing I think people fail to understand is that you really can end up getting the same results regardless of which mode you use, they just attack the problem from different angles.

P mode starts with what it thinks the best combination of shutter speed and aperture are, and you can then adjust from there. So, for example when you know you're just going to want relatively straightforward exposures, it may be easier (or in terms that won't offend experienced photographers 'a more efficient workflow') to start with P and adjust as necessary. So, you see what P gives you, and you decide you want a bit more shallow DoF, then just adjust, P will fix the shutter speed for you, or you can change the ISO. I've began experimenting with P when doing street photography sometimes. In street, sometimes the moment is on you before you have a chance to get everything set up. If you see a shot coming and you can anticipate it, sure, then switch to manual or A or something. But having your camera ready to go with a relatively high ISO and in P mode guarantees that if something comes on you in a hurry, you get the moment. Which is much more important than some ephemeral badge of honor of shooting it in manual.

A (Av) mode attacks the problem by again giving you what it considers a proper exposure, but holding the aperture constant. As aperture is usually more important for artistic elements in photography, this is often something photographers do want control over. You can then decide you want a darker or brighter exposure than the camera thinks by using exposure compensation. Really, if you use EC heavily, A or S mode are literally the same exact thing as shooting in manual, just that the camera changes it's setting first and then you adjust, instead of having to adjust whenever the scene changes. For some shooting scenarios A is more efficient, in some M is more efficient. One isn't more of a 'true photographer' skill than the other. Just different approaches to the same problem.

S (Tv) is pretty much the exact same thing as A, except it gets used a bit less, because usually shutter speed doesn't change the artistic feel of the photo, unless you're using flash or shooting fast moving subjects.

M is sort of obvious in that you need to decide if the settings need to be changed.

The funniest thing in the world to me are the people who "always shoot in M, because I'm not an amateur", but essentially just shoot to center their light meter every time. Don't they realize that if you shoot that way, you're essentially shooting in A mode, but forcing yourself to turn the command dial instead of letting the camera do it? If you're going to shoot in M, then the whole point is ignoring what the in camera light meter is reading to some extent. The whole point of shooting in M is to use the light meter as a tool, but not a thing that tells you how to shoot. Yet some people will center the in camera light meter on literally every single shot they shoot in M. That drives me more crazy than the people who shoot in full auto.

 

[unpopular]

In other words, if all you use is the green fully auto mode...you might as well return your camera, send half the money to me and buy yourself a cheap P&S camera.

:shock:

^^ agree. that quote is pretty reaching.

---

P mode offers the same level of control as Tv and Av mode. It's a bit unsettling to use, and this might be the confusion, but having looked into it a bit, it's really not the fauxtographic technique people make it out as.

 

[Ysarex]

I use it almost all the time. I leave my cameras defaulted to P mode. Think of it as A(Av) and S(Tv) modes available simultaneously. In P mode the camera uses the meter input and then sets both the shutter speed and f/stop based on a program that's typically biased toward keeping the shutter speed fast enough for hand-holding and otherwise selecting medium values for both shutter and aperture. The advantage when using a modern camera is that you typically have a wheel you can turn that will shift you through the entire available EV set for your ISO and the metered light. In that way P mode is A(Av) priority if you use the wheel to move to the f/stop you want and it's also S(Tv) priority if you move to the shutter speed you want -- that makes it very fast and efficient.

For my camera that wheel is directly behind the shutter release and is accessible with a slight shift of my index finger. In the event that you deem it necessary to shift the exposure from the camera's metered exposure, all modern cameras are equipped with an EC control. For my camera that's a wheel directly under my right hand thumb. So with the camera in P mode I'm ready to set the f/stop and/or shutter speed I want and also compensate as needed for the metered exposure. P offers the greatest flexibility, speed and efficiency giving it an edge over the other options.

All the control modes on a modern camera have a place. S(Tv) can be critical for fast moving sports action when you want to be certain of your shutter speed. A(Av) is the one it wouldn't hurt to lose. M is necessary when using flash (real flash) and doing things like panoramas. M is also an important mode for a lot of male photographers who otherwise wish they had a longer lens.

Joe

 

[fjrabon]

In other words, if all you use is the green fully auto mode...you might as well return your camera, send half the money to me and buy yourself a cheap P&S camera.

:shock:

^^ agree. that quote is pretty reaching.

---

P mode offers the same level of control as Tv and Av mode. It's unsettling to use, but it's really not the fauxtographic technique people make it out as.

I think Mike is referring to full auto. where it literally controls every singe aspect, allowing for no deviation, except focal length, where the lens is aimed, and when the shutter is pressed.