Startin' to like "Program" mode...

Jon0807 · May 27, 2009

Every time I've used P my photos never come out right or I feel my camera is doing something I don't want it to. I may not be understanding what P mode actually does but I don't like the feeling of losing control. I'm usually 50% Av 50% M. I use Av if I need to do quick shots or walking around cause I can always quickly set the aperture to whatever DOF I want. But even with Av I have to make sure I'm metering correctly so the shutter is at the right setting, so lately I've been shooting mostly in M.

Baaaark · May 27, 2009

I'm new, but program mode rocks. If you adjust your exposure properly, it will only give you the right aperture/speed settings. Its nice to only have options that make sense whenever you're rolling with your wheel. Like I DON'T even want the option of 1/4000 when I'm inside...

But it has to have the program shift option. Otherwise it sucks.

haggis · May 27, 2009

I think it depends a lot on what type of photos you take.

If you are simply carrying your camera with you while walkabout then Program mode is probably best as it means you can get grab shots rather than having to change settings and maybe miss an opportunity.

If however you mainly do portraits and weddings then it has to be Manual all the way. Same applies for any type of sports photos.

NateS · May 27, 2009

Everybody in here is talking about how much faster it is to grab the camera in program mode and shoot. How? You still have a few selections to make in program mode as far as which of the settings the camera is giving you that you want? How is that faster than aperture priority? I grab my camera with it in aperture priority and all I have to do is spin the dial to the aperture I want (2 seconds max) and frame and shoot. I can see where it would be helpful for a beginner to see how things work together, but for all of the people in here that understand their camera well, I don't see how that's faster or better than just setting your aperture and firing the shot.

(Not being a smart ***, just trying to understand how it's faster....I've never shot in program mode so I don't know. I don't even know if mine works

musicaleCA · May 27, 2009

I shot in program a few times, felt like I was on auto-pilot and with no creative control, and haven't touched it ever again.

TBH, if you're worried about missing a shot, it's not a question of using program mode or not. It's a question of keeping a very close watch on your environment, and predicting how things will develop before they do. If you anticipate enough, you can even have time to switch lenses.

On film this was a necessity, especially for candids. It had quite a lot to do with walking around with stops that were probably close to the right exposure in current lighting conditions, and guessing focal length and distance to the subject. Expose one shot right away if something develops, then get the correct settings and expose again and again.

Now toss in all the wonderful digital modes. You should still be anticipating, still planning ahead, but now the camera can give you the right exposure without you thinking about it. However, as a matter of personal preference, I know that in most cases I will want to be around f/4 (sadly my lenses aren't super-high-quality, so they both stop down to f/5.6 zoomed-in), to give me a good chance at catching movement in focus. So I set my camera on Av and let it handle the exposure. If I have time, I quickly check the histogram, adjust exposure comp, and continue shooting.