Taking pictures in shutter speed priority mode

[belial]

If were not talking about manual, than we must be talking about auto am I right? And I never said you wouldn't have full control, I was simply saying its easier in manual because nothing changes no matter what you are pointing the camera at.

Nothing changes in priority. Just hit exposure lock. Easy.

 

[Buckster]

If were not talking about manual, than we must be talking about auto am I right? And I never said you wouldn't have full control, I was simply saying its easier in manual because nothing changes no matter what you are pointing the camera at.

Nothing changes in priority. Just hit exposure lock. Easy.

Or just put it in manual, set it and forget it. Easier.

 

[belial]

Or just put it in manual, set it and forget it. Easier.

True

 

[belial]

Like I said. I don't spurn manual. I think you should be able to recognize the usefulness of all the tools you're given and decide when each is appropriate.

 

[xjoewhitex]

Who said auto metering? You still have full control of the meter in priority modes.

If were not talking about manual, than we must be talking about auto am I right? And I never said you wouldn't have full control, I was simply saying its easier in manual because nothing changes no matter what you are pointing the camera at.

That's a good point. If the camera moves, or anything in the frame moves that shifts the metering, the "auto" part will automatically shift to compensate, whereas in manual, you're locked in and it will ignore that change to give a consistent exposure value.

Think about doing panoramas. That would be a terrible time to try this out of manual, even though we, technically, do have the ability to dial in anything we want, we'd have to re-dial it in every time we shift to the next overlapping shot of the intended full scene.

Which is precisely my point! I knew you if anyone would catch the point I was trying to make. Sure, in A or S you still have full control but you are always needing to adjust to get what you are looking for either it be using iso/exposure comp/exposure lock. But in the case you are needing consistency, setting and forgetting in manual is the trick.

If you are shooting a wedding I understand the need for using an auto mode to save time where you cannot miss a stroke.. but for what I do, if anything changes its minor and is a slight adjustment. From 200s to 160s while always keeping my aperture at f2.2 for example.

 

[Buckster]

Like I said. I don't spurn manual. I think you should be able to recognize the usefulness of all the tools you're given and decide when each is appropriate.

Interestingly though, you've gone on something of a campaign in a couple of threads on this topic already, pretty much taking over those threads with it in a pretty eager attempt to correct anyone that shoots in manual that the only reason to do it is to feed their egos, as you put it.

You seem to have been working very hard to dissuade people from using manual, actually. It looks a little obsessive, tbh.

 

[Overread]

Here are my views on the mode settings:

First up lets get one thing clear - the BEST mode to use is the one that will give you the best possible exposure for the given scene in the lighting you're working with that fits to your artistic/creative/current desires with the photo you want to produce. Provided that you've spent time learning how to use all the various modes it does not matter one bit which one you use so long as it gives you the best result. (the key is learning to use them all and seeing that each has its place and making the right choice).


Priority modes - I do not call these "auto" modes as the term gets confusing since the camera has named automatic modes on it already, thus calling the priority modes auto as well confuses the issue. If you must call it auto call it semi-auto.
In these modes (shutter or aperture priority) the photographer has control over two of the key settings in the camera as well as the metering control. The camera then balances the remaining setting based upon the two that the photographer has selected and the metering of the scene itself (plus or minus any exposure compensation the photographer has chosen).
In Aperture priority you control the aperture and ISO; In Shutter priority its the shutter speed and the ISO.

In newer cameras you can also set the camera to selecting an ISO value as well - however this can sometimes backfire as the camera won't know which (ISO or the other remaining settings) settings it has control over are the more and lesser in importance.


In full manual you control the camera, metering, shutter speed, ISO, aperture - everything is under your control and any changes must come from you adjusting the settings yourself.

In the auto modes there are two variations - full auto has the camera making all the choices, its a point and click mode. Program mode the camera is still controlling the settings, but each scene has a variation in the different ratios of the aperture and shutter speed - thus the photographer can select one of those variations in the ratio of the two settings from the list generated by the camera after metering the scene.


In general each mode has its place - with different photographers in different situations different modes will tend to come to the fore of importance over the others.
In general any time you're just metering the scene, setting the settings based upon it and shooting, you'll normally do well in aperture or shutter priority (depending upon which is the important setting for the creative effect you want). You gain over manual mode in shifting light as the camera will always react instantly to the light changes present and won't miss a beat.

In manual mode you've the full control, the camera won't change things. This makes it great for getting a constant result even if the lighting changes. Furthermore its also great for when the meter is totally fooled by the scene before you; or when flash is the dominant light source for a scene (since the camera meter can't meter with the flash light active).


Auto modes are generally for when you just want a record shot and little more; great for turning your mind off and relaxing whilst shooting - however don't be surprised if you end up leaving this mode behind as you learn more and as you gain more experience shooting in a wider range of situations.

 

[o hey tyler]

What can't you change while in an auto-exposure mode?

It depends on the mode. What I am saying is that with using an autoexposure mode, you will lose consistency due to the parameters of the shot metering. In manual, you control all of that.

Still not quite understanding.

While in say, aperture priority, I can see and adjust both aperture and shutter speed independently, and I can see when the meter thinks that's a good combination, or when it's over or under exposing (which I may very well want to do). Same thing in shutter priority. Same thing in manual.

What am I missing?

You do not have control over your aperture in shutter speed priority. At least, not in any shutter priority mode I've used, same with aperture priority. You have control over the exposure bias, but that is dependent on the metering of the scene, not what you physically set your camera to. Ultimately, in shutter priority, the camera decides what aperture to use based on the locked in variables. If the light changes, so does the aperture. Doesn't sound like full control to me when compared to manual mode.

 

[Buckster]

It depends on the mode. What I am saying is that with using an autoexposure mode, you will lose consistency due to the parameters of the shot metering. In manual, you control all of that.

Still not quite understanding.

While in say, aperture priority, I can see and adjust both aperture and shutter speed independently, and I can see when the meter thinks that's a good combination, or when it's over or under exposing (which I may very well want to do). Same thing in shutter priority. Same thing in manual.

What am I missing?

You do not have control over your aperture in shutter speed priority. At least, not in any shutter priority mode I've used, same with aperture priority. You have control over the exposure bias, but that is dependent on the metering of the scene, not what you physically set your camera to. Ultimately, in shutter priority, the camera decides what aperture to use based on the locked in variables. If the light changes, so does the aperture. Doesn't sound like full control to me when compared to manual mode.

Not to argue or belabor the point, but I can see both shutter speed and aperture in any mode, and I can change them to whatever I want using the two dials on my Canon cameras - one for shutter and the other for aperture. The meter can do what it wants - I still get to choose.

As already stated though, as the scene changes, the meter will change the variable, and I have to work to set it to what I want again, which is not the optimal way to work.

 

[o hey tyler]

Not to argue or belabor the point, but I can see both shutter speed and aperture in any mode, and I can change them to whatever I want using the two dials on my Canon cameras - one for shutter and the other for aperture. The meter can do what it wants - I still get to choose.

As already stated though, as the scene changes, the meter will change the variable, and I have to work to set it to what I want again, which is not the optimal way to work.

On any cameras in the xxD or xD cameras in the Canon lineup, you cannot set shutter speed in aperture priority, and vice versa. You set exposure compensation with the rear wheel. That doesn't give you full control of the camera as manual mode would. In manual mode, yes. You can set both with the dials to concrete camera settings. In a semi auto mode, you are at the mercy of the meter.

 

[Buckster]

Not to argue or belabor the point, but I can see both shutter speed and aperture in any mode, and I can change them to whatever I want using the two dials on my Canon cameras - one for shutter and the other for aperture. The meter can do what it wants - I still get to choose.

As already stated though, as the scene changes, the meter will change the variable, and I have to work to set it to what I want again, which is not the optimal way to work.

On any cameras in the xxD or xD cameras in the Canon lineup, you cannot set shutter speed in aperture priority, and vice versa. You set exposure compensation with the rear wheel.

If ISO is set, and aperture is set (because you're in aperture priority), and you change exposure compensation with the rear wheel, what in the exposure triangle is changing in order to achieve that exposure compensation?

 

[o hey tyler]

Not to argue or belabor the point, but I can see both shutter speed and aperture in any mode, and I can change them to whatever I want using the two dials on my Canon cameras - one for shutter and the other for aperture. The meter can do what it wants - I still get to choose.

As already stated though, as the scene changes, the meter will change the variable, and I have to work to set it to what I want again, which is not the optimal way to work.

On any cameras in the xxD or xD cameras in the Canon lineup, you cannot set shutter speed in aperture priority, and vice versa. You set exposure compensation with the rear wheel.

If ISO is set, and aperture is set (because you're in aperture priority), and you change exposure compensation with the rear wheel, what in the exposure triangle is changing in order to achieve that exposure compensation?

Your shutter speed, but you have no control over WHICH shutter speed is being used, because the metering programs today are very finicky and lighting conditions change every second according to your camera.

What I am saying, and have been saying, is that the only way you have FULL CONTROL over the settings in your camera is with manual mode. You DO NOT have direct control over your supplementary variables in a semi auto mode. You have limited control, and are at the mercy of the meter.

 

[Buckster]

On any cameras in the xxD or xD cameras in the Canon lineup, you cannot set shutter speed in aperture priority, and vice versa. You set exposure compensation with the rear wheel.

If ISO is set, and aperture is set (because you're in aperture priority), and you change exposure compensation with the rear wheel, what in the exposure triangle is changing in order to achieve that exposure compensation?

Your shutter speed,

Exactly.

but you have no control over WHICH shutter speed is being used,

Sure you do, because you can see it in the viewfinger and spin that rear dial until it's the shutter speed you want to use for that shot.

because the metering programs today are very finicky and lighting conditions change every second according to your camera.

Only if the scene is changing because the camera is moving or something in the scene is moving, and they have to be big enough changes to rock the meter. Even in manual, your assertion would mean that the meter is jumping around all over the place, and you just have to ignore it. That's not the case though - it's relatively stable, allowing you to dial in your variables.

What I am saying, and have been saying, is that the only way you have FULL CONTROL over the settings in your camera is with manual mode. You DO NOT have direct control over your supplementary variables in a semi auto mode. You have limited control, and are at the mercy of the meter.

To an extent, that's true, but that's something we've been saying anyway: If the scene changes, the variable can change with it.

Nonetheless, for the vast majority of shooting, where the scene is either not changing, or the meter's exposure value is based off a very small area that isn't changing, especially spot and partial, that doesn't matter much, and the variable stays relatively stable. The same holds true with shooting in manual - we just don't usually see the meter jumping all over the place erratically, unless the scene is changing pretty erratically.

 

[o hey tyler]

Sure you do, because you can see it in the viewfinger and spin that rear dial until it's the shutter speed you want to use for that shot.

Why use manual mode, then? If they're the same thing?

Only if the scene is changing because the camera is moving or something in the scene is moving, and they have to be big enough changes to rock the meter. Even in manual, your assertion would mean that the meter is jumping around all over the place, and you just have to ignore it. That's not the case though - it's relatively stable, allowing you to dial in your variables.

Why use manual mode, then? If they're the same thing?

What I am saying, and have been saying, is that the only way you have FULL CONTROL over the settings in your camera is with manual mode. You DO NOT have direct control over your supplementary variables in a semi auto mode. You have limited control, and are at the mercy of the meter.

To an extent, that's true, but that's something we've been saying anyway: If the scene changes, the variable can change with it. [/quote]

Why use manual mode, then? Why would you want precision, and continuity with manual mode, when using a semi auto mode is basically the same thing? No big difference since according to you, you can ignore the meter in semi auto, right?

Nonetheless, for the vast majority of shooting, where the scene is either not changing, or the meter's exposure value is based off a very small area that isn't changing, especially spot and partial, that doesn't matter much, and the variable stays relatively stable. The same holds true with shooting in manual - we just don't usually see the meter jumping all over the place erratically, unless the scene is changing pretty erratically.

So, exposure compensation is the same thing as directly controlling your computer-set variable in a semi auto mode. There's no good reason to use manual mode since that's the case, right?

 

[Buckster]

Sure you do, because you can see it in the viewfinger and spin that rear dial until it's the shutter speed you want to use for that shot.

Why use manual mode, then? If they're the same thing?

I never said they're the same thing. Like Overread, I find all three modes valuable for different purposes. The only point here is that you *can* control both aperture and shutter speed when in one of the priority modes, not that it's always the best way to work (which I also already said, btw).

Only if the scene is changing because the camera is moving or something in the scene is moving, and they have to be big enough changes to rock the meter. Even in manual, your assertion would mean that the meter is jumping around all over the place, and you just have to ignore it. That's not the case though - it's relatively stable, allowing you to dial in your variables.

Why use manual mode, then? If they're the same thing?

See above.

What I am saying, and have been saying, is that the only way you have FULL CONTROL over the settings in your camera is with manual mode. You DO NOT have direct control over your supplementary variables in a semi auto mode. You have limited control, and are at the mercy of the meter.

To an extent, that's true, but that's something we've been saying anyway: If the scene changes, the variable can change with it.

Why use manual mode, then? Why would you want precision, and continuity with manual mode, when using a semi auto mode is basically the same thing? No big difference since according to you, you can ignore the meter in semi auto, right?

See above.

Nonetheless, for the vast majority of shooting, where the scene is either not changing, or the meter's exposure value is based off a very small area that isn't changing, especially spot and partial, that doesn't matter much, and the variable stays relatively stable. The same holds true with shooting in manual - we just don't usually see the meter jumping all over the place erratically, unless the scene is changing pretty erratically.

So, exposure compensation is the same thing as directly controlling your computer-set variable in a semi auto mode. There's no good reason to use manual mode since that's the case, right?

See above.