What MODE are you shooting?

[Neil S.]

Oh wow that's interesting. so I would assume you could do some kind of EV+- to get different levels of exposure? This kind of sounds like P* mode on Nikon where you can be in P mode but use the dial to select different aperture and shutter speed combinations that will result in the same EV. Except that you can set any aperture and shutter and it will just dial the ISO till it runs out. Interesting. I'll have to check my manual to see if my camera has that feature.

If I remember correctly when in Manual mode for Canon EV is locked out, as in you cant do it period.

I think P pretty much works the same for Canon. As you adjust either the aperture or shutter the other one is adjusted the other way at the same time to compensate.

I still have yet to try auto Iso in P mode, but it seems that it would work great as well.

In P, as you got to max aperture when increasing the shutter speed for example, the Iso could just take over at that point to ensure the image is not underexposed.

 

[supraman215]

According to the D90 manual it does do it. Just not sure how it works. The manual isn't too clear on the explanation.

 

[Neil S.]

According to the D90 manual it does do it. Just not sure how it works. The manual isn't too clear on the explanation.

Ya I would look into that if I was you.

Believe me when I tell you that it is extremely useful.

Its probably my fav thing of all the changes upgrading from a 30D to 7D.

The 2nd is probably the 100% viewfinder, that is really useful as well.

 

[supraman215]

the Iso could just take over at that point to ensure the image is not underexposed.

So in M mode you couldn't underexpose your shot if you have auto iso on then. Correct? I mean unless you when beyond the limitations of the camera. So if I were indoors and I set aperture to f11 and shutter to 1/1000 it would pump the ISO as high as it could till it ran out. but if I'm outside shooting with a manual flash I want my subject to be underexposed I would have to turn off auto ISO correct? I couldn't do that in M mode with Auto ISO on. I guess I just turned off auto ISO.

 

[Neil S.]

the Iso could just take over at that point to ensure the image is not underexposed.

So in M mode you couldn't underexpose your shot if you have auto iso on then. Correct? I mean unless you when beyond the limitations of the camera. So if I were indoors and I set aperture to f11 and shutter to 1/1000 it would pump the ISO as high as it could till it ran out. but if I'm outside shooting with a manual flash I want my subject to be underexposed I would have to turn off auto ISO correct? I couldn't do that in M mode with Auto ISO on. I guess I just turned off auto ISO.

Yes thats how it works. In manual mode until it reaches max Iso the image will not be underexposed no matter what your settings are.

You bring up a good point that you cannot set EV (at least I think) when in Manual mode. This would be a problem in some cases, and I hadnt really thought about that. They should let you set EV, and then use auto-Iso to even it all out.

Maybe we will see that in the future...

For that type of situation you could just use Av/Tv/P though as they allow auto-Iso as well as EV +/-.

 

[Neil S.]

but if I'm outside shooting with a manual flash I want my subject to be underexposed I would have to turn off auto ISO correct? I couldn't do that in M mode with Auto ISO on. I guess I just turned off auto ISO.

Ya you can always just turn it off and set Iso manually. This would then let you tweak your shutter/aperture to get the exposure that you wanted. At this point M is really functioning like M was intended.

I guess that by allowing the camera to scale the Iso you arent really in "full manual mode". I dont really care though because I find it very useful, and wouldnt want to lose the ability.

About the flash, I dont really know that much about them...

 

[tom r]

I bounce back between P and A modes on a Nikon

 

[MohaimenK]

I bounce back between P and A modes on a Nikon

Yes I heard a lot of people do that, switch between the two
on my 2nd wedding the 1st photg did the same thing he was using nikon too

 

[ghpham]

Forgive me, but...if you are using the camera's light meter, then what's the difference between using the M mode and spins the dials till the meter zero out, vs. using the Av or the Tv mode? M mode should only be used if you are planning on override BOTH settings or when you are using an external meter correct??

 

[loveDSLR]

So far M + Custom White Balance. I have yet to try out the other modes.

 

[Neil S.]

Forgive me, but...if you are using the camera's light meter, then what's the difference between using the M mode and spins the dials till the meter zero out, vs. using the Av or the Tv mode? M mode should only be used if you are planning on override BOTH settings or when you are using an external meter correct??

The difference is that you have complete control over both the shutter and aperture instead of just one as is the case with Tv/Av modes.

The cameras meter still works in M mode, at least on the 2 DSLRs that I have owned. The difference is that it only reports under/overexposure and does not make any changes to compensate. It is on you to ensure proper exposure.

 

[Overread35]

Generally speaking I only use manual mode when I need to be in control over all three settings in the camera body in order to force a particular photographic effect. If I am just adjusting one main setting and basing the other two off that then I'll use TV/AV (aperture or shutter priority) because the camera is far faster and never misses a moment - whilst I'm somewhat slower and have the risk that I might miss a change in the light (esp if I'm shooting a burst of shots at a subject moving through shifting lighting.
Av/TV also have exposure compensation so can under/over expose from the meters reading a little - say to help control highlighs when shooting in sunny conditions.


As a result most of my manual shots are done when I am using flash as a domiant light source, for which my cameras built in meter can't take into account when metering the scene. So for my macro work manual is the only mode I shoot in when going for handheld flash macro work.
On the other hand my animal shots and regular shooting outside of macro is almost all done in AV (Aperture priority) mode; flash in these shots mostly used just to fill in the shadows when needed, so the camera meter and balancing to that is all I need worry about.

TV (shutter priority) I use less often; though I've been known to use it as a catch all action grabshot mode (left on 1/420sec) when walking around and I've also used it when trying panning shots with propeller planes when I want the shutter speed at a certain value to ensure that I get the blur on the rotors whilst letting the aperture do whatever it likes.