Why don't people like program mode?

[Battou]

Yes it does :/ I also hated the fact you can't use ISO or exposure compensation with it.

yeah...it's a real pain in the neck when taking shots like this, I think it might be time to upgrade to something a little better for shooting shots that contain my two most commonly used cameras.

 

[JerryPH]

Geeze MAV, imagine how much better that pic could have come out in manual!

Auto modes are for people that are either lazy or don't understand how to best exploit their cameras.

Simple as that.

 

[Mav]

Auto modes are for people that are either lazy or don't understand how to best exploit their cameras.

Simple as that.

So you believe that about "[size=+1]P[/size]" mode?

 

[JerryPH]

So you believe that about "[SIZE=+1]P[/SIZE]" mode?

As it applies to the D200? Yes.

I know that P mode means different things on a Canon, though, but its still a more automated mode to help along people to make decisions for them based on the standards of some unknown engineer in Japan instead of knowing what to do themselves by setting it to full manual mode. Even shutter and aperture priority modes are compromise modes, but that is more to save time rather than make all the decisions for you.

Heck I use P-mode on my D200, again, when lazy or when what I am shooting is not critical. More and more I am in full manual mode when doing portraiture or important family pictures.

 

[mrodgers]

It's all quite simple for me. Exposure lock and focus lock is all with the shutter for me. So, I can't separate them. I can expose on the grass or whatnot, but my focus will also be on the grass.

Manual, you meter wherever you want and set the camera. Then focus on your subject, recompose the shot, and shoot.

Even using aperture or shutter priority is difficult with my camera. Simply because I can not separate the exposure and focus locks.

 

[Sarah23]

I havent even used "P" mode, so I didnt even know what it did really. I just figured it was a bit more auto then Av or TV, but a little better then FULL auto.

I still dont think I really understand what it does I just use TV, AV or Manual.

 

[Mystwalker]

Always thought "P" was some kind of advance Auto mode so never used it. Camera was in auto when I got it, I went straight from there right to Av, Tv, and M.

But from reading this thread, sounds like "P" is a bit more complex - have to try it when I get home.

 

[Early]

Always thought "P" was some kind of advance Auto mode so never used it. Camera was in auto when I got it, I went straight from there right to Av, Tv, and M.

But from reading this thread, sounds like "P" is a bit more complex - have to try it when I get home.

I always thought P as the panic mode for when you get baffled by all the settings.

Really, though, I consider it a beginners mode until you learn what what different aperture and shutter settings will do, my reason being, why lock yourself into what the camera wants to give you.

 

[mrodgers]

When I first got my camera, I thought all the same as the 3 posts above. I thought it was the same as Auto, but allowed me to specify ISO, WB, etc. It wasn't until after I started understanding a bit about shutter and aperture and I started using A and S modes that I learned it was Program Shift mode and you could shift the settings around.

I first used P mode when I bought my camera just to force the ISO to where I wanted (auto ISO up to 1600 on a superzoom is NOT good...).

Since reading some of Understanding Exposure, I haven't moved out of manual except for some apple tree blossoming with the bees that I used aperture priority yesterday.

It's been 5 months now, and I'm still learning a ton though.

 

[caspertodd]

Really, though, I consider it a beginners mode until you learn what what different aperture and shutter settings will do, my reason being, why lock yourself into what the camera wants to give you.

Exactly. That is the boat I am in now. I am new to photography, and really had no clue what settings did what. The 'P' mode on my Canon gave me a chance to learn things a little easier by allowing me to make simple changes and see the affect. I haven't received the books I've ordered yet to truely learn the basics. I have since moved on to Tv and Av so that I can take "portraits" of my daughter or take a picture of my dog running 70mph to get a frisbee. I am by no means an idiot (my wife may argue otherwise,) but I'm thankful for the P mode... I wouldn't have the small understanding that I do now.

 

[Bevel Heaven]

P mode is specifically for when you have something happen that you can;t set up for...... click it on P and start shooting so you don;t miss the shot.

P mode is for having the camera brain make intelligent decisions for you if you want to tweak some settings for a specific look or feel to your photo say, a shallow DPF or whatever and you are not the walking talking encyclopedia for everything photo related.

P mode is for those that want to LEARN what happens when you do THIS or THAT with the other settings, said another way, IF you make this change, then THAT change might also be needed. You take note, you think about it, you READ YOUR MANUAL or another useful HOW TO photography book.......... hint hint nudge nudge...........

The above applies to P on NIKON - I have no knowledge on anything beyond that [canon is a foreign language to me etc].

 

[usayit]

P and every other mode are just tools. The tools don't define the artist.

If P mode or Auto mode help your creativity, so be it.

 

[Jon0807]

I always thought I was an idiot when I tried to use P or any of the auto modes simply because most of my pictures never came out exactly how I wanted them. I just never got the hang of any sort of auto or "P" mode so I stuck with either full manual, Av or Tv which is ashame. My 40D comes with 15 different modes and I've only used 3 of them. I feel like I'm not using my camera to it's fullest potential or taking advantage of all it's capabilities.

 

[usayit]

I always thought I was an idiot when I tried to use P or any of the auto modes.....

You shouldn't feel like an idiot. Sometimes, the intent is to make you feel like that... don't ask me why...

When and If you decide that you need the extra control, you will gravitate towards the other modes. Until then just simply enjoy shooting.

 

[Harmony]

For me, P mode is the same as A.

When I use manual lenses (d200), I want A mode, but I can't, because the aperture is manually set. So I set it to P: shutter speed is automatic, aperture is set. And when P doesn't work, it's only a few clicks away to M.