I'll have a 'P' please, Bob

When I first got my DSLR, I read in a mag that it's a good idea when not actually using the camera (ie slung around your neck but not in action), that it's a good idea to always return the dial to P, them if something amazing unfolds in front of you, you can snap away, confident you will have caught something useful.

Generally I use AV, occasionally TV if speed is essential, but I did play with M recently at a very darkly lit gig. Screwed up a lot of images :gag: but had a few worth keeping. It's manual focus that I find most useful, when light is low.
 
mrgubby said:
Do the people who claim to use 'M' 90% of the time sneak into Tv/Av mode and go...



"Mr Canon / Nikon , Your a half stop out, thank god I use manual or the shot would never have worked"






:p
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no I just look at the histogram although i'm using av or tv for my film stuff but thats excusable :p
 
I "P" most of the time, shifting if I want a higher/lower shutter speed or larger/smaller aperture for that particular shot. If I'm after the blurred wheels and background while panning I'll go to "S" and set it to 1/90th or so while if I'm after the fastest possible shutter speed for the ISO I'm using, I'll go to "A" and set the widest aperture. If the lighting's a bit tricky, "M" gets dialled in, as it does when shooting for panorama stitching. When "P"ing, I'll check the histogram from time to time and set the exposure compensation if I think it needs it. If I'm a bit doubtful about exposure when I'm shooting tranny film, I'll bracket 1/2 a stop either way but if I'm pretty sure it'll be one way or the other, I'll go for that at 1/2 and 1 stop over or under. With colour print film I don't bother bracketing, I let the inherrent lattitude in the emulsion rescue the pic.
 
Nod said:
I "P" most of the time, shifting if I want a higher/lower shutter speed or larger/smaller aperture for that particular shot. If I'm after the blurred wheels and background while panning I'll go to "S" and set it to 1/90th or so while if I'm after the fastest possible shutter speed for the ISO I'm using, I'll go to "A" and set the widest aperture. If the lighting's a bit tricky, "M" gets dialled in, as it does when shooting for panorama stitching. When "P"ing, I'll check the histogram from time to time and set the exposure compensation if I think it needs it. If I'm a bit doubtful about exposure when I'm shooting tranny film, I'll bracket 1/2 a stop either way but if I'm pretty sure it'll be one way or the other, I'll go for that at 1/2 and 1 stop over or under. With colour print film I don't bother bracketing, I let the inherrent lattitude in the emulsion rescue the pic.
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That's a really helpful post :)

Thanks, mate! :thumbs:
 
I can't P even if I wanted to. I don't know what it does or how??
 
In a nutshell, Nicola, "P" mode makes a best guess at shutter speed and aperture based on the focal length of the lens your using and the meter reading. Then, with a quick twiddle on the wheel you can change the setting the camera decided on for the shutter speed or aperture you want. What this means is that you have a reasonal compromise setting as soon as you 1/2 press the shutter release while still having complete control over the final setting you chose. A button press and another twiddle and any exposure compensation is also dialled in. To get back to the camera's setting, refer to your manual - but switching the camera off then back on generally does the trick (but any exposure compensation will stay dialed in).

I'm happy to agree that it's not the perfect solution to every situation but it is the most flexible apart from full Manual.
 
It depends entirely on what I'm shooting.
Portraits, landscapes, etc - Av
Sports, stuff that moves, etc - Tv
Anything out of the norm (stuff that requires an unusual exposure - night shots, high/low key, etc) - M

You don't need to shoot in M all of the time to know exactly how everything works.
 
I don't see the sense in not using whatever tools you have to get the best shot you can. There is nothing wrong with letting the camera chose the exposure if that's working best and once you're doing that there is only the teeniest difference between P and Av/Tv.

Even in manual, if you're using the camera's metering then it's all the same anyway. :)
 
of course you use the green square when you hand it to wife/son/brother etc :lol::lol::wave:
 
foodpoison said:
It depends entirely on what I'm shooting.
Portraits, landscapes, etc - Av
Sports, stuff that moves, etc - Tv
Anything out of the norm (stuff that requires an unusual exposure - night shots, high/low key, etc) - M

You don't need to shoot in M all of the time to know exactly how everything works.
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That. So a mix of M and Av, rarely Tv.
 
I haven't got a green square on mine! I'm deprived I tell you!

I use whatever will get me the shot that I want.

I do feel that there is almost a kind of pseudo snobbery about shooting on M (I'm a real, proper tog I am, I shoot on M!) (Yeah but I bet you still look at the meter :))

I'll shoot Tv for things that are moving, Av when I want to control depth of field and M when it's not moving too fast or I want to bracket. I leave the camera on Av as a default so I can get a grab shot if one presents itself, often M would miss the shot.

Metering modes, ISO, autofocus, shooting mode, single shot or machine gun?

All subject dependant IMHO.
 
AliB said:
I do feel that there is almost a kind of pseudo snobbery about shooting on M (I'm a real, proper tog I am, I shoot on M!) (Yeah but I bet you still look at the meter :))
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I agree and I really don't like it much either.

Taping over the screen, that might be a tad more impressive. :lol:;)
 
Seem to follow the norm here. Av for most things - Tv for sports/ moving objects - M for long exposures (should experiment here more often with things like landscapes, I guess...)

Interesting thread though, thanks.
 
I use manual for landscape and aperture priority for faster moving things. Use whatever is easiest to get the job done. Simple.
 
I use a mixture too, depending on the situation, but I never use P

I probably use Shutter priority the most for fast moving stuff, Aperture priority for most everything else. I sometimes use Manual with an external flash too.

Out of interest - All you "Manual" users, do you just rely on your exposure meter on the camera ? or do you always use an external meter ?
 
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