Shutter vs. Aperature priority? advice please.

Magpie70

Magpie70

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Mark
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I understand the whole shutter, aperture and ISO relationship in photography (I think!). However, is it down to a matter of choice whether you use shutter or aperture priority?
I'm always divided between which one to use. I currently tend to use shutter priority for everything, based on the 1/focal length principle (in good light).
I typically take wildlife shots and was wondering what you would use for:
a) static subjects (i.e. birds perched in a tree);
b) moving subjects (i.e. birds flying).

Any advice on this would be welcome.
Cheers, Mark.
 
The answer is in your question.. There called Aperture priority and shutter priority so you choose the one thats your priority

If somethings moving fast then you absoloutly must have a decent shutter speed to capture it.. if somehting is still and you want to knock out the background and can afford to open up your lens then aperture priority..

Or shoot manual and decide them all for yourself :)
 
:agree:

Spot on, Aperture priority for static objects allows good depth of field control. Shutter priority to ensure you get the subject frozen with moving objects.

I have to admit, I tend to use fully manual for static but will happily switch to shutter priority if I need to which is not often!
 
If it's still, I use Aperture Priority, if it's moving, I use Shutter Priority.
 
I use Av on moving or still subjects.
 
I always use aperture aswell and up the iso if needed as mentioned above
 
fabs said:
Me too. If I need a faster shutter speed, I up the ISO.
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So you never had a shot in AV mode where the shutter was too slow because the camera was fooled?

Use Manual and you dont have to rely on either :)
 
I wish they'd stop offering Shutter Priority - it's a waste of time
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There is the odd occasion where I want to nail down the shutter time but the light is constantly changing and I don't have time to keep an eye on the exposure and a fast moving subject.

Then manual may not be the best choice and Tv comes into it's own.

one shot in a thousand for me perhaps.
 
KIPAX said:
So you never had a shot in AV mode where the shutter was too slow because the camera was fooled?

Use Manual and you dont have to rely on either :)
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Black cat on white background, or vice versa you mean?

ISO Always play a massive part in any awkward shot - manual alone doesn't solve this - knowledge/experience does

DD
 
DiddyDave said:
Aperture ALWAYS defines the shot

I wish they'd stop offering Shutter Priority - it's a waste of time

:bang::bang::bang:

Controversial ? Discuss!!!

:shrug:

DD
Click to expand...

Agreed, rarely do you need to define shutter speed, use aperture priority and that will give max shutter speed for a given f/stop under the lighting conditions.
Shutter speed is irrelevant for static subjects, so theres no point in selecting it unless for flash sync.
 
DiddyDave said:
Black cat on white background, or vice versa you mean?

ISO Always play a massive part in any awkward shot - manual alone doesn't solve this - knowledge/experience does

DD
Click to expand...


In a controlled shoot your OK .. but Aperture or shutter priority can let you down badly in sports or I imagine other scenarios where the background is changing or your forced to shoot into the sun or bright ligths in your view... prob other stuff I cant think of.
 
FNE2F.jpg


FNE2E.jpg


FNE2D.jpg


Try getting prop blur like this in glorious sunshine by using AV Priority. There is a place for both modes in all types of photography,however for aircraft I have always produced superior results using TV Priority.

Andy
 
Tv mode is there especially for me and I really need all the help I can get so please don't let them make cameras without it, after all its only one little setting on the button!!

Its so that in bad to very bad light that changes I can set the minimum shutter speed I need, put the ISO up as high as it will go and hope the camera can sort out an aperture that will get a picture, without it I would cry :'(
 
ranger703 said:
Try getting prop blur like this in glorious sunshine by using AV Priority. There is a place for both modes in all types of photography,however for aircraft I have always produced superior results using TV Priority.

Andy
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Ahh, this is true, I have a mate who just shoots planes on film :shrug: and he always uses shutter speed to capture rotor motion, nobody likes props frozen.
Its quite a tricky set up, to get the aircraft sharp in flight and the props how he likes them.
takes allsorts..
 
Don't forget that shutter priority can also be used to increase the sense of motion, as well as stop it dead. Examples include the plane props above, waterfalls, panning shots.

Shutter priority is also useful in getting multiple exposures of the same scene without changing depth of field e.g. for bracketing and HDR.

As stated above - if it's moving, or you want it to be use shutter priority. If you want to control depth of field, use aperture priority. If you're learning about exposure and have a reasonably static shot giving you time to experiment, use manual. If none of the above allow you to nail the shot then change your ISO and deal with the added noise.
 
What also has to be taken into consideration is the lens. For fast moving subject matter a lens or f2.8 is far better than say a f4.5-5.6 lens. So camera shutter speed has to be balanced against what type of lens being used.

just worth bearing in mind.

Realspeed
 
The subjects of shutter control and shutter priority are starting to get confused here. Obviously every shot has a shutter value used to create it, which could be used to forge the look of the image.

All Tv on the camera is doing is letting the built in meter to set the aperture for you. :)
 
KIPAX said:
So you never had a shot in AV mode where the shutter was too slow because the camera was fooled?

Use Manual and you dont have to rely on either :)
Click to expand...

Actually no, but I have had times when using manual where, according to the camera's light meter, I have selected the correct shutter speed but the picture has come out very under exposed.

TBH I think there are uses for all modes and each photographer will have his/her preferred methods.
 
Try reading a book called "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. It really is a very good book :thumbs:
 
My camera(s) are always on the full Manual setting. If I want a high shutter speed, I'll do it myself, and not let the camera decide what it thinks is best for me.
 
dazzajl said:
The subjects of shutter control and shutter priority are starting to get confused here. Obviously every shot has a shutter value used to create it, which could be used to forge the look of the image.
)
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:agree:

Even with such as the plane props requiring a certain speed for the correct amount of blur, it's still the aperture that determines the shot as you either want all the plane in focus or you don't depending on the effect required - it'd be a bit daft to let the camera decide such on SP/Tv mode and just 'hope' it picked the right aperture for the effect (as opposed to the exposure)

I'd have thought it far more likely than anyone needing a specific shutter speed for an effect would use manual settings and especially the ISO/filters to get the shutter/aperture combination required

And of course that's especially important when the images are part of a series to be viewed together

DD
 
JumboBeef said:
My camera(s) are always on the full Manual setting. If I want a high shutter speed, I'll do it myself, and not let the camera decide what it thinks is best for me.
Click to expand...

I have learned to always put my kit away in either AV or TV modes, so if I have a "grab & shoot" moment, I've not got to fiddle so much.

I'm more inclined to use TV when shooting wildlife and motorsport, while with landscapes, I normally have an idea of what appature I want to set (usually to do with DoF) so may use AV. However the camera really tends to be used in manual most of the time, especially now I have the 40D. With the 350D it was a pain to keep having to hold in a button to change the shutterspeed.

Steve
 
DiddyDave said:
Aperture ALWAYS defines the shot

I wish they'd stop offering Shutter Priority - it's a waste of time

Controversial ? Discuss!!!

DD
Click to expand...
:suspect:


I think it’s fair to say that each of the three modes can be used in almost any situation if the user fully understands what they do and the user wants to achieve.

For me I would not buy a camera if it did not have all three modes
 
Even Manual users have to admit defeat? some days and use a semi auto mode.. I prefer manual.. it gives me consistant results.. but at a football match with the sun going in and out of the clouds every few seconds it's impossible to use manual so I go AV.

I did a match at a non league ground recently (todcaster in yorkshire) and the side of the pitch is lined with long thin treess (no idea what called) the sun is behind them which made the pitch like a zebra crossing... dark/ligth all the way along and as this was a bright day it was very dark or very light and tthe changes every few ft.

Theres no way Manual could be used above..no way at all. so the modes do have there uses and are there for a reason..
 
No way at all Kipax???

Lucky then for all those thousands of sports togs in the last century BEFORE auto-exp modes were invented that they never had this problem of contrasting light/dark areas in what they were shooting :D

Sarcasm aside though, clearly this problem has arisen for decades before auto could make life easier, but the solution they (and Wedding togs who shoot manual (which should be ALL of them!!!)) use is simple enough...

For changing light situations, i.e. intermittent cloud on a sunny day, or a pitch bathed in sun but with a big shadow area too, you simply meter for each situation and toggle between the two different exposures with your thumb. It takes only a sec or so to scroll from 1/2000 to 1/1/125 on my Nikon and I'm sure Canon users can do the same as easily?

Where matching skin tones isn't important though, you're right auto can make life a whole lot easier - though you still need to know it's failings and when to use what amount of exp comp

:thumbs:

DD
 
KIPAX said:
Even Manual users have to admit defeat? some days and use a semi auto mode.. I prefer manual.. it gives me consistant results.. but at a football match with the sun going in and out of the clouds every few seconds it's impossible to use manual so I go AV.
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KIPAX said:

I did a match at a non league ground recently (todcaster in yorkshire) and the side of the pitch is lined with long thin treess (no idea what called) the sun is behind them which made the pitch like a zebra crossing... dark/ligth all the way along and as this was a bright day it was very dark or very light and tthe changes every few ft.

Theres no way Manual could be used above..no way at all. so the modes do have there uses and are there for a reason..
Click to expand...


I’ve had this type of problem before and I would love to see someone using manual adjust the shutter speed between frames at 8.5 frames per second as somebody runs to the goal/finish line /long jump etc - clearly you could meter for the highlight /shadows and make a setting in-between (as they did in the good old days) but we all have cameras that are clever (most of the time) so why not use the technology leaving us to focus on the composition and the timing of the shot?


Manual when that’s best, shutter speed when that’s best and aperture when that’s best.
 
sportysnaps said:


I’ve had this type of problem before and I would love to see someone using manual adjust the shutter speed between frames at 8.5 frames per second as somebody runs to the goal/finish line /long jump etc - clearly you could meter for the highlight /shadows and make a setting in-between (as they did in the good old days) but we all have cameras that are clever (most of the time) so why not use the technology leaving us to focus on the composition and the timing of the shot?


Manual when that’s best, shutter speed when that’s best and aperture when that’s best.
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Succinctly put! :thumbs:
 
I think you are all wrong.

The best option is vari or flexi program mode.
 
DiddyDave said:
Aperture ALWAYS defines the shot

I wish they'd stop offering Shutter Priority - it's a waste of time

:bang::bang::bang:

Controversial ? Discuss!!!

:shrug:

DD
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if you're joking or not but haven't you ever taken a photo with a slow shutter speed and panned with the subject? It keeps the subject sharp and blurs the background to give a sense of movement.
TV mode is pretty much essential for motor sports and lots of other action shots. Its also damn useful for lots of creative motion-showing shots.

Staying in aperture priority 100% of the time is the way to trapping yourself into a bland cycle of samey-looking shots i find.
 
Werecow said:
I'm not sure if you're joking or not but haven't you ever taken a photo with a slow shutter speed and panned with the subject? It keeps the subject sharp and blurs the background to give a sense of movement.
TV mode is pretty much essential for motor sports and lots of other action shots. Its also damn useful for lots of creative motion-showing shots.

Staying in aperture priority 100% of the time is the way to trapping yourself into a bland cycle of samey-looking shots i find.
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Can't you pan/blur in manual? That's how I do it

I don't recall saying anyone should stay in aperture mode 100% of the time? Or even that they should use Aperture Priority for that matter (though I often do), what I'm saying is that Aperture (as in DoF) is vital to any shot, and often is MORE important than the shutter speed. When the shutter speed IS the most important factor, it's still not in isolation as the aperture ALWAYS needs to be considered in respect of DoF. For me AP is a useful tool and where it's limitations arise, Manual is better than SP

And it would only look 'samey' if only 1 f-stop was ever used surely?

Presumably for panning, compositionally, you'd have some space for the subject to move into so shoot it off-centre? Yet it's this subject you need the exposure on, so the lighter/darker background will cause problems in ANY auto mode (even veri/flexi ones [whatever they are]) - hence a shutter speed setting set on Manual is likely to avoid under/over exposing caused by the background if you meter correctly (this is where incident meter readings can prove their value over the camera's reflected metering)

HTH

:shrug:

DD
 
DiddyDave said:
Can't you pan/blur in manual? That's how I do it

I don't recall saying anyone should stay in aperture mode 100% of the time? Or even that they should use Aperture Priority for that matter (though I often do), what I'm saying is that Aperture (as in DoF) is vital to any shot, and often is MORE important than the shutter speed. When the shutter speed IS the most important factor, it's still not in isolation as the aperture ALWAYS needs to be considered in respect of DoF. For me AP is a useful tool and where it's limitations arise, Manual is better than SP

And it would only look 'samey' if only 1 f-stop was ever used surely?

Presumably for panning, compositionally, you'd have some space for the subject to move into so shoot it off-centre? Yet it's this subject you need the exposure on, so the lighter/darker background will cause problems in ANY auto mode (even veri/flexi ones [whatever they are]) - hence a shutter speed setting set on Manual is likely to avoid under/over exposing caused by the background if you meter correctly (this is where incident meter readings can prove their value over the camera's reflected metering)

HTH

:shrug:

DD
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No you can't really pan in manual for fast action shots, especially with changing light and/or colours in the panning range. There just isnt time to work out the aperture to get the correct exposure.
I've just taken a lot of panning shots this weekend with TV mode set to 1/100 of a sec and the apeture the camera set for me changed wildly even during a burst of photos (it ranges from F8 to F22 in some of them!)
Try doing that in manual mode to get the right exposure at 8fps ;)

I wasn't suggesting that you meant you should stay in aperture mode :)

For some action shots aperture does not need to be considered.
The shots i took at the weekend (on a dragstrip at santapod) only needed the shutter speed to be considered by me. The very nature of the shots meant that it would need the camera to instantly work out the aperture to get the right exposure for each shot instantly.
The subjects were far enough away that the aperture had no noticable effect on DOF anyway, even changing from f2.8 to f16.

I agree that aperture is the main thing that should be considered for most photograpy (i normally take wildlife photos). But with action and panning it is often reversed and TV mode is the way to go (theres no time for manual).
 
By samey i meant you should encourage and force yourself to try things like using Tv mode for slow shutter effects etc. It broadens your creative thinking.
I think a lot of people think Tv mode is just for forcing a higher shutter speed when having the camera in AV mode at the lowest f-stop you can usually covers that.
 
The debate between the two is null anyway!
If your camera can display shutter speed and aperture through the viewfinder then it makes no odds which one you use.
The only exception I can see to this is astro or generally long exposures, but then you are into Bulb settings anyway.

Some cameras have a flexi mode whereby you can spin control wheels or whatever to change either shutter or aperture whilst the camera makes a corresponding change to the other.
 
soupdragon said:
The debate between the two is null anyway!
If your camera can display shutter speed and aperture through the viewfinder then it makes no odds which one you use.
The only exception I can see to this is astro or generally long exposures, but then you are into Bulb settings anyway.

Some cameras have a flexi mode whereby you can spin control wheels or whatever to change either shutter or aperture whilst the camera makes a corresponding change to the other.
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Theres a difference between having it displayed so u can alter it with the program shift etc and having a definite shutter speed dialed in.

On saturday when i was taking photos of dragsters, 1/60 was very difficult to get the subject sharp. 1/100 was just about right, while 1/120 the background wasn't quite so blurred.

What it boils down to is that there is a time and a place for all the camera modes but they are all definitely necessary to have on a camera.
 
I take on board what you are saying but, the difference between 1/100th and 1/120th is very small.
Can I cordially suggest that the variation you see in background blur is more down to the rate at which you pan as opposed to the difference in shutter speed.
I mean the car would have to be going at exactly the same speed and be in the same place at the time you pressed the shutter every time.

Just an observation!
 
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