What are your setting priorities ?

davidbridges

davidbridges

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David Bridges
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Hey all,

I was thinking about this just before. When you take a shot in any conditions whatever they maybe whats your main priority ?

Low ISO ?
High Shutter Speed ?
or Large Aperture ?

Will be interesting to hear some replies

Thanks alot

Dave
 
:thinking: well that depends on the subject surely? For instance if I am shooting birds in flight then shutter speed, so use shutter priority. Landscapes I am more likely to want sharpness across the range so then aperture takes priority. ISO is usually last and try to keep that as low as the conditions/other setting will allow for, unless going for something deliberately grainy.
 
I use aperture priority for the majority of my shots, and keep the ISO as low as I can whilst having a shutter speed that leaves a safe margin for shake. I try and keep the aperture at around f8-9.5 unless I'm going for a specific effect (smaller for landscapes, larger for portraits etc) as this is supposed to be where the lens performs best. If there's not enough light I'll open up the aperture first, then increase the ISO if needed.
 
davidbridges said:
Hey all,

I was thinking about this just before. When you take a shot in any conditions whatever they maybe whats your main priority ?
Click to expand...

mine is the best use of the light - let me explain

the lowest iso that allow the shutter speed and depth of field i need.

if 1/250thsec is fast enough to freeze the action or camera shake then all that 1/1000th does is waste light. (you could use iso 100 instead of iso 400)

if f8 has got everything you need in focus - what do you gain by using f16? (you could use 250th/sec instead of 1/60th - and so reduce camera shake)

you should always try to get rid of what will spoil the shot, for any given lighting

hope this helps
 
since i have no tripod, i tend to set the shutter speed to suit the lens length, then the f number as low as required for dof, and iso to suit
 
mine is the best use of the light - let me explain

the lowest iso that allow the shutter speed and depth of field i need.

if 1/250thsec is fast enough to freeze the action or camera shake then all that 1/1000th does is waste light. (you could use iso 100 instead of iso 400)

if f8 has got everything you need in focus - what do you gain by using f16? (you could use 250th/sec instead of 1/60th - and so reduce camera shake)

you should always try to get rid of what will spoil the shot, for any given lighting

hope this helps
Click to expand...

Yeah i found that quite interesting actually
 
Hmm I only use the M setting.... never bother with any of the others!! Forcing my self to set everything manually, a steep learning curve but think it will be worth it in the end.

Sound advice sportysnaps.
 
aperture priority...f/2.8...iso200...if the shutter speed ain't fast enough....its too damn dark../end

:lol:
 
So far I have been aiming mostly at moving objects in low light, so its been high ISO, shutter speed as close to 300 as I can get - camera sorts out the aperture :lol:
Roll on some nice weather so I can play in good light!
 
sportysnaps said:
mine is the best use of the light - let me explain

the lowest iso that allow the shutter speed and depth of field i need.

if 1/250thsec is fast enough to freeze the action or camera shake then all that 1/1000th does is waste light. (you could use iso 100 instead of iso 400)

if f8 has got everything you need in focus - what do you gain by using f16? (you could use 250th/sec instead of 1/60th - and so reduce camera shake)

you should always try to get rid of what will spoil the shot, for any given lighting

hope this helps
Click to expand...

Great post :thumbs:

How would you know if f/8 DOES have everything you need in focus?
Something I've always wanted to ask!
(PS, I don't have a DOF preview button!!)
 
LadyLens said:
:thinking: well that depends on the subject surely?... ISO is usually last and try to keep that as low as the conditions/other setting will allow for, unless going for something deliberately grainy.
Click to expand...

^^^he's 100% right you know.

Remembering of course that changing your aperture size can cause DOF problems (one way or the other!) and changing the shutter speed can cause shake/motion blur/freeze motion.

There is no one answer, it 100% depends on the result you are trying to get out of it.

The one thing you cannot control by and large outdoors is the lighting - that you have to just go with unless you wish to mess with the voodoo that is flash photography :bonk:
 
andy_fozzy said:
Great post :thumbs:

How would you know if f/8 DOES have everything you need in focus?
Something I've always wanted to ask!
(PS, I don't have a DOF preview button!!)
Click to expand...

the canon 1d cameras that i use have a depth of field button that allows you to see how much is in focus (other cameras may or may not have this function) prime lenses have some depth of field marks on them as a guide, and the canon musium website http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/lens/index.html has depth of field charts for all of its lenses, although there are many others on the internet
 
joxby said:
aperture priority...f/2.8...iso200...if the shutter speed ain't fast enough....its too damn dark../end

:lol:
Click to expand...

That's me! Roll of Kodak VC-160 loaded, f/2.8..5.6 for my 135mm or f/1.8..3.5 for my 50mm, AP, but then all I'm ever photographing are my kids.

Just ordered 85mm f/1.8 so I should imagine that will spend it's entire life at f/1.8 as well!! :D
 
andy_fozzy said:
Great post :thumbs:

How would you know if f/8 DOES have everything you need in focus?
Something I've always wanted to ask!
(PS, I don't have a DOF preview button!!)
Click to expand...

Practice, lol.

Generally, for most landscapes will have everything in focus, there is a way to calculate it ***, but its a headache tryiong to rememebr it.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/depth-of-field.htm

have a look there, and play with the calcualtor at the bottom, gives you a feel for how things change.
 
my default settings which I always set the camera to before I leave the house (so I dont end up shooting at stupid settings without thinking) are:

ISO 200 / F11 / Av Mode / High Speed Continuous / Raw / Evaluative Metering / Auto Focus / 17-40 connected and at 17mm / Formatted card in camera / Camera switched on (unless it is going in the boot, then I turn it off)

That way I know if I see something I have to get a shot of I can pull up jump out and fire away and if it is reasonable daylight I dont have to worry too much.
 
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